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“They found me.”

3

SEAN

“They found me.”

Sage’s whisper slices straight through me.

She stands in the dark kitchen with flour on her cheek and terror in her silver-gray eyes. Her long, pale hair catches the faint light coming from the security panel above the counter.

For one stunned moment, I see Hayley again.

Then training takes over.

“Will, contact the sheriff’s department,” I order. “Taylor, monitor the road. Arthur, take the west side.”

All three men move.

I turn to Sage. “How many people usually travel in the SUV?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is it the same vehicle you saw outside Sally’s diner?”

“I think so. It was black.”

There are thousands of black SUVs in the country. That alone doesn’t mean these are the people hunting her.

Her reaction does.

“Did you see the make or model?”

She shakes her head. “I didn’t know I should look.”

“You did exactly what you needed to do. You stayed alive.”

Another chime sounds.

Taylor studies the camera feed. “Driver’s door is opening.”

“Can you see his face?”

“Not yet.”

I guide Sage away from the windows.

“Is there a basement?” she asks.

“Yes.”

“Can I hide there?”

I hate that hiding is the first thing she thinks she needs to do.

“There’s a reinforced room beneath the house. You’ll be safe inside.”

Her gaze flies toward the hallway. “My backpack.”