Defending Everly (Mountain Mercenaries, #5)(77)

“Where are you guys?” he muttered.

Then he noticed something that no one else would have given a second thought to.

One of the drawers was partly open.

Everly was meticulous about closing drawers. Whether they be in the kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom. She said it was a habit left over from her fucked-up childhood, when her mother always insisted on making sure every drawer was closed. Otherwise, if their house was raided by cops or some fellow desperate druggies, someone might know where to look for her stash if a drawer was open.

It didn’t make sense to Ball, but then again, people who used drugs were known to be paranoid.

Seeing that drawer cracked open was a huge fucking neon sign that something wasn’t right. He sidled up to it slowly, as if a dead body would somehow miraculously fit inside and spring up at him when he opened the drawer. Using one finger, he slid it all the way out. It was the silverware drawer, and the spoons, knives, and forks were all lined up neatly in their plastic thingamabob.

But the two cell phones sitting on top were definitely not in their proper place.

He recognized them immediately as belonging to Elise and Everly. But more alarming than the phones was the object sitting on top of Everly’s cell.

Her ring.

The one Me-Maw had given her.

The one she never, ever took off.

She’d taken it off and left it behind for him to find.

Motherfucker!

His finger was clicking on Meat’s name before his brain really had time to think about what he was doing. Ball stared down at the ring as the phone rang in his ear.

“Ball. I was seconds from calling you,” Meat said.

“Everly and Elise are gone,” Ball said.

“What?”

“They’re gone. I got to the apartment, and even though Everly wasn’t supposed to be home yet, she apparently got here early. But they’re both gone.”

“Shit!” Meat swore.

“Both their phones are here, so you can’t track them that way.” Ball didn’t tell Meat about Everly’s ring. He got her message loud and clear—Elise was in danger, so she’d gone with her, or after her. It didn’t matter which had happened, just that they were gone. And he needed to find them.

“I was just going to call you and tell you to get your ass over there. I found an app on Elise’s computer that I’d missed before. She had the same one on her phone.”

“What kind of app?” Ball asked impatiently.

“It looks like a regular calculator app. When you click on it, a working calculator even comes up. But if you punch in numbers in a certain order, it opens a messaging app.”

“Fuck!” It was Ball’s turn to swear. “She’s been talking to this Rob guy the whole time?”

“Actually, no, I don’t think so. It looks like she downloaded the new app onto her phone a week or so after she got here, but she only messaged this fake Rob guy once.”

“What’d she say?”

“She told him to leave her alone. But once was enough.”

“For what?”

“Apparently for the bastard to find her. He got her IP address and followed her to Colorado Springs. According to the messages he’s sent her, apparently he’s been following her for weeks. But I don’t think Elise even looked at his messages. If she had, I’d like to believe she would’ve said something.”

“Why do you think so?”

“It’s easier if I show you. Sending you an email . . . Okay, check it out,” Meat said.

Ball knew he didn’t really have time for this, but any information he could get might help him find his girls. Clicking on the speaker, he then went to his email and opened the one Meat had just sent.

His eyes scanned the screenshots in steadily growing horror.

Rob: I miss you.

Rob: Don’t you miss me? Even a little?

Rob: Remember our talks? You told me you loved me, and I stil love you, my Elise.

Rob: No one can love you like me. Not your grandparents, definitely not your mother, and not your sister. Everyone ignores you, just like you told me, but not me. I’l never ignore you.

Rob: I wanted to let you know that you look beautiful today.

Rob: That skirt looks fabulous.

Rob: Although you real y shouldn’t wear something so short out in public.

Rob: Your body is for me and me alone to look at.

Rob: To caress.

Rob: To love.

Rob: We’re going to be happy, you and I. I’m going to take real y good care of you . . . and as long as you behave, you’l get everything you need.

Rob: Elise? I’m not happy with you.

Rob: You haven’t answered any of my messages.

Rob: That makes me sad. And mad. And jealous.

Rob: You’re mine. You hear me?

Rob: Fine. I know what wil make you happy.

Ball ran a hand over his face in dismay. It was hard to tell when the messages had been sent.

They weren’t dated, and they all ran together in the screenshots.

But he’d attached a picture to the next message. It was of an older woman with red hair. She was lying on a carpeted floor of what looked like a cheap motel. Her lipstick was smeared, and she had needles sticking out of both inner elbows. Her eyes stared sightlessly up at the ceiling.

Rob: Your mother never loved you. She hurt you. So I kil ed her for you. It was so easy. Al I had to do was give her some drugs. After she took the first hit, she was putty in my hands. I told her that you hated her. That you ruined her life. That she didn’t deserve such a beautiful daughter. She’l never hurt you again, my angel.