No reports of the children or the limo.
“I refuse to speculate, or I could go to a dark place pretty quickly,” Pris admitted. “Let’s assume Vincent wants you to do something, and they’re his leverage, okay? And we really don’t know that it’s him just because we sense his violence. I mean, I think about hating and murdering people all the time. If I could be convicted for my thoughts...”
“Understood, but I can’t let it go. If I had some notion...I could be preparing. But I can’t even drive a damned car.” He pounded his cane against the floorboard.
“I like the walking stick,” she said. “From Great-Granddaddy’s collection?”
“No idea. Evie handed it to me. It’s pretty sturdy. Might be easier to maneuver for short distances. I was hoping it might contain a weapon, but I’ve not found a release.” He ran his hand over the curve of the carved oak.
“He used it mostly for walloping, but I’d be careful about that. Great-granddaddy had a reputation.” She steered back to a normal highway and flew past a semi.
“A reputation for what?” Dante said another prayer and was grateful for flat land. Oncoming headlights warned them to pull over as she passed traffic at improbable speeds—providing all vehicles had their lights on.
“His enemies often ran into pointed objects. No one ever charged him, though, so we have no proof that he wasn’t just lucky. Hold onto your hat.”
He wasn’t wearing one. Dante gripped the door handle tighter as she drove off the road and through a log barrier, skidding in the gravel as she hit the gas again.
“We’re going around the town,” she reported. “No one out here at this hour. Maybe a few gators.”
“Gators? Isn’t it too cold for them?”
“Probably, but climate change and all that. This is swamp.” To prove her point, she splashed through a stream and out before the truck bed could skid.
They hit a normal—if nearly invisible—road not long after that. Her speed increased. He zoomed in on the GPS map and read the names of local restaurants and hotels—on a road that wasn’t this one. Dante squinted and tried to read unlit signs. He couldn’t even catch glimpses of water at this hour.
“Beaufort isn’t on the ocean. We’re skipping the river and heading straight for the island. We’re not near any marinas yet,” Pris warned.
His mobile binged with an address, and he punched it into the GPS. “Take the next turn.”
They slewed off onto a shell road leaving a trail of dust.
Thirty-three: Evie
Evie wishedshe had Jax with her. Her Subaru might be a four-wheel drive, but it was too low slung to drive off-road. The highway to Beaufort from Charleston was a lonely place at night, and her fretful thoughts resembled the swirling, directionless ball of color floating around the car’s interior that was KK.
Evie’s thoughts were as grim as the black T-shirt and jeans she wore, the only colorless ones she owned. If she meant to blend in with the shadows on more nighttime expeditions, she might have to acquire new attire.
Feeling useless because she couldn’t persuade a stupid swirling rainbow to talk, she gave up watching the ghost and debated whether detective work require that she buy depressing outfits.
The phone rang, and she let it connect with her audio system. She was so high-tech these days.
“Pris and Dante have reached the marina. Limo’s not there yet.” Reuben’s voice reported. “How far out are you?”
“Highway 21 ahead. I’m pushing twenty miles over the limit, but once I hit Beaufort, I’ll have to slow down. Can’t say. How about Jax?”
“He knows the Georgia back roads, so he’s moving. He’s about as far out though. If the limo is actually going that way, it can’t be far ahead of you on 21.” Rube hung up.
Pulse racing, Evie prayed they were correct about the limo’s direction. And that Mavis was right about seeing the twins in it. And that the limo driver had taken the highway route at normal speed to avoid detection. That was asking alot.
She concentrated on gratitude for her family’s extra abilities and pushed the fear deep down inside. Those children were too precious to be harmed.
She and Jax had to reach the marina from the north and south. The goddesses only knew what route Pris had taken to get out in front of the limo. Afterthought wasn’t on a highway to anywhere.
Evie told her phone to call Pris. Her cousin answered with a surlyWhat?
“Is there any chance you can pick up any mental vibrations from the twins as the limo approaches the marina?”
Hesitation, which meant Pris was being forced to think instead of react for a change.
