Only Her (A K2 Team Novel)(90)

“A sleeping pill so you don’t try to jump out of the car.”

Which was exactly what Riley had planned to do—should have already done—when the gun wasn’t pointed at her.

“One . . .” Mrs. Decker said, when Riley hesitated.

“I’m taking it!” She popped the pill into her mouth, squeezed her eyes shut, and forced it down her throat, gagging as she did so. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Why hadn’t she thought to stick it under her tongue and spit it out when Mrs. Decker wasn’t looking?

“Who’s Mrs. Napier? Is that a name you made up?” How was Cody supposed to find her if he only had a fake name?

“My maiden name, not that it matters.”

And that, Riley hoped, was her first mistake. Surely Cody and his friends, with all the resources at their hands, would be able to find that out. Although Mrs. Decker might be right. Would it really matter if they did? Unless Mrs. Decker had rented a house in Pensacola under Napier, nothing would show up.

“Now another one.”

Riley eyed the second capsule in horror. Two would knock her out cold, and she wasn’t sure she could swallow another one. At least with only one, she might manage to stay somewhat alert.

“One . . . two . . .”

This time, she put the pill under her tongue, making a gagging sound as she pretended to swallow. When Mrs. Decker pulled the car back onto the road, Riley turned her head toward the window and pushed the capsule out, letting it drop onto the seat to her right. She palmed it, dropping it into her lab coat pocket. When her fingers touched her phone, she wanted to slap her forehead for not thinking of trying to call for help.

At a quick glance at Mrs. Decker to see her gaze was on the road ahead, Riley took a chance and slipped out the phone, keeping it to the side of her thigh.

“What are you doing, Riley?”

Riley froze, hearing the suspicion in Mrs. Decker’s voice. How to answer? Something that would divert attention. “I’m hating you, is what I’m doing. You’re Reed’s mother, and I don’t want to hate you, but I do.” Her eyes drifted closed as the pill began to take effect. She forced them open. “Please don’t make me hate you.”

“You don’t know what hate is, but you’re going to find out.”

Riley couldn’t decipher the woman’s words. Her mind was too fuzzy. When her head fell forward, she realized she wasn’t going to be able to fight the sleeping pill, and only had seconds to call someone before she conked out. Pretending the pill had done its job, she closed her eyes to slits, and with her chin resting on her chest, she went to the recent-calls screen and put her finger on Cody’s name. Her fingers lost feeling and the phone slid out of her hand, back into her pocket. As her eyelids closed, she wondered if she’d actually connected with him.



Cody sat in his truck, hidden among other cars at a strip mall, waiting for Maria to call. He needed a location, some kind of hint for which way he should go. Thirty minutes had passed since he’d talked to Maria, and sitting on his ass doing nothing was killing him.

Be strong, Riley. I’m coming for you.

Just as he decided he’d start driving up and down streets, his phone buzzed. “Talk to me,” he said at seeing Maria’s name on the screen.

“Where are you?”

“Who wants to know?” Was Kincaid getting suspicious? The man wasn’t stupid and would be wondering why Cody hadn’t arrived at K2 yet.

“Logan does. You need to come in, Cody. The team is gathered and ready to help.”

Cody did some fast thinking. If Kincaid hadn’t made the call, demanding he come in, then the boss knew exactly what Cody was up to and was unofficially sanctioning it. “Tell the boss I’m doing what I have to do.”

“He knows,” she softly said. “Kent’s still working on getting a tag number. Says he’s close. But I do have something for you. I hacked into some security cameras in the area of the clinic, found the suspect’s car, and then followed it through other security cameras until I lost it. She appears to be headed to either Pace or Milton.”

Yes! He hit the steering wheel with his palm. He finally had a direction to go. “Thanks, Maria. You’re awesome.”

“I know. I’ll call you as soon as I know more. Be careful, okay?”

“Always am.”



Someone was talking to her, but the person sounded as if they were speaking from the bottom of a well.

“Riley!”

“Leave me ’lone. Sleepy.” She tried to push away the fingers digging into her arm, but her hands felt like they weighed fifty pounds each and refused to work right.