‘‘If you need a place to crash tonight, you can bunk in my spare bedroom,’’ Dave said to Dutch out of the corner of his mouth.
Just then the phone rang and my head snapped up, my radar on high alert as warning bells loudly shot off in my head. ‘‘You have to get that,’’ I said to Dutch in all seriousness. Dutch gave me a quizzical look as the phone rang again. ‘‘Now!’’ I said as I closed the book and set it on the kitchen table.
Dutch stood and walked over to the phone. ‘‘It’s my mom,’’ he announced, looking at the caller ID. My stomach bunched as he picked up the line. I didn’t know what had happened, but something awful was about to unfold here.
My assumptions were confirmed when we heard Dutch say, ‘‘Mom . . . Mom, it’s okay. Don’t cry. I’m here. Just tell me what’s wrong.’’
Dave and I exchanged a look as Dutch walked out to the living room to sit down on the couch and talk to his mother. ‘‘What’s your radar telling you?’’ Dave whispered to me.
‘‘It’s bad,’’ I said. ‘‘I don’t know what it is, but it’s bad.’’
Dave ate the rest of his meal in silence and I pushed the food around on my plate, both of us straining to hear snatches of conversation from the living room. Finally Dutch came back, his face pale and his features tight. ‘‘It’s Chad,’’ he said.
‘‘Your cousin?’’ I asked.
Dutch nodded. ‘‘He’s been kidnapped.’’
I gasped. ‘‘Oh, God!’’ I hurried over to him. ‘‘What happened?’’
‘‘He was working security for some wealthy oil guy out in Vegas, and the last anyone saw of them was when they headed out to one of the casinos. Mom said they found the car pumped full of bullets, but with no sign of Chad or the guy he was guarding.’’
I squeezed my arms around Dutch. ‘‘When do we leave?’’ I asked him.
Dutch squeezed me back. ‘‘I’m going to catch the first flight I can, Abs. You should stay here.’’
‘‘Not a chance in hell, cowboy,’’ I said sternly. ‘‘You’ll need my radar now more than ever.’’
There was a long pause and finally I felt Dutch kiss the top of my head and whisper, ‘‘Okay, Edgar. Have it your way. Now go upstairs and pack us some things while I book us a flight.’’
‘‘What can I do?’’ Dave asked as he got up from the table.
‘‘Look after the dogs while we’re gone,’’ Dutch said.
‘‘You got it, partner,’’ Dave said, and gave him a pat on the arm.
I left them to hurry up the stairs and pack. My radar had told me that today was going to bring something terrible. I figured it had been my reading session with Marion, though now I realized it was that awful phone call. But even as I pulled a large suitcase from the closet with trepidation, I had no real appreciation for the fact that my nightmare was only just beginning.