“No,” I say. “No, no, no.”
Mathias crouches in front of me and pushes loose hair back over my ear. “You still think I’m going to hurt you. Never. I will fix this problem for you. You have won the match. I am here to mop up the blood. When you wake up, this garbage will be gone, and you will have your puppy back and, as soon as I can manage it, Nicole as well. Just leave this part to me.”
My mouth works. Then I start to drop, and I feel his hands slide under my head, lowering it to the floor as I lose consciousness.
SIXTY-NINE
I wake to Storm licking my face and whining and nudging me. My flashlight is above my head, turned on, and I look around to find I’m still lying on the floor of the lumber shed. That open hole beside me has been covered with boards. I rise, hearing, “Casey!” shouted so loud the voice cracks.
“Eric,” I say, scrambling up as Storm races around me in circles, hearing his voice, trying to figure out where it’s coming from.
“Casey!”
I say, “In here!” but it comes out as a croak. I rise, wobbling. I make my way to the door, Storm dancing around me.
“Careful,” I murmur. “I’m a little shaky.”
I manage not to trip over her, and I’m about to pull open the door when she jumps on it, reminding me that yanking it open probably isn’t wise. I bend and hold her with one arm, as I open the door with the other.
“Eric! I’m in here! The lumber shed!”
Storm barks. A woman yells for Dalton. It’s Anders who appears first, running around the back of the shed. Then Dalton shoulders past and throws open the door as I stagger back, saying, “Storm!” when the puppy charges for the open doorway. Anders grabs her and then Dalton’s grabbing me as I collapse, everything going dark again.
* * *
When I open my eyes this time, I’m staring up at Dalton’s bedroom ceiling. I sigh and say, “Look, next time I pass out, can you put me somewhere else? Just for a change of scenery?”
Anders chuckles. “You woke up in the lumber shed an hour ago. That was different.”
Dalton’s face appears over mine. “Or you could just not get yourself into situations where you’re likely to pass out.” He sits on the edge of the bed. “I’m guessing Benjamin’s gone. Did he take Mathias?”
“What?” I blink, trying to orient myself.
“I know you’re not up to questions, but they’re both missing.”
“No, Mathias took…” I bolt upright. “Mathias took Benjamin. I shot Benjamin, and then Mathias came and he said … he said was going to get Nicole back.”
“Well, let’s hope he does,” Anders says. “Right now, they’re both gone. We’re just glad you’re not. Diana told us what happened—Benjamin luring you out by taking Storm, and you going after him with Mathias.”
“Diana…,” I say. “I need to speak to Diana.”
* * *
“Did he threaten you?” I ask as Diana walks in.
She slows. “Good to see you, too, Case. Up and questioning already. That’s a good sign.”
“Mathias threatened you,” I say. “Not physically. That isn’t his style. He has something on you. Knows something. He threatened to tell if you didn’t go along with his scheme. If you didn’t take Storm and give her to him.”
“Did you get hit on the head or is that just the drugs talking?” she says. “I’m the one who tried to stop you.”
“Only because you knew I’d be suspicious if you jumped on my go-after-the-puppy scheme. You played it exactly right. Resist but let me talk you into it. Insist on being backup, knowing I’d worry and leap at the chance to swap you for Mathias.”
She watches me, and I can’t read her expression. No, I can. It’s just not one I usually see on Diana, a careful assessment. She sits on the edge of the bed.
“Yes, Mathias took Storm. It was all his idea. But he doesn’t have anything on me. He convinced me.”
A shiver slides down my back. “How? Hypnosis?”
She stares at me and then bursts out in a laugh. “You really are well drugged, aren’t you? We talked while I was watching Nicole. He doesn’t like me much. He thinks I’m weak. I can tell. You fascinate him. Old story, huh?” Her lips tweak in a smile. “Don’t worry—I won’t harp on that. But we talked about you. Or I did. That’s all he needed.”
She adjusts her position on the bed. “That’s all it takes, isn’t it? To get people to do what you want. Understand what they want. He knew I wanted to help after you’d been shot. I wanted to get Nicole back, too. I wanted you to take down that sick bastard. Mathias convinced me he could help you do that, safely. Which he did, right? Mathias rescued you.”
“Not exactly.”
That same semismile. “I’m kidding. I’m sure you rescued yourself, as always. But he would have, if you hadn’t.”
“And now?”
She settles back. “Now he’ll get Nicole for us.”
“And her kidnapper? Do you know what he plans for him?”
“Nope,” she says. “I don’t care. Neither should you.”
SEVENTY
It’s been two days since Mathias and Benjamin disappeared. Two days of scouring the forest from before dawn until after dusk. We’re all out there, hunting. Me, Dalton, Anders, the militia, Brent, Jacob … even Cypher just “happened” to bump into us and agree to join the search in return for more coffee and creamer.