Dual Release by Tara Nina Read Free Book Online Page B

she been so stupid? She’d set the twins free only to land them in immediate jeopardy. One was hostage in the back of a van. The other was chasing them through the countryside in a beat-up Volkswagen Beetle, according to Charles, who had made it around the corner in time to see him get in and the car speed away.
    How was she going to explain this to the other MacKinnon brothers already freed from the curse? Oh god, she had to tell them. Maybe they could help. May walked outside to Jameson’s van and retrieved her cell phone from her purse. This was going to be a hard call to make. She leaned against the van for support. Her legs were so tired, as was the rest of her, but she had to do this, she had to make this call.
    Ericka answered on the second ring. May took a breath. “Ericka, I’m sorry to be calling so late.”
    “It’s okay, Aunt May. I’m hoping it’s good news at this hour.” Ericka sounded groggy from being awakened.
    “I found the twins, but—”
    “Really!” Ericka squealed. “So they were the pair of statues you saw in the paper?”
    May could see the image of Ericka in her head clearly. She’d be dressed in one of her husband’s shirts, her auburn hair a tangled bed-head mess and a hunk of a man wrapped around her snuggled beneath the covers. By now, Gavin would be sitting upright at her side in bed. His arm was probably around his pregnant wife and he was more than likely leaning with his ear close to the phone to hear the conversation.
    “Yes, I was right. But…” May huffed heavily into the phone. “I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.”
    After a second of silence, Gavin’s voice came through the phone. “May, what be the trouble? Need me and mi brathairs in London?”
    “Aye, Gavin,” May admitted sadly. “A situation has arisen and I truly believe Leod is behind it. I’ve spoken the anti-curse. Your brothers are free to suffer the partial release. But I didn’t get the chance to explain it to them.”
    She started to cry. Gavin’s usually soothing deep brogue did nothing to ease her distress though she knew he tried. “May, suffer no pain because of your effort to help. It be because of your love that any of us are free.”
    May did her best to hold back her tears while she tried to tell Gavin what happened. “One of the twins is a hostage in the back of a van. I have no clue where they were headed. The other is in a car in pursuit of the van.”
    “ Och , what a way to learn about the horseless carriage,” he joked and she knew he tried to cheer her. He cleared his throat. “ Mi brathairs and I are on our way. Ye can fill us in on the details when we arrive at your hotel.”
    “Thank you, Gavin.”
    “You okay?” Jameson asked from behind her. She’d been so focused on trying to speak with Gavin she hadn’t heard him arrive. May disconnected the call, wiped her eyes and turned to face him.
    “Not really,” she said, forcing a thin smile. “I made a horrible mistake. In my rush to find the twins, I let my guard down and Leod got the upper hand.”
    His right eyebrow rose. “I think there’s a lot more to this story than you’ve shared with me so far.” He took her hand and pulled her onto his lap. “But right now you’re exhausted. I can see it in your face. The police are almost done here. When they are, Charles will drive us to your hotel.”
    She leaned against him, accepting the safe haven his lap offered. What a mess she’d made of things. “Thank you, Jameson. I don’t know what I would have done without your help tonight.” She brushed a kiss to his cheek. “You gave me the best present I could ever have asked of you.”
    His brows arched as he met her gaze. “As I remember it, we seem to have temporarily lost the gift. One’s been taken from us and the other has run off in hot pursuit.”
    She smiled. “Temporarily. I like that term.”
    “I meant it, May. We will get them back.”

Chapter Five
     
    Cait sat down hard in the far corner of