“I hate you,” she said out loud.
Lucas was still unconscious. The chloroform had worked well. Might even kill him, which would make things easier.
Though, bodies seemed heavier when they were dead.
She couldn’t believe how easy it was to create a chemical smoke bomb that cleared out that apartment building so quickly. First, because it was small, and second, because she was smart. A little potassium nitrate, a lot of sulfur, sugar to keep it going, and add the special ingredient of chlorine powder and voilà! Everyone thought it was a fire.
Just enough chaos to grab Lucas and leave.
She waited until she was on a stretch of the highway where she could call Donna without fear of losing her.
“Donna! It’s Rachel Wagner. I hope it’s not too early to call.”
“Oh my God! Rachel! No, you know me, I’m an early riser. It’s so good to hear from you.”
“You sound great. How are you?”
Donna rambled about her husband and two little kids and how happy she was at her amazing job at the casino—the job that Rachel had given her a stellar recommendation for.
“Tell me you’re coming down.”
“Yes, I am! I have a hotel reservation at the Biltmore, but then I thought as I was driving that I haven’t seen you in forever. I have a great bottle of wine in exchange for your guest room.”
“Fabulous! I would love to see you. I can’t wait for you to see how the kids have grown. I can hardly believe Josh Junior is going to be starting first grade next year. What time will you be here?”
“Not too late.” It was seven in the morning now: she’d dump his body by eight thirty, maybe nine, head down the mountain… “Is eleven this morning good? We can go for brunch.”
“Perfect! I know the best place, with the best mimosas. We’ll catch up. Josh will be happy to watch the kids for us.”
“Sold.”
Rachel smiled. Yes, she was going to be just fine.
Regan pulled over to the side of the road when they got into Payson to check Candace’s map. She trusted Lizzy, but she knew the area better. She also took the opportunity to call Brian Hernandez. He was on his way and said the sheriff was aware of her presence and was putting together a team, but he didn’t have an ETA yet.
“Give him my cell number, though reception out here is going to be spotty.”
“Nicole Bergamo is out of her coma. Your dad is already there, and her doctor says I can interview her this afternoon.”
“He’s an early riser, and he was worried when I woke him up this morning and told him Rachel had Lucas. He wanted to make sure Nicole was safe.”
“We have a police officer on her door.”
“Yeah, but I’m not going to tell former Sheriff Merritt no.” She loved how her dad always stepped up. He was everything she wanted to be and hoped she was worthy of the Merritt name. “Let me know when you get here,” she said to Brian, then ended the call before he asked her any more questions about her plan. She said to Lizzy, “What if we go this way?” She pointed along a narrow road.
Lizzy looked it up on her Google Earth map. “Yeah, it’s going to be rough, but it looks clear.”
“Let’s go.”
Her phone beeped. It was a text from Brian that said the Gila County sheriff would have a team at the mine in twenty-three minutes. She gave him a thumbs-up and typed I’ll be there in fifteen.
And she hoped they had picked the right mine, otherwise Lucas would be dead before they caught up to Rachel.
“He’s going to be fine,” Lizzy said. “I know it.”
“Yes.”
“You don’t sound like you believe it.”
Regan wanted Lucas to be alive and well, but hoping for something didn’t make it true.
She learned that the hardest way possible.
“Please, tell me no one else is going to die.”
“I’ll do everything in my power.” Her voice cracked. Her best wasn’t good enough.
It hadn’t been good enough to save her son.
“What’s wrong?” Lizzy asked.
Regan didn’t look at her as she drove over the rough terrain of the fire road. It was muddy from the recent rain, but she trusted her truck and tires to do the job she had paid for.
They bounced heavily on the suspension. Another vehicle had very recently come through here, based on the tracks. That gave Regan hope that they were right about the location.
“Regan?”
“My son. Chase. He was killed.”
Each word hurt coming out of her mouth.