Ally continues to stare at me.
“Cruickshank’s body was found a week later in the Scioto River. Dunno whose call that was.”
My phone rings. It’s Craig again.
“A second, babe,” I say and then answer it.
“Craig?”
“Jonah Steele is in surgery. The rest of the Steele family are all secure for the moment. Daystrom is in the wind but there’s an A.P.B. Keep a close eye on your girl. Looks like he’s done this for her because he has a thing for her.”
No fucking kidding.
Craig continues. “If you can get her to send him messages maybe he’ll get in touch once he’s put some distance between himself and the shootings. Then we can pick him up.”
“Thanks. I’ll do that. Thanks for the update. Got Ally here so I’m just briefing her.”
“Later,” Craig says.
I look to Ally, who’s staring into space looking completely shocked.
“I need you to send a text message and an email to Wade Daystrom and ask him to call you. When he calls you, try to find out where he is. Set up a meeting.”
She stares with shock.
“He’s said he’s gonna get in touch with you, but if we can push that up, the cops can catch up with him first.”
She frowns and then thrusts her hands through her hair.
“Wade killed Thad.”
I sit down.
“Wade killed Thad and tried to kill Jonah.”
“Yeah, baby.”
“And Jonah hasn’t been after me all this time. Jonah thought Thad killed me and was trying to put him away for it?”
I grind my teeth.
The look on her face. It feels like a knife in my gut.
She’s crying.
I’m about to reach for her, but she gets up.
She’s shaking her head, looking distraught. Pacing.
“What can I do?”
She swallows hard and not looking at me, says, “Can you take me to Columbus? To the hospital?”
The knife in my gut feels like it gets twisted.
She grabs her phone and starts tapping at it.
“What’re you doing?” I ask.
“Sending Wade an email and a text. He’s maybe turned his phone off, maybe he’ll toss it, but he will check his email. I’m gonna pack a bag and call work.”
“Wait. Hold up, don’t send him anything yet. We should carefully word it.”
“Already done,” she says and heads up the stairs. When she gets to the top, she looks over her shoulder. “Can someone come over and take care of the kittens?”
“I’ll make it happen,” I say and send a text message to Roman, asking him to come over today after school, then Ash, asking if he can drop the cat off after five to my brother.
I throw a change of clothes in my bag and pack up my laptop before texting Craig and Boyd to tell them I’m on my way to the airport to bring Ally to Columbus.
Once we’re on the plane, she looks at me.
“You found out last night that Jonah might not be a criminal? That he was trying to find me?”
I nod.
“And you didn’t tell me last night.”
Fuck.
I sigh and rub my forehead.
“I was gonna get more information. And…”
“Don’t,” she whispers and stares out the window.
She doesn’t say another word to me the rest of the flight.
46
Jude
Columbus, OH
“We can only provide information to his immediate family, I’m sorry,” the nurse tells Ally.
I’m behind her, scanning the space, about to call Craig again for an update, but I spot someone I recognize. Grace Steele, the youngest of the Steele siblings, because I’ve done some digging into all of them. Grace is young, blonde, attractive, and pacing the waiting room with her eyes on her phone screen.
“Ally,” I say.
Ally looks at me and I gesture. “Do you know Grace Steele?”
“I met her once. At that wedding where I met all of them.”
“Wait here. Let me approach. I don’t know if-”
Before I can finish my sentence, Ally is rushing toward Grace.
“Ally, wait.”
Fuck!
I don’t know how volatile this situation is. I’m surprised Grace Steele is even here given that Wade Daystrom was still at large, last I heard before getting on the plane to come here.
Ally’s rushed toward Grace Steele and I’m directly behind her, ready to get between them when she says, “Excuse me?”
Grace looks up from her phone at Ally and there’s no recognition.
“I’m sorry to bother you, you probably don’t remember me. We met once at a wedding several months ago, and …”
Shit. She speaks too fast for me to stop her.
Grace looks at Ally as if she’s seen a ghost. Her eyes take in Ally’s features, and she cuts her off.
“You’re Alyssa? Oh my God. Where…what…”
“Is Jonah still in surgery? Or is he… is he…”
“He’s in recovery,” Grace says.
Ally visibly relaxes.
And I taste bile in the back of my throat.
“You’re not dead?” Grace asks. And then her eyes narrow. “You… you don’t even look like the same person.”
“It’s a long story,” Ally whispers.
“My brother… he…”
“He’s going to be okay?”
“He mourned you. He looked for you. He… did things that he wouldn’t normally…” she shakes her head, disgust taking over her features. “And it’s a long story? What the hell?”