Shelter from the Storm (Finley Creek Book 2)

by Calle J. Brookes

  Houghton Barratt was tall and lean, with black hair trimmed short and dark eyes. His teeth were perfect white and straight.

  There were certainly uglier men out there Mel could have been kidnapped by. A completely ridiculous thought, but it popped into Gabby’s head anyway.

  Was her friend scared? Mel had sounded more mad than scared, hadn’t she? Was that a good thing or not?

  Gabby reminded herself again that Mel was the strongest person she knew. Mel would be ok. Gabby knew it.

  She had to be. She just had to be.

  Gabby wrapped her hand around Brynna’s. She needed the contact.

  Lacy was still there. The other woman patted Gabby’s shoulder. “She’ll be ok. They all will. I just know it.”

  Gabby just hoped she was right.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE.

  * * *

  IT was the middle of the night when Brynna next opened her eyes. Chance made a point of being there. He’d had Gabby and Elliot head over to the nearest computer store and pick him up a laptop. Gabby had quickly installed everything he’d need to work remotely. He wasn’t leaving Brynna’s side until he absolutely had to.

  He had a friend who lived in northern Mexico. The guy was former military and damned good at ferreting out information. Torrez was going to call Chance as soon as he confirmed Mel was in Mexico. It was going to take him at least the next twenty-four hours to do that.

  Brynna shifted on the bed, then blinked. Looked around with a hazy expression. He leaned over her. “Hey, babe. I’m here. You’re safe.”

  “Chance.” She closed her eyes again. “I knew you’d come. I needed you and you came. Knew you would.”

  With those soul-wracking words she went back under.

  Chance leaned back in his chair as the trust she had in him went straight through his gut. Made him wish he had all the answers or a magic wand to erase every moment of pain and fear away from her life.

  How he wished he could do just that.

  It was a long while before he was able to stretch out in the chair and sleep. He had a lot to think about.

  Most of it centered on the woman in the bed. And what he wanted from her, from the rest of his life.

  When morning came, he still didn’t have the answers.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR.

  * * *

  BRYNNA couldn’t focus her eyes on anything. No matter how hard she tried. Finally she gave up and closed her eyes again. A warm hand wrapped around hers.

  “They gave you something to calm you down, babe. It’ll make you a bit cloudy for a while. How much of what happened do you remember?”

  “There was a man there. And he was hurting me, yelling at me. I was...upset. Because Elliot...” She thought for a long moment. “Elliot said something had happened to Mel. Where’s my sister, Chance?”

  She forced her eyes open again and focused as best she could on his face. “Where is she? Is she dead?”

  “No. Elliot and Gabby both spoke with her briefly. But she has been abducted. By Houghton Barratt.”

  “The son? But why? Why?”

  “He wants to force us to find his father. He says we’ll trade your sister for his old man.”

  “But we don’t have him, do we? Will he hurt her?”

  He hesitated. “I don’t know. We don’t plan to leave her with him long enough for that to happen. As soon as we find out where he’s keeping her, I’m going to go get her.”

  “Promise?”

  “With everything I got. I’ll bring your sister back, babe. I swear. You just sleep. Rest while you can. Let me worry about Mel for you, ok?”

  She closed her eyes and nodded. Whatever they’d given her, it was strong. Strong enough to override every thought she had in her head. “Bring her back, Chance. Just bring her back. Make all of this just go away, please.”

  “I’ll do whatever I can.” She felt him brush her forehead with his lips and then she was under again.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE.

  * * *

  ELLIOT was at the Beck house when Chance arrived early the next morning. He’d waited until Erickson and Foster arrived to relieve him of guard duty for a few hours.

  He looked at Kevin. “I got a call from...a friend...south of the border. They’ve confirmed Mel’s passport was stamped at 6:43 last night. Houghton Barratt’s was a minute later. Once they left there, though, we haven’t confirmed anything.”

  “But she’s south of the border and with him,” Kevin said. “How the hell did he get her passport? We keep all passports in the safe in the study.”

  “He’s duplicated hers. Which takes time. He’s been planning on her specifically, hasn’t he? It might be enough to get someone down there to get her. But that’s provided we can cut through the red-tape,” Elliot said. “We’re looking at days or even weeks if we go through the traditional route.”

  “I’m going. I promised Brynna I’d bring her sister back myself.” Nothing was making sense. From the moment this had started it had been about engineering opportunity to take out those who were direct threats to Russell and his associates.

  Mel, not even a member of the TSP, wasn’t much of a threat to anyone, was she?

  Unless Barratt truly was using her as incentive to manipulate the TSP. A bold move, and one that would earn him a hefty prison term once they got him and charged him with kidnapping and extortion, as well as a host of other crimes. Unless he was just that desperate to find his father.

  Chance could almost understand that.

  “And how are you going to do that?” Elliot asked.

  “We need a way to find out where exactly she is, and how to get to her. Then I’m going to go get her. No agency can send a team to get her back, not under these circumstances. Not without with some serious backing. More than we have right now.”

  “We need to find another way,” Elliot said.

  “Give me fifteen minutes to shower, then we’ll figure out that other way.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX.

  * * *

  CHANCE finished his shower in record time, then made his way back into the kitchen. “So now what?”

  “I’ve gathered everything we could find on Houghton Barratt.” Gabby was in the kitchen now; Chance should have figured she’d be around the house somewhere. His brother wasn’t going far without her these days.

  She’d just been released from the hospital yesterday, though, and should have been resting. He stepped behind her and dropped a kiss on her blonde head as a rush of affection he hadn’t been expecting hit him. She was going to be his sister-in-law, after all. She’d never take Sara’s place, but she was a living, breathing connection to that young girl. And she was a connection to his brother. Family. It mattered again, didn’t it?

  The ring she wore was his grandmother’s. It gave him a start to see a woman wearing it again. She would have approved of Gabby. He had no doubt of that. “Good morning, Gab.”

  “Morning.” She looked up at him with surprised blue eyes. “How is Brynna this morning?”

  “She’s fighting off the drugs. I told her what we knew, but I’m not so sure how much it registered. Lacy was there when I left, along with her friend Ari. Lacy’s going to stay with her today as long as needed.”

  “That’s good. Guess the suspension is working in our favor, isn’t it?” Gabby’s expression told him exactly how she thought of what had happened. But Lanning was a problem for another time.

  “Apparently. So what have you learned about Barratt the younger?” His favorite little blue-eyed hacker had probably already been at work on that very subject.

  “Not much. He runs half the companies under the Barratt-Handley umbrella. His father inherited the company forty-five years ago from his grandfathers, Harrison Barratt and Leon Handley. They have their fingers in a lot of pies. Houghton handles mostly technologies based companies, it seems. He’s supposed to be well above average intelligence—MIT educated, even—and owns several patents for his own inventions. This is not a stupid m
an, by any means. On the personal front, he’s got a bit of a reputation as a playboy billionaire and a master strategist. But he hasn’t been linked with any woman at all in at least the past eighteen months. He’s supposed to be ruthless at business. But there’s nothing about him on a deeply personal level. Not even names of his primary contacts. He guards himself well, I can give him that. I’ve gone through main channels so far. I’m going to do some black hat digging this afternoon. I really wish I had Bryn’s help, though. She’s better at the hunting in the dark corners than I am. Far more diabolical—and logical—than I am.”

  “She’s going to come out of the sedative sometime soon. I plan to be there when she does.”

  “Then I’m going in with you,” Gabby said. “Kevin and Syd and Jillian are staying here, with two details from the TSP to keep guard.”

  Elliot protested. “I’d prefer you stay here, Gab.”

  She shook her head. “This is my best friend that’s missing and my other best friend is so upset by the news they had to drug her to keep her calm. I can’t be with Mel right now, but I can be with Brynna, Elliot. I need to be.”

  “I don’t like it.”

  “They’re not going to attack in the hospital. Not with the sheer number of guards on the place.”

  “Gab...”

  “I’m going. Brynna needs me.”

  “I’ll keep her with me,” Chance said. “I’m leaving in fifteen. Get your stuff together, Gab. Hell, Elliot, she’s probably safer at the hospital with me than here or at the TSP right now.”

  No one could argue that point with him.

  “And at least then I’ll be doing something that could help Mel.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN.

  * * *

  BRYNNA was awake when they made it back to the hospital. Lacy was trying to distract her with the TV. It wasn’t working.

  She looked right at him when he walked in. “Have you found her yet?”

  “We know what country she’s in. And a general area. I have people confirming her exact whereabouts now. Gabby’s going to find out whatever else she can on Houghton Barratt from here.”

  “I’m going to help.” Brynna said, her tone daring anyone to contradict.

  “I have your laptop here.” Gabby placed the backpack on the bed.

  “How are you feeling first?” Chance took in the freshly washed and brushed hair and the clean hospital gown.

  “Like someone drugged me.” She shrugged, but there was a world of hurt in her eyes. Chance wanted to hold her, but he kept his hands to himself. “I understand why it was necessary. I...freaked. I’m sorry that you had to deal with that, Gab.”

  “Don’t apologize, Bryn. How many times have you brought me back off the ledge of craziness? It’s what we do for each other. It’s kind of our thing, after all.” Gabby grabbed the bag and pulled out Brynna’s laptop. “Your dad is keeping Syd and Jilly at the house today. Elliot’s got the house practically surrounded with TSP. All your neighbors are yapping about it.”

  “For how long?”

  “Until everyone involved in what happened to my family and what has happened to yours is apprehended. We’re not leaving your family unprotected again. Even if we have to hire private security. I have friends who are in that business. People I trust. People that owe me big.”

  She looked at him and nodded. “Help me up, please?”

  Chance took the hand she reached out toward him. He stepped closer then helped her sit.

  She exhaled slowly. “Hurts more this time than it did the last time.”

  “Well, you were hurt a bit more this time than last,” Gabby said, pulling a pillow out of the cabinet and putting it behind Brynna. “More glue holding Humpty Brynna together again this time, remember?”

  “I don’t like this. How long until I am out?” She looked at Lacy, who had been mostly silent since Chance and Gabby had arrived.

  “I told you, barring complications, you’ll be out of here within the next three days, Bryn. Any complications and we’ll add a day each time. You don’t want to rush it. I’d hate to see you back under the knife getting sewn back together,” Lacy said.

  “Let’s get Mel back so she can greet you at the door, ok?” Gabby said. “I’ve checked every database I can get into for stuff on Houghton Barratt. Guy has no dirt on him anywhere. Not so much as a speck.”

  “Until now. But I bet Carrie could find some.”

  “Use my phone. No one has replaced yours yet.”

  “It didn’t survive, did it?”

  “Nope. Neither of our bags did. Your phone ended up imbedded in Benny’s office door, Bryn.”

  “Glad it was the phone and not one of us.” A look passed between them, one Chance knew he would never forget. Something had changed between them in that explosion. Drawn the two of them even closer together, if possible. But their relationship had changed somehow, too. How they viewed one another. They were aware of each other’s strengths, and weaknesses, more than they probably ever had been before.

  They were going to have to find their way through it—once things got back to normal for them both. Or until they—as he’d heard Gabby put it—found their new normal.

  He sat back while the two of them went to work, their fingers flying over their keyboards faster than the speed of light. They spoke in their own style of shorthand, asking questions and offering solutions before he could even ask for clarification.

  He contented himself with speaking with his various contacts—he’d built up a variety of connections all across the western hemisphere over the last decade, and he was shameless about using them now.

  If he thought it was the best course of action, he’d have a team assembled to get him inside Barratt’s compound without the damned billionaire ever being aware they were there.

  But there was no way to get Mel out of there except carrying her. The woman wouldn’t be able to run if they had to. That would leave her as a sitting duck. It wasn’t an option.

  Unless someone physically carried her out of there. Which his people probably could do, if necessary. But that was a weakness he didn’t want to plan for her.

  He’d still rather find another way to do it.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT.

  * * *

  HE’D felt a bit useless, as Gabby and Brynna had done things he hadn’t thought possible with their laptops. They had just about everything one could hope to find about Houghton Barratt spread across their screens. They’d taken Brynna’s hospital room and turned it into a remote computer forensics lab with a skill that had his respect for them going up even further than it already had been.

  Which was saying a lot.

  And they’d done it without acknowledging he was even in the room—well, Gabby had at least looked at him from time to time.

  Brynna not so much.

  “Look, Gabby. Look.” Brynna’s excitement had him turning toward her several hours after they’d gotten started. “Check this out.”

  “What is it?”

  “The technology conference, TechCore 3000. It’s being held at Barratt’s hotel in Mexico City. Look who else is one of the main speakers. It’s Luc. Luc. Luc.”

  “Who?” Chance leaned over her until he could see her screen. All he saw was a generic website with a bunch of floating head pictures, with small bios. Houghton Barratt’s was one of the top ones. He read it quickly.

  “Ari’s brother. The man who’s buying my computer program we’re designing. He’s going to be there, too.” She beamed at Chance. “He could get someone to Mel’s side. I don’t doubt it. Luc can do anything. He even broke a human trafficking ring almost by himself.”

  “It’s a stretch. I don’t see Barratt taking her there with him.” Most likely the man had her stashed away somewhere under heavy guard. If he’d kept her alive, that was. “He’s probably got her locked away somewhere. It’s what I would do.”

  “Maybe not,” Gabby said. “But if he shows up—and he’s still on their itinerary—maybe someone
could get him.”

  “Tell him he has to give my sister back,” Brynna said, finally looking at him. “Can we do that? Force him to trade Mel for his own freedom?”

  Chance thought about it for a moment. “It wouldn’t be legal. Not for anyone in law enforcement. But I’m not a cop anymore. I could probably do it.”

  “At least it would be something,” Brynna said, deflating. “Mel has to be so scared right now. What if he hurts her? She can’t fight back. Not anymore.”

  It was the defeated look in her eyes that made him seriously consider it. “What we need to do is find out where he has her, first. When is this conference?”

  “It starts tomorrow afternoon, and goes through the next three days.”

  “So we have some time to surveil him. Come up with a plan.” He looked at Barratt’s photo and that of the man they’d pointed at as Luc. Davis Lucas was what was listed on the webpage.

  He’d heard of the guy. Some bigwig in St. Louis who preached green technologies and had several companies responsible for manufacturing law enforcement equipment.

  And he was a connection of the Becks; one who could move freely in an area Houghton Barratt was expected to be. Men like that…men like that had entourages. Had security and employees that went with them everywhere. If someone wanted to get in…

  It just might work. Provided this friend of Brynna’s was agreeable and they could isolate where Mel was being held captive.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE.

  * * *