Page 61 of Double Obsession

“We can text Marie from the road,” said Stacie.

Jenna lifted her head. Her father and sister had intent eyes and firm lips. Oh, how she envied their brave, adventurous natures.

She inhaled and grabbed her phone. “But I don’t know his address. Can you get it from the precinct?”

“To hell with the precinct. They think you’re crying wolf after Kylie’s stunt and they don’t give a shit about some model in New York. Plus, they want me sitting on my ass growing damn roots.”

“They want you to heal, Dad. And how will we find them?” Jenna asked.

“Tell the nutball that you’re bringing her the very first copy of the book and just come right out and ask for the address,” Stacie said. “Stalkers love shit like that.”

How in the heck did Stacie know what stalkers liked?

“Bingo,” said her dad. “Let’s go.”

“But I don’t have the book with me,” Jenna said.

Stacie nudged her toward the garage. “Remind me not to rely on you if I’m ever being held hostage.”

Although she wanted nothing more than to see Hunter and ensure his safety—Jenna made one last suggestion. “Maybe we should try the Brooklyn police?”

Her father studied the Timex on his wrist. “We’ll call in ninety minutes. Well, maybe… if we need backup.” He tapped his watch. “If this is an abduction, we’re running out of time.”

Whatever in the hell that meant.

****

In the pitch-black night, rare headlights glowed on the near-empty freeway. Other than the muffled hum of the engine and her father’s frustrated sighs as he tried to use Stacie’s smartphone, the drive was quiet.

Jenna had texted Marie to ask her to get the older kids ready for school and take Lisa to Matt’s in the morning. She’d messaged Matt to tell him that she had an emergency and he had to watch Lisa. God forbid he miss a day of work. He’d simply drop her little cherub at his mother’s. But what else could Jenna do?

She also knew there was a chance the delusional woman was lying and she didn’t have Hunter. But if he was just blowing her off, why had he disappeared from social media altogether?

A ping disturbed the silence.

It is irresponsible of you to run off with a man and leave the kids with the nanny.

She clenched and unclenched her fists as she growled.

“You okay back there?” Stacie peered into the rearview mirror.

“Matt is ….” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“So, her name is Arkansas Buchanon?” her dad asked.

“That’s what she wrote.”

Stacie snorted. “What a great name for an axe murderer.”

Spike-like feelers of fear crawled up Jenna’s spine.

“I have no idea how you kids use these damn things,” said her dad. “The screen is too damn small and my fingers keep hitting the wrong damn buttons.”

Stacie chuckled.

In the silence that followed, Jenna closed hereyes and thought about strong hands and sapphire-colored eyes. Was it silly to want to spend the rest of her life waking up beside his warmth and vitality? And then there were the kisses—those decadent toe-curling kisses that she would sell her soul to experience again.

“I found something,” her father announced.