Chapter 52

Panic attacks were real.

Although Kayla had never experienced one herself, she had a sorority sister who’d been plagued by them, and Kayla had learned how to help her work through the debilitating sensation of breathlessness and mind-numbing terror.

But she’d never understood—not really—how a person could cede control of their reality to fearful thoughts.

Until now.

Kayla’s mind rotated around her conversations with dizzying speed. Her heart punched her ribcage with the strength of a heavyweight boxer, sweat steamed at the roots of her hair, and her stomach flip-flopped like a prize fish fighting a pro’s line.

Her breath stopped.

Her mind spun from conversations and implications to fear and survival. From the depths of her mind, she recalled the mantra she’d established with her sorority sister.

Breathe, one, two, three. Exhale. Breathe, one, two, three.

She continued repeating the words, forcing her nervous system to cooperate, to believe she wasn’t dying. Finally, her lungs expanded and deflated and her heart rate scaled down until her body no longer vibrated from the impact.

Once she felt she could speak with control again, she called her mother.

The call went to voicemail. She tried twice more, letting Jillian know by sheer volume to pick up her damn phone. This was important. Still, her calls remained unanswered.

The sun fell below the treetops, and Kayla wrapped an arm around her middle to ward off the dipping temperatures. She considered taking the path to her right to the family’s chapel for warmth and privacy, but her feet remained rooted in place while she dialed Gordon Krowne.

“Daddy, I’m trying to get in touch with Mom, but she’s not answering her phone. Can you put her on?”

“Sorry, Pepper. Your mother left for Chicago this morning.”

“Chicago? You’re sure?”

“That’s what she said. Now that I think about it, she hasn’t checked in with me as she normally does.”

“Is there an issue at one of our hotels?”

“Not that I’m aware. She gave me the impression that she’s doing one of her periodic check-ins.”

“Did she take Susannah with her?”

“No, she stayed back to finish up some research.”

She could think of only one reason why her mother would make an unscheduled visit to the Windy City without her assistant. What she didn’t know was why Jillian would need to speak with Indira Umar. Did it have something to do with Vicky’s murder? Had Sybil and Elsie gone with her?

“Is she staying at our downtown hotel?”

“It’s her favorite. Is everything all right, sweetheart?”

“Everything is fine, Daddy. I’m sure she’s just busy with meetings. When I reach her, I’ll make sure she calls or texts you.”

She hung up and immediately searched her contacts for the Krowne hotel in downtown Chicago. “Gavin, this is Kayla Krowne. Could you put me through to the family suite?”

“Of course, Miss Krowne.” A slight hesitation. “To my knowledge, none of the family are in residence.”

An electric jolt slammed into her heart. “Could you please verify? Jillian might have checked in earlier today.”

Rapid clicking echoed through the receiver. “I’m sorry, Ms. Krowne, but I don’t see that your mother is staying with us. Could she be at?—”

“Thank you, Gavin.” She disconnected.

Kayla racked her brain for another reasonable explanation for her mother’s trip. Maybe she and Harper traveled there to shop the Magnificent Mile for Gordon’s upcoming birthday. That would explain why she’d called it a business trip.

Wouldn’t she still stay at their downtown hotel, though? It would be the most convenient.

She called her sister. “Harper, did you by chance fly to Chicago with Mama?”

“Mom’s in Chicago? She didn’t say anything about a trip when I spoke to her last night.”

“If you hear from her, will you let me know?”

“Sure, but?—”

“Can’t chat now. Give Jimmy a kiss for me.”

Fear crowded in her throat as her fingers tapped out a frantic group text to Sybil and Elsie.

Is Mom with you?

Ten seconds went by with no answer. Thirty seconds. A minute. Two minutes.

Like her, the aunties lived and died by their phones. They always, always answered within a minute, if only to send her a “stand by” until they could respond more fully later.

What the hell was going on?

Kayla held her phone against her chest as snatches of conversation from the past week whisked through her mind. The low hum of anxiety that had started building in her chest after her first phone call was now a nine on the Richter scale.

She gripped the phone tighter to stem the trembling in her hand. With bone-deep certainty, she knew something had happened to her mother. And now her aunties weren’t answering.

Had they all been targeted?

If so, that meant someone had found out about Service and was actively trying to destroy it. Kayla could be next. Had Ash been right all along?

Panic gripped her chest as she put the phone to her ear for one final call.

A cultured voice answered on the second ring. “Kayla, this is a welcome surprise.”

“My apologies for intruding on your personal time, Indira. I will keep this brief.”

“You have perfect timing. My next appointment has not yet arrived. What can I do for you?”

“I’m trying to locate Mom. Dad said she flew to Chicago. I wondered if she might be with you.”

A long nerve-snapping silence followed.

“Indira, she didn’t take her assistant and hasn’t checked in at the hotel yet.” She hated showing weakness to this woman, but answers to her questions were more important than her pride. “I’m worried.”

The older woman released a heavy breath, as if she’d made a decision she didn’t like but could live with. “I can confirm that Jillian requested a personal conference with me. We were to have dinner together at Oriole’s tonight.”

“What time?”

“Thirteen minutes ago.”

Kayla’s own breath shuddered between her lips. “Mom’s never late.”

“No, she’s not.”

“Have you tried contacting her?”

“Several times.”

“What did she want to talk with you about?”

“She only said it was important and that . . .”

“Yes?”

“She was worried about your safety.”

“From whom?”

“She wanted to discuss it with me in person.”

“Any guesses?”

“None I’d be willing to share over the phone.”

“Something’s happened, Indira. No one has seen her since this morning. Sybil and Elsie haven’t answered my texts either.” She took a steadying breath. “According to my driver, someone within HCVS hired him to kill Victoria. Mason couldn’t go through with it, but they hired a second assassin who had no problem with follow-through.”

“Your driver, what’s his name?”

“Mason Wade.”

“Who was the other shooter?”

“Seb Grimball, but he’s dead.”

“You believe this Mason?”

“Yes, I do. The optics aren’t good.”

Silence settled on the other side of the call for several long seconds. “Did Jillian fly commercial or private?”

“I don’t know. I’ll look into it.”

“Kayla?”

“Yes?”

“Do not contact any other Service members until you hear from me. I’ll see what I can find out from my end.”

“Thank you?—”

The line went dead. She stared down at her now silent phone, wishing she could get a hold of Mason. He knew more than what he’d told them. She was certain of it.

“I think it’s time you leveled with me, don’t you?”

Kayla closed her eyes briefly before pivoting to find Ash leaning against the open doorframe, arms crossed.

A large lump rose in the back of her throat, doing its damnedest to suffocate her. She swallowed hard and nodded.

“Yes, it’s time.”