“I’m not sure what is happening. I’m with Adam and Kelsey. Are you okay?”
“Where are you?”
I texted back before pulling my Range Rover away from my apartment. Pounding the steering wheel, I tried to regroup, to figure out how the last hour had gotten so fucked. There was one number I had, one person who might be able to help me.
Pushing the button on the steering wheel, I gave a voice command, “Call Jeremy Wilde.”
“Calling Jeremy Wilde.”
I turned right and then left, unsure where I could go. My apartment wasn’t an option and neither was Architech. While watching my rearview mirror to see if I was being followed, I made my way toward Colton and Devon’s current house.
“Chandler,” Jeremy said, his voice coming through the speakers of my vehicle.
“Where is she?”
The moment of hesitation told me that Jeremy had been handed the same bullshit about me. Without him asking, I replied, “I would never hurt Lena. The accusations are bogus. I’d never run a Fibonacci sequence.”
Jeremy laughed. “Does Lena know you’re such a geek?” Before I could reply, he said, “She believes you.”
I let out a breath. “She doesn’t believe them?”
“No. As for me, I’m not sure.”
“Fuck, Jeremy. I didn’t know Lena was Lena Montgomery until you two walked in the boardroom. Yesterday, she reached out to me.”
“Yeah,” he said, “that’s what she told me.”
“Where is she? I’m fucking terrified that I’m not at her side. Some asshole wants to hurt her, and her fucking security thinks it’s me, or shit, maybe the goons that stopped me from going with her are working for the stalker.”
“What goons?”
“I didn’t get their names. Two suits with a gun.”
“Shit,” he said. “How did you get away?”
“It’s Texas. My gun was bigger.” Or maybe I was more desperate to consider using it.
“She’s on her way to Missoula,” he said.
“Did they get her plane cleaned?” I asked as I changed directions and headed toward the airport.
“No. A friend sent another plane.”
This was nuts. Lena had a friend who could send planes, and I was detained by assholes. “Who is this friend?”
“He knows what’s happening,” Jeremy said. “He’s sending help too.”
“What kind of help?”
Jeremy’s voice deepened. “Chandler, if you’re sincere about Lena, get to Missoula as fast as you can.”
“I’m on my way to the airport.”
“No airline flies nonstop. Give me a second.”
“Okay,” I muttered, wondering what Jeremy was thinking as I made my way south.
A little over a minute later, Jeremy was back on the call. “Go to Executive Airport in Pflugerville. The Montgomery Holdings jet is still there. I just spoke to Archie Evans, our pilot. The fish smell isn’t completely gone, but he said it’s bearable.”
The small hairs on my arms stood to attention. “He’ll fly me to Missoula?” Memories of the goons came back. “I want to trust you. Tell me I won’t be flown to parts unknown.”
“He’ll bring you here. Archie agreed to keep his passenger list to himself.”
Does that mean Archie isn’t telling the security?
Is Jeremy second-guessing the security team too?
“I love her,” I said. “She’s not dying on my watch.”
“I believe you,” Jeremy replied. “Does she know how you feel?”
“I haven’t told her, but I sure as fuck hope she knows.”
“Get to Missoula and tell her.”
“On my way.” I disconnected our call and did a U-turn.
The Executive Airport used to be known as the Bird’s Nest. I’d been there once to meet with an investor from out of state. Numbers weren’t my only specialty. I had what some people called a photographic memory. No GPS needed as I headed north on 130.
A text message notification came up on the screen. ‘Text message from Lena.’ I hit the icon to have it read to me.
“Are you okay? What did Mathew do?”
Who the fuck was Mathew?
I could only assume that was one of the suits, Tweedle Dee or Tweedle Dum.
I pressed the voice response and spoke, “I love you, Lena. I didn’t say it when I should have. I want you to know. Mathew didn’t give me his name. I’m coming for you. I promised to be at your side, and no one is going to stop me. Stay safe. At this point, I don’t trust anyone but you and me.”