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his biological last name,” Gage said, crunching off a bite of almond biscotti. “Why’s that curious?”
    â€œBecause it means there was either discord in his adoptive family or . . .” Darcy glanced at Jake.
    â€œHe needed a name change,” Jake obliged.
    â€œYep.” Darcy smiled. “Which in itself usually points to one of two things.”
    â€œTrouble with the law,” Gage said.
    â€œYes, or . . .”
    â€œHe doesn’t want to be found,” Jake added.
    â€œIsn’t that the same thing?” Gage asked.
    Darcy shook her head. “Not necessarily.”
    Jake leaned forward on an exhale. “All depends on who he was hiding from.”

    He settled into his tent, reclining on his cot. “How’s Meg?” he asked over his sat phone.
    â€œStill cooperating.”
    He chuckled. “You still haven’t said what you are going to do with her when her daddy reaches the finish line. Surely you’re not going to let her go. She knows too much.” She knew him .
    â€œYou let me worry about that. What about the niece and her boyfriend?”
    â€œUnfortunately they’re still alive.” He braced for some serious displeasure. “But they’ve left the race.”
    â€œWhat do you mean left ?”
    â€œThey pulled out to nurse their injuries. Headed back home according to race headquarters.”
    â€œAccording to headquarters?” His voice tightened. “Please tell me you didn’t just take their word for it.”
    â€œOf course not.” He draped his leg over the cot’s side. “I saw them leave myself.”
    â€œAnd go where?”
    â€œThey got in a plane. I assume for home.”
    â€œYou assume ? Are you kidding me? There is no room for assumption in our plan. Head to wherever home is and get visual confirmation.”
    He sat up. “I can, but I don’t see . . .”
    â€œI’m not asking you to see—I’m asking you to do .”
    Man, his cousin had gotten bossy and cranky since this all started. This was his cause too. Best he didn’t forget that.

7
    A NCHORAGE I NTERNATIONAL A IRPORT M ARCH 11, 5:30 P . M .
    â€œHi, Dad.” Kirra clutched her cell to her ear, trying to hear over the heightened noise of the terminal. They’d spent the last few hours waiting for their flight and the anxious moths dancing a jig in her belly hadn’t eased yet. Time to get the call to her dad over with.
    â€œKirra?”
    â€œYeah, Dad. It’s me.”
    â€œYou calling from the race?”
    â€œYep.”
    â€œEverything okay?”
    â€œYeah, fine. Just calling to check in.”
    â€œOh. Well, everything’s good here. Your mom and I are getting ready for our Caribbean cruise. Your mom’s arthritis has been acting up, so the warm weather will do her good.”
    â€œDad, you guys live in Arizona. Isn’t it always warm there?”
    â€œNormally. But we’ve only had highs in the sixties lately. Besides, she’s ready for a change of scenery.”
    An escape . Her mom could only deal with reality for so long, and then she had to run away for a vacation or a weekend trip to the spa. Anything to forget whatever was upsetting her—whether it was health-related or life changes in general.
    â€œHow’s the race going?”
    Leave it to her dad not to ask how his brother was doing specifically. “Well.” She swallowed, knowing she could only stall so long. “Hey . . .” She slipped her hair behind her ear, shifting to see Reef sitting across the corridor from her. For whatever reason—she didn’t want to ponder too deeply why—his presence gave her courage. “I was just thinking . . . I don’t know a lot of specifics about Uncle Frank, and since I’ll be seeing him throughout the race, I thought it would be nice to have some talking