Bloodline by Kathi Oram Peterson

Author:Kathi Oram Peterson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: 2018-12-17T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

After touching down at Edinburgh airport, Jack rented a BMW. We piled in, Jack and Raphael in the front, Sumsion and I in the back. We took a collective deep breath, as if relieved we’d made it this far.

Jack’s cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket. “Says no caller ID.”

I sat directly behind him but could see his expression in the rearview mirror. By his puckered brow, this was a surprise. But surprise or not, he swiped the phone, taking the call.

“Yes?”

Anxious to know who it was, I pulled myself closer to the front seat. Sumsion sat on the edge of his seat as well.

“Just a minute.” Jack handed his cell phone to me.

I glared at him as if to say, “Who is it?”

“The kidnapper,” he mouthed.

A coldness swept my skin. How? What? My mind had to stop stuttering. I had to talk with him. Sucking in a deep breath, I took the cell and said, “Hello.”

“Your aunt wants to speak with you.” The kidnapper sounded more English than before. I heard movement in the background, shuffling, and a moan.

“Skye?” Auntie’s voice sounded raspy, barely audible.

“Auntie! Are you all right?” I pictured her strapped to a bed, unable to move or do anything.

Sumsion stared intently at me, deep lines creasing his face. Tears puddled in his eyes.

“Skye.” This time her voice sounded relieved.

“I’m coming, Auntie. Hang on.” If only I could reach into the phone and touch her cheek. I could almost smell her perfume of choice—a whiff of violet, rose, apricot, and lily of the valley—Charlie Red.

Noises of the phone being moved signaled my time of speaking with her had come to an abrupt end.

The kidnapper came back. “As you can tell, your aunt is in a bad way. You need to hurry.”

I desperately wondered how I could keep him on the phone long enough to find out more about her condition. Jack stared at me in the mirror. I put two and two together. “You already know I’m doing the best I can, Black Prince. Your spy has kept you well informed.”

Jack rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“Spy?” The kidnapper’s playacting wasn’t fooling me.

“How else did you know to call Jack’s cell?” There, the truth was in the open, where it belonged, where everyone could look at it and digest it.

“You’re correct. My spies are very close to you. But instead of wasting time chatting with me, you might want to get a move on. Your aunt’s health is failing fast, and if you want to see her alive again, you need to find the last page.” And then silence filled my ear.

I stared at the phone, then looked at the mirror and Jack. “So you ditched the phone the kidnapper gave me, but you kept yours. How convenient. Have you been texting him, keeping him up-to-date?”

Jack gave a deep, self-deprecating sigh. He held out his hand as if wanting his cell phone back.

I placed it on his palm.

“Like I told you, I work for Scotland Yard.

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