Page 121 of Betrayed

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He laid a hand on the bottom of the page. “What on earth does this jumble of numbers mean?”

Everyone stood around the trunk staring at the pages. Silence reigned for at least two minutes; to Logan it felt like two hours.

“I don’t know. I don’t get it.” A sob shook Zara’s voice.

Will pulled her against his chest.

Logan watched the two of them. Zara had lost too many people. She needed her friend back. Determination swelled within him. This wasn’t just about getting his wife home.

He read the riddle again. “Watery grave. There are plenty of bodies of water around here. View … the river has beautiful views.”

Adam said, “Both previous clues pointed to a specific location. This has to be doing that too.”

“That’s it.” Amelia tapped the numbers on the page. “Yep. I bet it is.” She looked at Logan. “I think they are coordinates.”

“Really?” He didn’t know enough about navigating to see it.

She took out a pen and wrote it out with degrees, feet, and directions. “Makes sense to me. Where is it?”

Adam grabbed his phone and entered the coordinates into a map app. “It’s right in the middle of the Catawba River.”

Dread filled Logan. “It fits. How far from here?” The Catawba River stretched from the mountains all the way into South Carolina.

“Only about twenty minutes away.”

Logan entered the coordinates into his phone. “But where does he want me to go? Other than the middle of the river—no doubt that’s where he wants me to end up.”

“Maybe try the house closest to the coordinates?” Zara suggested. She looked at his phone with him. “This one.” She tapped his screen.

He nodded. “It’s worth a shot.” He turned toward his bike.

“Wait,” Amelia said. “Let’s pray together first.”

“Please.” He put his arm across Zara’s shoulders.

Amelia, Adam, and Will all placed their hands on Logan, and Amelia led. “Heavenly Father, we implore you for help saving our sister, friend, loved one from the grips of a madman. Strengthen her and keep her hoping in You. Go with Logan now as he faces the unknown. Give him peace and wisdom and strength to face and defeat the evil in front of him. Guard both Logan and AJ with Your supernatural protection. And please bring Miles to justice. We pray this in Jesus’s holy and powerful name. Amen.”

Peace and fresh energy surged through Logan, no doubt courtesy of the Holy Spirit. Thank You, Lord.

To Amelia he said, “Thank you. I have to go now.”

They all nodded, and he started to walk away.

“Logan.” Zara’s voice held heavy emotion.

He spun back to her. She embraced him. He held her, and Will came over and wrapped his arms around both of them.

They stood there for a moment before Zara let go and said, “Bring her home. And bring yourself home too.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Without looking back at any of them for fear the emotions would become too heavy, he slid his helmet on and straddled his bike.

“We’ll be right behind you,” Adam said before Logan started the engine.

Logan gave them a salute and drove off, following the directions on his phone. He had to get there as soon as possible, especially if he had to search more than one location to find Miles and whatever trap he had set.

The riddle had said not to be late, but what did that even mean? With no time set, he was working against a clock with an unknown amount of time.