Chapter 37
Thirty-Seven
W hat was taking so long? Esther glanced at her phone. Edie hadn’t texted her with any updates. It had been forty-five minutes since she left the school and ten since she and Connie arrived at the farmhouse.
“What happens when he gets here?” Connie asked. “I know you said your sister is working on a plan, but he’s going to want us to go with him. If she’s not here…”
“I know. I was just thinking the same thing. And he won’t let us take our phones.”
“Do you think he’ll search us? Like, thoroughly, I mean?”
Esther cocked her head. “How thoroughly?”
“I’m wearing a sports bra. What if I tuck it under the back? We can tell him I left mine at the house when we ran from the cop guarding the place. Will your sister think to track mine?”
“She might. It might take a little longer for her to think of it, but it’s worth a shot.” Esther glanced around. “Get in the car and do it. Act like you need to sit down, so if he’s watching on a camera, he doesn’t get too suspicious. I don’t know what kind of surveillance he has here. Some, obviously, or he wouldn’t know we’re here.”
“Okay.” Connie paced away, kicked at some tufts of grass, then marched back to the car. “Is this good?”
Esther smothered a smile. “It’s great.
Connie threw the passenger side door open and flopped onto the seat. She left her legs hanging out, then as surreptitiously as she could, she took her phone from her purse on the floorboard and tucked it under her shirt.
“Are you good?”
“I think so.” Connie hopped up and stormed away again. “Just don’t let him touch my back. If he ever shows up.”
Esther scanned the road again. She really thought he’d be here by now.
Two minutes later, the sound of a car coming down the road filled the air. They’d heard a couple others, so she wasn’t too hopeful, but the sound grew louder and a dark-colored SUV came into view. It slowed as it neared the driveway.
“Is that him?” Connie came closer.
“Maybe. It’s not Edie.” Not unless she’d rented a different car. And quickly.
The car turned, and Esther could see a single male occupant in the front. It bumped over the gravel drive and came to a stop twenty feet behind Connie’s car.
The man left the engine running and got out.
An audible gasp came from Connie.
A sickly-sweet smile spread over his face. He shut the door and walked closer. “Hello, Lindy.”
“You son of a bitch, where’s my daughter?”
“You mean our daughter?”
The blood drained from Connie’s face, but her scowl stayed firmly in place. “No. You don’t get any rights to her. You gave those up when you murdered my parents and left me for dead.”
“The courts won’t see it that way.”
Connie scoffed. “How ever they see it won’t matter, because you’ll be behind bars for their murders.”
“Hardly. You were the one there. It’s your prints and blood they found at the scene. Not mine. You were angry at them. They found out you were pregnant and refused to support you. That made you angry. I mean, why else would you run and change your entire life?”
Esther laid a hand on Connie’s arm before the woman could respond. Arguing with him wasn’t getting them anywhere, and it didn’t matter, anyway. “Where are Leah and Asher? What do you want with us?”
“Ah. So pragmatic. It’s part of what makes you perfect.”
A frown drew her brows down. “Perfect for what?”
“Get in. I’ll explain at home.”
Esther shared a look with Connie. She didn’t like his choice of words. It was like he meant their home. Not just his, but a place where they’d all live. What was his plan?
The affable expression on his face hardened at their hesitation. “I said, get in the car.” He produced a handgun from his waistband. “I won’t ask again. Leave your phones with your vehicle.”
Dammit, Edie. Where are you? Esther’s gaze darted around once before settling on Connie.
“Now!” Lennox yelled.
Esther jumped and closed her eyes for a moment, hoping to slow her racing heart. They were out of time to stall. “Fine.” She looked at him. “We’re coming.” Slowly, she took her phone from her bag and tossed it in through the open door of the car.
“You, too, Lindy.” Lennox gestured toward the car with the barrel of the gun.
“I left it at home. We had to leave in a hurry to get away from the cop at my house.”
Lennox’s jaw worked. “The cops know?”
“No,” Esther was quick to say. “You told me to bring her. I had to get her out of the house, and the only way was to trick him and lock him up, but we knew the door wouldn’t hold him for long, so we ran. All she grabbed were her purse and keys. Her phone was in the kitchen.”
He studied them for a brief moment. “Lift your shirt, Lindy.”
She raised the hem, showing her pockets.
“Turn around.”
Connie spun in a circle, holding her shirt up. Esther held her breath.
“Okay. Get in.”
Knowing they really didn’t have any other options, Esther headed for his car. Connie did the same.
As Connie approached, Lennox stepped into her path. Anger glittered in his light brown eyes. He grabbed her chin, pulling her close.
“Hey!” Esther reversed direction.
Lennox raised his gun and pointed it at her. “Stay there.” His gaze stayed on Connie. “I looked for you. Spent months scouring the news and social media for any clue about you. I hoped you weren’t dead. I knew I’d been a little… rough with you. But I didn’t want you dead.” He shook her. “Then I saw that picture of you and your little family. And I knew why you’d stayed hidden. You wanted to keep my daughter from me. I wanted you dead then.” He squeezed harder, and Connie let out a soft whimper. She winced and grabbed his wrist, but he wouldn’t let go.
“But after I watched you, waiting for the perfect time to strike, I realized it would hurt you more to take your precious child and to make you watch me raise her.” He turned to Esther. “That’s where you come in.” He let Connie go with a hard push. She stumbled back, nearly falling. “Get in the car. There are handcuffs on the back seat. Use them.”
Esther eyed him with tears swimming in her vision. What he wanted—it would be a fate worse than death for Connie.
“Get in!”
With a quick look at Connie, who now looked more defeated than angry, Esther got in the back seat.
Metal clinked softly as she picked up a set of handcuffs.
Oh, I don’t want to do this.
But she had little choice if she wanted to save Asher and Leah. So, she wrapped the cold steel around her left wrist. With each click, her confidence that they would all make it out alive diminished a little more.