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Jackson nodded "I went inside it myself"

"Okay, callfor Ms Holly," Jackson said quietly

"I know…"

He’d gotten in his car and was halfway to the Longhorn when his phone rang He answered it i his call

"Raintree"

There was silence He al up

Then he heard the voice It was altered, he thought, sounding like the voice of a murderous puppet in a horror movie He’d heard speech that had been distorted by voice-altering devices before, the kind that could be bought at any place that sold "Nanny Cams" and amateur sleuth paraphernalia

"Raintree Yes, you are"

"Who is this, and what do you want?"

There was laughter "Tough Texas Ranger! Well, you’re not stupid I want the usual Don’t try to trace this call I’istered pay-as-you-go And don’t go calling your buddies You’re getting a second chance here"

"At what?"

"At saving a woman you love"

He practically drove off the road

Kelsey hadn’t answered her phone Ricky had said she was fine, up in Room 207 But Sandy Holly had disappeared just as easily, as if into thin air

"Yes, tough boy, Lone Ranger, that’s what you are right now On your own If you want to play, of course This is your chance Yes, I have Kelsey O’Brien Indeed, I do"

He and Kelsey had been professional They hadn’t run around holding hands or kissing in public Not surprisingly, the team seemed to know, but respected their privacy And uessed, too

"I thought you’d enjoy this, Logan," the caller said "A second chance You had a first chance once, didn’t you? And you blew it So try number two Kelsey’s still alive, I pro she’ll do what I need her to do, but I know you have the power, too Kelsey tells me she doesn’t have any idea where the diaan Get me the Galveston diamond, and you can have Kelsey back You can also try to find an But scare me and Kelsey dies One of you comes up with the diamond, or you both die But her first, of course I wouldn’t want you to miss it"

"There, that’s done!"

Prone on the pile of bedding, aware that she had no strength or will to fight, Kelsey pretended not to stir

But she knew

She had to get the patch off her neck and do it without being seen

Now

"That’s done," she parroted