Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“Start checking other feeds,” Evan ordered, walking to an image of a map. “He was heading toward cottage country. He must have a place there. Someone check land titles up north for his real name!”
If it was possible, the noise grew louder. Everyone was talking, Evan shouting out orders. It was chaos, yet I knew it was controlled. No one was panicked or looking confused. They were all concentrating, doing what they did best.
“Let’s go to my office,” Finn said, pulling on my arm.
“There must be something we can do.” I looked around, feeling powerless. Not a sensation I liked.
“They need the room,” Niall assured me. “Without distractions. And the way you’re pacing, you’re a distraction.”
I hadn’t even realized I was moving. I let them lead me to Finn’s office. A glass with a shot of whiskey was pushed into my hand, and a plate appeared before me. “Drink this. You need it. And eat. We all need to keep up our strength.” Niall poured a mug of coffee for each of us after tossing back a shot himself. “Now, Sully.”
I did what he told me to do, the whiskey burning its way down my gullet and into my empty stomach. Its warmth was immediate. I forced myself to eat a sandwich, tasting nothing.
Was Autumn hungry?
Scared?
Cold?
I opened my eyes, forcing the vision of her tied up and injured in a trunk, being dragged God knew where, out of my mind before I went mad.
“Sully.”
I met Finn’s gaze. “I just spoke with Roman Costas.”
I knew the name. The reputation. His brother was one of the former heads of the syndicate, and Finn had taken over his jurisdictions and place in the organization. He’d purchased this hotel and casino from Roman, and they had become friends.
“He is trying to help. Using his IT team with Evan to make the search go faster. He’s offering men and anything else we might need.”
I nodded.
“He’ll come if I ask him. Bring reinforcements.”
I was about to reply when Evan burst through the door. “I think we got something.”
We were all on our feet instantly.
“And?”
“We need to move. We need two vans and a shit-ton of equipment they’re already packing up.”
Niall put his phone to his ear, talking rapidly.
“What did you find?” I demanded.
“An out-of-the-way cottage and—” he grinned “—a signal from Lynn’s safety watch.”
“What good does that do us?” I asked.
“We didn’t find it at The Haven, and Davey recalls Autumn slipping it into her pocket. I think she somehow managed to press the button that sent the signal. The coordinates match.”
A signal meant she was alive. And we knew where to look.
“Let’s go.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
AUTUMN
Consciousness came slowly. My first thought was how much my head ached and my shoulders throbbed. The second was that my hands were numb and I was cold.
So very cold.
I blinked as I looked down, the floor under my feet unfamiliar. Dark. Dingy. I shut my eyes and, moving sluggishly so as to not cause even more pain, I lifted my head. That brought on a wave of dizziness that made me want to throw up, but I breathed carefully, concentrating on pulling in the cold air that surrounded me through my nose and exhaling from my mouth. Some of the nausea passed, and I opened my eyes, looking around a room I didn’t recognize. Old wood paneling lined the walls, warped and showing signs of dampness. The paneling ran around the bottom perimeter of the room and above it, faded striped wallpaper curled and hung in tatters in some places. Parts of the ceiling were missing. A lone lightbulb hung from a long wire in the corner, flickering and dull. An empty bed frame leaned against one wall. A dresser, with only two drawers intact, sat across from me. The scent of mildew was thick.
I blinked and tried to pull my arms from behind me, panic setting in when I realized I was tied to the chair, the bonds so taut my hands were numb. My shoulders were pulled back so tightly, they strained and tugged, desperate for some relief.
Where was I?
Shutting my eyes, I searched my foggy brain, trying to remember what had happened. Getting a box ready for Gwen to pick up with the chair. A knock.
My eyes flew open.
It hadn’t been Davey on the other side of the door.
Alan was there, fury radiating from him. Before I could yell or slam the door, he had grabbed me by the throat, pushing me inside and shutting the door behind him with his foot. He threw me so hard, I hit the counter, knocking the glass and my phone off it. I dove, desperate to get my phone, but he was on me, knocking it out of the way.
“No one is coming for you, bitch,” he snarled.
I surprised him by raising my head fast, hitting his nose, blood spurting. He grunted in pain and I scrambled away, but he recovered, grabbing my leg. I fell, striking my head. I gasped at the pain, sliding down to the floor, feeling the blood trickle between my fingers.