Chapter 30 #2
I try not to be too obvious as I watch the people walking by. I can feel my heartbeat whooshing in my ears as my gaze flicks from one person to the next. When I catch sight of a wheelchair, I squeeze Dad’s arm enough to bruise. “Breathe, darling,” he reminds me.
My entire body tenses as I glimpse Jake. Colette is pushing his wheelchair as Joseph walks beside him carrying a duffel bag slung across his body. None of them are talking, but they seem relaxed compared to Jake, who looks like stone. He’s furious.
He doesn’t see us as they pass. I immediately stand the second they go by, and Dad does the same.
I turn to watch them as Will joins us. We stay between the seats as we make our way to Gate 13.
There must be another flight soon at Gate 11 since there’s a decent crowd there, making it easy to blend in.
We stop by a cluster of people standing around about 15 feet from them.
Jake, Colette, and Joseph are facing away from us now.
Erin stands when she sees her kids, a megawatt smile breaking out on her face.
She gives Colette and Joseph hugs, even though Colette hasn’t let go of the wheelchair.
When she tries to hug Jake, he puts his hand up and leans away, which causes Erin’s brows to draw down and a tight frown to form on her face.
“Dad…” I urge, tugging on his arm.
“Okay, darling, let’s go in.”
We quickly step forward, and I get there first, body checking Colette from behind, causing her to let go of the wheelchair.
I grab the handles as I hear her yelp and push it forward, away from them as Will and Dad step in behind me.
“Jake.” I turn the wheelchair around so he’s facing me, tears welling in my eyes.
Shocked eyes meet mine as his body slumps down. “Sum, flying makes me a better care provider.” I wrap him in an awkward hug as my tears fall, landing on him.
“I cannot deactivate until you are satisfied with your care,” I whisper in his ear, but the voices behind us are getting loud, so I pull back and smile at him before turning around.
Dad has Erin restrained, her arms behind her back, while Will has a hold of the other two, and I see Dahlia approaching at a jog with another officer.
Erin’s face resembles a bad sunburn as she struggles against Dad’s hold while Colette is cursing up a storm.
A few people nearby don’t seem to know whether to step in or stay away, and there are a few phones out recording what’s happening.
Jake grabs my hand as Dahlia arrives, immediately cuffing Erin while the other officer does the same to Colette and Joseph. Once they’re secure, Dahlia asks us to follow her, asking Dad to keep a hold of Erin.
Will quickly checks on Jake and then gets behind to push the wheelchair as I keep a hold of Jake’s hand.
I pull out my phone with the other hand and text Alex and Seb that we have him and to tell everyone.
I look down at Jake once I put it back in my pocket, and he gives me a closed lip smile and a nod.
Everyone is surprisingly quiet as we make the trek back to the security office.
We take a different route through quiet hallways to avoid the crowds.
Dahlia drops Erin, Colette, and Joseph in a small room, locks it, and leaves the second officer in front.
Then she leads us to another similar room.
Will pulls a chair out of the way so Jake can wheel up to the table beside me.
Dad takes the seat on my other side, while Will sits beside Jake.
“Jake, do you require medical attention?” Dahlia asks.
“Um…” he clears his throat. “No, I’m good, thanks.”
Nodding with a smile, she turns to Dad. “This is where I leave you. A police officer will come in to get your statements while a second one does the same in the other room. We'll hand over security footage if they ask, as well as any other pertinent information.”
Dad stands and offers her his hand to shake. “Thanks, Dahlia. I owe you one.”
“I’m glad it had a happy ending. Good luck, everyone,” she smiles with a nod before leaving and closing the door behind her.
“Jake, are you okay? Did they hurt you?” I ask.
“Not okay, but they didn’t hurt me. How did you find me? How are you guys here?”
“Ray contacted me immediately when he realized you were missing,” Dad starts.
“We assumed it was your step siblings, so I contacted a friend at the police station to get things moving, and we figured they would attempt to take you to New York. Summer insisted on coming to Charlotte despite their flying into Columbia whenever they came to visit.”
“You’d have to be pretty stupid to do the same thing if you were kidnapping someone,” I shrug.
Dad smiles at me before continuing. “Ray and a few others drove to the Columbia airport in case they did plan to fly out from there. The police officer we know called in a few favors and had police at the Columbia airport, and we have a mutual acquaintance who works in security here who helped us out.”
“Thank you. I…I can’t believe you all came for me.” Jake’s eyes become damp again as I lean my head on his shoulder.
“We will always come for you, handsome. No matter where or when.”
Will starts asking Jake a series of questions and checks him over more thoroughly to ensure he really is okay, but besides some stiffness and being tired, he seems fine.
Dad’s phone rings, and Mr. MacLeod’s voice comes over the speaker.
Alex called him and filled him in on the situation, and although we shouldn’t need a lawyer, he offers to stay on the line.
A few minutes later, a police officer enters the room with Dahlia. She drops several water bottles on the table before leaving. The officer introduces himself as Evan Sanders, and Dad explains our lawyer in on the phone. Dad, Will, and I give our statements first, then we sit and listen to Jake.