Deadly Lies

  Proof.

  He smiled.

  He knew just what piece he’d send to the big brother asshole. Just the proof the guy wanted.

  “Call return,” Samantha said, and Max blinked at her. “Do star sixty-nine now,” she ordered. “You can get his number.”

  He glanced over at the caller ID. “Unidentified number, there’s no way for me to—”

  Sam spun away from him. “He could have blocked before he called, but I bet he’s probably calling from a disposable cell.”

  Max frowned. His temples throbbed as he stared at her. Her shoulders were back, her strides tight and quick, and the way she was talking—

  “Only on the phone for forty-two seconds.” Her gaze was on her watch. “He’s timing this thing, working it so that—”

  “Wh-where’s… Quin?” Groggy, slurred. Frank was awake.

  Max loomed over his stepfather. “Not here. Look, he’s been—”

  But Frank’s eyes weren’t on him. They were on Samantha. “K-Katie? I-is… that—”

  Max’s hands curled into fists. “It’s not her!”

  “He always asks for her when he wakes,” Donnelley said, shrugging his rounded shoulders. “Give him some time, let him adjust, and then you can tell him—”

  That his only son was gone and might soon be dead.

  Max shook his head. Five million dollars. “Beth, come with me. We need to get downstairs, and we need to call the bank.” As his father’s assistant, she’d have access to Frank’s accounts.

  “We need to call the cops!” Beth fired at him, backing up fast. “Are you kidding me? We can’t handle this! We need the police. They can find Quin! They can—”

  Get him killed. “We’re telling no one.” Max let his stare drift around the room, touching on each face, even locking with Frank’s bleary eyes. “Not a soul, do you understand me?”

  Beth would be the weak link. She was standing there shuddering, as fear raked her body. He’d need to watch her carefully. “This story isn’t winding up on the news because if it does, we won’t see Quinlan alive again.”

  “You believe… them.” Donnelley’s hesitant voice. “You’re sure it’s not a trick?” His green eyes were steady but the lines on his face looked deeper, harder.

  “They have to give you proof,” Samantha’s hands were on her hips. “If they can’t prove that he’s—”

  “They were at The Core. They saw us, and they took Quinlan.” This wasn’t some bullshit scam. He knew it.

  Samantha shook her head. “You don’t know what happened after they left the club.” She paused, then said, “Your brother could have tried to get away. They could have used too much force to subdue him….”

  No, Jesus, no.

  “Quin… lan?” Frank pushed up against the covers. “Wh-what’s h-hap… pening?”

  Samantha never looked away from Max. “Before you give them the money, you have to get proof that Quinlan is still alive.”

  Because she thought his brother was dead.

  And he was afraid she might be right.

  Forty minutes later, Luke received the next text from Sam. His phone beeped, and the screen lightened. Then…

  K called. Unidentified number.

  “Dammit.” He’d expected a