“What’s your plan?” he asked, not wasting any time on recriminations.
“This house has an security system sticker so we can’t risk going inside, but it’s a warm night so I’m going to set up Megan on the porch. She should be safe. I’ll leave her my laptop. If anything happens, she can get word out to you.”
He nodded but the worry lines around his eyes deepened. “You know the boy’s probably already dead and Fleming is halfway to Cuba.”
“Maybe, but I need to try.” She glanced over her shoulder in the direction Megan took. “Megan would never forgive me if I didn’t.”
“You’ll take her cell phone so we can track you?”
“Yes.” Damn, she needed to check the battery level on the phone. “As long as I have juice and there’s Wi-Fi nearby, I should be able to stay in contact. And I’ll wait for backup if I can.”
“Be careful. You’re not just dealing with a conman with a blown caper. If you’re right about Hayden, then you’re dealing with a trained law enforcement officer who has a lot to lose.”
“Like Walden said, technically Hayden hasn’t committed any crime yet—at least none that we have any evidence for. I’m hoping that will keep her on the sidelines, playing cautious and thinking twice before she does something she can’t undo. Which leaves just Fleming and maybe his wife to deal with.”
He didn’t look convinced. But Megan was back from her jog down the road. “This is number 43 Marshland Road.”
“Got it.” Nick’s tone turned stern. “Megan you do what your mother tells you to, no argument. Okay?”
“Yes, sir. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” Megan was trying to act brave and grownup for Nick, but if Lucy could see through her, she was certain Nick did as well. Damn, she wished he was here.
“We’ll both be fine,” Lucy said firmly.
Before Nick could respond, Taylor returned. “I found them!”
Chapter 19
Lucy settled Megan on a settee on the front porch of the mansion. She couldn’t tell what color it was in the dark, but it sported the lovely, balanced lines, and classic design of a Southern plantation house, complete with twin staircases leading down from the columned porch.
“You’ve got water, blanket, rations if you dare to eat them—they taste like sawdust—and the laptop has almost a full charge, so as long as you don’t use it for anything else, you should be able to stay in contact with Dad.”
“I already turned on the messenger app—it will take up tons less power than video conferencing and be just as fast. Plus you can message me from my phone.”
Okay, learn something new everyday.
“I’ll be fine,” Megan said. “Go save Mateo.”
Lucy hesitated. The tide was coming in. She could hear the waves growing louder from the back of the house. There were no lights to be seen, she’d be leaving Megan alone in the dark. Vulnerable. And she hated that.
“Maybe I should stay. Let the sheriff handle things.”
“No. Mom, do your job. Please.”
Still, Lucy had doubts. Should she change her mind and leave the Remington with Megan? No. Odds were the next people Megan saw would be law enforcement: either Hayden’s men filled with Lord only knew what tall tales the chief had spun for them or a sheriff department’s hyped-up emergency response team. Last thing she wanted to risk was trusting them to think first and shoot second if Megan made the wrong move with the shotgun.
No. This was the best way, the safest way. And the hardest damn way.
Megan got up, the blanket still wrapped around her, and threw her arms around Lucy. “Thanks, Mom.”
“For what?”
“For believing in me. For trusting my instincts about Mateo. For treating me like an adult.”
Was that what she was doing? She squeezed Megan back. Didn’t mention that if she was wrong about all this, if Fleming really was the victim and Mateo their actor, then she’d be the one destroying Mateo’s future.
Except… she did trust Megan’s instincts. And her own. Ever since her injury, fighting back physically and mentally, she’d been second-guessing every choice. But not now. Now she was certain she was right.
She kissed Megan’s forehead—would have kissed the top of her head like she did when Megan was little, submerging herself in the perfume of baby shampoo and innocence, but Megan had grown too tall for that.
“I’ll see you soon,” she promised. “Everything will be all right.”
A double promise. Tempting Fate. But for once, Lucy didn’t care. The confidence of knowing she was right and that she’d keep her word surged through her.
Lucy let Megan go and turned, jogged down the steps, barely feeling the thud of pain echoing through her bad ankle. Everything was going to be all right—because she was going to make sure of it.