Found and Lost Read Online Free PDF Page B

only months away. Just as Clay signed his email and hit Send, his phone trilled through the screen door. He hopped up, opened the door, and reached through to grab the phone off the table. Not a local area code.
    â€œHello?” he said.
    â€œYou know who this is?”
    Marcus. “Twice in one—”
    â€œShut up.”
    Clay dropped back into the chair. “Shutting up.”
    â€œI need help. A … delivery. Tonight.”
    Delivery of a fugitive? A Christian on the run, an active target? Danger hummed in Clay’s head. Don’t agree to this. “Okay.”
    â€œI wouldn’t ask, but I’m too far away.”
    Probably not even in Michigan. Probably carting around some imperiled people in the bed of his pickup. A sense of the bizarre dripped into this conversation. “I’m in. What’s the—”
    â€œFifty-four-sixty-three Indian Trail, half an hour. I’ll call back. If you’ve got the item, I’ll give you the delivery address.”
    â€œIt’s a plan.”
    â€œIf you can’t do it, tell me now.”
    â€œI just said I’ll do it.”
    â€œDon’t take the bike.”
    â€œGot it.”
    â€œIf they don’t believe I sent you, tell them I’ve been awake since last Thursday.”
    â€œOkay.” An inside joke? Last Thursday. He couldn’t forget that detail.
    â€œOkay. Um. Thanks.” The line went dead.
    Clay stepped back onto the deck and woke his laptop. The slideshow screensaver disappeared, replaced by desktop icons over a photo Natalia had taken last year of Niagara Falls. Clay pulled up the Internet and searched for directions to 5463 Indian Trail. Twenty-three minutes from here.
    He could leave now without an explanation. The girls knew he was going bowling tonight. But how long would he be gone? How far would he have to take this person? He went to the living room and stepped in front of the TV.
    â€œHey.” Khloe sat up straighter.
    â€œMute, please,” Clay said.
    â€œPause.” Khloe aimed the remote and hit a button, and the TV at his back went silent.
    â€œA friend of mine needs help with something. I’m not sure when I’ll be back, but tell your mother not to wait up if she doesn’t want to.”
    Khloe drew her feet under her and sat up straighter. “What kind of something? What about bowling?”
    â€œClassified kind of something. More important than bowling.” That would really send her into a curious frenzy. Oh, well.
    â€œWe’ll be fine, go ahead.” Violet swished her hand toward the doorway, but her eyes lingered on Clay, then darted away. Strange.
    Khloe must not have noticed. She crossed her arms, but the drama was deliberate now. “We’ll eat all the cookies before you get back.”
    â€œPossibly, but I’ll try not to be gone long.”
    In the garage, he stroked the Kawasaki’s handlebar, then hopped into the Jeep. Not the roomiest vehicle, but at least it had a backseat. He pulled out his phone and started a group message to Yul and Brandon, and oh yeah, to Scott DuBay. Clay’s history with Scott didn’t go back to college the way it did with the other two guys. Technically, he’d known Scott for ten years, and he’d tried a few times to get to know the guy, if only to be sure Violet had a decent father. Not that Violet had said anything to make him suspect otherwise. Anyway, he and Scott had never really clicked. He’d offered another invitation tonight expecting a pass, but Scott had surprised him.
    He typed a group text. Rain check tonight. Something came up. His thumb froze on the Send button. What was he doing?
    The right thing. He pressed the button. Marcus had actually called. God must want Clay to help him out.

5
    Any minute now, Khloe would come looking for her. After all, a girl only needed so long to use the bathroom. Violet tugged open another desk drawer. Empty. There had to be