Chapter One #3
“Son of a bitch!” she exploded. He had a fucking beacon on her car! “Where is it? Where did you hide it?”
“I’m not telling you. Searching for it will keep you busy for a while.”
“I’ll just ditch the damn car.”
“The car you’ve had since you were a kid? The one you’ve tweaked and computerized as much as you can. Not a chance. You’ll take it apart and put it back together to find the tracker, but you won’t get rid of it.”
He was right, and it pissed her off.
“One of these days, old man.”
He laughed again. “Keep dreaming, little girl.”
There was silence for a few seconds, then his voice filled her car again.
“Be careful,” he warned. “These guys are more than a file of facts. And Midnight won’t watch out for you like I have.”
“I’ll be fine.” It hit her even harder that no matter what, her father would always seen her as a little girl. One who was dependent on him to keep her safe. It was her turn to keep him safe. She didn’t have a choice when both their lives were on the line.
“When you get there, tell Stace she’s missed, and say hello to Gil Daniels. Give him my name. He’s a good guy. Honest and trustworthy.”
Gil Daniels. Police detective with Legacy P.D. Black hair, blue eyes. Married to Moira Madigan, daughter of Jack Madigan. Gil and Moira had one daughter. He was a solid family guy. Former Marine who’d served under her dad more than once. Brother to Griff Daniels.
“Stop going over the facts.”
Her dad knew her well.
“People are more than information in a file.” So funny he said that so often now when he was the one who’d shown her how to put together a file.
“I know.”
“Do you?” He sighed again. “One good thing has come out of this whole situation.”
“What?”
“It’s gotten you out of isolation and moving around in the real world.”
God, if he knew how real-world experience had created the mess she was in, he’d isolate her and keep her under lock and key.
“I move around in the real world.”
“A computer isn’t the real world.”
As far as she was concerned, it was the best world.
Facts didn’t lie. People did. Vince had certainly proven that.
Besides, she didn’t fit in. Her height, her mouth, and her overall clumsiness seemed to have people giving her a wide berth and going out of their way to avoid her.
So, she avoided them instead. No harm, no foul.
“Just be careful, Honor.”
“I’ll be fine. Promise.”
“Call me if you need anything. If I’m still out of the country, I’ll have one of the guys there instantly.”
Translation, one of the guys was probably already in place or on his way to Legacy. She wondered who he’d sent.
“Call me as soon as you’re headed back.”
“I always do. And, Honor?”
“Yes.”
“I love you, honey.”
“I love you, too, Daddy.”
Her dad disconnected, and music blared once more.
She wasn’t really listening, though. She drove on autopilot, her mind sorting through and classifying information.
Was she doing the right thing by keeping her dad unaware of her current situation?
He’d eventually find out and be pissed she’d gone elsewhere for help.
But she knew he’d rush into danger to protect her.
If she told him, he’d pull from his current rescue without a thought.
She didn’t know where he was currently, but she knew he dealt with life-and-death situations.
Telling him could lead to a failed mission, which meant there was a high probability someone would die.
She couldn’t be responsible for that. Thus, she needed Stace, which led to Legacy, which led to Midnight.
They’d make sure Vince didn’t get to her or her father. She didn’t doubt they’d find a way to turn Vince’s focus on her to their advantage.
She didn’t doubt her exodus would concern Vince.
He’d follow her. She’d left a note for him, saying she’d been called away.
Hopefully, it would be enough to make him believe she was still oblivious to his intentions.
She had no doubt he’d be coming after her, though.
In whatever game he was playing, she was too important for him to risk losing her.
She probably had seventy-two hours at most. He’d managed to get inside her computer.
Hers. So, she knew he could find out where she’d gone.
She should have enough time to arrange a meeting with Midnight via Stace and have their protection when Vince arrived, though.
She’d take all the help they offered and then some, if it kept her dad safe.
Vince wanted to make her dad suffer. She wouldn’t help him.
She knew she’d done the right thing by running.
He probably expected her to call her dad.
Christ, maybe Vince had planned for her to overhear the conversation, hoping she’d do exactly that.
Not this time. This time, she prayed she’d be pulling in Jack Madigan and his group. From her files, she knew Jack and his team were almost as hardcore as Zachariah Davison. Almost. As far as she was concerned, no one matched her dad. Not even Stace, who Honor thought highly of.
Her dad might be concerned Honor was walking into the lion’s den, but she needed a den of lions. She had a wolf on her tail, and she wasn’t sure how many others he had with him. She really hoped the lions were willing to help and hungry as hell.