My face scrunched into a frown. Right. He was going to get himself safe, then sell it to the highest bidder online. “Where is it, Jax?” I asked, starting to get angry.

“He didn’t tell me. One day it was there, the next it was gone.”

In a sudden motion, Rex jumped up onto the table. Adrenaline surged, but Jax rubbed his wings together in a coaxing sound and the kitten padded over.

“It’s not at our cabin, though,” the small pixy said, standing under the kitten’s jaw and stretching to rake his fingers under her chin. “They tore it apart.” Stepping out from between Rex’s paws, he met my eyes, looking scared. “I don’t know where it is, and Nick won’t tell. He doesn’t want them to have it, Ms. Morgan.”

Greedy S.O.B., I thought, wondering why I cared if he loved me or not. “So where’s their money?” I asked. “Maybe all they want is that, and they’ll let him go.”

“They took it.” Jax didn’t look happy. “They took it the same time they took him. They want the statue. They don’t care about the money.”

I put my hand on the table to entice Rex to me but all she did was sniff my nails. Jenks curled a long hand under her belly to put her on the floor, where she stared up at him. “And they’re here?” Jenks asked, my attention following his to the map.

Jax’s head bobbed. “Yup. I can show you exactly where.”

My eyes met Jenks’s and we exchanged a silent look. This was going to take longer than a simple snatch and dash. “Okay,” I said, wondering if there was a phone book in the room. “We’re here at least another night, probably through the week. Jax, I want to know everything.”

Jax shot almost to the ceiling. “All right!” he shouted, and Jenks glared at him.

“You are staying here,” he said, his tone thick with parental control, though he looked like a kid himself. His arms were crossed, and the determination in his eyes would have rocked a bulldog back from a bone.

“Like hell I—” Jax made a startled yelp when Jenks snatched him out of the air. My eyes widened. I didn’t know what Jenks was worried about. He hadn’t slowed at all.

“You will stay here,” he barked. “I don’t care how old you are, you’re still my son. It’s too cold for you to be effective, and if you want me to teach you anything, it starts now.” He let go of Jax, and the pixy hovered right where Jenks had left him, looking scared. “You have to learn how to read before I can even take you out with me,” Jenks muttered.

“Read!” Jax exclaimed. “I get along okay.”

Uncomfortable, I rose and stretched, opening drawers until I found the yellow pages. I wanted to know my resources, seeing as we were out of Cincinnati. An island, for God’s sake?

“I don’t have to know how to read!” Jax sputtered.