It would take us closer to two and a half hours to get to Hampton Roads, according to Sarita’s GPS. Thirty minutes in, I noticed we were being followed.

“We’ve grown a tail.”

“Joy. Is it our friend?”

Eden was kind of curled up on the back seat. She ventured a peek. “Yes. It’s him.”

Or at least his car and his license plate, I thought darkly. “Somebody told him.”

“How did they know what car I’d be in?”

I thought about that. “I don’t know.” I wanted to give a better answer to this one than that. I don’t know was not a good answer to somebody finding out close-held information.

“Somebody…”

Somebody had sold her out. It couldn’t be the cop. He would have told the guy she was going to Hampton Roads, but he didn’t know how or in what vehicle. We were driving along one, not very wide road.

“Should I…” Sarita frowned.

“Pull over.”

She did so. “I’m testing to see if he’s really following us or just happening to be on the same road.”

But he slowed and pulled in behind us. “You stay in the car. Get ready to drive.”

“Leaving you here…”

“I can handle him. Even if he’s armed. I’ve done this kind of thing before.”
I hopped out…and drew my sword. I heard an in-drawn breath.

“Where…how…”

“Just be ready to drive.” I wasn’t hiding the weapon. I wanted it visible. I wanted it intimidating. Bullies tended to be very afraid of feet of sharp steel that served only one purpose.

Often more so than of guns.

He got out of the car. Staring at me. “Who the hell are you?”

“Just a concerned citizen.”

“She told you I beat her.”

“She told the truth.” His aura had no magic to it. “How did you know where she was?”

“Witch told me.”

I’d have to deal with that witch.

“She’s mine. The child is mine.”

“Her name is Eden.” I said those words. “And the child is hers.”

He wasn’t about to charge me. “Drive,” I hissed at Sarita.

She did so. This was risky. I could be left here with no transport, but I sensed a bit of a build of power nearby.

He started to turn to run for his car. I switched the sword to my left hand and lunged forward, grabbing for his shirt with the right. “You’re not going anywhere. The courts will sort this out.”

“Ah, yes, they will. And I’ll win. You’ll see.”

Win proof that he hadn’t beaten her. And it did occur to me that maybe he hadn’t. “Either you beat her, in which case she needs to be away from you. Or she’s lying to get you into trouble, in which case why do you want her?”

“My child.”

Maybe she had manipulated us, but if that was the case we were doing this man a favor. But he seemed to care more about the child.