“Leo?” Mario said in a trembling voice.
“Yeah, it’s me, bud. It’s going to be okay. Understand?”
“Why didn’t Mama come in here too? She left me!”
Gramps hated the pain and fear he could hear all too clearly in the little boy’s tone. “You know how much your mom loves you, right?” he asked.
“Yeah . . .”
“She would do whatever it takes to protect you.”
“It’s them, isn’t it?” Mario asked, his voice hitching. “I asked Mama the same thing, but she didn’t say.”
Gramps didn’t need to ask who he meant. “I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter. I’m gonna get your mom back.”
“I’m scared,” Mario whispered.
“Me too.”
“You are?” the little boy asked in shock.
“Yes. I love your mom. I’m proud of her for doing what she thought was right to protect you, but I’m still scared for her. I’m gonna find her, Mario. I give you my word.”
“Okay.”
One word. That’s all it took for Gramps’s resolve to strengthen. Mario believed in him, and there was no way in hell he was going to let that little boy down. He’d been through enough in his life. He wouldn’t lose his mother if Gramps had anything to say about it. “I’ve got to go,” he said. “Stay where you are, and take care of the others, okay?”
“Okay. Leo?”
“Yeah, bud?”
“I love you.”
Gramps’s heart clenched. “I love you too, champ.”
The call ended, and Gramps turned to his friends. They were watching him with furious looks on their faces. He quickly summed up what had happened back at the garage. Bull, who’d overheard enough to know they needed to look at the security tapes, already had his phone out and was clicking on the app.
Within two minutes, four heads were huddled over the phone, watching what had occurred.
They saw the Crown Victoria crash through the fence and go careening across the yard toward the garage. Switching cameras, they saw Bart ushering everyone down the hall toward the safe room. Gramps watched breathlessly as Cassidy stepped outside the room, then slammed the door shut, quickly entering the override code.
She ran up the stairs to the back door. His heart beat overtime when she looked up into the camera before she headed outside and mouthed I love you.
He knew she was speaking straight to him. He wanted to scream at her. Tell her not to go outside. But nothing he did or said would change what had already happened.
All four men watched as Cassidy walked straight into the arms of a man lurking out front. Gramps’s fists clenched helplessly when he saw Cassidy get punched twice in the face by a second man. Then the guy holding her dragged her to the car, and they took off, disappearing after they went through the gate.
“Who the fuck are they?” Smoke asked.
“Lloyd Robinson and his sidekick, Martin,” Gramps growled.
“I’m guessing they’re from Jamaica?” Bull asked.
“You’d guess right,” Gramps answered.
“I’ve got the plate,” Eagle said.
“Where do you think they’re taking her?” Smoke asked.
“Maybe we can show the video to the cops here on scene,” Bull suggested.
Gramps shook his head. “There’s nothing they can do from here.”
“They could call in reinforcements. Put a BOLO out on the car,” Bull said.
“Bart called the cops already. They should be at the compound by now. If those assholes come back, they’ll protect everyone still inside.”
“Do you think they would’ve hurt the others?” Eagle asked.
Gramps nodded. “Without a fucking doubt.”
“She sacrificed herself to save them,” Smoke said.
And she had. It was obvious Cassidy had been terrified, but she’d still walked herself right into the hands of men who’d done more to hurt her and Mario than anyone else in her life.
“We’re gonna find her,” Smoke said. “I don’t know what I’d have done if anyone hurt Molly again, or did something that would’ve made her lose our baby.”
“Or Kevin and Taylor,” Eagle said.
“And Skylar,” Bull added.
His friends had already liked Cassidy, but what she’d done, putting her own life on the line to protect their wives and kids, solidified their loyalty. Gramps knew she’d done it mostly to keep Mario safe, but he had no doubt the safety of her friends was in the back of her mind as well.
“Is there anything we can do to help?” a deep voice asked from behind them.
Gramps turned to see the seven men from the Fallport Search and Rescue team looking concerned behind them.
“We don’t know what’s going on, but if you need us, we’re more than willing to help. We’ve all got either law enforcement or military experience, and if you need assistance in finding someone, we’re in. Not to mention, there’s a whole convention of men and women just like us back at the hotel who wouldn’t think twice about aiding in a search.”
Gramps appreciated the offer. “Thanks, but at the moment, all I know is that my woman is missing. I don’t have any place to start looking.”
“Right,” Talon said, reaching into his pocket. “Here’s my card. Go do what you need to do, and if you want our help, call. We’ll drop everything to assist.”
“’Preciate it.” And he did. Gramps pocketed the card and nodded at the men. They all looked concerned, but they backed off, giving him and his team space.
“What about tracking her phone? She might have it on her,” Eagle said.
“It’ll take too long to get the trace,” Smoke said. “We could call in for some help, but it’ll still take a while.”
“We’ve got the license plate number—the cops can be on the lookout,” Bull reminded them.
“Right, but most of the cops are here. There aren’t going to be that many out on the streets patrolling in this fog,” Eagle said. “There aren’t enough eyes on the road for the BOLO to do much good.”
His friend’s words triggered something within Gramps. “Then we need to get more eyes,” he muttered, turning and running for the tow truck he’d parked along the side of the road. Talon’s willingness to help swam in his mind, and he might just take him up on that offer. An entire convention full of men and women—whose entire job was to find people—would definitely be more eyes.
But he needed help immediately, and it would take time for the Search and Rescue teams to get on the road. He needed people who were already scattered around Indianapolis in their vehicles.
Gramps climbed into the cab and reached for the CB radio. He turned the knob from the private channel they used to talk to dispatch at Silverstone Towing to the open line used by most of the towing companies in the greater Indianapolis area.
The towing industry was competitive but respectful. It wasn’t often anyone tried to horn in on someone else’s scene, and many of the drivers knew each other. There was always an asshole or two in the bunch, but for the most part, towing employees in the Indy area were courteous and professional.