Chapter 26 #3
“The why isn’t important right now. Don’t worry, I’m getting them back. Did you call Caden?”
“Yes, he said he’d call the guys and they’d be on their way immediately.” Faith sat on a stool and pulled Sienna onto her lap.
“I’m not sure what you think they can do. The storm probably worked perfectly into Ned’s plan. He drugged Mom and Dad, but wait - why didn’t he drug me and Sienna?” Faith asked.
“You two were probably used as leverage against Violet to ensure her cooperation,” Tanner said, his fingers closing into tight fists.
“But she’s just a little girl,” Pam said, going into Peter’s arms. “Would he really hurt a child?”
Tanner wanted to explode. Violet was so much more than a little girl to him. She was his daughter. She was everything to him. And April. That woman had breathed life back into him when he didn’t even know he needed it. He was going to get them back if it was the last thing he did.
Just then, the back door flew open and Caden, Blake, Luke and Garrett all stormed in looking like drenched, undercover superheroes about to go on the mission of their lives.
If the situation wasn’t so dire, Tanner would’ve barked out a laugh. “They drugged my parents,” he said without preamble, “and they took April and Violet.”
“We know. It has to be Ned Dynam,” Caden said.
“There goes the legal approach we thought Ned would use,” Blake added.
“I know what you’re thinking, but his argument is going to be that he’s well within his rights to take back his daughter,” Garrett explained.
“She’s my daughter,” Tanner roared, “and I won’t have her or April spend even one more night in that hell.”
Luke grasped Tanner’s shoulder. “I know what you’re going through, but you have to keep a level head.
Blowing up at us and busting into DynaTech Corp without a warrant, or probable cause, is only going to get you in more trouble.
I know it’s hard, but you have to think like a cop right now, not like a father. ”
“I’ve been her father for less than a week, and I already don’t know how to be anything else,” Tanner admitted, trying to rub out the growing ache in his chest.
“It’s not the same, but when Orly was missing and I had no idea how to find her, believe me, it took everything I had not to lose my mind.
But I had all of you guys to fall back on.
And you have us. Use us, Man. Talk to us.
Let’s work this together so none of us lose our minds or our badges.
Our women and your daughter need us to keep our wits. ”
“You’re right,” Tanner said, shoving down his rage a little for the sake of his family and friends. “But I won’t rest until I have them back. Both of them.”
“None of us will,” Blake said. “I still can’t believe you’re a father.”
Tanner couldn’t help the smile that split his face. “She’s amazing you guys. She’s everything.” His voice cracked and he turned away from his friends, rubbing a hand down his face, desperately trying to hold it together.
“Hey,” Blake said, putting a hand on Tanner’s shoulder.
“We checked the security cameras on our way in and they’ve all been disabled.
But I brought the FBI laptop with me. We’re going to dig up everything we can on Ned Dynam.
We’ll find a way in. Just breathe, my friend.
I know this is hard. We’ve all been there.
Knowing someone you love is in the hands of a monster is the worst kind of hell in the world, but we’ve always come through and that’s not going to change now. ”
Tanner nodded. “I know. I just hope April is okay. Ned uses and abuses Violet, but at least I know he won’t hurt her.
April though…” His voice cracked again just thinking about the woman he’d been spending his time with.
He loved her so much. The thought of her at Ned’s mercy, knowing she’d do anything to protect Violet, was eating him alive.
“April has been dealing with Ned for years. I think she can handle another night or two,” Luke said. “You just have to stay strong, and you’ll have your family back in your arms in no time.”
Tanner sighed. “From your lips. Alright, let’s get to work.”
Tanner joined the guys in the living room, all of them pulling out their laptops and opening every database, file, and resource they had available to them to get any kind of dirt they could come up with on Ned Dynam.
Pam took Peter upstairs to rest, as he was still a bit groggy from the drug, and Sienna was helping Faith make coffee, and set out snacks for everyone to munch on.
Everyone he cared about was inside this house, except for the two people that had turned his life upside down in the best possible way. They made him feel like he was more than he could ever be.
A father.
He was a very special little girl’s father, and she was counting on him to come through for her.
And April.
He’d already been thinking about spending the rest of his life with her, and maybe it was crazy, and they were moving too fast, but he didn’t care.
There was nothing he wouldn’t do for them. Or at the very least, die trying.