“Then who?”
“Magnolia.”
The line goes silent for a long moment. “Maybe. What do you want to know?”
When I hangup with Keira, instead of feeling relieved, I find my apprehension has hit a new level. The final nail in my coffin of hope that my suspicions might be wrong? Keira’s last statement.
“Magnolia has been through things you can’t imagine. Don’t underestimate her.”
Something is seriously wrong here, and all roads lead back to Magnolia.
I reopen the app that I had tracking her, and the red marker has moved.
Where the hell are you going, Magnolia?
She’s heading out of town but sticking along the river.
I’m not full of conspiracy theories like Ariel, but it doesn’t take a mind like hers to come up with a few ideas about what could possibly be happening down by the Mississippi on a Sunday night.
Human trafficking.
My stomach clenches into a tight knot, and I try Kane again with no answer.
“Where are you?” I ask the empty room. “What the hell am I supposed to do? Let this happen and do nothing?”
Obviously, the room doesn’t answer me, but I already know one thing.
I can’t let this happen.
I pull on black leggings, a black T-shirt, and boots, and make sure the gun in my purse is loaded. I don’t know what I’m walking into, but I’m going to be prepared.
My phone rings as I slide into the front seat of the Audi.Kane.
“Thank God you’re okay. I’ve been trying to get you for hours.”
“Meeting ran long. Only have a minute. Lay low tonight. I’ll get home when I can.”
“But—”
“I’ll explain everything when I get home. I swear I’m not keeping anything from you, but I have to handle this myself. I’m going dark for a few hours. I promise I’ll be safe. I love you, Temperance.”
The call ends, and Kane is gone. I try to call him right back but the phone goes straight to voice mail.
He must have called me and then immediately turned his phone off. I’m smart enough to read between the lines. He’s not going to be reachable or traceable. He has a job. A hit.
Fuck.What if he’s going after Lagarto ... and he doesn’t know it’s Magnolia?
I flip to the app again and check Magnolia’s position. She’s still sticking along the road that winds along the river. If Kane can’t stop whatever she’s doing, I will.
45
Kane
This is the last time.
My last job.
I know it when I walk out of Mount’s office and immediately call Temperance.