Chapter 34
Caleb
The call disconnected before I could respond, leaving me frozen in place on Jake’s porch. For a moment, I can’t breathe, can’t think—the reality of Lana being taken hits me like physical pain. Then training kicks in, pushing through the panic.
“Declan!” I shout, already moving back toward the house. “Sergeant Miller!”
They meet me at the door, alarm clear on their faces. “What happened?” Declan asks, instantly alert to the tension in my body.
“Hawthorne has Lana,” I say, the words burning in my throat. “She went into town this morning. He grabbed her.”
Sergeant Miller immediately reaches for his radio. “When did she leave? Do we know exactly where she was taken from?”
“Kori says she left about an hour ago,” I reply, fighting to keep my voice steady. “Said she needed to pick up some personal items from the pharmacy.”
“And you let her go alone?” Declan asks, his tone sharp with disbelief.
“I didn’t know she was going,” I snap back, guilt and fear making my voice harsher than intended. “She didn’t tell me.”
Before our argument can escalate, Kane joins us, his expression grim. “We can track her phone if it’s still on.”
“Do it,” I order, already mentally cataloging what weapons I’ll need. “Hawthorne wants the documents and gold in exchange for her. We have until noon.”
Sergeant Miller shakes his head. “We don’t negotiate with kidnappers, even if they’re mayors.”
“I’m not asking you to negotiate,” I reply coldly. “I’m telling you what’s happening. I’m going to get her back.”
“Not alone,” Declan says firmly. “We do this by the book. Full team of armed men.”
I want to argue, but I know he’s right. Going in hot with nothing but rage and fear guiding me is exactly what Hawthorne wants. It would be walking into a trap.
“Fine,” I concede. “But we move now. We’re not waiting until noon.”
Within minutes, a plan forms. The RCMP will establish a perimeter around the lumber storage facility, while Declan’s team and I will handle the direct approach. Kane confirms that Lana’s phone is still active, placing her exactly where Hawthorne said she’d be.
As we gear up, Julia approaches me, her usual exuberance replaced by fierce determination. “I’m coming too.”
“Absolutely not,” I reply, checking the magazine in my sidearm.
“I know that facility,” she insists. “My uncle worked there for years. There’s a back entrance through the old loading bay that doesn’t show up on any current blueprints.”
I hesitate, weighing the risk against the potential advantage. “You stay with the perimeter team. You guide them to the entrance, but you don’t go in. Understood?”
She nods solemnly. “Understood.”
Twenty minutes later, we’re in position. The lumber storage facility sits isolated among pine trees, its weathered exterior belying the danger within. Through binoculars, I can make out two guards at the main entrance—Pinecrest police officers.
“Three heat signatures inside the main storage area,” reports one of the RCMP tactical officers, studying a thermal imaging screen. “One seated, two standing. Likely the hostage and her captors.”
I adjust my armored vest and double-check my weapon. “Remember, Lana’s safety is the priority. We go in fast and quiet.”
Declan positions his men around the building while Julia leads a small team to the hidden rear entrance. I’ll be going in with the primary assault team through a side door, timed to coincide with a distraction at the front.
“Radio check,” Sergeant Miller says through my earpiece. “All teams report.”
One by one, the teams confirm readiness. My heart pounds in my chest, but my hands are steady. I’ve done this before in far worse conditions. The difference is that I’ve never had someone I care about—someone I might love—on the line.
“Execute in three...two...one...”
The distraction team detonates a flash-bang grenade near the front entrance, immediately drawing the guards’ attention. We move in through the side, quietly breaching the door. The interior is dimly lit and smells of old wood and dust.
I advance with robotic precision, each step measured, weapon ready. Through my earpiece, I hear the rear team confirm they’ve entered successfully. We’re converging on the main storage area from multiple directions, leaving Hawthorne nowhere to run.
As we approach the final door, I hear voices—Hawthorne’s cultured tones and another man’s gruffer responses. I don’t hear Lana speaking, which sends a fresh surge of fear through me.
Sergeant Miller gives the final go-ahead, and we breach the door in perfect harmony. “RCMP! Hands up! Don’t move!”
The scene unfolds in fractions of seconds—Hawthorne standing near a support beam, his face contorted with surprise and rage. Two officers with their weapons drawn, swinging toward us. And Lana, seated in a chair, her hands bound but her eyes fierce and alert.
“Drop your weapons!” I shout at the officers, my gun trained on the closest one. “Now!”
Time seems suspended as they hesitate, clearly weighing their options. Then the moment breaks—one officer slowly lowers his weapon, but the other swings toward Lana.
I don’t hesitate. My shot catches him in the shoulder before he can aim, sending him stumbling backward. Declan’s team rushes forward, securing both officers while Sergeant Miller moves toward Hawthorne.
“William Hawthorne, you’re under arrest for kidnapping, extortion, conspiracy—”
Hawthorne lunges suddenly, not toward us but toward Lana, something metallic flashing in his hand. I react instinctively, tackling him before he can reach her. We crash to the floor, his knife skittering away as I pin him down, punching him in the mouth.
Two men drag me off him, and I shake them loose. Looking down at Hawthorne, I want nothing more than to beat the ever-living shit out of him for touching Lana, but instead, I spit at his feet. “It’s over. Your family’s century of corruption ends today.”
RCMP officers pull him off the floor, taking over the arrest while I rush to Lana. My hands shake slightly as I untie the ropes binding her wrists.
“Are you hurt?” I ask, scanning her for injuries, my heart still racing.
“I’m okay,” she says, her voice steady despite everything. “Just angry. And embarrassed that I walked right into his trap.”
I pull her into my arms, holding her tightly, relief washing through me like a physical force. “Don’t ever do that again,” I murmur against her hair. “Don’t go anywhere without telling me.”
She pulls back slightly, her eyes meeting mine. “I promise. But Caleb, there’s something I need to tell you.”
Before she can continue, Sergeant Miller approaches. “We need to get everyone out of here. Hawthorne’s men might have backup on the way.”
I help Lana to her feet, keeping her close to my side. “Whatever it is, it can wait until we’re somewhere safe.”
As we exit the building, I notice her clutching a small paper bag. Something from the pharmacy, I assume—whatever personal items were important enough to risk going into town alone. I don’t press her about it. Right now, all that matters is that she’s safe.
Outside, the scene has transformed into organized chaos. RCMP vehicles surround the facility as officers process Hawthorne and his men. Julia rushes forward as soon as she sees us, engulfing Lana in a fierce hug.
“You scared the crap out of us!” she exclaims, finally releasing Lana. “Don’t you know the buddy system exists for a reason?”
Despite everything, Lana smiles. “I’ll remember that next time.”
“There won’t be a next time,” I say firmly, my arm still around her waist. “From now on, no one goes anywhere alone until this is completely resolved.”
As we prepare to leave, I watch Hawthorne being placed in an RCMP vehicle. His eyes meet mine, cold with hatred and something else—a certainty that doesn’t match his circumstances. It sends a warning prickle down my spine.
“The town of Pinecrest is still going to expropriate Jake’s land, and there is nothing you can do about it,” Hawthorne shouts just as the car door is slammed in his face.