If I Should Die_ A Novel of Suspense - Allison Brennan [118]
Patrick’s phone rang. “Get it—it’s Adam.”
Lucy answered. “This is Lucy. Adam?”
“I’m with Henry Callahan. We’re at the church—Jon’s not here. No one is.”
“Does Henry have any idea about where else Jon might go?”
Lucy wanted to call Noah, but knew he’d contact her as soon as he had word about Sean. Not knowing was eating her up.
“None. He could still show up here. This is where they’re supposed to meet the gun guy tomorrow.”
“He’s not going to show, not with all this police and fire activity. Which is,” Lucy said, “probably exactly what Jon wants. To ruin Bobbie.”
“Not kill her?”
Lucy considered whether Jon’s revenge was more fatal-minded. She put herself in Jon’s shoes. If Sean died—her heart skipped a beat, and she forced herself to think like a professional. If Sean died, how would she feel? What would be her raw reaction?
She’d want revenge. Tonight. And she would probably take it. But after four months? On a specific day, to also thwart the gun deal? She wouldn’t. It was cold and methodical. Her revenge would be out of pain and anguish, not a calculated plot of murder.
“Why don’t you stay there,” she said to Adam. “In case Jon shows up. Let me know.”
She hung up.
“That look on your face,” Patrick said. “You’re concentrating.”
“There’s no look on my face.”
“There is. Think. Where would Callahan go? If he’s dead set on getting revenge?”
“Wherever Bobbie is.”
“The Callahan house.”
“Noah would have told us. Unless something happened.”
“I’ll head that way.” He sped up.
She sent Noah a text message. When they were only five minutes from the Callahan turnoff, Noah called her.
“Is Sean okay?” She didn’t want to sound desperate, but she felt desperate.
“He’s not here. Swain’s bodyguard is dead. We think Bobbie took Sean with her. Any idea where?”
Her stomach twisted painfully. “Why would she take Sean with her?”
Noah didn’t answer. Of course Lucy knew why: a hostage. She said, “If she encounters roadblocks she needs a ticket out.”
“I have Ricky’s number,” Patrick said. “Call him.”
“Noah, I’m going to try and reach Ricky. I’ll let you know what I learn.”
She hung up and dialed Ricky. He didn’t answer. She sent him a text message.
Bobbie kidnapped Sean. We think she’s going to either leave town or find Jon. Where are you? Are you still with Jon Callahan?
“Jon is the one with the control right now,” Lucy said. “He’s the one who wants revenge. As soon as I found Victoria Sheffield’s body, Bobbie would have to know she’d be ID’d and the FBI would sweep in. Yet she stayed. Why?”
“Because she was playing the odds that Sheffield wouldn’t be ID’d until later?”
“Perhaps. A narcissist, maybe? No one is as smart as she is? Not even the cops. That’s why she had the body moved. If they don’t have a body, they can’t ID her.”
“She didn’t realize you’re smarter.”
“And Jon was in love with her.” Lucy tried to put herself in Jon’s shoes. For him, the real crime was Bobbie’s killing Victoria.
She texted Ricky again.
Are you at the mine? Please tell me if Bobbie is there with Sean. He’s in grave danger.
“Tim and Adam said the C-4 was stored at the mine, right?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“And that’s where Bobbie dumped Victoria’s body. Vengeance. Jon wants her in the mine. For him, it’s closure. Doing what he should have done months ago.”
Ricky responded.
She’s coming.
“We have to get to the mine. Ricky just confirmed Bobbie’s on her way!”
As she sent Noah the information, she prayed they weren’t too late.
* * *
Sean kept quiet during the drive from the Callahan house to the mine. Carl drove and Bobbie sat in the passenger seat, playing with her gun in her lap. Handcuffed in the backseat, he listened to their conversation as he considered his options.
Sean gathered that the explosives came from Sampson Lowell. He’d used Bobbie’s operation to transport three cases to a domestic terrorism group. Sean tried to figure out who and where the group was, but Bobbie wasn’t specific, nor did she seem to care. The group didn’t have the funds for the entire shipment,