Chapter 44
KANE
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I tip my head back to stare at the clear sky, grateful I haven’t run into anyone who may have overheard my heated exchange with Amy. If Ross finds out what nearly happened in that room, he’d have my hide. And rightly so.
Talk about digging a deeper hole for myself. What was I thinking? I briefly close my eyes. That’s the problem, right there. I wasn’t thinking, I was reacting. It has to stop.
Retrieving my disposable phone, I dial Graham’s number. The man answers on the first ring.
“Hello?”
“Your daughter is safe,” I tell him, bypassing a greeting.
I hear the sharp intake of a breath. “What’s going on? Amy called me!”
“Yeah, she’s inventive and resourceful, I’ll give her that.”
“Is Amy all right?”
“She’s fine. She’ll be even better once you comply with our instructions.”
“I want to speak to her.”
I ignore the demand. “Did you contact the police?” I ask curtly, wanting to hear it from Graham’s own lips. Something is bothering me, something I’m sure is important, but frustratingly, my tired brain can’t pin it down.
“No, I didn’t.”
Not that I trust him in any way to tell the truth. I’ll have to take extra precautions tonight when I head to the safe house to retrieve the Land Rover.
“I’d like to speak to Amy,” Graham says again.
“I want to read your media statement first.”
After a pause, he says, “I have a rough draft.”
“Post it on this private chat group.” I rattle off a web address I set up. “I’ll get in touch once I receive it.”
I disconnect on Graham’s furious and frantic, “Wait!”
Pocketing the phone, I scrub a hand over my face, shutting my ears to the sound of a father desperate for the safety of his daughter. Considering Graham Hutchinson’s research work, the man doesn’t deserve my pity, but I wonder why the feeling is still there.