Chapter Thirty-Two
Lexie
They should’ve been home by now.
It was after seven. Maybe they’d stayed at Grey Paws a little longer so they could visit with Teague, Pepper, and Miss Adeline.
Or maybe they’d gone by the kitchen to attempt to make tomorrow’s food. Lincoln would do something like that, even if it took him all night.
I leaned into the pillows.
He was so thoughtful it blew my mind. And to think I’d almost let my parents ruin it.
I rubbed my forehead. Where had that headache come from? It was so strong and so fast, I’d hardly been able to finish preparing lunch.
It had subsided a bit and was no longer crippling. I’d slept most of the afternoon with the dogs beside me. They’d been good at watching over me.
I picked up my phone.
Just call him. It’s not like you don’t live with him or anything.
But it was strange to contact him on a whim. Part of me felt like we needed a pre-set warning that I’d be calling him.
You’re overthinking, Lexie.
He wouldn’t mind. I knew that. I also didn’t want to be a nag.
The dogs sat up and barked. After listening for a moment, they leapt off the bed and raced down the hall. I hadn’t heard anything, but it was a long way to the front door.
I tossed the blankets away and slid out of bed.
I made it to the bedroom door when I caught sight of Lincoln in the hallway. He looked haggard. More so than the morning I’d found him by my hospital bed. Delivering the dog food was hard, especially for someone who wasn’t used to it.
He would hardly meet my gaze. Didn’t speak, though that wasn’t all that unusual.
The dogs caught up to him, then ran back toward the door as if looking for something. They rushed back and jumped around him. He didn’t correct them or even acknowledge their presence.
“Lincoln?”
He flinched at the sound of his name.
I leaned over, trying to see around him. “Where’s Eric?”
He stopped moving. Fear and pain stared back at me so potently I could feel it myself.
“Lincoln?” I rushed forward and pushed his chest. “Where’s Eric?”
His throat worked as he swallowed hard. “I tried. I need you to know that.”
My heart galloped so hard I thought it would explode. “Tried what?” I heard myself speak, but it sounded far away as the worst-case scenarios flooded my brain.
He opened his mouth, and I held my breath. He closed it, and I completely stopped taking in air. I shook him, yet it didn’t move him.
“Your mother,” he said hoarsely. “She took him at gunpoint.”
My legs gave way. He caught me and carried me to the living room. Once he’d arranged me on the sofa, the dogs jumped up and both put their heads in my lap.
“Is he . . .” I couldn’t say or even think the word.
“He was the last time I saw him.” Lincoln hung his head and leaned against the bar for support.
“How long ago was that?” How was I talking? Thinking? I needed to get up. To find my brother.
“One hour and thirty-six minutes ago.”
“And you didn’t call me?” I cried. It was my fault this had happened. I should’ve sucked it up and went with them this afternoon. If I’d been there, she never would’ve come close to him.
“I’m so very sorry, Lexie. I phoned the authorities. And Daniel. And Zegas. I waited to see if your mother left with Eric so I could follow.” He smashed his knuckles against the stone countertop. “I must have missed them.”
“Are the police looking for them?”
“Everyone I know is. I just came by to tell you, then I’m headed back out.”
“Not without me.” I stood too quickly and lost my balance, but used the sofa arm to keep steady.
“You’re in no condition—”
“I’ll be damned if I’ll sit here while she has my brother and do nothing,” I said, my voice reaching a crescendo. “If she has him locked in a closet—”
It’s so dark in here, sis. It’s so, so dark. But we have each other now. I’m not alone now, sis.
Everything in me shattered.
I had one responsibility. Keeping my brother safe. And I’d failed.
Tears blinded me as I fumbled my way down the hall.
“You should sit.” Lincoln slid an arm around my waist.
“I have to find him,” I wailed. I batted at the tears, desperate to get them out of the way so I could see. As soon as I swiped one away, another was in its place.
I felt my way to the bedroom with Lincoln’s guidance.
“Shoes. I need my shoes.” I willed the torrent to stop. “I can’t go in there.”
All I could picture was Eric locked in the closet for hours in the dark. What if it turned into days? I needed to get to him but didn’t have the courage to go into a perfectly safe closet to get my shoes.
Lincoln steered me to the edge of the bed. I sat when he gently applied pressure to my shoulders. In seconds, he’d found a pair of slip-on flats and knelt in front of me to put them on my feet.
“Do you have any idea where they would go?” he asked quietly.
“N-n-no.”
Get it together, Lexie. For Eric.
I breathed in ragged breaths, trying to get oxygen so I could calm. It took a few tries, but I’d managed to slow my tears and clear some of the haze in my brain.
“But I know who does.” Like a switch, my movements went from slow motion to frantic. I searched for my phone, dialed, and put it on speaker.
“Well, well, well, baby doll. I thought that brother of yours might get you to call.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Lincoln
Hooonnnkkk.
I laid on the horn at the car at the light in front of me. The driver shot me the bird out the window. As soon as the traffic light turned green I swerved around them, narrowly missing a bicyclist.
Lexie didn’t seem to mind my recklessness with her van.
Her asshole of a father had given us thirty minutes to meet them at their old apartment building. I didn’t think they’d do anything to Eric since he was the only leverage they had, but I wasn’t taking any risks.
“We get him in our hands, then they get the money.” I turned on two wheels at the next block.
He’d demanded two hundred thousand in cash. I’d had a little more than that in my safe, thank God. I’d stuffed it in a duffel bag as quickly as I could and we’d raced out the door.
I knew better than to give her parents what they wanted, but as long as we got Eric and he was okay, the money would be worth it.
And when the police arrested them for kidnapping, all the better. Daniel was going to make certain of that.
Lexie fisted her cotton-ball sweatshirt and stared out the window. She’d stopped crying, but only spoke when necessary.
I hated her silence. I had no idea what was going on in her head, other than absolute horrific pain.
I’d screwed up so badly.
Not only had I let down Lexie, I’d let down Eric too. They were counting on me for protection, and I couldn’t do it.