All I've Ever Wanted - Adrianne Byrd [57]
No further explanation was needed as Max’s eyes widened at the destruction that lay before him. His hand instinctively returned to his weapon.
“There’s no need for that. I told you. Nobody is in there.”
“When did you discover this?”
“Actually, I was just here with her when she came home—”
“She?”
Wanda stared at him as if he had grown another head. “Yeah. She—Kennedy.”
“She was here today?”
“Yeah, she was.” Wanda shook her head as if saddened by the fact that he didn’t seem too bright.
“Where is Kennedy now?” he demanded.
Wanda flinched.
“I’m sorry.” He extracted the impatience from his tone. “Do you know where she is now?”
“No.” She shook her head. “She wouldn’t tell me where she was going. She just rushed in and stuffed a gym bag with some clothes and left with Bennie.”
“Who’s Bennie?”
The look Wanda gave him said that she no longer believed that he was a friend of Kennedy’s. Max clenched his teeth. He was tired of playing Mr. Congeniality, but he gave it one more try. “Please tell me. I believe her life is in danger.”
Wanda’s mask of disbelief shattered before his eyes.
“B-Bennie is her boss at the Georgia Diner. They just left a little while ago. If you hurry maybe you can catch them. He drives a big, old, blue Buick Regal. I watched Kennedy leave from my window upstairs.”
The city passed in a blur as Kennedy stared out the passenger window. Her heart ached at every glimpse of a familiar building. She couldn’t help pondering the possibility that this might be the last time she saw her hometown.
As she reflected on her short life, she really couldn’t say that if she had the opportunity she would have done anything differently—except she would have avoided taking the trail into the woods last week. Other than that, she really had enjoyed a good life. She was blessed to have had loving parents. They may not have had much, but they had always given the best of themselves. She had been lucky enough to have experienced love with Lee Carsey, and from that love she’d borne a wonderful child. All she had ever wanted was to be happy, and she had achieved that. She smiled at the passing cars. When it came down to it, she had had a wonderful life.
“Are you sure you’re not going to need anything else?” Bennie’s concerned voice invaded her private thoughts.
She needed a miracle, but refrained from saying as much. “No. I should be fine.” Kennedy turned her smile to him, marveling at the ease of deception.
“Now, you’re sure that you’ll be back to work by next Monday?”
She nodded, then returned her gaze to the window. “I really appreciate you doing this for me.”
“Don’t mention it. That’s what friends are for.”
An image of Max flashed in her head and her smile faded. Her betrayal sat like rocks in the bottom of her stomach. Though her actions were nothing compared to those of his ex-wife, she wondered if he would judge her as harshly.
Max turned up the volume of his car radio, waiting anxiously for a response to the All Points Bulletin he’d placed on Bennie’s car. He’d called his contact down at the DMV to verify Bennie’s tag number. Now all he had to do was wait. He was all but certain that Kennedy’s destination was Memphis; he just didn’t know how she intended to get there. Had this Bennie agreed to take her? If so, which route would he take, I-20 through Birmingham or I-75 toward Nashville? One thing was clear; Max had to reach her before she left the jurisdiction.
Through the fog of troubled thoughts, his brain registered the shrill ring of his cell phone. “Yeah.”
“Maxwell?”
A frown immediately creased his face at the hauntingly familiar voice.
“Maxwell?” she questioned again in a hurried whisper.
“Make it quick, Aaliyah.”
“We need to meet.” Her voice dipped lower.
His frown deepened. “I’m busy.”
“Please. I’m onto something I know you’ll be interested in.”
“I highly doubt it.”
Max caught the make of Bennie’s car being reported over the police radio.
“I have