Forever Alexa (Book Four In The Bodyguards Of L.A. County Series) by Cate Beauman Page A

out what to do next. A hotel room would probably be better—something close… The phone rang in her lap, startling her. Alexa jumped and scooped it up, staring at the unknown name, unknown number that popped up every time the kidnappers called. She struggled to keep her breathing steady as she hovered her finger over the talk button, waiting for the next ring, then the next. That was three. “Hello?”
    “Sister Alexa, where’s the money?”
    She stood and began pacing back and forth frantically as the nerves she’d struggled to keep at bay flooded her instantly. “I’m still working on securing the funds. You can have what’s in my account now.”
    Mechanical laughter filled her ear. “Do you think I’m playing games?”
    “No, no, I—”
    “Say goodbye to your sister.”
    “Lex?”
    Alexa froze as her sister’s voice trembled with fear. “Abby.”
    “Oh, God, Lex. I love you. I love you.”
    Before she could respond, Abby’s terrified screams echoed through the phone, and then there was silence. “Abby? Abby?”
    “We’re coming for your daughter next.” The line went dead.
    “Abby!” Alexa no longer held the phone to her ear as she shouted her piercing wails into the receiver. “Abby!”
    Jack rushed out the door. “Alex, what is it?”
    Fighting for her breath over her helpless terror, she ran toward the latch on the gate. The wild, overwhelming horror consuming her body forced her to flee.
    “Alex.” Jack grabbed her arm and yanked her around. “Alex.”
    She clawed to get away. “They killed her. They killed her while I listened.”
    He gripped her close as she collapsed to the ground in hysterical tears.
    “Come here. Come here,” he murmured against her hair as he held her, rocking her in his lap.
    “She’s dead, Jack. Abby’s dead.” She pressed her face to his chest, letting her torrid emotions run free.
    “Hold on to me. Hold on to me, Alex.”
    She did, clutching, trembling, sobbing, listening to Jack’s comforting murmurs close to her ear. His hand ran up and down her back in soothing strokes until eventually he picked her up. She had no idea how long they sat in the grass while she cried as she never had before. Minutes? Hours? At some point, her tears dried, and she found herself resting her cheek against Jack’s solid shoulder and staring at the tall wood planks of the fence. Somewhere along the way, disbelief had replaced her horror. Nothing seemed real as she drifted in and out of the present.
    Abby couldn’t be dead. She was only twenty-two. She had job interviews to get to, a life to build. This was all some sort of horrid mistake. Was Jack really holding her? Had she finally cracked? Her mind whirled between Jack, Abby, and Olivia.
    “Olivia,” she said listlessly as he carried her down the hall to her room. “They’re coming for Olivia.”
    “She’s safe, Alex. They can’t touch her here. I won’t let them. We won’t let them.” He set her on the bed and crouched next to her. “Where are your pajamas?”
    What did he say? Why couldn’t she keep up?
    “Where are your pajamas, Alex?”
    “My pajamas? I—I don’t know.”
    “Okay.”
    He walked to a drawer, opened it, and came back with one of his t-shirts. “Put this on.”
    She stared at the white cotton, paralyzed.
    “Come on, Alex.” He tugged her to standing. “You need to close your eyes and get some rest.”
    “Is Abby dead? Is she really gone? She kept screaming and screaming. Then she stopped.” Grief threatened to come back and swallow her as tears rushed down her cheeks, unstoppable. “I told Gran I would take care of her. I promised her I would.” She shuddered, her breath ragged.
    “This isn’t your fault.” He wiped tears away with his thumbs. “None of this is your fault.”
    “I didn’t save her. I didn’t save, Abby.”
    “Let’s get you into bed.” He unbuttoned the top button of her fitted blouse as she stared at him. “Come on, Alex. Help me out here.”
    “I