Chapter 43
CHAPTER 43
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The beam of my flashlight swept across the ground, barely more than a red glow through the filter I’d attached. I hadn’t asked why Daniel had a collection of them in his pocket. Every step had to be careful, deliberate. The last thing we needed was to alert anyone to our presence.
Sand shifted beneath my feet as we picked our way toward the coordinates Peyton had indicated didn’t fit. The storm was dying down, but thunder still rumbled in the distance.
“There.” I pointed to a cluster of rocks ahead—one of the few spots on the island where they existed naturally. Most had been brought in over decades for various building projects.
Ford surged forward, but Sawyer grabbed his arm. “Slow. We don’t know who might be watching.”
He nodded, forcing himself to match our measured pace. As we drew closer, my heart sank. A hole gaped in the sand near the rocks, maybe two feet deep. Empty.
“Dammit.” Ford dropped to his knees beside it, hands fisting in the sand. “They’re not here. Where the hell are they?”
I crouched beside him, studying the churned-up sand around the hole. There were traces of footprints, but the storm had already begun to erase them.
“Where now?” The desperation in his voice cut straight to my heart. “What do we do?”
“Hey.” I gripped his shoulder. “These maps are never exact, you know that. The coastline’s constantly changing. That’s why following old treasure maps is almost impossible. This isn’t the only potential location.”
“We don’t even know if they’re following Peyton’s lead.”
“They must be. Think about it. She hid that map for a reason. If she claimed to know where this evidence is hidden, that’s leverage. That’s what’s keeping her alive.”
I winced at the fear that flashed across Ford’s face. Way to go, Bree. Remind him there are more reasons his daughter might be in danger.
“I’m sorry, that was a terrible thing to say.” I grabbed his hand. “But your kid is smart and resourceful. Look at how she made it here from Oregon all on her own.”
He squeezed my fingers, taking a shaky breath. “You’re right. I know you’re right.”
We all hunched over the map together, studying the faded markings.
“Wait.” Willa leaned in, pointing to a formation marked on the paper. “I think I recognize those rocks. They’re past Pelican Inlet, maybe another quarter mile from here.”
“You sure?” Ford’s voice held desperate hope.
“Pretty sure. There’s this weird formation that looks like a fish if you catch it at the right angle. Not many spots like that on the island.”
Ford was already on his feet, but I caught his arm. “We stick together this time. No splitting up.”
The determination in his eyes matched my own. We weren’t letting anyone else disappear tonight.
We picked our way through the maritime forest, staying low and quiet. I wished we had more light than the red-filtered beams of our flashlights.
“When we find them,” Sawyer whispered, “you three hang back.”
“Like hell,” Gabi hissed.
“We’re trained for this,” Daniel said. “You’re not.”
“And what happens if you get shot?” Willa demanded in quiet steel.
“Better us than you,” Ford said.
For a moment I shut my eyes, my brain offering up exactly that scenario. Ford rushing in blind, taking a bullet to save his daughter. Breaking his promise again and leaving me for good this time.
Panic helps no one.
I wanted this over. I wanted him safe. Under no circumstances did I want this to turn into a hostage situation. I just needed my family home. So I shoved down my resentment at being left out of this plan of rescue.
“He’s right,” I murmured. “We can’t help if we become liabilities.”
Gabi shot me a look of betrayal. “So we’re just supposed to stay back while they play hero?”
“We’re supposed to be smart,” I said. “None of us are trained for this kind of situation. The best thing we can do is stay out of their way and be ready to help once it’s over.”
I didn’t like it any more than they did. The thought of Ford walking into danger made me physically sick. But charging in without a plan would only make things worse.
Willa’s shoulders slumped. “I hate that you’re right.”
“Me too.” I squeezed her hand. “But Peyton needs us thinking clearly right now.”
Through the trees, pinpricks of light appeared. Daniel held up his fist, and we all froze, clicking off our own flashlights.
The three men moved ahead, hands flashing in what I assumed were military signals. I had no idea what they were saying for sure, but I assumed the gist was that they’d continue through the trees and circle around behind whoever was out there with those lights. Then Ford caught my eyes and pointed firmly at the ground. That signal was crystal clear. Stay .
I nodded. I didn’t want to make this worse.
They disappeared into the shadows, and the wait began.
I managed approximately two minutes before I began to creep forward, toward the edge of the trees. I wouldn’t get involved, but I needed to see for sure if Peyton was there. Gabi and Willa flanked me, moving as quietly as possible. Our footsteps were masked by the sound of the surf and the lingering patter of rain.
Where the trees gave way to sea oats and sand, we crouched down, close enough now to make out the scene ahead. Two men with guns stood over two smaller figures, flashlights trained on the hole being dug in the sand with their hands. I recognized the dark blonde hair plastered against Peyton’s head.
My heart leapt into my throat. They were alive. But for how long? What happened when they found whatever they were looking for? Or worse—what if there was nothing to find?
One of them jerked his weapon. “Dig faster.”
Peyton’s shoulders hunched, but she didn’t look up. Smart girl. Keep them focused on the ground, not their surroundings.
Madison whimpered, and the second man kicked sand at her. “Shut up and keep digging.”
My fingers dug into the wet bark. Every instinct screamed to rush out there, but I forced myself to stay put. The guys knew what they were doing. We had to trust them.
Please let this work. Please let them all be okay.
One of the men began to pace, his agitation growing with every step. “This is the last place.” He kicked more sand at the girls.
“I don’t have the map anymore, okay?” Peyton’s voice cracked. “I’m doing my best. Remember, things change along the coastline with tides and storms and stuff. This isn’t an exact science. Do you know of any other rock formations besides this one and the other we dug out?”
“This is the only other one. It has to be here somewhere,” the second man growled.
I recognized these men. Oh, not their faces or voices. But their type. In her pursuit of drugs, my mother had exposed me to plenty of their ilk. They tended to fall into two camps—desperate or dangerous, always operating under someone else’s hierarchy. As a child, I’d learned how to avoid them, become invisible because I knew how quickly they could turn.
The girls worked their way around the sides of the massive rock formation, hands raw from digging. As the rain finally began to ease, my eyes caught a dark shape offshore. A boat running dark.
That couldn’t be anything good.
Please let Daniel see it. Please let him already be calling this in to the Coast Guard.
“Charon is going to be pissed if we come back empty-handed,” the first man muttered.
His partner’s eyes raked over Peyton and Madison in a way that made my skin crawl. “The profit will offset his irritation. If we don’t find it… Well, at this point, nobody else is gonna find it either.”
Bile rose in my throat as his meaning became clear. These monsters planned to traffic the girls.
Willa’s hand found mine in the darkness, squeezing hard. I returned the pressure, acknowledging the horror of what we’d just heard. We had to trust the guys to handle this, but God, waiting was torture when those bastards were threatening children.
Gabi tapped my shoulder and pointed. Through the drizzle, I could just make out Ford, Sawyer, and Daniel spreading out to flank the men. They’d left the cover of the trees and were creeping closer to the gunmen. The roar of the ocean would cover the sound of their approach, but if either gunman turned to look toward that boat, they’d be sitting ducks. Did the boat even have anything to do with what was happening here on the beach?
I strained to hear what the men were muttering about, but their words were lost in the crash of waves. One of them shifted, starting to turn toward the water.
My heart stopped. He was going to see Ford.
I burst from the trees before I could think twice about it, forcing a relieved laugh. “Oh thank God, you found them!”
Both men whirled toward me, but I kept moving forward, arms outstretched toward the girls. “Everyone’s been so worried. The whole island’s been searching.”
“Lady, stop right there.”
“The radios are down from this nasty weather.” I kept my voice bright, pretending I didn’t see the weapons they were trying to conceal. “I guess that’s why you haven’t called it in yet. But seriously, you guys are going to be heroes. Finding these girls in weather like this?”
These were definitely not the two men we’d been on the lookout for because of Dax. No time to think about that right now. I reached for Peyton, who was staring at me with wide eyes. “Come on, sweetie, let’s get you home.”
The distinctive click of a safety being released stopped me cold. One of the men had given up trying to hide his gun and now had it trained directly on my chest.
I raised my hands slowly. “Whoa, what’s going on here? I promise I’m not trying to hurt them.” I gestured toward Peyton with my chin. “I’m dating her father. We just want to take them home. Everyone will be so relieved to see them safe.”
The gunman’s eyes raked over me in a way that made my skin crawl. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“Look, I don’t want any trouble.” I kept my hands raised, shifting my weight to move fast if I had to. Behind him, I caught glimpses of movement in the darkness. Ford, Sawyer, and Daniel were getting closer. Just a few more seconds.
“What are you doing?” The second man stepped forward, agitated. “We need to get out of here.”
“Relax.” The first man’s smile turned predatory. “She’s a little long in the tooth, but I’m sure they can find a use for her too.”
“Dude, I don’t?—”
Three dark shapes launched from the shadows.
I grabbed both girls’ arms. “Run!”
We sprinted across the sand as the sounds of fighting erupted behind us. Peyton stumbled, and I hauled her back to her feet, pushing them both ahead of me.
A gunshot cracked through the night.
I didn’t hesitate. I threw myself over both girls, driving us into the sand. My heart hammered as two more shots rang out.
Then silence fell, broken only by the crash of waves and our ragged breathing.
My ears rang from the gunshots, blood pulsing so loud it drowned out the surf. I kept both girls pinned beneath me, afraid to lift my head. Afraid of what I’d find if I looked.
Hands grabbed my shoulders, and I tensed until Ford’s voice cut through the chaos in my head. “Bree! Are you hit?”
I shook my head, still protecting the girls.
“Let me see. I need to see you’re okay.”
He dragged me up, and I fell into his arms. His hands ran over me, checking for injuries.
“You’re fucking insane.” His voice broke. “And I love you so much.”
He yanked me against his chest, then reached for Peyton. Madison got swept up too, as he pulled us all into a crushing embrace.
Peyton burst into tears, clutching Ford’s shirt. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Daddy. We just wanted to find?—”
“Shh.” He pressed his lips to the top of her head. “You’re safe. That’s all that matters right now.”
I couldn’t stop shaking, the adrenaline crash hitting hard. Ford’s arm tightened around my waist, holding me up.
Madison sobbed against my shoulder. “I want my mom.”
Over Ford’s shoulder, I spotted Sawyer and Daniel securing the gunmen with zip ties. The men cursed and struggled, but they weren’t going anywhere.
Then movement on the water caught my eye. “The boat!” I pointed toward the dark shape lurking offshore. “There’s a boat running without lights!”
Daniel’s head snapped up. He squinted through the darkness, then grabbed his radio and took off running down the beach.
Ford pulled back just enough to look at Peyton’s face. “Are you hurt? Did they touch you?”
She shook her head, wiping at her tears. “No, we’re okay. I knew you’d find us.”
“Always.” He pressed another kiss to her hair. “But please, never do anything like this again. You scared years off my life.”
“I’m sorry.” Her voice wobbled. “We thought we could figure it out ourselves. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
“I know, baby.” He gathered her close again. “Everything’s going to be okay now. They’ll be locked away where they can’t get to you anymore.”
Madison sniffled against my shoulder. “Are they really going to jail?”
“Yes.” I smoothed her wet hair back. “They absolutely will.”
Gabi materialized with a bright smile. “Police are on their way, but how about y’all let me check you over while we wait?”
“But we’re not hurt,” Peyton protested.
“Humor us,” Ford said. “Please.”
She burrowed deeper into his embrace. “Okay, Daddy.”