Every Precious Thing

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Trees once more began to appear along the side of the road, short and scattered at first, then growing in both height and density.

So far, while there had been several opportunities for Diana and her friend to speed off and try to lose them, they hadn’t. Logan wasn’t ready to take that as a sign they fully trusted him yet, but it was a start.

“We’re going to have to get rid of that at some point,” Dev said, glancing at the GPS tracker.

Logan was still holding it, absently turning it over and over in his hand. He nodded, but said nothing.

Several minutes later they passed a sign indicating the town of Tusayan was only a couple miles ahead, and that the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park was just beyond it. Several ideas had been playing through Logan’s mind, some more far-fetched than others. He finally settled on the one that had the best chance of improving their situation, and punched in Diana’s number on his phone.

When she answered, she was silent at first, then, “Who is this?”

“It’s Logan,” he said.

He could see her twist around and look back at him.

“Stop in the first gas station in Tusayan,” he told her.

“You’re not in charge.”

“You know the area better than I do, but isn’t this the last town before the park? Wouldn’t it be a good idea to top off our tanks so we don’t run out later?”

He could hear her breathing on the other end, and then the line went dead.

The town turned out to be basically a half-mile strip of motels, restaurants, touristy stores, and not much else. The Grand Prix sped right past the first place to get gas without even slowing.

Logan brought up Diana’s number again, ready to hit redial, but then the Grand Prix’s brake lights flashed, and it turned into a station right across the street from the National Geographic Grand Canyon visitor’s center.

A needless power play, he knew, meant to show him they were the ones in charge. Diana and her friend stopped beside one of the pumps, and Dev pulled the El Camino in behind it.

Dev started to get out to fill the tank.

“Wait,” Logan said.

His friend looked back at him.

“I’m going to leave this with you.” Logan put the Fitzer on the dash.

“Where are you going?”

“With them,” Logan said, nodding at the other vehicle.

“Are you sure they’re going to like that?”

“I don’t care. What I want you to do is drive into the park. Our shadow will follow you. Once you’re there, park somewhere there’s a lot of other cars, and keep an eye out for her. I’ll check in with you later to make sure she’s out of our way.”

“Okay, but one problem,” Dev said. “No phone, remember?”

“I’m going to take care of that right now. Fill it up. I’ll be right back.”

Logan got out of the El Camino and walked over to Diana’s car. Her big companion was standing by the pump, filling up their tank. He glared at Logan, making it clear he was not nearly as convinced of Logan’s good intentions as Diana was.

Being the first time Logan was able to get a good look at the man, he noticed something beyond the glare-the nose, the cheeks, the set of the man’s jaw. They were nearly identical to Diana’s.

And Sara’s, too.

Diana lowered the passenger window as Logan walked up.

“I need your Blackberry,” he said.

“I don’t think so.”

He quickly laid out his plan.

“You didn’t get rid of that thing already?” she asked, shocked.

“That would have only made her come for us sooner. This way, she won’t think anything’s up.”

She shot a glance at the street, then back at him. “She could be driving by us right now.”

“She could be, but she won’t.”

“How do you know for sure?”

“I don’t, but it wouldn’t make any sense. She knows where we are. She also knows that Dev and I know what she looks like. She won’t chance that exposure. We can use her trust in her equipment against her.”

He watched as Diana processed this, the tension in her face easing only slightly once she realized he was right. “Who are you?”

He smiled. “Can I have your phone now?”

She handed him her cell.

Back at the El Camino, he gave it to Dev. “Be careful.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Dev said, looking at Diana’s friend. “You’re the one who needs to be careful. He might be a problem.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Logan retrieved the small canvas bag he kept behind the El Camino’s bench seat, and shoved in the pistol he’d obtained the night before. By the time he walked back to the Grand Prix, the big guy was already behind the wheel. He looked back in surprise as Logan opened the rear door and climbed in.

“What are you doing?” he said.

“He’s coming with us,” Diana told him.

“Hell, no, he’s not!” He looked back at Logan. “Get out of the car!”

“We’re wasting time,” Logan replied, his eyes locked on the man. “Let’s go get your sister.”

There was a full second’s delay before both Diana and her brother realized what Logan had said.

The man gaped at him. “How did-”

“Richard,” Diana said. “Just go.”

The brother-Richard-continued to stare at Logan. “I told you we couldn’t trust this guy. He already knows too much. It’s just a trick. He’s playing us to get to her!”

“Think about it,” Diana said. “He knows where Emily is. If he’s with them, he doesn’t need Sara anymore.”

Richard still seemed less than convinced.

Diana looked at Logan, and back at her brother. “I trust him.”

Richard narrowed his eyes and said to Logan, “You make one wrong move, and I will kill you.”

“You could try,” Logan said, staring back. “Now, are we going to just sit here? Or are we going to go help keep your sister alive?”