A strangled sob leaves Anastasia, and we all turn toward her.She’s turned into Tessa, who has both arms wrapped around her.Way to go, Holt.“I’m sorry,” I tell her.“I—” What else can I say?
“The important thing is that they didn’t,” Zane replies.“If they took him, then they clearly wanted him alive for some reason.”
We look at each other, though neither of us says what we’re really thinking.Taking Sawyer could have been a way to torment Katelyn.After all, forcing her to watch her friend die would hurt her more than death ever would.
Friend.
Katelyn’s friend.“Hey, Elijah, is there any way to find out who Katelyn roomed with at college?”
“Let me see.”
“What’re you thinking?”Zane asks as the clicking of keys becomes background noise.
“Katelyn told me that her roommate died in an accident the day after she met Victor.”
“Do you think that has any connection?”
I nod.“I can’t tell you why unless I believe it’s pertinent, but trust me.”
“I always do,” Zane replies.
“Yasmin Hernandez,” Elijah says.“Looks like she died in a car accident on her way to work.Brakes failed.”
“Intentional?”I question.
“The report says they looked like they were cut, but no charges were ever filed.”
So he killed her.Earnest Marks had Katelyn’s friend murdered because she knew the truth about what really happened that night.
“Try to find a connection to that accident and Earnest.”
“The trail is long cold, but I’ll try.Lance wants to know if you need backup.He and Jaxson are geared up and ready to head your way.Same thing with the Hunts.I told Tucker I was giving you a call, and he said both Dylan and Riley are ready to hit the ground.”
“Maybe.I’ll let you know.”
“Sounds good.”Elijah ends the call, so I shove my phone back into my pocket and cross my arms, the information rolling around in my mind.
Earnest Marks was trying to salvage his brother’s reputation.
When he died while assaulting his wife in a public space, Earnest tried to throw Katelyn under the bus, desperate to make his brother look good even in death.
Which tells me he will stop at nothing to get back at her.
And the best way to do that is—Thomas.“He’s going to send someone for Thomas.”
“What makes you think that?”Ryker questions.
“If he’s going through all of this trouble, it’s not going to be enough for him to get his hands on Katelyn.If he wants her to suffer, then he’s going to want her to know that he has her son, too.”
“We need to get to the ranch.”Zane turns to Tessa.“You guys go to Leopold.Tell him what we found out and let him know he needs to send a car.”
“On it.”Tessa releases Anastasia and kisses Zane.“Be careful.”
He flashes her a smile.“I always am.”
By the time we’ve gotten to the truck, I’ve already dialed Weston.
“Anything?”he answers.