Page 28 of Havenfall Harbor
“Riley,” she corrects Griff. “Should she come along? She might know where to find him.”
Griff takes a minute to mull over her question. “No, not this time. There’s no telling if we’ll find this kid and what kind of shape he’ll be in if we do. I don’t want the sister running off if this goes bad.”
“Okay, I’ll see what she can tell me about where they were staying and any likely places we might find him.” Quinn pivots and exits the same way she came in, her pace just as rushed, but for a whole new reason.
I find myself still watching the door once she’s gone. “You don’t usually go on transfers.”
“Neither do you,” Griff counters.
“Something tells me this one is going to be interesting.”
Chapter 10
Quinn
I tugon a pair of dark jeans. The black slacks and blouse I put on this morning seem a bit too formal. We’re headed to a small Midwest town, after all.
I look at the oversized purse on my bed and the few pieces of clothing I pulled out. I should have asked how long we’d be gone. I didn’t even cancel my appointments for tomorrow. When I explained to Alice why I wouldn’t be able to join her tonight, she didn’t seem too upset. She appeared to be worried about Jacob also. Right before we said our goodbyes, she wished me a safe flight, but before that I didn’t even think to ask how we’d be traveling the seven hundred miles to Missouri. My stomach tightens at the thought of being on a plane.
I glance at the clock and then hastily shove two pairs of panties and two shirts deep into my bag. I’d rather have them than not if we need to stay overnight. I leave the pants on the bed, I can wear my jeans for a couple days without any issue, that’s when they get comfortable anyway.
My phone dings, alerting me to a text message. Only a number pops up, no name.
Unknown:We’re in the front lobby when you’re ready.
I assume it’s Griffin or Evan. I type back quickly.
Me:Heading down now.
I take one last look around before shutting off my lights and making sure the door is locked. I don’t bother waiting on the elevator, instead opting for the stairs.
Griffin and Evan are both standing near the front desk. The same guy who brought Wes my keys the day I arrived is seated behind it.
All heads are already trained in my direction when I round the corner. My steps slow as the weight of their stares land on me. I tug my bag higher on my shoulder. Peter, or Paul, I can’t remember his name, is the first to look away.
“Ready?” Evan asks. His long hair is pulled into a low ponytail that falls down his back. He scans me with his dark gaze, so I let myself take a better look at him. Evan is probably one of the biggest men I’ve ever met up close. He’s easily a foot taller than me and probably over two hundred and fifty pounds. The short-sleeved, black button up shirt is fitted around his torso and over his arms, showing off his physique, but it’s not so tight that it looks like he can’t move or that he’s trying to show off…and damn, he wears it well.
I purposefully keep my eyes off Griffin. He’s too damn confusing to deal with. “All set.”
I’ve been ignoring the little nervous butterflies in my stomach since Alice mentioned flying. Flying is not my favorite thing to do. But I really don’t like small planes. I’ve only been on one once. After a stop in Atlanta, they put us on a small plane to fly to our airport in Mississippi. I thought it was strange to have a layover so close to our destination, but the airport was too small to take large, commercial planes. I ended up renting a car and driving back to Atlanta to avoid flying on the little plane again. I hated it so much.
“Max is waiting,” Griffin says, pulling me from my thoughts as he walks over to the heavy door and holds it open, allowing me and Evan to pass before him.
There’s an SUV at the bottom of the stone steps waiting for us. Evan bounces down the stairs quickly and gets into the driver’s seat. As I take my first step down, Griffin is right next to me. His hands are loose at his sides while I run my fingertips over the rough stone wall to keep my balance as we descend.
“Is the airport far?” I find myself asking, as I get closer to the vehicle. My heart feels like it’s beating triple time, and it’s not from the exertion of taking the stairs.
“We have a landing strip near the back of the property,” Griffin informs me, while opening the rear passenger door for me. I slide in, holding my bag close to my body. Griffin closes the door before getting into the passenger seat. “Are you a nervous flyer?”
“I thought I was doing a good job hiding it.” I give a small chuckle.
“I can hear your heart thundering,” Griffin mutters lowly.
“Max is a great pilot.” Evan looks into the rearview mirror and catches my eye.
“It’s really only small planes that bother me,” I confess, watching out my window as we drive around Havenfall. The property out back looks just as extensive as the front. “How big is the estate?” I’d really rather think about anything other than the plane I’m about to get on. The good news is the flight should only be about two hours, silver lining, right?
“Just under five square miles,” Evan answers as a large, white and blue outbuilding comes into view.
