Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 93002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
I had no idea what the undercarriage of a car was supposed to look like, which wasn’t going to help me spot something that shouldn’t be there. Regardless, I squinted up into the dark confusion of metal, rough asphalt biting into my knees as I crawled slowly backward. The gas pump clicked, indicating that the tank was full. We ignored it.
After a few minutes, I heard a satisfied “Got it,” followed by the ding of metal on metal. I jumped to my feet and rounded the back of the car. “What does it look like?” I asked, holding out my hand.
Forrest showed me a small black box twice the size of a garage remote.
“Clever,” I said. “What are we going to do with it?”
Forrest looked down at the device in his hand. “As I see it,” he began, “we have four options. Option number one, we destroy it. Which would get them off our tail temporarily, but also let them know we found it and we don’t want to be followed.”
I nodded. That one was mostly downside, as far as I could tell.
“Option number two, we throw it out here,” he said, gesturing to the trash cans beside the gas pumps.
“It would buy us some time,” I said. “But eventually, they’d figure out that we weren’t still at the gas station. What’s option three?” I asked.
“We drive somewhere else and leave it there.”
I mulled that over. “We could leave it at a hotel,” I considered aloud. “Or in the next town, in a residential neighborhood. Or, I don’t know, someplace we’d conceivably stop for longer than a few hours. Or…” I looked around the gas station, spotting an SUV with a packed bike rack, a plumber’s van, and a state trooper. “We could put it on one of these cars. It might be fun for the Learys to chase down a state trooper.”
Forrest grinned. “Only if we could catch it on camera. And I don’t think we want to piss them off. I might not like it, but you’re safer as long as Callum likes you.”
“True,” I said, “but he doesn’t like me. He wants to use me. Not the same thing.” I glanced again at the other vehicles getting gas and ditched that idea. I didn’t want to bring trouble to anyone who hadn’t asked for it.
“I’m voting for option four,” Forrest said. “We put it back and drive home.”
I grinned back, the benefits of option four immediately clear. “That’s where they’re expecting us to go, right? And if they think we’re exactly where we’re expected to be…”
“They won’t know we found the tracker,” Forrest finished.
“Then maybe they’ll stop watching us as closely,” I said. “At the very least,” I added, “we could let Hawk and Griffen figure out what to do with it.”
“I’ll put it back.” Forrest knelt, and I heard metal connect to metal with a satisfying magnetic click.
We hit the gas station shop for drinks and got back in the car. The rest of the ride home to Sawyers Bend was silent until we turned before town, heading toward Forrest’s house.
“Aren’t we going to go talk to Hawk and Griffen?” I asked.
“You left your car at my place. I thought you’d want it.”
His simple, thoughtful words hit like a slap. I’d forgotten I left my car at Forrest’s. Being with him like this had felt so natural, so right, despite the awkward silence between us. I’d forgotten we weren’t together. I’d left my car at his house because I didn’t want him to pick me up.
For the millionth time, I wondered if whatever was at the end of Alan Buckley’s scavenger hunt was worth putting myself through this emotional torture. My body wanted what it wanted, but my heart was terrified. I could survive without the money. Did I need to prove my father wrong that much?
We pulled to a stop behind my car. I got out with a sigh, fumbling in my purse for my keys.
“I’ll follow you to Heartstone,” Forrest said, interrupting my thoughts and reminding me that this was about a lot more than Forrest and me and our failed relationship. Callum Leary was no joke. I needed my big brother, and I needed Hawk.
We were playing a dangerous game. It was time to get my head out of my ass and Forrest out of my heart. It wouldn’t matter what was at the end of this scavenger hunt if I wasn’t alive to enjoy it.
Chapter Seventeen
FORREST
Ifollowed Sterling back through town, giving her space on the road but staying close. She’d been withdrawing from me all morning. My gut said she regretted her impulsive seduction the night before. I didn’t want her to regret it. I wanted her to repeat it, preferably as soon as possible, but not if it was going to make her miserable the morning after.