“Even if he’s not there, it might give us some insight.”
She nods, she knows I’m right.
Anxious to get there, she taps her fingers on the window.
“I just… there’s just not much time.”
“I know but we need to act cautiously,” I tell her, because I’m nervous that she doesn’t realise how dangerous this is for her right now. “One wrong move and she could die.”
She shakes her head.
“I know.”
As I pull up in front of the house that belongs to Mick Jacobson, the firearms squad, SCO19 are already parked up a little down the road. A couple of PCs are putting up a police cordon.
“Stay here,” I tell Georgia, causing her to roll her eyes at me.
Her dad climbs out of the car before me and I turn in my seat, so I can look her in the eye.
“I’m sorry. I know you don’t like it but please…”
“I just don’t understand why it’s okay for everyone else to risk their lives but not me.”
“Because he doesn’t want us.”
“He might hurt either of you just to hurt me,” she tells me, her arms folded.
“You’re right. He might. But more than anything else, I need to know that you are safe.”
“He’s not in there anyway.”
“We’ll soon find out,” I say before turning back around and reaching for the handle of my door.
“Stay safe,” she says, the line of her mouth says she’s still angry, but her eyes tell me she’s worried about me.
“I promise.”
We stand back and watch as SCO19 break down the door and enter the house, waiting for the call that says we can go in. Although I can’t see them, I can guess what they are doing, going from room to room, checking for the perp. From where we’re stood, I can hazard a guess that the house is empty. There’s no car out front and the lights are all off.
Over ten minutes later, I get the call that we can go in. “It’s all clear, Sir.”
The commanding officer of the SCO19 team leads me and the DCS into the house. We’re both wearing bullet proof vests – it’s a precaution. He walks us through the house, pointing out what has caught his attention.
“I have no reason to believe that anyone has been here recently, Sir.”
“You think it’s been empty for a while?”
“Yes Sir.” He nods his head. “Either that or the fucker doesn’t own a duster. There’s a lot of settled dust – as if he hasn’t touched anything in a while.”
I turn to John.
“I want everyone looking for anything that might tell us where he is. There has to be something that will help us in this house.”
John nods.
“Yes, sir.”
“Fuck,” DCS Kentley looks like he wants to punch something. I can’t really blame him. I’m not sure how I’d react if I was a father and some sick arsehole started threatening my daughters.
I place a hand on his shoulder, offering him a reassuring pat.
“I’m going to go tell Georgia she can come in now.”
The DCS nods his head, barely listening.
Chapter Twenty-Five – Georgia
Once they leave me, I climb into the front seat, desperate to see whatever is visible from the car, although apparently that isn’t much. I watch as Trent and my father put on their bullet-proof vests and I send a silent prayer out to anyone who might be listening that they won’t get hurt.
I’m counting the minutes, almost the seconds but time doesn’t move quickly at all. They are standing just within the police cordon. Trent appears completely at ease, except for the slight movement of his finger, tapping against his tricep, as he stands cross armed, staring at the house in front of him. My dad looks stoic as ever, completely focused on the job at hand.
I wish that I could be out there with them, I think to myself as I watch them closely. I understand why they want me to stay in the car. I get that I’m a distraction to them in this moment because they’re scared for me. I get it but it doesn’t mean that I like it. In fact, I fucking hate it.
Would they let me shut them up in the car if the roles were reversed? I doubt it. There’s no world in which they’d do that. The double-standards aren’t lost on me. It’s frustrating and if I actually thought for one second that Mick Jacobson was inside that house, there’s no way I would have agreed to sit and wait here like a good little girl.
Trent glances back at me. I get that he’s worried. I’m not completely stupid – I get why they are doing this. He sends me a sad smile before turning back to the house.
Stupid misogynist, worrying about his little incapable miss. I’m perfectly capable of looking after myself. I mean, seriously, how much trouble could I possibly get into sat in his car?
I jump out of my skin when my phone screeches in my pocket. I pull it out, certain that it’s him.
It’s an unknown number. I tap the screen to answer the call.
“Yes?” I keep my voice even, I won’t let him know I’m unnerved.
“You’re alone?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I’ve changed my mind.”
“What?” What does he mean? He’s changed his mind? “I’m going to kill her now.”
My heart literally stops as panic seeps through me. Tensing up, I reply, “No! No. You can’t.”
“You’ll have to hurry if you plan on stopping me,” he says in a voice that says I won’t make it in time. “I won’t wait long.”
“Where are you?” I ask urgently. I can see Trent and my dad enter the house in the distance.
“I’ll send you the address. Don’t bring your boyfriend. Come alone.”
“Okay.” I don’t hesitate, right as he hangs up.
I search for the car keys fretfully. I haven’t got long. They’ll be coming for me soon enough and then how will I get away from them?
I take a deep breath and count to five. I need to be calm.
If I’m going to survive this, then I need to keep fucking calm. After a moment, my heartrate has settled, my mind no longer whizzing away with itself. Where does Trent usually keep his keys? I ask myself.
Trent usually keeps them in the space next to his hand break in the centre of the car. I sigh in relief when I find them there. I settle into the driving seat, moving the chair forward and turning the key in the ignition.
I hear my phone beep. He’s sent me the address. I open the message app. It’s not far from here. I’ll be there in less than ten minutes.
My phone still in my hand, I consider sending Trent a text. I type it out, noting the address, but then I remember his demand that I not bring Trent. I’ll text him when I’m far enough away, I determine.
I push down the hand break and put the car into reverse, turning in the road so that I can drive away from the crime scene, away from the safety that is Walker Trent.
Looking through the centre mirror, I see Trent step out of the house. His face is pure thunder as he pulls his phone out of his pocket.
My own phone rings less than a minute later.
“Where the hell are you going?”
“I’ve got no choice. He’s changed the timeline. He’s going to kill her.”
“Stop the damn car, Kentley!” His anger taking over momentarily.
“No,” I tell him.
“I’ll go with you.” His voice is significantly calmer, although I think it’s an illusion. He’s going to be furious with me when we go home tonight.
“You can’t.”
“Fuck sake, Georgia.” The anger is back.
I tell him the address.
“Follow after me?” I ask him the one thing I wish I didn’t have to. It’s the last thing I want. I don’t want to be rescued.
“I was always going to send you the address,” I add sulkily.
“Of course, I’ll follow after you,” he says with a sigh. “Even if the entire world crumbles around you, I’ll always come for you.”
His
words cause me to pause. There are words on the tip of my tongue. I don’t say them.
“Stay safe,” I demand, because there really is nothing worse than having someone you love, risk their life to save yours.
I hang up because I could stay on the phone with him all day.
The small conversation has calmed me and when I arrive at the address Mick Jacobson has sent me, I’m ready for whatever is waiting for me inside.
I silently make a promise, I won’t need rescued.
Continue reading in Inexplicable Fate.
Hanleigh’s Books
Hanleigh’s London Saga
The Rules Series
Broken Rules
Enforced Rules
Revised Rules
A Secret Melody
The History Series
Repeating History
Deleting History
Forging History
A History In Paris
The Intimacy Series
Damaged Intimacy
Entangled Intimacy
Forceful Intimacy
Call Me Doctor
The Fate Series
A Bleak December
Inescapable Fate
Inexplicable Fate
Irreversible Fate
Lust & Lyrics Contemporary Romance Saga
His, His Or His?
Kumari’s Kitsune – A Reverse Harem
Cursed By The Crown
Tainted By Prophecy
Inescapable Fate: Hanleigh's London (The Fate Series Book 1) Page 13