by Brooke Page
I shot to my feet, turning to see the man behind me.
“Tell them you found the girl,” Jonah repeated, his eyes kind, yet his stare was coercive.
My jaw was hanging open, but I did as he asked. “Just the unconscious man, the little girl has been found.”
“Now hang up,” he instructed.
With a shaky hand, I took the phone from my ear and swiped end. Jonah smiled, then nodded for me to follow him. He was calm and at ease, and I should have been more frightened than I was.
“It’s all right, Lo.”
“What about Vance?”
He glanced at him, then brought his gaze back to me. “You called an ambulance and he’s not really bleeding anymore. He’ll be fine, he’s only knocked out. Don’t you want to see Tessa?”
I scowled, but followed him, leaving Vance on the ground and needing to make sure Tessa was okay. It killed me, but he was right. Help was on the way, and I needed to find my daughter.
“Where is she?” I demanded, jogging to catch up to him.
“She’s safe. There’s no need to worry.”
I checked over my shoulder, Vance’s slumped body now out of my sight. “Yet you won’t answer my question.”
He let out a loud sigh. “Would you please trust me? I know your brain has been in a fog lately,” he grumbled and began to climb the stairs to the parking lot. “Stop worrying about surfer boy.”
I rolled my eyes. “He’s a kite surfer. You act like all I see is him. Where is Tessa? She’s who I’m worried sick over!”
Jonah held up the passenger side door to his truck. “He is all you see. Maybe you would have noticed who Tessa ran after if you hadn’t had been sucking face with him at the Fair.”
I glared at him. “I’ll take my own car.”
“No, you’ll come with me if you want to see Tessa.”
Pointing a finger at his chest, I threatened him. “I swear to God I’ll call the police and tell them you kidnapped her.”
He grabbed my wrist and clung to it. “You do that and you really won’t see her, because it’ll scare them off and then neither of us will know where she is.” A flicker of fear settled into his features, and it intensified my anxiety.
“Fine,” I snapped, yanking my hand away from him. “Let’s go.”
He nodded and waited for me to climb in the truck, then slammed my door and jogged to his side. “It’s not far.”
My hand held my chin as I looked out the window.
Jonah started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot. “You are showing more skin than normal.” He made an obvious attempt to scan his eyes up and down my body.
I crossed my legs and arms. The little black bikini Vance insisted I wear felt like lingerie. I hadn’t worn it since Colby took me up north to a cabin with a hot tub for our anniversary. “You can stop eye-fucking me.”
He smirked, “It’s all I can do… for now.”
My stomach twisted into a knot. Jonah always had a crush on me, and I chose to ignore it because he was Colby’s best friend. Who knew what he wanted now. He obviously had a part in what happened at the Fair, and knew who had Tessa now. Was he going to ask for something in return?
I had to roll the window down for some air, fearful I was going to throw up. I was still a mess from a few weeks ago, and now I had a man who I considered to be family acting cryptic about Tessa’s whereabouts.
“Everything will make sense soon, Lo,” he promised, turning down the street to the arcade. I sensed irritation in his voice, and it only made my stomach churn more.
We drove up a long, winding hill to a place Colby told me to stay clear of. He only gave me the location because he wanted me to know where I was at all times, but made me promise to never step foot on the cabin’s property. I had somewhat of an idea of what went down behind those walls, but they were only speculations. I assumed drug deals and hookers, both things I wanted to keep Tessa far away from.
“Here we are.” He kept his hand on the car lock to get my attention. “Don’t talk to anyone, you understand?”
My brows pinched together, but I nodded.
The car unlocked and I jumped out, marching to the front door of the old cabin. Jonah stopped me, grabbing a hold of my arm. “Wait for me,” he hissed.
I rolled my eyes, covering my stomach the best I could as he led me to the front door. From the outside, it looked like a hunter’s paradise. Trees were everywhere, only the sound of nature, and no sign of human life. It was the perfect hiding place, and by how Jonah was acting, I could only imagine what was going to be beyond that door.
The inside wasn’t at all what I was expecting. It was fairly modern and right out of a catalog. The wooden floors were perfectly polished, sculptures and artwork were hung on the walls. I was expecting plaid couches and taxidermy animals, most definitely not contemporary couches and fancy tables. A stage was toward the back with a podium, and I was more confused than ever.
“What is this place?”
He put his arm around my waist, and although I hated him touching me, the extreme out of place of the inside of this cabin was worrisome, and I knew he wouldn’t hurt me, like I knew he wouldn’t hurt Tessa.
Passing through the main room with the stage, there was a door with a deadbolt. Jonah pulled a key from his pocket and worked on the lock, finally opening it. He held his hand out for me to take.
“Is Tessa down there?” I asked, my voice filled with hope.
He nodded. “Remember to not talk to anyone.”
“Who’s down there?”
“I promise you, Lo. Everything is going to be fine.”
My irritation with his vague, or lack thereof, answers, was growing. Skeptically, I took his hand, following him down the steps. When we reached the bottom, Jonah opened another door with a key. He tugged on my hand to follow him through a hallway with only emergency lights on the ground. “Jonah, why is it so dark?”
“Shh,” he hushed, squeezing my hand.
My heart hammered. The musty scent was intrusive to my nostrils, and the low ceiling was claustrophobic. Did they take Tessa down into the dark? She would be terrified, especially if it was with a stranger. My whole body shook with fear. Jonah squeezed my hand again, his way of soothing my worry.
We passed by rows of doors with locks, and I was startled when a loud pounding came from behind one. Jonah pulled me along, and I must have turned white as a ghost when I heard a whimpering voice from the other side.
“What the fuck?” my voice trembled. “You better be bringing me to Tessa,” I hissed.
He glared at me, and we continued along, more sounds of frightened people coming from each door. One was shrieking in fear, while another was moaning, and I couldn’t tell if it was from pleasure or not. Every hair rose on my body from the desperate noises coming from behind each locked door. Vance was right. These were most likely the missing girls. When we stopped at one of the doors, a chill planted me in place.
Jonah pulled out another key, and light flooded through the opening. I was relieved to see a normal room with lights and furniture. The walls were white, but it was the set up that was inviting. Picture frames with people and random clutter on the tabletops reminded me of a home. Jonah let go of my hand, watching me take in the surroundings. When I turned to ask him who lived here, he was closing the door.
“Jonah, wait!” I shouted, but it was no use, he trapped me inside, and I ran to the closed cedar, trying to turn the handle but it was too late, he was locking the door, and I began pounding on it. “Damn it, Jonah! Let me out! Where’s Tessa?!”
He ignored my yelling, and a cold, nauseous feeling swept over me. This was all a trap, and by the women who were pounding on the other side of the doors we had passed, I knew I was now in the same predicament as them. Tricked and fooled, causing me to leave the man I loved passed out on the ground with an open wound, and still without Tessa.
Tessa.
“Jonah! Give me my daughter!” I was frantic now, a continual
ly pounding on the door with both fists. Tears sprung from my eyes, and I screamed bloody murder, but it was no use. I knew he wasn’t coming back. “Where’s Tessa!?” I sobbed.
“Turn around, Lo.”
A shiver ran down my spine, and my breath caught. The tears slowed, and for as afraid as I was, somberness ran through me. It was the voice who always calmed me when I was scared, when I had lost hope, and when I didn’t think I’d be able to survive. Yet, I was terrified to turn around and face him, because he was supposed to be dead.
Frozen in place, I whispered, “Colby?”
Chapter Eighteen
Vance
“I’ll wait right here for you, okay Tess?” She gave me two thumbs up and waddled into the restroom, the shells on her bracelet clanking when she rotated her wrist.
I smiled when I watched her pass through the door, shaking my head like an idiot because I was so incredibly happy with the simplest of things. I played with Tessa all afternoon on the beach and loved every minute of it. Stealing glimpses of Lauren sunbathing was pretty awesome, too. She was so gorgeous that my imagination was running wild from the bikini I convinced her to wear. She was crazy for thinking having a baby messed up her body. I thought she was the sexiest woman I’d ever laid eyes on.
My soul finally found what it needed to feel whole.
A family.
“Hey, Vance,” a voice called from a few feet passed the pavilion. It was Jonah, and he was antsy moving from foot to foot. “Have you seen Lauren?”
My brows pinched together. Keeping an eye on the bathroom door, I walked toward him.
“She’s down on the beach, why?” I approached him, putting myself at an angle so I’d be able to get Tessa’s attention when she came back out.
Jonah’s worry evaporated, turning into a smug grin. “I’ve got a present for her.”
I narrowed my eyes, but before I could respond, everything went black.
***
A pounding settled in my head, throbbing uncontrollably.
“Vancy!” Colt yelled, snapping his fingers next to my ear.
My eyes were clenched closed, feeling like my head would explode if I opened them. My hands found my forehead, and I flinched when I touched the coarse fabric of a bandage.
“Yeah, don’t touch your head,” Colt commanded, swatting my hand away.
I squinted, the light painful when I drew my eyelids back. When I could adjust to the light, I saw Colt and a few other paramedics looming over me. “What the fuck happened?” I groaned, closing my eyes again.
“I was hoping you could tell us,” Colt answered.
I patted the rest of my body, then tried to scramble to my feet. The paramedic grabbed my arm and urged me to sit, but I didn’t want to. I had a head wound with a massive headache, and I needed to get a grasp on what the hell had happened.
“That fucker, Jonah,” I muttered, my hands finding my head again. “He called me over… Where’s Tessa?”
Colt’s mouth narrowed into a frown. “Were you here with her?”
I shoved passed them toward the tiny beach. “Tessa? Lauren?” I shouted, looking down at the empty blanket with our things skewed all around. I scanned the swimming area, neither of them in sight.
“Fuck!” I shouted, sprinting down to the beach where Lauren left her beach bag, grabbing it then heading back toward the pavilion. Colt met me half way. “They’re gone. We have to find Jonah. He took them, I know he did.”
Colt kept pace with me on our way to the stares. “Let me find him. You need to be seen by the medic.”
“Not a fucking chance. I need to find Lauren and Tessa. Jonah must have done this to me. Imagine what he’s capable of doing to them,” I said in a rush, digging through the bag for the keys to my truck.
“So you remember Jonah hitting you?” Colt asked, reaching for his walkie talkie.
My cheeks clenched while I thought, and through the haze, I vaguely remember talking to Jonah, but head on. Whoever took me out got me from the side. “I don’t know if it was him, but he was involved. He called me over.”
Colt frowned. “I’ll go check out his shop, see if he’s there. Why don’t you go to the hospital?”
I shook my head, waving off the paramedic who was coming toward me. “No, I’ll be fine. They patched me up, what more can they do?”
“You don’t want to push it, though,” Colt suggested, but he knew I wouldn’t listen. He didn’t try to stop me from getting into my truck. “Maybe they went for a walk in the woods? I know Tessa likes to go on that trail.”
I slammed my door, shaking my head through the window. “I’m telling you, go find Jonah. It’s him. I’ve got an idea where they might be. Up the hill from where my house is. Do you know of a meeting place being there?”
Colt’s jaw clenched. “There’s a gentlemen’s club.”
I nodded. “I’m going there.”
Colt threw his hands in the air. “Why would they be there?”
“I’ve got a hunch.”
Colt grabbed my forearm to stop me from driving off. His eyes moved from side to side as if he were seeing if anyone was watching our interaction. “All right. You’ll need something.”
I narrowed my eyes at him while he pulled out his wallet and thumbed through it, pulling out a dark green square piece of cardstock. “You’ll need this.”
I nodded, taking the card.
“Don’t ask me how I got it, and don’t assume I use it.”
“I got you,” I understood. “Thanks.”
“Look for a green reflector,” he added as I drove away.
I grabbed my burner phone from the front dash of my truck and called Riley. “Hey, I’ve got an idea where the missing girls are.”
“You scope it out?”
“I’m headed there now. I’m gonna need back up.”
“Vance, we have to plot out our busts. I need you to get in and see the property, where SWAT can come in, we can’t just show up at some random place where you think their selling girls.”
“I just know, all right?! I know it’s where Lauren and Tessa are too!” I shouted into the phone, pushing down on the peddle to go faster. “I’m going to put my camera on and head up there. Notify your local team that I know you’ve got a standby, tell them to get ready.”
“Damn it, Vance, this isn’t how it works. I need more time.”
“You’ll have until tonight. I’m sure it’s in their contracts. Make it happen,” I snapped.
“Why the hurry?”
“They have Tessa and Lauren!”
Riley was quiet, then spoke. “Did you contact the Sherriff?”
“The Deputy knows.”
“But not the Sherriff?” he re-iterated.
“No.”
“Good.” Riley didn’t trust the Sherriff. Marcus always had a handful of officers working for him, no doubt Jonah had Colt’s boss on payroll. “I’ll make a call, but don’t you do shit until the camera is up and running and I give you the okay,” he warned.
“Watch for the camera.” I hung up and peeled into the dirt road to my house. I jumped out of the truck, running to the front door and opening the lock, sprinting straight to my computer. It would tell me exactly where Lauren and Tessa were.
I needed to prep myself, putting the necessary undercover gear on and hiding. Colt said the room was a gentlemen’s club, and I’d bet my money that’s where they were, along with the missing girls.
I switched my swimsuit for shorts and shrugged into a t-shirt, wincing when the fabric slid passed the bandage on my head. It still fucking hurt. I cautiously put on my hat, trying to fit it comfortably overtop my wound. The hat held the hidden camera, and I grabbed the remote with it. The hat was basic, one I wore often for Riley to get a feel for where I was at and my surroundings. It was worn down well, and no one would know its purpose.
The tracking system had finally loaded, and the little dots were exactly where I predicted.
Once I knew the camera was set and stu
died the location for a moment, I was good to go, grabbing the keys to my truck and headed up the hill where Lauren and Tessa were located.
Thank fuck Riley got those bracelets to me in time. I didn’t tell Lauren they had a tracking device in them. Shit, I didn’t even get the chance. If not for the GPS I’d be going in blind, unsure if Lauren and Tessa were truly up the mysterious hill, only my gut telling me that’s where I should have focused on in the first place.
Chapter Nineteen
Lauren
“You can turn around, Lo.”
I could sense his presence, the electricity of his body right behind me. Ever so slowly, I moved, my eyes wide in preparation. Finally, I was facing him.
There he was within an arm’s reach, wearing his traditional white t-shirt and faded jeans, a hat covering his head. He was smiling, but his eyes squinted with caution. His skin was pale unlike the normal tan, and he was thinner. Much thinner, like he had been stressed and starving himself.
“Colby?” I asked again, unable to believe he was really standing in front of me. I lifted my hand to touch his cheek, and sure enough, he wasn’t a mirage or a ghost. He was here, in the flesh, no burn scars or bandages. No bumps or bruises.
My husband was alive, his kind blue eyes gazing at me with warmth and affection. “You’re a sight for sore eyes,” he smiled, cupping my jaw with one hand.
I let out a sob and wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him so tightly that I became light-headed. He squeezed me back, nuzzling his head into the crook of my neck, breathing me in as if I were oxygen.
I did the same to him, but he didn’t smell like the Colby I grew up with. There was no trace of freshly mowed grass or tobacco. He smelled of soap, but not the normal fresh Irish kind he used. It was muskier, and the scruff on his jaw was long enough to tickle my cheeks.
“How?” I croaked, confusion settling in when I tilted my head back enough to look at him.
He grinned. “I had to, in order to take care of you and Tessa.”
“Tessa!” I gasped, dropping my hands from his neck, but he kept his firmly on my waist.