Chapter 32

Panic surged through Sadie.

What had just happened?

A man pressed his hand over her mouth and clutched her arms against her using his other arm. She fought with everything she had in her, desperate to escape his hold.

She wasn’t going to let him get away with this unscathed.

But the man was so much stronger than she was.

Sadie lifted her foot, preparing to ram it into the man’s shin.

Then she heard a click followed by, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

The man had a gun, she realized.

Sadie froze.

Maybe running from Trevor had been a bad idea. She’d fled one danger and ran right into another.

Two men were in the car, the one holding her hostage in the back seat and the one driving.

She couldn’t see the man gripping her, but she glanced at the driver. He wore a black cap, and she couldn’t make out many details about him other than the fact he was blond.

And the fact he was a terrible driver.

He sped away, driving erratically down the street and nearly sideswiping another vehicle.

What did these guys plan on doing with her?

Would she recognize them if she got a good look at their faces? If her memories were restored?

It didn’t matter. All she knew was that they were dangerous.

“The road is blocked up ahead,” the man beside her said. “They’re repaving it. There’s a detour.”

She glanced out the front windshield.

Saw the barricade in the road.

Then she heard a vehicle gunning it behind them.

She turned and saw Trevor’s truck.

She wanted to believe he was coming to help. But she didn’t know what to believe anymore.

The driver slowed. “What should I do?”

“Bust through it,” the man beside her suggested.

“Are you crazy? I can’t do that!”

The two men began to argue, seeming to forget about Sadie a minute.

This was her opportunity.

Most likely her only opportunity.

If she screwed this up, she might die.

But if she didn’t try anything, she would die.

She had no doubt about that.

She needed to take her chances.

As her captor barked something to the driver, she jammed her foot into the door handle.

The door flew open.

With no time to waste, Sadie sprang forward.

Her sudden move took the man by surprise. His grip remained loosened.

She prayed he didn’t pull the trigger.

Before he could fully realize what was going on, she jumped from the car and rolled into a ditch.

Brakes screeched, and she braced herself, knowing this wasn’t over yet.

As she pressed her eyes closed, her mind seemed to blip, and memories—or something like a memory—filled her.

* * *

“There!” Trevor pointed to the road ahead.

Thankfully, Larchmont had seen what was going on. He had jumped into Trevor’s truck—Trevor had left the keys inside—and picked him up. Then they’d taken off after the sedan.

Ahead, the road was barricaded, and construction cones had been set up.

The car was slowing down.

What were these guys going to do?

Then the back door flew open.

Sadie rolled on the ground like a ragdoll and landed in a ditch.

Larchmont threw on brakes.

Trevor started to get out. But he wasn’t sure what these guys were planning.

The next instant, the sedan made a U-turn and sped past them in the opposite direction. The dark windows obscured the people inside.

He would tell Larchmont to follow it. But he had to check on Sadie. Had to know she was okay.

Though it appeared she’d jumped out of the car, she could have been pushed.

Or worse . . . they could have done something to her and then shoved her dead body out.

Trevor’s heart lurched into his throat at the thought.

As the other car raced in the opposite direction, he launched out of the truck and ran toward Sadie.

As soon as he reached her, she moaned and turned over in the grass.

She was alive!

He thanked God for that.

“Sadie, are you okay?” He knelt on the ground beside her.

She sat up and squinted. Before responding, she glanced at the road. Saw the other car had disappeared.

Her shoulders relaxed as she said, “Yeah, I think so.”

Trevor helped her to her feet, and she brushed the grass from her clothing. Then she glanced around again, her gaze stopping on his truck.

How was he going to explain Larchmont?

But as he followed her gaze, he realized Larchmont was nowhere to be seen.

Where had he gone?

His boss had always been able to vanish like a ghost.

There was no sign he’d ever been there.

“Let’s get you to the truck so you can sit down,” Trevor said.

He kept an arm around Sadie as he led her to the passenger side and helped her into the seat.

He had so many questions for her.

Where did he even start?