Texas Twin Abduction

by Virginia Vaughan

  He met up with his brother who’d had the same idea and was already in the store’s office with another man. “This is Bob Lewis, the manager on duty. He’s pulling up the security feed for us now.”

  The manager scrolled back through the video images until Lawson spotted Bree.

  “There,” he said, pointing to the figure by the streetlamp as she got out of the rental car and into an SUV.

  “Can you get an image of that license plate?” Colby asked and Lewis was able to stop the video so they could see the plate clearly displayed. “You have an excellent video surveillance system, Mr. Lewis. Especially for such a small store.”

  Lewis shrugged. “My son-in-law sells security systems, so he got me a good price and did the installation himself. Times are hard and crime has become a problem. I believe it’s important to keep my customers safe if I want to stay in business.”

  Lawson and Colby thanked him, then walked out and Lawson texted the info to Josh to get him to run the plates.

  Josh had an answer for them by the time they returned to the sheriff’s office. “The car is registered to a company called Strategic Design Systems. Supposedly, they manufacture software.”

  Lawson frowned. He’d been expecting to find a person at the end of this trail, not a corporation. “I’ve never heard of it.”

  “Its official address is in Atlanta. But here’s the thing. When I ran the plates, they brought up a whole bunch of red flags.”

  “What kind of flags?”

  “DEA flags,” Josh stated. “I’m waiting to hear back from a friend at the DEA, but from what I can gather, Strategic Design Systems might be a shell company for a major drug distribution ring.”

  Lawson took off his hat and pulled a hand through his hair. Bree and Ashlee’s captors were major players and that just made getting the sisters both back even more dangerous.

  “Hang on,” Cecile said, digging through a stack of files.

  “What is it?” Josh asked.

  “That name—Strategic Design Systems... I know I’ve seen it before.” She dug through a file, then nodded. “We canvased some of the businesses around town to see if they recognized the man you shot at the hospital. We found something. He listed his employer as Strategic Design Systems on a rental application eight months ago.”

  Josh grabbed the form from her hand. “What did he rent?”

  “A backhoe from the hardware store. And he gave his address as 625 Cedar Ridge Road.”

  Lawson recognized that address. “Bree and Ashlee’s grandparents owned a ranch on Cedar Ridge Road. The bank foreclosed on it years ago. But we’ve already checked that place out.”

  Cecile shook her head. “Actually, 625 is the abandoned property next door to the old Taylor place.”

  Josh shook his head. “That can’t be a coincidence. Cecile, call and find out who owns it now.”

  “I already did. It was purchased from the city four years ago by Strategic Design Systems. In fact, Strategic Design Systems recently purchased six foreclosed properties from the city.”

  “What does a software design company need with old abandoned farms?”

  “They don’t—not for any legitimate business, anyway. If Bree’s old boyfriend was really working with them, he would know when the property was foreclosed on and could have passed along that information.”

  Josh sighed and glanced at the mounting evidence of a major trafficking operation taking place right under their noses. “I can’t believe this is happening in my county. We knew there was some drug trafficking going on. Mayor Baxter and I have been going back and forth with ways to combat it, but I never would have imagined things had gotten this far out of hand.”

  Colby slapped his shoulder. “A small town like this with lots of foreclosed and abandoned properties would be a trafficker’s dream. A lot of these old ranches would have enough buildings for storage and manufacturing as well as plenty of land for planes to come and go with very little scrutiny—not to mention other kinds of vehicles. Nobody blinks an eye when a truck rolls through with a trailer of any kind. They could move drugs in and out of here all day long and who would know it?”

  Josh let out a deep breath. “Colby, phone your contacts in the DOJ and DEA and tell them to get to town ASAP. We’re going to need a lot of help on this.”

  “On it,” Colby stated, pressing his phone to his ear and walking out.

  He turned to Paul. “We need to get eyes on that property to confirm that’s where they’re holed up. Can you take point on that?”

  Paul nodded. “Will do.”

  Lawson leaned toward his brother. “I know you’re looking at the big picture, taking this drug operation down, Josh, but rescuing Bree and Ashlee is still our first priority, right?”

  “Of course. We’ll get them out.”

  Lawson walked out of the conference room. He believed his brother had every intention of keeping his word, but with the inclusion of the DOJ and DEA in the investigation, he prayed Bree and Ashlee’s safety wouldn’t get overlooked.

  NINE

  Lawson drove to the old Tillman farm with Paul. They parked on a hill that overlooked the main house and the major outbuildings. Paul pulled his duffel from the back of his truck and unzipped it. Inside was his SEAL gear along with a variety of weapons.

  Lawson knew his brother had been well trained by the SEAL teams to infiltrate and rescue hostages in even the most dangerous locations. Josh had been right to task him with organizing this siege. Paul was better trained for the task than anyone else and Lawson was grateful he was involved given that both Bree and Ashlee’s lives were at stake.

  Lawson grabbed a pair of long distance binoculars and got down on the ground beside his brother to scan the property. Cars were parked around a building behind the house that looked to be a large garage enclosure. He spotted a black SUV like the one from the grocery store security feed. “That’s where they are,” he said.

  Paul took the binoculars and scanned the area.

  “I agree. The garage has the most movement and also the most security.” He pointed to two large trucks parked by the barn. “That must be where they hold their product. It’s quite an operation.”

  “And one that’s operated for who knows how long right under all our noses.” Lawson scanned the area and saw men walking back and forth from the garage to the barn. He also spotted two-men teams standing outside each of the side doors of the garage. “I see two guards each on the side entrances. I don’t see any weapons, but I’m sure they’re there. And if there’s a back entrance, I’m sure that’s well guarded, too.”

  Paul nodded. “They’ve got this place locked down pretty well. We’ll need a coordinated course of action for our breach.” He pulled out his camera and started snapping pictures. “Let’s get these back to the sheriff’s office and work out a strategy.”

  He stood and Lawson balked. “We’re leaving?” They were staring at the place where he was almost certain Bree and Ashlee were being held hostage. Leaving without them didn’t make sense to him. “We need to go get them before they move them. Or worse.”

  “If we try to breach that compound on our own, all we’ll manage to do is get ourselves—and probably them—killed. The moment we go down there, we’ll be in a fight and we’ll need more firepower than the two of us have.” He took out his phone. “But if it’ll make you feel better, I’ll have Josh send a deputy here to watch the compound and alert us if the women get moved before we get back.”

  He still didn’t like the idea of leaving, but his brother was right. They couldn’t go in there guns blazing without backup. They needed a plan if they were going to get Bree and Ashlee out of there alive.

  Deputy Simmons arrived within fifteen minutes, prepared to stand watch while Lawson and Paul returned to the sheriff’s office.

  When they walked inside, Josh, Colby and Cecile were already l
ooking over the photos Paul had texted to them.

  “We spotted eight men coming and going from building to building,” Paul explained. “Plus however many are inside. That’s quite a large organization.”

  “What’s the ETA on DEA arrival?” Lawson asked.

  Josh’s face looked grim. “They’re currently working another operation and can’t get a team here for eight hours.”

  “We don’t have eight hours,” Lawson protested. “Bree and Ashlee will probably be dead by then.” He hoped Josh wasn’t suggesting they wait that long.

  Paul stood up for him. “Lawson is right. We can’t put this off. We’ll have to go in with just our own team.”

  “It’ll be dangerous,” Josh stated. He rubbed his chin and sighed. “But I agree—we have no choice. At least with the sun setting, we’ll have some cover. I’m going to call the neighboring sheriff’s offices to see if we can’t get some assistance from them.”

  Lawson, Paul, Colby and Cecile worked out a strategy while Josh phoned around to gather more deputies to help. Lawson was happy to see so many willing to volunteer, including Deaver, Marks and Mahoney. And he could always count on Cecile to be front and center when needed.

  He phoned Deputy Simmons for a status update.

  “No one has come or gone from the compound since you and Paul left. Everything seems quiet.”

  “Okay, hang tight. We’re on our way to you,” Lawson told him.

  He gathered his supplies, weapons, ammunition and vest and loaded them into his truck. The darkening colors of the night sky reminded him of that night standing beneath the stars with Bree and how right that moment had felt. He wanted another chance to make it happen.

  God, please keep her safe until I can get her home.

  He was worried. The kidnappers had their money. How long would it be before they decided Ashlee and Bree had both outlived their usefulness? Or had they already done so? He tried not to think that way. He had to work based on the assumption that both women were still alive.

  Instead of driving himself crazy worrying about the danger they were in, he focused on the mission ahead. He was only a small-town deputy. He didn’t have the skills or resources to work out a rescue plan like this, but God had seen fit to bless him with family who did. For that, he was thankful, and it seemed proof that maybe God was on their side.

  He dug into his pocket for the note Ashlee had written him the night she’d left six years earlier. He’d read it a hundred times since. She’d called him unambitious and he was—according to her definition. He didn’t want drama or action in his life. In truth, he was ready for nothing more than for this mess to be over. He wasn’t cut out for all this excitement and danger the way his brothers were. His only reason for still being involved was that someone he cared about had been taken from him and he was determined to get her back.

  He crumpled up the note and tossed it onto the floorboard. He didn’t need it any longer. Those words no longer stung him because he realized the truth. She’d been right to leave him. He and Ashlee had never been a good match.

  His phone buzzed and he scooped it up. It was Simmons calling with an update. His voice was full of excitement and his words were rushed, causing Lawson’s heart to pound against his chest. Something major was happening.

  “Another car arrived at the compound and you’ll never guess who just got out of it.”

  * * *

  Bree sat silently, her sister lying against her shoulder, dreaming of the simpler times on the ranch with Lawson. Her memories were edging back to her, beginning with the sheer terror of discovering Ashlee had been kidnapped and then finding Travis dead from an overdose.

  Everything was still kind of fuzzy, but she recalled meeting with the kidnappers at the old barn and offering to return the money to them, but first, she’d insisted on seeing her sister. They hadn’t taken her proof-of-life demand well and had opened fire, leaving Bree no choice but to hop back into the car and drive away without Ashlee.

  Then she’d just blocked it all out.

  Shame filled her and tears pooled in her eyes. Everything Lawson said about her was turning out to be true. She’d been the one to get them into this mess and then she’d left her sister captive with killers and conveniently forgotten it. Well, that wasn’t the type of person she wanted to be any longer. “I’m sorry I forgot about you,” she told Ashlee.

  Her sister sat up and looked at her. “It wasn’t on purpose, was it?”

  “Of course not, but the doctors said it wasn’t physical trauma. It was something in my mind that I blocked out. How could I have possibly blocked you out when you were in so much danger—when you needed me to find help and come back for you?” She was struggling to understand that, struggling to find the reason behind it.

  Ashlee pushed a strand of hair from Bree’s forehead and wiped away a stray tear with her thumb. Her face held no animosity toward Bree. “It’s not your fault.”

  “It is my fault. All of this is my fault. Travis. The kidnapping. How did they get you, anyway?”

  “They grabbed me in the parking lot. I’d just gotten back from my date. You loaned me this dress, remember?”

  Ashlee’s outfit wasn’t in the best shape anymore—not after several days of being held captive—but the longer Bree stared at the dress, the more the memory came into focus. “It wasn’t a loan—I gave the dress to you,” Bree answered. “Travis bought it for me—said it matched my eyes. I used to wear it all the time. There are probably two dozen pictures on Facebook of me in that dress. I didn’t want it anymore after things ended between us, but it was too nice to throw out. You said...”

  “I said it matched my eyes, too—so I’d wear it through some new memories until you were ready to take it back.”

  “That’s why they took you,” Bree realized, numb with horror. “You were wearing my dress. That’s why they thought you were me.”

  Ashlee nodded reluctantly, clearly not wanting to upset her sister, but not wanting to lie, either. “It was an ambush. They had me shoved into the back of a van before I even knew what was happening. When they started talking about Travis, I realized that they thought I was you—”

  “And you let them think that, so you could protect me.” Bree shook her head, disgusted with herself as a lump formed in her throat. “Once again, my bad choices come back to ruin things for you.”

  “Some things are out of our control.”

  “And some things aren’t. I’ve made a mess of my life.” She turned away from her sister as shame and regret burned through her. She’d made this mess, but her sister was suffering the consequences.

  Ashlee’s voice when she responded was soft and merciful. “No, that’s all in your past, Bree.”

  “How can you say that when you’ve been abducted and beaten because of me?” She would never forgive herself for the mess she’d made and neither should Ashlee.

  Her sister gave an exasperated sigh at Bree’s refusal to excuse her actions. She forced Bree to face her, a hand on each of her arms as her eyes probed Bree’s. After a moment, her expression softened. “You don’t remember all of it yet, do you? Travis has been out of your life for a while now, Bree. You left him and that life behind you when you found Jesus. It’s because of Him that you’ve made all these changes to your life.”

  Ashlee’s words made no sense to her and she sniffed back tears that were threatening to break free. “Jesus doesn’t want someone like me, Ashlee.”

  “He does. He loves you, Bree, and so do I.”

  Bree fell into her sister’s arms and clung to her. She’d always known Ashlee’s love was unconditional, but how could someone like Jesus want someone as broken and flawed as her? And it wasn’t only Jesus that didn’t want her. “Lawson doesn’t want me, either.”

  Her sister didn’t flinch at her subtle confession of her feelings for Lawson and gave no indication of jeal
ousy that Bree had fallen in love with Ashlee’s old flame. “I’m sure that’s not true. He’s a pretty smart guy. He ought to know a great catch when he sees one.”

  “You’re the one he wants, the one he’s always loved. When we get out of here—”

  Ashlee shook her head, fear filling her face as she recalled the horrible truth of their situation. “These men don’t have any intention of letting either of us go.”

  Bree knew that, but what her sister needed now was reassurance. Ashlee had already been through so much. “Everything is going to be okay,” Bree told her, stroking her hair for the added comfort.

  But Ashlee wasn’t going to be easily placated. She straightened and looked at Bree. “How? They want that notebook, and we have no way of giving it to them.”

  “I wouldn’t say that. I actually have a good idea where Travis might have hidden it.”

  A commotion outside the door grabbed her attention.

  “What’s happening?” Ashlee cried, but Bree had no idea.

  The sound of keys jangling indicated someone was coming. Bree stood and pulled Ashlee to her as the door opened and the man who’d met her at the grocery store—she’d heard someone call him Lenny—stood in the doorway, a gun trained on them both.

  “Let’s go,” he demanded. “The boss is here and he’s ready for you.”

  Ashlee shivered beside her and Bree could feel the fear rolling off her. “He’s horrible,” Ashlee said in a low voice so only Bree could hear her. “He ordered his men to beat me until I talked, only I didn’t know anything.”

  Anger slid up Bree’s spine at the idea of what these men had done to her sister. And it was all this man’s fault. He was the one in charge, the leader of this drug ring, so he was the one who would have to answer for her sister’s injuries.

  She grabbed Ashlee’s hand and marched out, anxious to put eyes on the man responsible for all of this. She’d met him before at her initial attempt to buy back her sister’s freedom, but her memory of him was still blurry and unfocused. He’d been a shadow at the meeting, a figure that his goons turned to for confirmation and orders.