Chapter 43
Griffin
I see the light leave Savannah and my anger grows. Not at her. She isn’t at fault. But at Melissa. The one person who Savannah has been close with for months.
As I wait for my security team to email through what information they have, I pray that Melissa took him for a walk and will come through the bakery doors with him like nothing's happened. Like we’re all crazy for overreacting.
But deep in my gut, I know that’s not the case.
“I’ve requested an Amber Alert across the state,” the sheriff tells me, and I pull my wife close to me, increasingly feeling her body sag with every new piece of information.
“It’s only been a few hours, but it’s best to get on top of these things early and be wrong than leave them to the last moment and lose precious hours.” He looks at Savannah, and she nods. Her face is now pale.
My cell chimes, and I bring up the email from my security team.
“What do they have?” Tanner’s on high alert.
My eyes skim the file. “No address, but they have the registration of her car.”
“What is it?” The sheriff is on it. As I read out the registration, he gets busy calling it in.
“We’ll find him. He’s safe, he’ll be fine,” I whisper to Savannah, kissing the top of her head as I feel her shaking in my arms.
“I’ve got a contact at the FBI if we need it.
” Sawyer nods to me. I know he’s already probably been calling and getting people on standby.
I said it in my speech earlier, but these people right here are my family, and they’re the best family anyone could ask for.
Tanner and Connor stand ready and concerned.
Sawyer is in full legal mode. Hudson is at the ready, thinking about everyone he knows.
Sutton I know would step forward in a moment's notice for anything that we might need.
“Alright, got an address. A place on the outskirts of Williamstown.”
“Williamston?” Savannah frowns, looking at him.
“67 Plentyville Drive…” the sheriff adds, and her frown deepens with knowing.
“Do you know it?” I see her come back to life a little. Anger swirling and replacing the helplessness and despair she had moments ago.
“It’s in my old neighborhood.”
I suck in a breath, and the sheriff curses. I see her thinking, trying to work out if she knows the exact place.
“I don’t know the street very well. I can’t think if anyone lives down there whom I might know…”
“Let’s go,” I bark to the group and pull her with me.
“Wait, you can’t go banging on doors and…” The sheriff is talking, but I ain't listening. Pulling Savannah with me, Tanner and the other guys get in their trucks too.
“Jesus Christ, you boys… leave it to us!” I hear the sheriff yell, but it’s too late; we’re already on the road. Truck after truck in convoy, Savannah and I leading and speeding out of Whispers.
“We’ll get him,” I tell her, because I’m adamant we will.
“I can’t think … It has to be connected, though, right?”
“Where does Pastor Greg live?” I bite out, knowing that guy gave us the creeps in the hospital.
“He lives at the church house near the church…”
“Does he have another place?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know… I mean, I don’t think so, but I don’t really know…”
I clench my jaw and push the accelerator harder as I hear sirens from behind.
“If this is my family again, or someone from the church…” Her tone deepens, and her fingers tighten around mine with her anger.
“We’ll get him.” I want to swear to her that I will get our son back.
But my own demons sit on my shoulders, telling me I’m too late.
That, like my brother, Tommy will not be saved.
I couldn’t save my brother, and now I won't be able to save my son.
The possibility has my stomach twisting and my eyes blurring, but I have to stay strong for my wife.
Have to stay strong for our son who needs us.
We cross into Williamstown, and Savannah navigates me through the neighborhood streets until we hit Plentyville Drive.
“67… there it is!” she yells, pointing, and I pull up sharply, Tanner and Connor right behind me.
“Let’s go.” The two of us jump out of the truck fast, dashing across the road and opening the garden gate to the quaint house, all in under ten seconds.
“That’s her car.” Savannah points to the neat Honda Civic in the drive.
“There’s a baby seat in the back.”
“She doesn’t have kids.” Savannah frowns as I step to the door, as the police finally pull up behind everyone.
“Melissa!” I shout, not having the patience to wait.
The door opens, and a man answers.
“You need to get off my property.”
Savannah gasps, and I look at her, seeing her eyes wide, her skin ashen, and she starts to shake.
“No… No, no, no…” she whispers. Clearly, she knows him for her to have such a visceral reaction.
I look back at him, and he feels familiar to me too.
But I can’t place him. Neat slacks, a shirt buttoned all the way up, his hair combed to perfection.
His side part is almost comical. It hits me then.
This is the guy I saw at Whiteman’s Bar months ago.
The one who was watching the ladies. He was also the guy I saw at the hospital when Savannah gave birth.
“Who the fuck are you, and where the hell is my son?” I bark out, trying to put the puzzle together.
“This is Tommy’s sperm donor,” Savannah whispers, and my heart stops. Tommy’s bio dad?
The man looks at Savannah, I don’t miss his eyes as they rake down her frame and back again before he swallows.
“And my son is now home where he belongs. With my wife,” the guy states, as Melissa walks around the corner, holding Tommy, bottle-feeding him.
“Your wife?” Savannah yells, head rearing back in shock.
“I sinned by finding warmth in another body. I have repented.” He says and I fist my hands, ready to knock out this low-life asshole.
“Give him to me!” Savannah screams, and I hear the police running up the garden path.
“Get off my property!” he shouts right back.
“Give me my baby!” Savannah screams again, and I step forward, about to walk in and take Tommy. That’s our child, and I’m not doing this back-and-forth.
“Step back!” He produces a gun, and I pause, halfway in his door, the gun aimed squarely at my chest. Savannah whimpers beside me, her hand gripping the back of my shirt.
“This is the police! Lower your weapon!” the sheriff says from behind me.
I don’t move, but I grab Savannah and pull her behind me.
She’s crying, shaking, but I need her safe and out of the equation.
I feel someone behind me grab her, Tanner, the police, who, I don’t know, but I know she’s safe as I look at this asshole who thinks he can get away with kidnapping my fucking kid and putting a gun to my chest.
“Give. Me. My. Son,” I grit out as the barrel of the gun pushes into my skin.
This isn’t happening again. I’m not losing someone else I love.
There’s no way I’m stepping back. I look at Melissa as she cuddles Tommy tight, him oblivious to what’s going on around him.
But he can hear his mom’s distress, and he’s starting to fuss.
“I said step back! Unless you want a bullet lodged right into your chest.” This asshole has the audacity to threaten me.
“Once I have my son, I’ll walk out of here and never come back.”
He shakes his head. “He’s my boy. I heard God whisper.
He told me I can make it up to my wife by giving her a child she couldn’t have.
” I pull in a breath, this asshole cheats on his wife, gets Savannah pregnant then thinks he can live a life without consequence by kidnapping little Tommy and giving it to his wife?
To Melissa? Anger swirls in me like it hasn’t for a long time.
“No, he’s not. You're not listed on the birth certificate and have no legal parental right, never once did you approach Savannah for the baby.” I inform him through a clenched jaw, remembering asking Sawyer that same question. The legal information that’s now stored in my brain is useful for once.
“I’m going to blow your brains out. Is the kid worth it to you? Is she worth it?” He looks at Savannah behind me, his face full of disgust and I explode.
I move quicker than I thought I ever could. I throw my arm over the gun, and it goes off. The gunshot vibrates around the neighborhood, and I feel heat searing through my shoulder. But I pay it little attention as I lift my other arm and throw it in his face.
His nose smashes into his cheek, blood spurts out instantly, and he falls to the ground with a resounding thud. Not dead but unconscious. Pity.
Melissa screams as I lunge at her next. But I’m not going for her; I’m going for my child. I hear steps, people running at me from behind, but I have tunnel vision.
“Give him to me.” My vision is dark, my eyes on my son. Melissa’s trembling.
“Please…” she starts to wail, but she doesn’t hand him back. His face is covered by her sweater as she holds him tight. She’s suffocating him and doesn’t even know it.
“Release the baby, or we’ll shoot…” the officer says from over my back shoulder. Melissa’s eyes plead with me, tears falling, but I’m stone.
“Give me Tommy,” I tell her in a gentler tone.
“But… he’s my baby… I always wanted a baby…” she wails when I try to calmly reach out as I get closer.
“Melissa, give me Tommy,” I say more urgently as the police surround her. It’s over. This is the end. She needs to let him go now.
She nods, crying, doing the right thing now that Tommy’s wailing too, his cry the biggest I’ve ever heard as I reach out and pull him from her arms. The police surround her, pushing her to the ground, yelling at her as I step back, and for the first time, I look up and outside.
There are people everywhere. Neighbors, police, our friends. I spot Savannah, held back by Tanner, and I stride down to her, knowing she needs Tommy. Fuck, we both do. As I walk to her, I lift Tommy to my lips, kissing his head, my heart beating so hard I feel lightheaded.
“I saved you this time, buddy. I’m sorry I couldn’t do it last time. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you then. But I’ve got you now, little man. You’re safe with me and your mama.”
Tommy’s screaming stops, and he snuggles into my chest as I finally make it to my wife, her cheeks tearstained as she reaches for him. I pass him over, seeing her cry into him and cuddle him tight.
“Thank you, Griffin. Thank you for saving our boy. Thank you for saving Tommy…” she chants to me through sobs, and I pull her close, the two of them held to my chest as we stand there with the ruckus surrounding us, knowing that they're the only ones who matter.
“Best get that looked at.” Tanner nods toward my shoulder, and I look down, seeing my shirt coated in blood. I feel the pain now that he mentioned it, the burning.
“Oh my gosh! Griffin!” Savannah gasps, pulling back. In all the craziness, she must have missed who got shot.
“I’m okay, baby. We’re all okay.” I kiss her head, then turn to Hudson. “Do you know anyone who can stitch me up?” Adrenaline, shock, and anxiety are clearly making me sarcastic.
Savannah shakes her head, pressing a kiss to my chest, avoiding the blood, whispering how she loves me. I hold her tighter.
“You know how to give us all heart failure, don’t you?” Hudson sighs as he walks over and peels back my shirt as the paramedics pull up.
“This is bigger than any movie I’ve ever done…” Sutton looks around before pulling his cap low.
“I’ll see you back at Whispers,” I tell him, because I know he and Charlotte have the media following them and don’t need this extra drama, but I’m grateful that they came, ready to step in if needed.
I spot Victoria and Daisy on either side of Savannah, talking to her in hushed tones, rubbing her arms and Tommy’s head as Lacy and Annabelle look to be getting things for her, water, a blanket. She’ll need our friends. We both do, and I’m so glad we have them.
Our friends. Our family. Our home in Whispers.