Brandon turned. “Who are you? Do you know something about what happened?”
“I’m Sonya’s neighbor across the street. Paul Lehman. There was a guy who took Sonya and another woman. He had a gun.”
“You saw him?”
“Yeah. He shoved them in a big black BMW and took off. Sonya was one of those women, but I didn’t recognize the other one.”
That stopped him. “A man?”
“And two women.”
“Sonya dropped her phone, so that’s not going to help us. And you say he had a gun?”
“Yes, but he was trying to hide it. By the time I went to get my own weapon, he was gone.”
“Do you have a weapon on you now?”
“No, I’m not stupid. Once I saw they were gone, I locked it back up.”
Brandon thought of Max. “Whoever he is, he’s definitely not afraid to shoot someone.”
An ambulance screeched to a halt and two paramedics headed for the house, directed by one of the uniformed officers.
“I don’t suppose you got a plate?”
Mr. Lehman grimaced and shook his head “No, sorry. Not all of it, anyway. I think the first letter was an H. I couldn’t get close enough to see it by the time he was pulling away.”
Brandon squeezed the man’s shoulder even as his anxiety skyrocketed. “I want to know who was here.”
“We’ll start questioning the other neighbors,” Hector said. “And I’ve already put a BOLO out on a black Beemer.”
“Can we get the helicopter?” Jordan asked.
Brandon pulled his phone out and called Christine, his sergeant. In terse, precise sentences, he filled her in on the situation. “I’m running out of time. He’s got her and another woman, presumed to be Mrs. Bradley, in his car. I don’t have a clue who he is or where he’d take them.”
With only a slight pause, she approved the helicopter request.
All they needed now was to find the black BMW with three people. He started praying.
*
Sonya gripped the door handle as Don sped down the highway. In the rearview mirror, Sonya could see Mrs. Bradley slumped in the backseat.
“Why are you doing this?” Sonya whispered.
“I spun some pretty good half-truths and lies to your boyfriend, but it’s only a matter of time before they figure everything out.”
“Figure everything out? What do you mean?” His knuckles whitened on the steering wheel and Sonya moved her fingers to the door lock. “You said you wanted me to stay gone. Do you know who kidnapped me when I was a baby?”
“Yes.”
“Because you set it up?” She took a shot in the dark even as she noticed they were on I-85 and going north.
He flinched and Mrs. Bradley gasped. Sonya took another look in the mirror and noticed the woman sitting upright and paying attention. Some of the shock had worn off and her eyes appeared clear. And narrowed. Sonya didn’t think Don had noticed. He moved into the left lane to pass a slower vehicle. The needle on the speedometer inched up. Suddenly, things started clicking for Sonya as her mind put a few more pieces together. “You killed Ms. Gold, didn’t you?”
“You were going to talk to her.”
“And she’s the only other person who knew the truth.”
“Yes,” he said.
“She took me, didn’t she?”
“I paid her to walk into the nursery and walk out with you. That’s the one thing she managed to do right in this whole thing.”
“Were you blackmailing my mother?”
He snorted. “No. Rebecca was. She’d broken into the lawyer’s office and gotten your mother’s name as the adoptive parents. She figured out that you didn’t know you were adopted and threatened to tell you. From what little I gathered, your mother didn’t want you to know.”
Sonya closed her eyes. Her mother wouldn’t succumb to blackmail. She’d been going to tell her. Sonya now knew exactly why her mother had been so agitated before she’d died.
“What did Ms. Gold hope to get by blackmailing my mother?”
“Money, of course.”
“Why after all this time?”
“I have no idea. I should have killed her long before I did.”
His cold-blooded statement sent chills racing up her back. “I’m still not clear on why you didn’t want me. You adopted me from your sister-in-law. Why would you do that if you only wanted me to disappear?”
“Because my wife insisted. And I had to do whatever it took to keep Ann happy.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “Right, Ann? Had to keep you happy.” His lip curled, and the disgust Sonya saw on his face made her swallow. “When I paid Rebecca to take you from the nursery, I told her I didn’t care what she did with you, just to get rid of you.”
Sonya flinched. “So she put me up for adoption.”
“No, she sold you to some lawyer who found two people desperate enough for a baby to part with their life savings.”
“My parents,” she whispered.
“Yes.”
Sonya knew why he was being so forthcoming. He wasn’t planning to let her ever repeat this crazy story. Her mind frantically worked, trying to figure out the best way to deal with him while looking for a way to escape.
Keep him talking. Keep him talking. “Who was the man who tried to kill us? You hired him, right?”
“He was Ann’s personal trainer. He was always looking for a way to make some quick and easy cash.”
Sonya clenched her fingers into fists. “Where are you taking us?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet. Now be quiet and let me think.”
She ignored his order for quiet. “How did you know to come to my house?”
“Ann said she was going to go see you. I followed her. After the phone call with your boyfriend earlier, I could see he was putting it all together. Hopefully, I’ve fed him enough lies that he’ll be confused for a little while. Long enough for me to put a plan together, anyway.”
“You’re going to kill us,” she whispered. “You’re going to kill your wife?”
A strangled sound came from the backseat.
Don shot her a fierce look. “I’m not going to kill my wife.” He glanced in the rearview mirror. “We’re going to take an overseas trip. Finally find a little place in the Caribbean and have a nice quiet life. Doesn’t that sound good, Ann?”
“Yes, dear.” Her monotone voice worried Sonya, but Don didn’t seem to notice. He gave a small satisfied smile.
“But you’re going to kill me,” Sonya stated.
The smile slipped from his face. “Your presence could ruin everything. You simply know too much. Especially now.”
The man wasn’t thinking straight. “I got a phone call before you got there. Brandon told me they suspect that Mrs. Bradley is the one who wants me dead. You don’t think they won’t be looking to talk to her, do you?”
He stilled, a muscle jumping along his jawline. “What makes them think she had anything to do with it?”
“You just told me that the man you hired was her trainer. It didn’t take them long to connect the two.”
“So they figured that out, did they?” he murmured. “That idiot. I told him how to cover his tracks and he ignored me. Just goes to show you that in order to get something done right, you usually have to do it yourself.” He pulled into the back of his office building. “Get out my door. There’s no one down here this time of day. We’re going to use the service elevator and go up to my office.”
Sonya frantically searched for an escape route, a weapon she could use on the way in, anything. The gun pressing into her lower back discouraged her from trying anything immediately. “I can’t believe my own father would do this to me. I’m your blood child. What threat am I to you?”
“Shut up.” He pressed her toward the entrance. Ann hadn’t moved from the backseat. He looked at his wife. “Come on, Ann. I need you to come with me. This will all be over soon enough.”
Without hesitation, Ann c
limbed from the vehicle and followed them into the building. Confusion swept over Sonya. Why would he bring her here? It seemed like the most obvious place for Brandon to look for her.
Then again, he didn’t yet realize that Don was the one behind everything. “Does your wife know you had an affair with her sister?”
The gun whipped around and caught her on the side of her head. “I said shut up!”
Pain ricocheted through her. A scream escaped and darkness threatened. She fought it off even as her knees buckled and she went to the ground.
When her vision steadied, she saw Ann staring at her husband, her face devoid of color. Don had his attention on her. “It’s not true, Ann. She’s lying. She’ll say anything right now.”
Sonya lurched to her feet and turned to run while he had his eyes and his weapon turned away from her.
She took two steps before a hard hand twisted in the back of her shirt and jerked her to a halt. She barely kept her feet when he yanked her around and shoved her toward the door. She slammed into it and leaned against it, praying she wouldn’t pass out.
She noticed the security camera in the corner of the building and looked straight at it. Don gave a low laugh. “I’ve already thought of that camera, Sonya. It’s no problem to erase the video. Now go.”
TWENTY
Hector’s phone rang and Brandon shot him a look. His partner answered and listened while Brandon tapped the dashboard, impatience eating through him.
As soon as Hector hung up, Brandon pounced. “What?”
“The chopper spotted a black BMW entering the parking garage where Don Bradley works.”
Brandon blinked. “Don Bradley? What does he have to do with this?”
“Maybe he’s the one who took them?”
“But why?”
“Who knows? Maybe he’s got his own reasons.”
“But would he dare take them to his office? It’s too simple, isn’t it?”
“I’d say we’re going to have to check it out.”
“What if it’s a decoy?” He paused then checked his weapon. “Call for backup to head that way. I have a very bad feeling about this.”
“His business is textiles, right?”
“Yes.”
“If you wanted to get rid of someone without a trace and you owned a textile business, how would you do it?”
Brandon shuddered and a wave of nausea swept over him as he thought. “Textile companies use acid for various things. I’d say there’s probably enough in the building to hide a murder.”
Hector flinched and stepped on the gas. Brandon prayed even as he got on the phone and formulated a plan. He filled his boss in. “I need help here, Christine. I need blueprints of the building. I need a way to clear the building without letting Don know we’re onto him. I need a SWAT team and a hostage negotiator. Send them all and send them fast.”
“They’re on the way.”
“And I am, too.”
*
Ignoring the intense throbbing at the base of her skull, Sonya pressed her palm hard against the door. If he was going to kill her, someone was going to find out she’d been here and she was going to leave evidence behind.
Her throat ached at the thought of dying and never knowing if she and Brandon could have had something wonderful. She hated the pain her death would cause him.
But maybe he’d figure it out soon.
She prayed for Max. She prayed for them all.
She’d seen Mr. Lehman looking out his front window. He’d seen her get into the black BMW, and she knew once Max was found, a full-on investigation would kick into play.
Once inside the building, Don directed her down a long hall past several other doors. They turned, right, then left, and by the time he finally stopped and let go of her hair, she knew she’d have a hard time finding her way back should she manage to get away from him. He gave her another hard shove toward a door marked with a hazardous symbol. “Step to the side.”
“What are you doing, Don?” Mrs. Bradley finally spoke, coming out of her shocked stupor.
Don jumped and stared at her as though he’d forgotten all about her. Sonya’s nerves twitched and she shifted. The weapon swung back to her even as he addressed his wife. “I have to take care of things.” He handed her his keys. “I want you to go up to my office and wait for me.”
She ignored the keys. “Take care of what? What about Sonya? Why does she think you’re going to kill her?”
“I’m not going to kill her,” he soothed her. “Sonya and I have business to take care of. Then we’ll join you.”
“What kind of business? Why do you have a gun? You shot that man at Sonya’s house. Why?”
“Will you stop asking questions and do what I asked you to do?” His shout echoed through the area. His wife flinched and narrowed her eyes.
Then her shoulders slumped and she turned without another word.
“No, wait!” Sonya cried. “You can’t do this!”
Ann paused, but didn’t turn.
Don ignored her and simply reached over to punch in the code to the room. The door opened.
He shoved the gun into her rib and moved her inside.
Sonya frantically scrambled for an escape plan. Ann followed her inside.
“What are you doing? I told you to go upstairs.” Ann stared at him. Don shook his head. “Fine. Fine. I’ll just have to deal with you, too.”
She didn’t offer a response, but didn’t leave, either.
Don moved behind his desk and picked up a key. “Now, it’s time to end this once and for all.”
“What are you going to do? If you’re going to shoot me, shoot me!” Sonya knew at such close range, her chances of ducking were slim, but if he started shooting, maybe the noise would bring someone running.
“Shoot you? Of course not.”
She stared at the gun and wondered if he’d lost his mind. “Then what?” she whispered. Why had he brought her here if he didn’t plan to kill her? Confusion swept through her.
“You’ll see. And I promise, it’s relatively painless.”
*
Brandon and Hector arrived at the parking garage only seconds ahead of the other officers. “There’s the black BMW.”
“You think it’s his?”
“No idea.” Brandon walked over to the vehicle and placed a palm on the hood. “It’s hot. Hasn’t been here long.”
“First letter on the license plate is an H. Let’s get a search going. We’ll have to lock down the building. No one in or out.”
Brandon nodded, his brain spinning, fear for Sonya wanting to short-circuit his thoughts. When Hector finished giving orders and putting the plan into motion, Brandon eyed the door with the combination code. “He wouldn’t take them through the building, where anyone would see them.”
“The basement?”
“Where does that door go?”
Hector tapped a few keys on his phone. “I had the blueprints emailed to me.” More tapping. “Looks like it does go into an area that’s sealed off. A hazardous area.”
“That’s where we need to go. I need the code. Who would have it?” he muttered. Then looked up. “The security officer. Where is he?”
Within seconds, they had the man at the door, punching in the code.
*
Sonya kept her fear under control. Barely. Mrs. Bradley had once again lapsed into a catatonic state. She’d backed up to the wall and slid down to sit on the floor. Now she stared, a blank, empty stare that said she’d suffered too much and had mentally checked out.
Sonya felt horrible at having exposed Don’s affair with his sister-in-law in such a blunt way, but she’d been desperate and hoped the knowledge would spur the woman into helping her.
Instead it had sent her into a place in her mind that Sonya wasn’t sure she’d ever come back from.
Don kept the weapon on her. The room they’d entered had a sign on the door that read Authorized Personnel Only. He shoved her toward one of the two
matching steel chairs. “Sit down.” She sat. With the gun still trained on her, he glanced into the other room toward his wife. “Ann!” The woman didn’t move. Didn’t blink. With a curse, he shook his head. “She’s always been weak. Weak but loaded.”
“So you married her for her money?”
“Of course not. I loved Ann. I would have done anything for her. But when she couldn’t have children, she changed.”
“So why not just leave her? Why kidnap the only child she’d ever have and send her deeper into depression?”
“Because the child was mine. And her sister’s. And if her sister ever said a word, I was done.” His steady hand never wavered and the gun never moved from her as he backed toward a file cabinet and opened the second drawer with his free hand. “You see, I signed a prenup. If Ann ever decided to divorce me, I would get nothing.”
“And if Miriam ever said anything, Ann would divorce you without hesitation,” she whispered. He blinked but didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. “You killed Miriam, didn’t you?”
Don pulled a large hunting knife from his desk drawer.
Fear crawled through her. “What are you going to do with me?” Relatively painless or not, she wanted to know.
He set the knife on his desk and pulled out a roll of duct tape. Sonya knew he’d just confirmed what she’d known all along. He might not plan to shoot her, but he did plan to get rid of her.
“You don’t have to kill me.” She felt the quiver in her voice, but was glad it didn’t come out in her words. She wanted to be strong. To believe help would come.
But help might be a long way off. She was going to have to rescue herself. Lord, I need You to help me stay calm and think clearly. But I wouldn’t mind some help if You could please send Brandon. Let him figure out where we are.
“Yes. Yes, I do.” He approached, duct tape in one hand, weapon in the other.
The coldness in his eyes made her shudder. “What does it matter now?” she cried. “You didn’t want Ann finding out that you had the affair with her sister. Well, now she knows. What else is there that you don’t want anyone to find out? What threat am I to you? Let me go and we’ll forget this ever happened.” She cast a glance at the still-open door. Don was either too preoccupied or too cocky to bother with shutting it. Ann hadn’t moved. If she could make it to the outer door, she had a chance.
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