Love's Cruel Redemption (The Ghost Bird #12)(61)

“No, it’s okay.” Victor came inside all the way and shut the door. “I didn’t realize everything going down. You ran in for the phone and left.” He looked down at the floor, at the pile of dirty clothes and bits of mud flaked all over.

Nathan motioned to the closet, and Victor pulled a towel out for him. “Which reminds me, can you go get Sang’s phone? I left it in Erica’s car. It’s probably under the passenger seat.”

“Sure. But after that, let’s figure this out.”

He agreed. Victor left. After patting himself dry quickly, he went back to the closet, getting redressed in there. Kota’s pajama pants and one of North’s black T-shirts would have to do tonight. Most of his own clothing had been removed.

There were footsteps on the stairs and Victor reappeared, emptyhanded. “Are you sure it was in the passenger seat?”

“Under it,” he said. “I dropped it down to hide it from Erica. Honestly, now I don’t know why. I didn’t want her seeing we were trying to work with people to make up a good story for all this behind her back.”

“Which is what we need to do,” he said. “But I didn’t see it.”

Odd. Nathan crossed the room, motioning to him. “Let’s go look.”

Victor followed him down the stairs. The movie was playing again in the living room. Noises came from the kitchen. Erica must be doing something in there. They quietly headed out into the garage.

Erica’s car was parked in her spot. Nathan went over the passenger door. Dirt was stuck to the floor of the car where he’d sat. He’d have to clean it out for her later.

He bent down and peered into the underside. The garage light was on overhead but it wasn’t really enough. “Got a flashlight on you?”

Victor pushed a button on his own cell phone and passed it to him. The camera light remained on steadily. “I looked under there. I didn’t see it.”

Nathan checked and couldn’t find the cell phone either. He checked underneath the mat, and then switched sides to check out under Erica’s seat. And then for the sake of it, checked the back seat.

Victor bent over, lifting the floor mats again and then checked the glove compartment. “Nothing.”

Nathan checked underneath the car and then stopped and stood up. He padded over in bare feet to the garage door and pushed a button for it to rise. He peered out into the dark.

The neighborhood was absolutely quiet. No cars on the road tonight. The rain had slowed a bit. The Sorenson house down the road was lit up in a few windows. His own house was dark.

An eerie feeling rose in his chest.

“What?” Victor asked. He stepped up beside him, scanning the street. “What is it?”

“I think he was here,” Nathan said. “I think he took it. The phone.”

Victor made a face and then rolled his eyes. “Again? Ugh. Well that’s one more to replace.” He pinched his fingers at the bridge of his nose. With his other hand, he pulled out his cell phone. Without even looking at it, he used his thumb to turn it on and dial out. “I have to let them know.”

Nathan went to him, covering his phone with a palm before Victor had a chance to lift it to his face. “Wait,” he said. “We know he’s out there and he likely has her phone. We need to stop using them right now.”

“We can’t,” Victor said. “North is still out there. Luke is in the school. We have to keep communication lines open. I can’t shut them all down now. I’ll try my best to secure them. And I’ll shut down her phone.” He walked over to the door that went into the house. “I might not even want to. I might want to track him. Maybe we can find the Jeep and him. I’ll have to use Kota’s computer. I guess I’m spending the night tonight.”

Nathan heard Victor going inside, but he kept looking out into the dark.

Volto had been close. How did he know Sang’s cell phone was here? And how could get so close to the house without anyone noticing? He’d been in the shower, but he didn’t hear anyone below him, opening and closing the garage door.

Maybe they were wrong. Maybe Sang had it.

He went back into the house. Jessica was at the table now, but still with the movie playing. She was watching it across the room as she ate her hamburger out of the container. It was bit weird she was up so late on a school night, but it was unusual circumstances.

Sang appeared from the hallway on the other side of the house. Her hair was still wet, but she tied it back with a ponytail holder to keep it out of her face. The clip she usually wore was attached to her T-shirt, but it actually looked like Luke’s, a little big for her. The shorts she wore almost disappeared underneath.

She sat down at the table, looking a little sleepy.

Nathan sat down next to her, pulling packages toward them and giving her one. “Do you have your cell phone on you?” he asked. “I lost mine.”

“I thought it was in the car.” She paused intentionally with a look, asking silently what he meant as he was the last one she saw with it. “I think I left it in there.”

He shook his head, looking directly at her. He didn’t want to say too much.

Her eyes drifted to a wall, thinking.

Internally, he groaned. That last bit of hope that the phone was misplaced was gone. He couldn’t imagine anyone else with it.