Chapter 16
Riley’s heart was beating a mile a minute. She was excited and nervous to meet Porter’s niece. Logan had been talking nonstop while they drove south toward Austin.
They’d learned that she was indeed in the first grade, and that she and Logan had ridden the school bus together every day. She’d apparently inherited her dad’s auburn hair, but had her mom’s hazel eyes. She liked Pokémon, and Logan had been reading Harry Potter to her before their mom died.
The love in Logan’s voice was easy to hear, and it was almost too painful to bear. It was obvious he missed his sister dreadfully, and that he was worried about her.
“Are we there yet?” he asked from the back seat.
Riley smiled.
“Almost, Slugger,” Porter reassured him.
“I taught her to hide, you know,” Logan said out of the blue.
“What?” Riley asked.
“You know, how we hid behind the couch when that guy was trying to find you?” Logan asked Riley.
“Yeah, I remember. It was very clever.”
“I taught Bree that too.” His voice lowered. “The day our mom was killed, she was sick. She stayed home from school. Bree told me someone knocked on the door and Mom told her to hide. She hid where I taught her.”
Riley looked over at Porter, who glanced over at her. She figured the disbelief on Porter’s face was probably reflected on her own. “Bree was in the apartment when your mom was killed?” Riley asked Logan.
He nodded. “She was scared and only came out once the police came. She said the people who hurt Mommy didn’t even know she was there.”
“Fuck,” Porter muttered under his breath.
Riley was thinking the same thing. As far as they knew, the investigators hadn’t figured out who’d killed Becky yet. And if the little girl was in the apartment at the time, she would be a damn good source of information.
“What did she tell the police about what happened?” she asked.
Logan shrugged. “Nothing. Lots of people tried to talk to her, but all she said was that she hid and didn’t see anything. She was scared,” Logan said. “She wouldn’t even talk about it with me. Then we were taken away.”
Riley reached out and took Porter’s hand in hers. He was tense and frowning. She took a deep breath. “Well, I’d say you’re really good at finding hiding places,” Riley told Logan.
“I am,” he agreed.
Silence settled in the car after Logan’s bombshell.
Things seemed to be getting more and more complicated, and she felt so bad for the entire Reed family.
If Porter got custody of Bria, and she really hoped he would, Riley would suggest he take her to see a child psychologist, one of those who were experts in getting kids to talk about traumatic events and crimes.
But it would need to be handled with the utmost care.
The last thing she wanted was the little girl being traumatized by having to relive what had happened to her mom.
It took another twenty minutes for them to arrive at Seth Matthews’ house.
Riley frowned as they headed down the street.
They were definitely in a not-so-good part of town.
That didn’t mean the people living in the houses weren’t doing their best to provide for their families, but the lawns were all overgrown and full of weeds, fences were broken and falling apart, and there just seemed to be an overall neglectful vibe.
Porter pulled his Expedition to the curb in front of the address they were given. There was a white Crown Victoria parked in the driveway and a woman in a navy-blue suit was standing at the front door, obviously having an argument with a woman.
“Stay here,” Porter ordered as he reached for the handle of his door.
“Breathe, Porter,” Riley said as she touched his back.
He nodded, then was out and closing the door behind him.
“What’s going on?” Logan asked.
“I don’t know, but your uncle will figure it out. Just hang tight.”
Riley watched as Porter strode up to the two women. He didn’t crowd them, but every muscle in his body was tight as he listened to the exchange.
Without thought, Riley reached for her phone.
She didn’t know what was going on, but it was obvious this wasn’t going to be the nice, congenial visit they’d hoped for.
Porter needed support, maybe more than she could provide, and she couldn’t think of anyone better to have his back than his teammates.
It would take some time for any of them to get there, but she had a feeling they’d need the support.
Mental, emotional, and possibly physical.
She clicked on the first name that she thought of. Grover.
“Hey, Ri, what’s up?” he asked as he answered.
“Grover, I’m in Austin with Porter. And I think we need you.”
“What’s wrong? Where are you?”
She gave him a short rundown, being vague since Logan was in the car listening to her every word.
“I’m on my way, and I’m calling the guys too.”
“I don’t know what’s going on, if anything. I’m probably overreacting.”
“I’d say you aren’t,” Grover told her.
“All of you don’t need to come. I forgot you guys were at work,” she said.
“I wish we all could. There are some sensitive meetings going on right now, but we don’t all need to be there. I’ll call Lefty and Doc. Okay?”
“Thank you,” Riley said.
“We’ll be there as soon as we can. Hang on.” He ended the connection without another word, and Riley let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
“I’m scared,” Logan whispered. “Vanessa looks mad.”
And she did. Just then, a man with red hair and an extremely scruffy beard appeared behind the woman. Riley assumed it was Bria’s father.
Logan whimpered—and the sound made Riley’s blood run cold. He sounded terrified.
“Is that Seth? Bria’s dad?” she asked.
“Uh-huh. I don’t like it when he yells.”
They could hear Seth shouting from across the yard even with the doors of the Expedition shut.
“It’s okay,” Riley soothed. She had to admit she didn’t like it when Seth yelled either, and she hadn’t even met the man. “Porter will take care of things.”
She watched as Porter reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. She had no idea who he was calling, but Riley knew the situation was seconds away from getting completely out of hand.
Oz was done.
The entire situation was bullshit. Vanessa was refusing to let the CPS employee enter the house and also refusing to let Bria come to the door.
She was complaining that the visit was out of the blue, and she wasn’t prepared to be inspected, which was ridiculous because that’s exactly how the visits were conducted.
Then Seth Matthews came to the door, and Oz’s entire body tightened.
The man looked higher than a kite. He’d bet everything he owned that he was strung out on drugs.
He immediately began yelling at the woman as well, saying she could come into his house when hell froze over, and he wasn’t letting his daughter see anyone.
Oz was well aware of Logan and Riley sitting in his car behind him, and while he was satisfied they were safe for the time being, he wasn’t leaving without laying eyes on his niece.
His skin was crawling. Something was very wrong here.
He’d never discounted his sixth sense in the past, and he wasn’t about to start now.
This wasn’t a mission, but the danger level was real. He pulled out his phone and dialed 9-1-1.
“Nine-one-one. Do you need police, fire, or medical?” the voice on the other end asked.
“Police.”
“What’s the problem, sir?”
Oz gave the operator the address and briefly explained what was going on.
He emphasized that the CPS worker was in danger, and possibly a child’s life, as well.
He also made sure to tell the woman that he suspected Seth was on drugs.
No, he didn’t know if there were weapons involved, but he wouldn’t be surprised.
The operator told him to stay on the line, but Oz hung up.
He needed to be completely focused on what was happening in front of him.
He could subdue either Vanessa or Seth, but not both at the same time.
For the time being, he would stand by and try not to escalate the situation, but he couldn’t stop wondering where the hell Bria was, and if she was all right.
Oz realized that he should’ve asked one of his teammates to come with him, but it was too late for that.
Several tense minutes later, with Seth shouting the entire time, Oz breathed a sigh of relief when he heard sirens approaching.
Unfortunately, Vanessa and Seth heard them too. It set them off big time.
Vanessa tried to slam the door in their faces, but the CPS officer threw her hand out and stopped it from shutting all the way.
Oz moved on instinct. There was no way he was going to let this turn into a hostage situation. The pair could hole up in their house for hours while the police did their best to convince them to come out. In the meantime, his niece would be trapped with two very unstable and unhappy people.
Not happening on his watch.
He flew past the protesting CPS worker and added his strength to the door, keeping Vanessa and Seth from closing it.
“Let go!” she screeched.
“No way in hell,” Oz told her. “Bring my niece out here and we’ll go away,” he said, lying through his teeth. This had gone way too far for them to turn around and leave now. It was obvious the couple was hiding something.
“Get your fucking hands off my property!” Seth growled as he added his weight to his girlfriend’s on the door.
Straining, knowing if they got the door shut, this situation would be even more fucked, Oz held his ground.
The sweetest sound he’d ever heard was that of car doors shutting and voices yelling for everyone to back the hell up.
“Come outside with your hands up!” the cop yelled.
Oz heard the Child Protective Services woman explaining what was going on to the nearest officer, and he was grateful. The last thing he needed was to be shot while trying to find Bria.
“I’ve got nonlethal,” one officer behind him told his partner.