The bright lights blinded Jamie. She dug her face into the carpet at the pain in her eyes. It hadn’t been too dark in the trunk since he’d opened the access hole, but now little knives stabbed at her eyes. A shadow hovered over her.
“Jamie?” It spoke and strong hands covered her, tugging at her bindings, feeling the tape on her mouth. “Oh my God!”
Chris? She squinted up at the form as it morphed into her brother. He got his fingernails under the tape over her mouth and tugged. Every minor hair ripped out from around her mouth, along with the outer skin cells of her lips. She cried as the tape came off.
“God damn it,” Chris said. “How in the hell…?” He felt her bindings at her wrists and ankles. “I need something to cut these. Hang on.” He darted away.
Jamie panted in the clean air and blinked away her tears. She breathed deep and rested her head. “Chris,” she croaked.
“Hang on.” He didn’t sound too far away.
He reappeared with a Leatherman-type tool. He fumbled with it, searching for a blade. “How in the hell did you get in there? Is this the Ghost’s car? You’re okay, right?” He hammered her with questions, not waiting for an answer. He found a blade that satisfied him and went to work on the binding around her wrists.
Jamie licked at her lips and winced at the pain. Her wrists suddenly released, and shocks of agony shot up her arms and back down to her hands. Burning took over the numbness in her fingers. She moaned.
“You okay?” Chris paused his sawing at her ankle bindings, his gaze frantic on her face.
She nodded and tried to clear her throat.
“I’m okay,” she croaked.
“How’d you get in here? Who—”
“Tattoo,” she croaked again.
Chris halted. “Did he drive you here?”
Jamie nodded. Rage and fear fought for dominance on Chris’s face. He attacked her bindings again.
“Where—” She broke off into a coughing fit.
“We’re in the parking garage of the governor’s mansion. Fuck! That means the tattooed Ghost is upstairs. With Michael!”
“What?” Jamie’s mind froze. Michael? Here?
“Do you know who he is?” Chris asked fiercely, sawing at her bindings.
“The tattooed guy? He took the kids.”
Chris nodded, concentrating on his work. “And he just killed my best friend back in Demming. He wants me.”
“I know. I know about the baker. I’m sorry, Chris. You think Michael—” Her mind leaped ahead. “Where’s Brian?”
“Right here,” answered a young voice.
Both Jamie and Chris started at the new voice. The boy peeked into the trunk from the side.
“Brian, get back in the truck.”
“But Dad, why—”
“Get back in the truck.”
The face vanished, and Jamie’s heart dropped. Her nephew.
“We’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got to get him out of here.”
Jamie felt her ankles release. “Brian? But where’s Michael?”
Chris bent to help her out of the trunk. He hooked his arms around her shoulders and knees and hoisted her easily. He set her on her feet, and her legs shook. She hung on to him.
“Where’s Michael?” she asked again.
“Upstairs.”
“But you think the tattoo—what the hell is his name?”
“Gary Hinkes. But I call him the Ghostman.”
“You think he’s upstairs? With Michael? Does Michael know?”
“Fuck no, we came to talk to the senator. He’s staying here with his brother. Michael went up, and I was waiting in the car when I heard your thumps from the trunk.”
Jamie clung to Chris. “We’ve got to warn him. What will happen—”
“We’re getting the hell out of here. I won’t let him near Brian.”
“We’ve got to get Michael—”
“I won’t leave my brother. I’m going up there first.”
Jamie couldn’t speak for two seconds. She stared at Chris, her fingers digging into his arms. “What did you just say?”
Chris met her gaze. “Michael is my brother.”
Her world tipped and shattered. Jamie lost the feeling in her legs and started to collapse. Chris held on and kept her upright.
“I had to do it,” he said. Hazel eyes the same shape as Michael’s green ones stared at her, pleading with her to understand.
Images bombarded her. Images of Chris, images of Michael.
She understood. She didn’t know why, but she understood, and all that mattered was that he was safe and here now. The why could come later. She nodded, and relief passed over his eyes.
“I’ll explain everything later. Can you drive?”
Jamie tried to take a step, but numbness prevailed in her feet. “No.”
“Okay. Get in the backseat.” He shook her shoulders to get her to look at him. “I’m leaving you to watch Brian. I’ve never left him with anyone. Do you understand?” His eyes were deadly serious. Jamie could only nod; the magnitude of what Chris was entrusting her with was overwhelming.
“I want you guys to get down on the floor of Michael’s SUV and stay there until we come back. Okay?”
Jamie started to shake. “You can’t go up there. You can’t let him see you.”
“Daddy?” Brian’s shrill voice reflected Jamie’s fears.
“It’s okay, Brian. Jamie is going to stay with you. I’ll be right back with Michael.”
Brian peeked out of the SUV. Jamie’s heart melted.
“Brian, this is your aunt Jamie who I told you about.”
The solemn face nodded at her, his eyes scared.
“Hey, Brian.” Jamie soaked up the sight of the little boy. There was so much of both Chris and Michael in his face. She let the tears flow.
Concern crossed Brian’s face. “Is she hurt?”
“She’s a little banged up. And tired and scared.” Chris helped Jamie into the back of the Range Rover. “Take good care of your auntie. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“Chris!” Jamie stopped the car door as he started to slam it shut. He stared at her.
“You’ve got to be careful. He’s dangerous.” She whispered the last word, mindful of little ears.
“I’m good.” He reached into a deep pocket in his cargo shorts and showed her the butt of a gun.
Jamie gasped. “What are you—where did you get that?”
“This one is Michael’s. I found it in his console when I got the tool to cut your bindings. I have my own, too.” He patted a bulge at the side of his waist. “We were both boy scouts at one time, you know. We believe in always being prepared.”
“I didn’t know,” she whispered. And she hadn’t known that fact. There was a hell of a lot about Michael Brody that she didn’t know. And Chris.
“He’s not armed. He’s up there with that man, and he isn’t armed.” Terror climbed up her spine.
Chris nodded, determination on his face. He dug into his other pocket and handed her his cell. “Call the police. I need to go.” He looked at Brian, and Jamie’s heart cracked at the love for the boy on his face. “Love you, buddy. I’ll be right back.” He slammed the truck door. Jamie listened to his running footsteps fade away.
Jamie crouched on the floor, dialed 911, and forced a smile at her nephew. “Why don’t you get down on the other side, and I’ll tell you about your dad when he was a boy as soon as I’m done on the phone.” Her neck, ankles, and wrists were in some serious pain. And her brother just ran off to meet a killer. Not just any killer, but the killer from his nightmares.
Please be careful, Chris.
Brian cautiously moved off the seat to the floor, his serious eyes studying her. She tried to get comfortable, stretching out her legs and rubbing at her wrists.
And bring back Michael in one piece.