Chapter 7 Try Not To Drool #3
“Sloane.” She glanced back as we entered. “I need you to look at something.”
“What is it?” I rushed forward.
“Do you recognize this person?”
Noah clicked the mouse a few times before an image appeared. It was grainy at first, but when it cleared, the blood in my veins turned to ice. There was no mistaking whose face I was looking at.
Temporarily suspending my moratorium on cursing, I spat, “That bitch.”
“So yes, then,” Keaton deadpanned.
“That’s my mom, Maeve Buckington.”
Various curses flew from the mouths of the agents and my brother. I would’ve blushed if I wasn’t so infuriated.
“You’re positive?” Noah asked, then held up his hand. “Nevermind. Stupid question.”
“Call her, Sunshine.”
“Duncan, are you sure about this?”
“If there was another option, I’d be all over it, Way.”
“I can do it. Just tell me what to say.”
She sighed. “Nelson, how quickly can you set up a trace on Maeve’s number?”
“It’ll take me two minutes.”
“Do it.”
Duncan hauled me into his side, kissing my temple, while Waverly and Shayne prompted me on what questions to ask.
The most important thing was to remain calm.
None of us thought she’d willingly tell me where she was, so keeping her on the phone long enough for Nelson to be able to triangulate her location was key.
“I’m all set, RAC Mitchell,” Nelson announced.
Duncan held the phone in front of me, since my hands were too shaky. Sweat dripped down my spine as he touched her contact information. It rang once, twice, and then on the third ring the call connected. I didn’t say hello. I also didn’t follow instructions.
“Where are my kids?” I growled.
“Momma, it’s me.”
“Rogan.”
My head snapped to Duncan at the same time my knees gave out, slamming into the floor. He cursed, but I didn’t feel an ounce of pain. Never losing hold of the phone, he lowered himself beside me, pulling me between thick thighs. Everything else around us faded into the background.
“I’m here too, Mommy.”
“Hi, Love. Where’s Grandma?”
“Upstairs takin’ a shower.”
“How did you get her phone?”
“Ro stoled it after he splashed her wif mud,” my daughter tattled on her brother easily.
“Sorry, Momma.”
“It’s okay, Rogan. Why didn’t you call me sooner?”
“I didn’t know her code.”
Her password, he meant. God, my boy was brave and smart.
“Are you both okay?” Duncan spoke softly
“Daddy.” Reagan started to cry. “Can you come get us now?”
“I’m working on it, baby girl.”
The first time she called him Daddy, she nearly brought him to his knees. This time, he looked like he wanted to rip somebody apart, limb by limb, for upsetting her. Rogan hadn’t taken the leap yet. His behavior had improved tremendously, however he was still leery. That changed a moment later.
“Dad?”
Duncan stiffened. “Yeah, Bud.”
“Grandma brought us to a blue house with lots of trees. Did I do good?”
He looked at Nelson, who nodded his head. “So good, Ro. One more thing. Is anyone else in the house with you besides your grandma?”
“Nope.”
“Okay. I’m gonna give you back to your mom. We’ll be there soon.”
Handing the phone over to me, Duncan stood, then mouthed, “Keep them talking,” before joining his team.
My brother dropped to his haunches, flashing me a reassuring smile, but he didn’t fool me.
Finn had retribution in his eyes. Even if the law took care of my mother, he’d serve up his own brand of justice.
By the time he was finished with her, she’d beg for a prison cell.
Within minutes, Duncan returned to me, reaching down to help me up off the floor.
Then we were on the move. All of us: me, Duncan, Way, Finn, Shayne, and the remainder of the agents.
Four nondescript SUVs, plus Finn’s Acura RDX, pulled away from the curb at the school while I did my best to wrangle my composure.
It was hard, especially when the twins heard the shower turn off and disconnected the call. Thankfully, we were almost there.
A short time later, we pulled into a small cul de sac.
It was a nice neighborhood, minus the part about Rogan and Reagan being kept there.
We parked a few houses down from the blue Colonial Rogan described.
Waverly was at my door immediately, leading me to the rear of the caravan of vehicles while explaining the next steps.
I only heard half of what she said. Reality smacked me in the face watching Waverly, Shayne, and the four agents pulling on bulletproof vests.
My worst nightmare was playing out in front of me and, for the life of me, I couldn’t wake up.
Duncan picked up on my panic. “No one here thinks your mom has a weapon. It’s just a precaution.”
His reassurance settled the nausea roiling in my stomach until Noah, Keaton, Koen, and Lanie took off at a brisk jog between two of the houses, disappearing between a row of hedges within seconds. They were getting into place to take down my mom. Jesus, what had she been thinking?
Waverly tucked an earpiece in her ear, then handed one to Duncan before she issued a warning. “You, Sloane, and Finn are to stay here until I say otherwise, copy?”
“Copy,” he replied.
“Sloane,” she turned to me, “once we have your mom in custody, do you want to talk to her?”
“That’s allowed?”
“Technically, no, but are you gonna report me?”
“Of course not.”
“Then we’re good.”
“The team is in place.” Shayne’s features softened when she looked at me and said, “They have eyes on the twins. They’re watching TV.”
“All right. Let’s move out.”
I reached out to grab Waverly’s arm as she passed. “Be safe.”
“Always am.”
Duncan circled my waist from behind when the two women climbed back into one of the SUVs, driving the short distance to their target.
They pulled into the driveway behind a dark-colored sedan.
I barely breathed as they proceeded down the walkway, up three steps, then vanished from our view behind a large white pillar.
“They’re ringing the doorbell now,” Duncan whispered softly in my ear.
“If there is so much as a scratch on them, I swear I'm going to throat punch her.”
“I’ll hold her steady for you, little sister,” Finn said from my left.
Waiting was the worst. It gave my mind ample opportunity to conjure up the worst possible scenarios imaginable.
Thankfully, not even sixty seconds later, Duncan gave me the best news.
It was over. Lanie was on her way out with the twins.
We moved swiftly down the road, not bothering to get in one of the other vehicles.
It would’ve taken too much time. The front door swung open when we hit the edge of the lawn.
“Mommy! Daddy!” Reagan yelled.
Both of them took off like a shot, running full steam ahead before anyone could stop them.
We met them halfway and I braced, knowing exactly what was coming.
My son slammed into me, wrapping his arms around my legs while knocking me back a step.
I would’ve fallen on my rear had Finn not been there to catch me.
Next to me, Duncan caught Reagan under the arms as she leaped into the air, pulling her into his chest. He rubbed circles on her back as she clung to him.
Dropping to the ground, I hugged Ro, then took him by the shoulders, checking his body for any signs of injury. The only thing that stood out was the dried mud all over the bottom of his jeans.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
“We’re okay, Mom.” He lowered his chin, kicking at the grass below his feet. “But I did somethin’ bad.”
“Nuh uh. She was bein’ mean, Ro,” Regan defended.
Duncan dropped to a crouch with our girl positioned on his thigh. Her pale-blue eyes glistened with unshed tears. My mother was going to pay for putting them there.
“What happened?” He asked.
“She said we couldn’t go home, so I jumped in a big mud puddle. Grandma yelled really loud, like how Reagan does when she sees a snake. Her bag fell on the ground and her phone came out. That’s when I stoled it. Am I gonna get in trouble?”
I cracked a smile at the image he put in my head, then sobered when I realized he was seriously concerned. “Listen to me, Rogan James. You did nothing wrong. Grandma did. She took you from school without my permission.”
“Is Aunt Way gonna put her in time-out?”
“Something like that, Love.”
Lanie cleared her throat from the doorway. “I hate to interrupt, but Waverly said if you want that opportunity she mentioned, it needs to be soon.”
Duncan and I both reluctantly got to our feet.
The last thing I wanted was to let the kids go anywhere without me, but I had to end this once and for all.
Peering over my shoulder to my brother, he nodded, knowing what I wanted from him without words being spoken.
All he had to do was mention stopping for ice cream sundaes on the way home and my little sugar fiends were eagerly skipping behind him, as if their afternoon adventure never happened.
As soon as they were safely tucked inside of Finn’s SUV, I stormed toward the house.
Not even when I read the text thread between Mom and Dad had I felt this kind of fury.
It coursed through every cell in my body and leaked from my pores.
My body vibrated with it. For a split second, I worried I might not be able to contain it.
Then Duncan captured my hand and I knew he wouldn’t let me drown.
Mom was sitting in a wooden dining chair opposite Waverly with her handcuffed wrists lying on the table in front of her. When she saw my approach, she moved to get up, however Shayne clamped a hand on her shoulder, keeping her where she was.
“Sloane, I––” she started.
“What is wrong with you?”
Her eyes widened. After what she’d put us through today, she had the audacity to look offended by my tone. Too bad. She’d used up any sympathy I may have had when she kidnapped my kids. Whatever punishment she received wouldn’t be nearly enough in my eyes.
“I wanted to spend some time with my grandchildren and you weren’t answering my calls.”
“Stop lying, Mother.”
“I’m not lying, sweetheart.”
“Enough,” I seethed.
Duncan squeezed my hand, both calming me and giving me strength. Mom noticed the action. Her gaze sliding to the man next to me for the first time since we walked into the room.
“Who are you?” She wrinkled her nose.
“I’m none of your concern.”
“This is a family matter, Sloane. Why have you involved these people?”
“Family?” I took a step closer. “You wanna talk about family? These people, as you call them, are my family. Do you even care why I left Tennessee without saying goodbye? Do you even want to know why I’ve ignored your calls and texts?”
“Of course I do.” She leaned forward. “I’m your mother.”
“Not anymore, you’re not. A real mother doesn’t deliberately hurt her child, or plot against her grandchildren.”
“What are you talking about? You’re not making sense.”
“Cut the act. I saw the texts between you and Dad. Not only did you know about Shannon, you used me to find her. But the worst part was when you said you would have the kids tested.” I slapped my hand to my chest. “My babies.”
“Your father is sick. We should be doing everything we can to save him.”
“Do you even hear yourself?”
“They’re young and healthy. He could die without a new kidney. Is that what you want?”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“And you’re being selfish.”
Direct hit to my heart. Not because I believed the nonsense she was spewing, but because some part of me hoped the woman who raised me would make a reappearance. Sadly, this version of my mother was far too gone to be redeemable.
“We’re done. Don’t call me, don’t message, don’t even breathe my name.”
“You can’t be serious?”
“As a heart attack.”
Suddenly, I was exhausted, both mentally and physically.
“Please take me home, Duncan.”