Sally shook her head. “No. You can’t do that. I don’t want you hurt, either.”
“I’m hoping it won’t come to that, but just know that if it does, I’ll make sure your kids are the priority.”
Blinking against more tears, she drew in a shaky breath and nodded. “Thank you,” she whispered.
He caught Ruthie watching from the corner of her eye. A frown furrowed her brow, and he wondered what she was thinking. If he had the energy, he’d ask her. “Keep your eyes on the rearview mirror. I’m going to have to sleep for a few minutes.”
“I thought you might need to. It’s fine. I’ll wake you if I notice anything off.”
He nodded and shut his eyes.
Ruthie was pretty sure they hadn’t been followed but couldn’t guarantee it. There were a lot of ways to track someone these days, but she’d done the best she could. Arriving at Howard’s home, Ruthie pulled to a stop at the curb, then nudged Isaac awake.
Sally, who’d fallen asleep once more thanks to the medication, sat up and rubbed her eyes.
Isaac’s eyes opened, but he didn’t move for a few seconds. Neither did Ruthie. Then he blinked and drew in a breath. “We’re here.”
“We are. I drove around the block twice and haven’t seen anything suspicious. I’m sure they’re probably watching the house, though.”
He gave a short nod. He palmed his cell phone and dialed. “Yeah, you getting close? Uh-huh. Good. The phone’s on.” He dropped it into his pocket. “Brady will be right behind us looking for whoever’s watching, so we can get started. He’ll be here in about ten minutes. Stay here while I clear the house.”
“You think they’re waiting inside?”
“Wouldn’t be surprised. They killed Howard. They want me to find the evidence, but I’m sure they’re looking, too, and this is the first place they’d come when they didn’t find it at Sally’s house.”
“But you can’t go in there by yourself,” Ruthie said.
He rubbed his eyes. “Let me just case the place. If I need help, Brady will be here shortly.”
Ruthie gave a reluctant nod. “All right. But I’ll be watching, too. If I scream, that means duck.”
He gave a low laugh. “Okay.”
She scowled. “I’m serious.”
His smile faded. “Okay.”
“Good.”
“Lock the doors and be ready to get out of here, understand?”
“I understand, but I still think you should let me come with you.”
“Ruthie . . .” He flicked a glance at Sally.
“Oh. Right. Okay.” Maybe. There was no way she was going to leave him alone. Then again, she and Sally might be a distraction if he thought he needed to rescue them. “I’ll take care of us. You worry about you. And don’t do anything stupid.”
“Like what?”
“Like think you can win a fist fight.”
He pursed his lips. “Stay put.”
Weapon gripped tight, he approached the windows and tried to peer inside. With a shake of his head, he slipped around the side of the house.
And Ruthie waited. Fingers clamped around her steering wheel, doors locked. The minutes ticked past. Her nerves popped with visions of him being shot. Or hit from behind. Or . . .
It was all she could do not to burst from the vehicle. But she couldn’t leave Sally alone.
“I’m going in there,” Sally said as she gripped the door handle.
“Not yet. Just give him a couple more minutes.”
“No one is in there,” she said. “We’re wasting time. Time my kids might not have.”
“And if you go rushing in there, you could set off a trap or something and get yourself killed. Then where will your kids be?”
Sally sat back with a defeated sigh. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
Finally, Isaac came back into view and waved that it was all right to exit the car. He walked up the front porch steps and waited for Ruthie and Sally to join him.
Sally retrieved the key and handed it to Isaac.
A low hum caught Ruthie’s attention. “What’s that?”
Isaac cocked his head, listening. The hum faded, and he frowned at her. “Not sure. Let’s get this done.”
He opened the door and they stepped inside. Ruthie paused a moment to take in her surroundings. The foyer led straight into a den area. To the right was a large eat-in kitchen and to the left was a hallway that led to the bedrooms. A small home, but it was neat and tidy. In the den, a large-screen television dominated the space over the fireplace and surround-sound speakers hung from the corners of the walls.
“He was a movie buff,” Sally said. “Especially anything that had to do with the Civil War or the Underground Railroad.” She shrugged. “History in general, but mostly the mid to late 1800s.”
A chess set sat between the two recliners facing the television on the wall. Two bookcases on either side of the fireplace were full but well organized and neat.
Sally sighed. “What am I going to do with all of this?” She sniffed as tears began to fall again. “And why do I care when someone has my children?”
“I’m sorry,” Ruthie said.
The woman shook her head. “Howard’s always been greedy. He had a love for money and the desire to have more and more. I’m grieved that he chose this path, but I’m not surprised he wound up dead because of it.” Her eyes, still red from her tears, hardened. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive him for this. He’s betrayed everything our parents tried to instill in us. And now my children are in danger because of his actions.”
Ruthie had nothing to say to that. Sally was right. She squeezed her hand and turned to find Isaac scanning the room.
“In plain sight,” he said. “I really have no idea.”
Sally bit her lip and frowned. “Howard was notorious for wanting to get the last laugh on someone. What would it take to get that?”
“Hiding the evidence where no one would see it unless they knew it was right in front of them.”
“So, we know it’s right in front of us, but where?” Ruthie said. She walked over to the bookcase and scanned the titles. Some were self-help books, but most were about the Civil War. There were even a few fiction titles. Two of which she’d read.
They made their way through the house, opening drawers, scanning shelves.
In the bedroom, Ruthie found more Civil War collectibles and more books. Again, everything was neat and tidy. She pulled his gym bag out from under the bed and went through it. Nothing but clothes, a clean towel, and a pair of expensive tennis shoes. And a receipt for a locker at a local gym.
Sally entered the room and sat on the bed. “What happens if we don’t find what they want?” she asked in a low voice and with a glance over her shoulder. “Will they really hurt my children?”
Ruthie hesitated, then joined the woman on the bed. “I don’t know, Sally. I really just don’t know. I do know one thing. After spending so much time in Isaac’s presence, I’ve learned quite a bit about him.”
“Like what?”
“He’s stubborn and smart and means what he says. If he says your kids are a priority, then they are.”
The woman bit her lip and nodded, then winced and held a hand to her head. “I’ve got to stop doing that. Thank you.”
“Sure. Why don’t you rest while I keep searching?”
“I can help.”
“No. You’re under a lot of stress right now, and that concussion has got to feel awful. Just find a comfortable spot and rest.”
“I can rest later.”
After twenty minutes, they convened in the kitchen, quiet and morose. Tears stood out in Sally’s eyes. “I’m sorry I’m not more help. I just don’t know where to look. Howard and I haven’t talked in forever and I . . .” She pressed fingers to her shaky lips.
Isaac raked a hand through his hair. Ruthie could see the fatigue in his eyes and the effort he was making to hide the pain. “I’m just going to take another lo
ok in his bedroom,” she said.
Something niggled at the back of her mind. Leaving the two of them in the kitchen, she wandered back down the hall to the master bedroom. She went to the bookshelves. Running her fingers along the spines, she noticed the titles were in alphabetical order. And there it was. The title she’d skimmed over, but her subconscious must have caught. She pulled the book from the shelf and went back into the kitchen.
Before she could tell them what she thought she’d found, the hum she’d heard earlier returned and she went to the door. “What is that?”
“A drone,” Isaac said. He lifted his phone. “Brady, they’ve got a drone flying overhead. Can you figure out where they’re controlling it from?” He lowered the phone and drew in a breath. “All right. Brady’s on that. Let’s get our thoughts together and figure out where to go from here.”
Ruthie held up the book. “I think I may have found—” A noise caught her attention. “Did you hear that?”
Isaac frowned. “What? The drone?”
“No. Your phone. Someone’s yelling.”
He lifted it and hit the speaker button. “What is it?”
“Find a place to hide and get down! Now! Away from the kitchen!”
ten
ISAAC IGNORED THE THROBBING in his shoulder and pointed the women to the hallway. “Go! Go! To the hallway.”
Gunfire sounded. The windows in the kitchen shattered one after the other. They made it into the hallway as the bullets continued to pelt the house. “Brady! Who’s shooting?”
“It’s the drone. We’re going to shoot it down.”
“Hurry!”
Isaac wasn’t sure how long the rain of bullets lasted, but it felt like years.
And then silence.
“Got it,” Brady said over the speaker. “Stay put.”
“They shot it down?” Sally whispered. “Now they’ll know we called for help. Now they’re going to kill my kids.”
“No, they won’t,” Isaac said. “They still don’t have what they need.”
Ruthie stared at him. “But they were willing to kill us. To destroy this place. So maybe they do have what they need.”
He shook his head. “That was just a warning. I think. Somehow they knew Brady and the others were out there.”
His phone beeped, indicating another call. “Brady, they’re calling me. I’m going to have to take it.” He switched over. “Yeah?”
“That was stupid. Get rid of the cops or one of the kids dies. There won’t be any more warnings or chances.” A picture came through via text. A gun against a small child’s head. Isaac’s nausea returned in full force.
He had to swallow before he could speak. “I got it. What do you want us to do?”
“Find what Howard hid.”
“I’m working on it, man.”
“And you’re running out of time.”
The line cut off. He sighed and swiped a hand across his eyes. What was he going to do? “We’re going to have to lie about finding it,” he said.
Sally gasped. “What? We can’t do that!”
“The only way to end this is to meet with them.”
“But won’t they demand some kind of proof?” she asked. “What happens when they realize you lied?”
“I’m hoping it won’t come to that.”
“No,” she said. “We can’t take that chance. They’ll want to watch it or something first.”
“I know. But it will be a distraction.”
His phone rang again. “You keep calling and interrupting my searching, I’m going to have to ask for more time.”
“I haven’t seen the cops leave,” the distorted voice said.
“Give me five minutes and you’ll see them go. I’ll make sure they’re visible. You can follow them or whatever makes you feel better.”
“Do it. When they’re gone, call me back.”
Click.
“Isaac?”
He looked up to find Ruthie holding a book. “What is it?”
“Hidden in Plain View is the title. It’s about the Underground Railroad.” She flipped the cover open. Cut into the pages was a small hole. Just big enough to hide the flash drive resting inside.
Sally gasped and jumped to her feet. “I should have known. I should have thought he’d use one of his stupid books.”
“It’s okay. We’ve got it now.” Isaac stood, pulled the flash drive from its hiding place, and studied it. “Nice job, Ruthie.”
“Now what?”
“I want to see what’s on this, but first, we come up with a plan to get Sally’s kids back.”
He dialed Brady’s number. “You’ve got to clear out, and they have to see you leaving. That drone firing on the house was just a test to smoke you out, and we fell for it.”
Brady fell silent. “We’ll leave, but we won’t go far. I’ll call you when we’re clear.”
“Fine. And we found the evidence.”
“You found it?”
“We think so. I need a laptop to know for sure, but we’re going to act as though this is what they’re looking for and now we’re going to use it.”
“For?”
“A trade.”
After he hung up on a still-protesting Brady, he dialed the number that would connect him to the men who’d decided to betray the badge.
“Yeah?”
“They’ll be clearing out any minute,” Isaac said.
“Good, we’re watching.”
“I found the evidence. How do you want me to deliver it?”
A slight pause. “So it really exists.”
“It does.”
“The three of you get in the car.”
“Why all three? I’ve got the evidence. You don’t need them.”
“All three. Anyone gets left behind, they die.”
Isaac didn’t like it.
“Stop thinking about how to leave them behind and just do it.”
“Now?”
“Now. Then, I’m going to tell you where to go and you’re going to throw your phone out the window. Understood?”
“Won’t I need it to stay in touch with you?”
“No. Because once I give you the directions, if you don’t show up in the allotted time, the kids die.”
“You don’t have to keep saying that,” he snapped. “I know what the consequences are.”
“Just making sure.”
Isaac motioned for them to head toward the car, phone still pressed against his ear. Ruthie frowned but palmed her keys and headed for the door. Sally followed.
Isaac climbed in the passenger seat and Ruthie slid behind the wheel. “We’re in the car,” Isaac said.
“Now, we’re going to meet at a place that’s wide open. The only car I want to see is that Honda Pilot the doctor drives.”
“What’s the address?”
The man gave it to him with explicit directions—to make sure Isaac didn’t need a GPS, no doubt. Using a pad and pen he’d grabbed from the kitchen, he wrote down the directions.
eleven
RUTHIE TIGHTENED HER GRIP on the steering wheel and glanced in the rearview mirror at Sally. The woman looked done in. No doubt the pain meds were helping her headache, but she couldn’t be comfortable. Still, the tight jaw said she was determined to keep it together for her kids. Her eyes slid shut and she leaned her head back.
“Where are we going?” Ruthie asked Isaac. When he tossed his phone out the window, her blood ran cold.
He glanced at her. “We’re heading to a very remote area about thirty minutes from here.”
“Where?”
“Someplace that’s going to be hard for anyone to sneak up on, but I think I heard a baby crying in the background, so we know the little one is okay.”
Sally made no response from the back, and Ruthie realized she’d dropped back off. It was probably for the best. Her traumatized brain needed to heal.
With Isaac giving her directions, Ruthie drove. “Brady’s not going to be able to follow us,
is he?”
“I don’t think so. Unless he gets creative.”
“What are we going to do?”
“We aren’t going to do anything.”
“Isaac—”
“I mean it. I’m going to find the kids, and you and Sally are going to stay hidden.”
“They said for all three of us to be there,” Ruthie said.
“Yeah, well, they’re getting ready to find out that sometimes you have to compromise to get what you want.”
Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the rural edge of a town. An empty lot with a trailer at the back of the property loomed before them. Trees surrounded the area, and Ruthie’s hopes rose. It might actually be possible to sneak up on the trailer from the back through the woods. Somehow. Maybe. But they’d probably have a lookout.
Isaac directed her where to park, then took the flash drive and pressed it into her hand. “Hold on to this. They’re not getting it until we know the kids are safe. Y’all stay put until help gets here, okay?”
“I’m going,” Sally said. “My kids are in there. There’s no way I’m staying behind. If you go, I’ll just follow you.”
Isaac’s jaw tightened. “I can’t keep you safe if you’re with me.”
“I’m not asking you to keep me safe. I’m telling you I’m getting my kids with or without your help.”
“Sally—”
“I’m going.” Sally climbed from the vehicle, purse clutched under her arm.
Isaac gave an exasperated growl and pointed a finger at Ruthie. “Can you at least stay here with the flash drive? And find a place to hide if you see anyone coming?”
“I can do that.”
Sally shot a frantic glance back at Ruthie, and Ruthie hoped the woman could keep it together. At least until her children were safe.
From her position behind the wheel, she looked down at the flash drive, then drew in a deep breath and started praying.
Isaac kept his weapon out of sight and his good hand on Sally’s lower back. He led her along the tree line. Somehow it made him feel less of a target, even though they could have someone planted out of sight, ready to pick them off. The door to the trailer opened and Paul Sullivan stepped out with a weapon trained on him and Sally.
The Cost of Betrayal Page 29