One Book in the Grave: A Bibliophile Mystery

“It has to be connected to Emily’s disappearance. That guy was following us and Minka got in the way.”
     
    “But what is Minka doing here?”
     
    I shook my head, still flabbergasted. “I don’t know. She probably thinks I’m up here working on some special bookbinding project that should’ve been hers.”
     
    “What about her assailant?” Gabriel asked. “Was it Solomon?”
     
    “I couldn’t tell. He was tall and wore a ski mask or some kind of hood.”
     
    Gabriel took off sprinting all the way to the far end of the lot, then ran back. “I know where they’re going,” he said, then darted over to his black BMW and started the engine. He backed out of the space and shouted, “Get in.”
     
    I hopped into the passenger’s side. Derek opened the back door but stopped when someone called out his name.
     
    Austin came running over “What’s the story, man?”
     
    “We’re going after this goon,” Derek said, deadly serious as he morphed into full commander mode. “You lead the rest of the men to the Hollow. Follow the original plan, but I want you and your father to go after Bennie and Stefan. Solomon, too, if you can find him. Take Max with you. Be careful.”
     
    Austin took his new role seriously, giving one grim nod. “Got it.”
     
    “My phone’s on,” Derek said. “Keep me posted.”
     
    “Likewise,” Austin said, and ran back to give instructions to the others.
     
    Derek jumped into Gabriel’s car and we went racing after Minka’s kidnapper.
     

Chapter 25
     
    “How do you know where they’re going?” I asked.
    Gabriel whipped around another curve and I had to grip the grab handle above my door to keep from toppling over.
     
    “Sorry, babe,” he said, grinning tightly. “I saw them turn up Isis Way.”
     
    “So they’re headed for Charity Mountain,” I guessed.
     
    “Bingo,” he said, then flashed a quick look at Derek in the rearview mirror. “I’ve driven up there. The road winds around for an hour, and once you’re on the other side of the hill, you’re overlooking the Hollow.”
     
    “Interesting.” Derek leaned forward from the backseat. “Are there more survivalist types up in those hills?”
     
    “Yes,” I said, looking over my shoulder. “They’re scattered all over that area, even though most of them live down in the canyon. The real estate is cheaper there.”
     
    “Ah,” he said, then glanced at our driver. “Can you still see their car?”
     
    “Yeah,” Gabriel said. “Every so often when they go around a curve. He’s got one taillight missing.”
     
    Turning in my seat, I said, “I heard glass break while they were struggling. Maybe Minka kicked it out.”
     
    “Good girl,” Gabriel said.
     
    “It would be the one smart thing she’s ever done,” I admitted. “And she probably didn’t do it on purpose.”
     
    “No, but she might’ve saved her own life,” Derek said. After a few seconds, he asked, “What’s on Charity Mountain?”
     
    “There used to be a Catholic convent up there. The Sisters of Charity. Now it’s been turned into a winery, naturally.”
     
    “Anything else up there?”
     
    “Some homes,” I said. “It’s very isolated. Lots of nooks and crannies, dead ends. It’s where some of the local kids used to go to make out.”
     
    “Make out? You mean snogging?” Derek sounded amused. “Do you know the area, darling?”
     
    I slanted a look at him. “Well enough.”
     
    Gabriel chuckled, then stepped on the gas as we rounded another curve.
     
    Every minute or so, as we drove higher and deeper into the wooded hills, I could catch a glimpse of the car with the broken taillight. It had to be at least a half mile ahead of us. I marveled at the fact that, accidentally or not, Minka had managed to do the one thing that might save her life. The only unfortunate part was that I would be a member of the Minka LaBoeuf rescue party. Again. It wasn’t as if she would thank me for it.
     
    A full minute passed as we climbed higher. Tree branches hung heavily over the road and the number of houses grew even more sparse. Around one turn, a dirt road led off to nowhere that I could see.
     
    “Are they going to the winery?” Derek asked. He was leaning forward far enough that he could have been sitting next to me. “I’ve lost track of the single taillight.”
     
    “I haven’t seen it for a few minutes,” Gabriel conceded. “It’s disappeared.”
     
    “It’s got to be up