Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
I was in my SUV pulling out of my parking spot behind the station when my phone rang. I checked the screen, smiled, and tapped the button on my steering wheel to answer.
“Hey, baby, I’m just leaving the station.”
“Jase?”
I slammed on my brakes halfway out of the spot and put my car into park.
“What’s wrong, Lucas?”
He pulled in a long stuttering breath.
I clenched my molars, waiting for him to pull it together.
“My mom. She’s gone.”
I felt electricity prickle my skin.
“Gone where, and where are you, bud?”
I heard a tap on my passenger window. I hit the unlock button and Ethan swung in with his brows pulled tight with concern.
“Lucas, son, I need you to tell me where you are and what happened to your mom.”
“We went to Food Lion. We were shopping and we have this code. Mom made it up. If she squeezes my hand three times, I’m supposed to ask her if I can go to the bathroom, then run and find an adult.
She squeezed my hand three times so I did that.
But when I came back with the adult, she was gone.
Her purse was on the ground so I got out her phone and called you. ”
Ethan had his phone in his hand. His thumbs were flying over the screen.
“Okay. You did good, bud. Are you at the Food Lion by our house?”
“I think so. There’s a Dollar Store across the street.”
Ethan nodded.
“Good. Was your mom talking to someone or do you think she saw something and wanted you safe?”
“Unit’s on their way,” Ethan said.
“Uncle Julian. Well, he’s not really my uncle. He was married to my aunt Zoe. And he’s not my uncle anymore because he makes my mom cry and sends flowers that make her real mad.”
“Call Dylan. He already has a file on Julian Calloway,” I told Ethan, then went back to Lucas as I watched Ethan exit the vehicle. “Are Cole and Juni with you?”
“No. They didn’t want to come, and Kayla was there so they stayed—”
“Right, I don’t mean to interrupt, buddy, but I need to tell you something important.
Police officers are going to be there any minute.
When they get there, you tell them you’re my son and you do not leave their side until me, Kayla, or your Gigi get there to get you.
No one else, Lucas. And if you see Julian again you tell the police officers. You got all that?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m gonna find your mom, Lucas.”
I heard another stuttered breath. This one whistled like he was trying to pull air through clenched teeth.
“Lucas?”
“I’m scared.”
“I know you are. So am I. But we’re gonna find your mom. You did good, Lucas. Help is almost there, promise.”
“I think I see police lights.”
“Good. But don’t move. They’ll come to you.”
“I see them.”
Thank fuck!
“Don’t hang up until you tell me who’s there.”
I heard someone in the background ask him if he was Lucas Cross.
“Yes, I’m Detective Jason Turner’s son.”
Christ, I felt that burn through me.
“She wants to talk to you.” Before I could say anything, the phone was passed off.
“Jase? It’s Wendy. We got your boy.”
Jesus, that burned, too.
“Everette and Cody are here to secure the scene. Me and Frank came so we could take care of your boy. Where do you want us to take him?”
“My house, but my other kids are there with a babysitter and they don’t know what’s happening.
You showing up there before I get there is gonna freak them out.
So before you take him home, I need you to go pick up Rainy’s mom.
” I rattled off the address, Wendy confirmed she had it down, then I went on.
“I’m gonna call her now, tell her to expect you, then you take them back to my place. ”
“Copy that, Jase, we’re lights and sirens. As soon as we get this done, we’ll be on the hunt.”
The hunt for my woman.
“Thanks. Let me talk to my boy again.”
There was another hand-off.
“Jase?”
“Okay, bud, here’s what’s gonna happen. My friend Wendy—Office Bennett, the one with you right now—is going to take you to go pick your Gigi. Then she’s gonna drive you home. Her partner is with her. Do you see him? Big tall guy with a beard?”
“Yeah.”
“His name is Frank. Officer Holliday. Both of them are going with you. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“Any questions?”
“When will you be home?”
“I don’t know, son, I need to find your mom. I have a lot of friends helping me. We’re gonna find her.”
“Okay.”
“Lucas?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you. I’m gonna find your mom.”
“I believe you and I love you.”
“Are you okay to hang up so I can call your Gigi?”
“Wendy’s your friend?”
“Yes. On the way to your Gigi’s, ask her to tell you stories about her dancing poodle. I bet she’ll share pictures with you, too.”
“Can I keep my mom’s phone, in case I want to call you?”
“Absolutely. If I can’t answer, I’ll call you back as soon as I can, okay?”
“Okay.”
“I’m hanging up, now, Lucas.”
“Bye.”
I hesitated, waiting to see if he’d say anything else.
No, I hesitated because I didn’t want to lose my connection with Lucas, but I had to call Barb.
I ended the call.
Ethan reappeared in the frame of the open door.
“Dylan was in a meeting. He was pulled and briefed. He’s working on Hollaway now.
I also gave Cap Julian’s name. She’s running him personally.
As soon as she has something, she’ll be sending units out.
Everette and Cody are getting the store’s security feeds.
They already called in, the store manager is cooperating.
My dad called. He got word from my brother, he wants to know if you want my mom and aunts to go to your house.
Honor’s on standby, she’s ready to go over with my kids.
Valentine and Sophie are already on thier way to your house, but they’re thirty minutes out.
TC’s been mobilized. It’s all hands, Jase. We’re gonna find her.”
Find her.
I was sitting in my car in the parking lot of the station, and my woman was God knows where.
I’m a fucking cop and my woman is missing.
“I should’ve dug deeper,” I muttered.
“You’re going down the wrong fucking path, brother.”
“I knew it. Even warned her to stay alert.”
“Call your mother-in-law.”
“Should’ve asked Dylan—”
“Do you really wanna do this right now, Jason? Call your fucking mother-in-law, get your head right, and let’s go find your woman!” Ethan growled.
I opened my car door, hopped down, put my hands on my knees and took a breath. The oxygen burned going down.
All these years I missed and I finally get her back and now there’s a fucking manhunt out for her.
Years wasted.
The burn got hotter.
“Fuck!” I yelled. “Fuck!”
I blew out a breath and straightened. Ethan was standing in front of me.
Solid.
Dependable.
“Feel better?”
I didn’t answer because he knew the only thing that was going to make me feel better was having Rainy in my arms.
I called Barb, explained what happened—what was happening—did my best to calm her down, then let her go when Wendy, Frank, and Lucas got there.
Ethan called his dad back and mobilized his family.
Triple Canopy was working the call.
A bullpen full of officers were working the case.
And I was walking back into the station with my thumb up my ass because I didn’t have the first fucking clue what to work on.
My phone vibrated in my pocket. My eyes went to the time in the right-hand corner.
Twenty minutes.
It had been twenty long fucking minutes since Lucas called me.
“Dylan,” I told Ethan, then answered the call. “You got anything?”
“Sorry it took me so long. The motherfucker is using Zoe’s credit cards. He rented an Airbnb. I’m gonna text you the address. Traffic cams show him driving in that direction, but I don’t have a visual.”
The back door to the station flew open. Captain Anderson had her tac vest on and service belt, and she was jogging my way.
“Hang on, Dylan.”
“Multiple nine-one-one calls came in. Woman screaming. Gunshots fired.”
“Where?”
“Westchester Road, Lexington Park neighborhood.”
“You hear that?” I asked Dylan. “This rental in Lexington Park?”
“Is Ethan with you?” he asked first, then confirmed, “It is.”
I hung up on Dylan and ran for my SUV. Ethan was on my heels.
“I’m driving,” he yelled.
I didn’t give the first fuck who drove, and I wasn’t stupid enough to argue.
Ethan trailed the Captain’s ass all the seven miles from the station to Westchester Road.
I spent the six minutes locked in my head.
Six minutes of contemplation.
Lucas.
Juniper.
Colson.
The boxes we’d yet to unpack.
The life we’d just started.
Everything revolved around her.
She was the center.
Without her, nothing worked.
Nothing would ever work again.
Ethan made the last turn. I saw the blue-and-red lights flashing, the unit parked haphazardly. Captain Anderson stopped behind it. Ethan did the same. But I was out of my car before Ethan had fully stopped.
I was in a full-out run. But when I heard a woman scream, I pushed to go faster.
Once I hit the porch, I slowed only because I was in the house and what I was assaulted with scorched a path of fury. Rainy was in her bra, the top half of her covered in blood. Her hands were out in front of her, warning off the officer who was trying to approach.
“No!” Rainy screamed. “Don’t touch me. Don’t touch me. Don’t touch me.”
“Miss—”
“No!”
“Stand down,” I told the officer. “Rainy, baby, look at me.”
“Don’t touch me.”
Fuck, she was trembling so bad I was afraid she was going to pass out and hit her head on the table behind her.
“I’m not gonna touch you, baby.”
“I didn’t do it!” she screamed. “I didn’t let him do it.”
“Okay, Rainy, look at me, baby.”
“I didn’t let him.”
“Please, Rainy, look at me.”
She didn’t look at me. She looked down at her hands, and now that I was closer I could see her jeans were unbuttoned and the zipper was down.
“Where’s the suspect?”
“Kitchen,” Cap called back. “Down.”
Fucking shit.
It didn’t look like any of that blood was hers but she was so covered I couldn’t tell.
“He can’t touch me,” she whispered.
I felt a foreboding wall of rage behind me. Before I heard my partner say, “She’s swaying, she’s gonna go down.”
With no other choice, I rushed her and wrapped my arms around her.
It took everything I had to control her wild kicks and punches without causing her harm. I caught an elbow to the face, twisted her so my chest was to her back, and wrapped her up in a bear hug.
“Rainy, it’s Jase. I got you. You’re safe now.”
“I didn’t let him.”
“Good. That’s real good. He’s not gonna hurt you. He can’t hurt you.”
“No,” she slurred, as the fight left her body and she sagged in my arms.
“Where’s the ambo?” Ethan yelled.
“Getting the gurney out now,” one of the uniforms called back.
I shifted her and scooped her up. “Grab me something to cover her with, E.”
He yanked his button-up open, pulled his arms free, and gently covered Rainy’s chest.
I glanced down at my woman’s face covered in blood and all I felt was grateful.
She was breathing.
Whatever happened in that house, we’d get through it.
Together, we could get through anything.