Chapter Thirty Five
Garrett sat in on his first meeting with the team. In three weeks, the traffickers planned to hold an auction near Denver. New information pointed to Caroline, Jameson’s friend, being there. Julio went over the latest numbers.
“They have twenty women and sixteen men. We have the FBI’s full cooperation on this one, thanks to Rebecca,” Julio reported. “They’ll cover us as we enter, and they’ll take the prisoners. The survivors will come here. Dr. Greene will return next week. She can handle any medical care needed.”
“All the mansions have a similar setup,” Rebecca explained to Garrett.
“They keep the survivors underground. If it’s not equipped, they’ll keep them in a box truck.
If we’re lucky, we can get to the survivors before the raid.
If not, we’ll wait until they bid, then stop them as they leave.
We do it quietly and efficiently. This way, the ring leader’s unaware and continues on to the next city to pick up his new shipment. ”
“Why don’t we nab them?” he asked, unable to believe they let the ringleader go.
The men all gazed at Rebecca. “If we do, we miss the opportunity to rescue more people. We want to save as many as we can. Until this ringleader catches on, we’ll continue using him,” she explained.
“Eventually, we’ll nab them, or they turn on each other.
In those cases, I say they get what they deserve.
” Rebecca’s phone rang, and she held up her finger.
“Hello, Amy,” she greeted. Her expression changed as she listened to the frantic woman and gestured to Julio. Matthew and Jameson rose and went to the weapons room, pulling out guns and ammunition.
“Don’t worry. We’re on our way,” she said, hanging up the phone.
“Two bikers kidnapped Tara five minutes ago. Riley followed them in Rachel’s truck,” she said, checking her weapon. “I’ll call it in on our way.”
Garrett saw red as he took the weapons Jameson handed him, then jumped into his truck. Rebecca, Matthew, and Julio followed them.
His nostrils flared as he tried to breathe. He knew Kenny was capable of murder. Garrett’s warning hadn’t fazed the asshole. This time, he planned to send the message home.
“You have to calm down,” Jameson advised him. “If we go in guns blazing, Riley and Tara might get hurt in the crossfire.”
“I’m killing him with my bare hands,” Garrett growled. “I told him to stay away from them.”
They turned on the road to the clubhouse while Julio dropped Matthew off to head toward the back of the property.
“What the hell?” Jameson muttered as they noticed the bodies at the gate. They stopped the truck, grabbed their weapons, and entered the clubhouse, clearing the way as they went.
Garrett breached the clubhouse first, yelling, “Put your hands up.”
Six bikers raised their hands while their gazes remained on the floor. When Julio and Rebecca covered them, he shooed the men out of his way with his weapon to discover what distracted them.
Kenny lay on the floor bleeding. “Call for help, you assholes,” Kenny raged weakly. The men stood around him, not appearing the least concerned about their boss.
“Who did this?” Garrett barked, praying Riley and Tara didn’t see it.
“His old lady did it. Can’t say as I blame her,” one of the bikers said, tossing a cigarette on the floor next to Kenny. “He killed our last leader, and he gave her to the club. Can’t say I’ll miss him.”
Garrett noticed a phone lying on the floor, resembling the one he gave Riley.
“Where did you take Riley and Tara?” he demanded.
Rebecca knelt beside Bernice, who suffered a gunshot wound to her chest. “She’s gone, Garrett.”
“Where are they?” he said, poking the metal of his weapon into the first biker.
“We don’t know. Their dad made a deal with Kenny. The man’s a crazed lunatic. Talking about grain and making the younger one pay,” he babbled.
“Can you trace Tara’s phone?” he asked Julio, feeling dread fill him from his head down to his toes.
“Matthew can. Rebecca has the police on their way,” Julio told him. “Matthew’s outside,” he told him, taking the weapons from the bikers.
Jameson and Garrett rushed to the door as Matthew zeroed in on Tara’s phone. “I knew the trackers might come in handy. It says Tara’s at the new grain mill.”
They jumped into the truck, and Garrett gunned it, determined to get to the woman he loved and her sister. On their way, they passed the police cars with their sirens blaring and lights on. A minute later, he saw Julio and Rebecca gaining on them.
“What the hell are they doing at the grain mill?” Jameson asked.
“Riley’s father blames Tara for their mother’s death. Tara fell into a grain bin, and she went in after her. Tara survived, her mother didn’t,” Garrett said, desperately praying their father didn’t plan on doing what Garret guessed.
“Shit. He’s a sick asshole,” Jameson exclaimed. “How do we want to handle this?”
“If we can take him down, we take the shot. He’s put their lives in danger,” Matthew ordered. “If he’s doing what Garrett’s thinking, we have no choice. Can you live with that, Garrett? I don’t know how Riley will feel about it.”
“At this point, she’ll feel relieved. Damn it, can this truck not go any faster?” he stressed as he pressed harder on the gas pedal.
“We can’t be far behind them. Kenny’s wound appeared fatal,” Matthew informed them.
“Can’t think of a better ending for the asshole,” Garrett muttered as he turned into the mill’s parking lot. The gates remained locked, and it appeared empty.
“Did we guess wrong?” Jameson asked as they drove closer.
“No,” Matthew pointed to a section in the gate with a gaping hole. “I bet Riley did it.”
A piercing scream floated in the air, making Garrett crash the gates and enter the mill. They saw Rachel’s truck, and Garrett’s gaze fell on the grain bin.
He braked hard and dashed from the truck. He saw Riley and her dad on the small ladder, leading to the top. Riley struggled, almost losing her balance as her father struck her.
“Tara,” Riley screamed in terror. Garrett took the ladder steps two at a time.
“Help me, Riley,” Tara screamed from inside the bin.
Rage filled him with each step as he got closer to Riley and her father.
He glanced up to see Riley send a fist to her father’s jaw and the man stumbled backward.
His chest went into the hatch. He weaved and tried to regain his balance.
Riley shoved him, trying to move him out of the way.
Her father let out a yell as he grabbed hold of Riley’s jacket, and both went over the edge.
“Nooo,” Garrett roared as he watched Riley fall in. “Grab the rescue tubes,” he shouted as he ran toward the opening. Four plastic crates sat at the top, and Garrett leaned over the edge.
“I’m coming, Riley,” he yelled as he saw her fighting to keep Tara above the corn.
“Save her,” she pleaded.
“No, Riley. I can’t lose you like this. It’s my fault, let me die,” Tara cried.
Steven Stewart fought the corn, intent on reaching Tara. The more he struggled, the faster the corn swallowed him up.
Garrett pulled the harness on with Jameson’s help and grabbed the plastic crates.
“How is this done?” Jameson asked before lowering Garrett down.
“Drop the crates, I use those to prevent the corn from sliding,” Garrett explained. “We jam the panels around them and bail out the corn,” Matthew dropped the crates close to Garrett.
“I’m right here,” he assured them.
Using the crates, he knelt on the corn near them. A minute later, Jameson and Matthew appeared, holding sections of metal panels. Julio lowered the other two as the men began to surround the women. They shoved the panels down into the corn surrounding Tara and Riley, creating a tube.
“Help me, Garrett,” Tara cried. “Riley’s slipping down. She’s trying to hold me up.” Tara coughed as the dust from the grain rose as the men worked furiously. Sirens blared outside. Rebecca leaned over the opening, “The Fire department is here.”
“Send down the auger,” Garrett ordered Rebecca as they pushed the tubes down deeper.
“What’s the auger do?” Jameson asked.
“We shove it down by the panel, and it clears out the corn,” Garrett said as he handled the auger. Connecting the pieces, he turned it on. The corn sprayed away from the women.
“I love you, Tara,” Riley said calmly. “Whatever happens, none of this is your fault. Dad did this to us. Finish school and remember I’m proud of you.”
“No, no, Riley,” Tara pleaded. “Please don’t leave me.”
“We’re getting both of you out,” Matthew assured her. “See, the corn’s already going down. We need you to stay calm, and we’ll have you out of there in a jiffy.”
Riley coughed as her gaze met Garrett’s. “I’m sorry,” she said, struggling to breathe. “I love you and forgive you. Please save her. If you love me at all, you’ll save her first.”
Tara cried as Riley seemed to slump, now buried to her chest.
“Okay, darlin’, I want you to grab the bars and see if you can pull yourself up now,” Julio instructed Tara.
“If I let go, Riley will slip. She’s holding me with her leg,” Tara cried.
“Look at me, Tara,” Garrett commanded. “I’m not letting anything happen to Riley, but we can’t help her until we get you out.”
Julio leaned in and helped pull Tara upward as a fireman dropped down.
“Take her up,” Garrett said, as Julio passed Tara to the firefighter. “Get her medical attention.”
Riley’s gaze followed Tara out of the tube and then fixed on Garrett.
“I’m coming, Baby Girl,” he vowed. They shoved the auger deeper, getting the corn flowing. “Your dad didn’t release the bottom hatch. You’ll be fine.”
Riley smiled sadly as she took one more glance at Tara before she closed her eyes.
“Shit,” Garrett said as he reached inside and pulled at Riley’s coat. Glancing toward the two firefighters watching from the top, he called, “Pull me up. I need to get inside the tube.” Matthew took over the auger duty.
They hustled, and he cleared the top and grabbed Riley.
Her chest never moved, sending him into a frenzy.
“Come on, Baby Girl. I didn’t come in here to wrangle you for nothing.
I mean it, Riley. I will turn you over my knee if you dare think of leaving me,” he babbled, trying to illicit a response from her.
“Get me up,” he called as he finished pulling her the rest of the way out and gripping her tightly to him.
The firefighter worked fast, and he passed her limp body. He swung his legs over the edge and pushed the button to bring Jameson up. As soon as he cleared the bin opening, Garrett ran down the ladder. His heart raced as he watched the firefighters lower her to the ground and begin CPR.
Garrett roared as two men tried to hold him back, and he dropped to his knees. “Baby Girl, I need you. Don’t do this,” he said, wiping the moisture from his eyes. The firefighters continued working on her, trying to bring her back.
One of the paramedics leaned down, whispering something in the fireman’s ear while he worked on Riley. The fireman stopped compressions and sent Garrett a sympathetic look.
“No. Don’t stop,” he ordered.
The men shook their heads, and their voices muted as they told them Riley didn’t make it.
Garrett growled and leaned over her. “Damn it, Riley. Tara and I need you,” he said, covering her mouth and breathing life into her. One of the firefighters lent him a hand and started chest compressions.
Tara cried as Rebecca held her. Jameson dropped to his knees by his new friend while Julio knelt by the top of Riley’s head.
He leaned in, giving her another breath. “I just found you. I can’t lose you now,” he whispered through his tears. He gave her one final puff and sat up, accepting she was gone.
“She’s breathing…” the firefighter exclaimed.
“Get the oxygen,” another ordered as they rushed to keep her with them.
Garrett choked out a relieved cry as Jameson patted him on the back. He turned to Tara and stood, holding out his arms.
“Thank you, Garrett,” she said, wrapping her arms around him and speaking into his chest as they loaded Riley onto a stretcher.
“Come on, we have to get her to the hospital,” he told her. “You ride with her, and I’ll ride up front,” he glanced at the firefighter, who nodded.
The siren blared as they drove to the next town and rushed her into the ER. Garrett and Tara clung to each other as they waited to hear Riley’s fate. A team of doctors and nurses swarmed her, and Garrett knew there was nothing more he could do but console her sister and count the minutes.
Riley blinked, feeling the heaviness of her body. Machines beeped, and a mask pumped oxygen and covered her face, annoying the hell out of her. Her hand reached up to remove it when Garrett’s hand gently stopped her.
Riley’s gaze searched the room, not recalling what happened after she made peace with her death. Garrett saved Tara, and that’s all that mattered to her.
“You can’t remove it quite yet,” he explained softly through tear-filled eyes. “Tara’s asleep on the couch. We’re taking turns watching over you. Jameson bet her twenty bucks you’d wake up on her shift. We’ll have to pretend because she’s exhausted and I’m letting her sleep.”
Riley blinked. Her chest felt like a truck had run over her, and she briefly felt guilty for the bikers she mowed down while getting to Tara. She tried to speak, but her body felt weak, and the words refused to form.
“Here,” Garrett handed her a pen and a piece of paper. “Write it out,” he suggested.
The letters appeared sloppy as she wrote, ‘Dad.’
“They recovered his body a few hours ago. I asked Jameson to identify him, and he brought this back.” He held up her mom’s necklace. “I’m sorry, Riley. We were lucky to save the two of you.”
Tears flooded her eyes as she wrote, ‘I killed.’
Garrett covered her hand and took away the pen. “He signed his death warrant the moment he made a deal with Kenny. I knew the man a long time ago when he tried to roast me alive in my grandfather’s house. As for the others, nobody will miss them.”
Riley closed her eyes, her body already weary from the brief interaction. She felt Garrett lean over her and press a tender kiss to her forehead.
They somehow survived and the monster in her dreams no longer lived to hurt her sister.
She and Tara got a second chance to have a life without glancing over their shoulders.
Riley let sleep overtake her, not wanting to think about Garrett and what she owed him. How much does someone pay for a life?