Chapter 47
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
“I’m sorry,” Stacy mumbled, trying to move her body so she could look at Emelia. “I’m so sorry.”
“Why? Why did you do this?”
Emelia wasn’t ready to accept an apology and forgive Stacy until she knew the whole story, and maybe not even then.
Stacy explained the situation with her twin brother. Emelia tried to feel sorry but couldn’t. “He’s a grown-ass man,” she said in frustration. “You can’t be responsible for his actions.”
“I know.” Stacy sobbed. Tears streamed down her face, creating rivers of black from her mascara. “Damn, there are so many mistakes I’ve made.”
“Do you know where we are?” Emelia asked anxiously. Hopefully, they weren’t hidden deep in the woods too far from civilization. Would Titus ever be able to find her?
“We’re just outside town, off a private road,” Stacy replied. “The cabin belongs to someone Tim shared a jail cell with. I think the guy is still in jail.”
Perfect. That meant there would be no clues for Titus to find them. “Tell me why you tried to knock Tim out. It seemed like you were going along with him.” That was part of the equation Emelia also didn’t understand. Stacy went along with Tim’s plan and what?
“I … I was only supposed to get you to the park or get you away from your bodyguards. When he forced me into the van and brought us here, I realized he was going to kill me too.” Stacy raised her eyebrows and stared at Emelia. “He’s crazy, you know.”
“No kidding,” Emelia muttered. Well, this was a fine pickle. Emelia thought she wouldn’t make it out of this alive, but having Stacy confirm it depressed her even more. Still, she refused to give up. Titus would find her.
“Why does he want the bakery so badly?”
Stacy tried to shrug but winced in pain.
Emelia thought Stacy didn’t look good at all. It wasn’t just her eye swelling or the fat lip, but she had a feeling Tim had broken a rib or two when he kicked her.
“I’m not sure,” she said through gritted teeth. “Something about money hidden in the attic.”
“Money? There is no attic!” Emelia exclaimed. “It was converted into my apartment a few years ago. He would have seen that when he bid on the bakery. There are some old boxes in the storage area, but I can’t believe there’s money in them.” Emelia was confused.
“Look, I don’t know. Maybe it’s in the storage area. I guess Tim stole a lot of money that his father didn’t know about. He needs it to go to Mexico.” Stacy groaned in pain again. “Listen, talking is all well and good, but we’ve got to get out of here before Tim gets back.”
Crap. Stacy was right. Emelia struggled against her bindings, trying to get free. She rocked the chair, yelped as it almost tipped, but the only thing that happened was her wrists and ankles were bleeding and painful.
She’d continue trying and hope that Tim would take a while to get back, giving Titus and the Brotherhood time to find them. However, she wasn’t hitching that wish on a star. The odds weren’t in their favor.
Titus paced the room, his footsteps echoing on the tile floor.
It had been over a half hour and Colt hadn’t found anything helpful. Although that was unfair—a half hour wasn’t a lot of time.
However, they didn’t have the luxury of time. Emelia was in immediate danger.
“Ha!” Colt looked up from his computer. “I’ve got something.”
The men sat back in their seats.
“What did you find?” asked Chase.
“A couple of things. First, Tim was released from prison months ago. Right around the time the bakery was for sale and Emelia started experiencing problems. Second, I found Stacy’s brother’s address. He might shed more light on what’s happened.”
Titus suppressed a groan. He’d hoped for the location where Emelia was held. He wanted this nightmare to be over.
“Unfortunately, I couldn’t access Stein’s prison record or who his cellmates were. I also couldn’t find a current address for him. I have a feeling he jumps around, never staying in one place too long. He doesn’t have a steady job. I don’t know what he does for money.”
Chase sighed and thanked Colt for his efforts. “At least we have more specific items for Tex to check out. I’m hoping he has time.”
Fuck. That wasn’t what Titus wanted to hear. If Tex, who was a computer genius and could hack his way into anything, wasn’t available, all hopes of getting Emelia back alive were gone.
Chase dialed Tex’s number. Titus waited with bated breath but felt a wave of panic washing over him. What if Tex wasn’t home? How long would it take for him to get back to them? What if he didn’t get back in time? His stomach lurched.
“Deep breath, Titus,” said Chase. “We’ll get her back.”
“Hey, Mad Dog. What’s up?” Tex answered cheerily.
Oh, thank God. Tex was home.
“We have a problem I’m hoping you can help with,” replied Chase. “But first, tell me how Melody and the girls are.”
“They’re fine. We’re fine,” said Tex. “I know you wouldn’t be calling unless it was important. How can I help?”
Chase explained to Tex what happened, what information they had, and what they needed from him.
“I’m guessing this needed to be done yesterday.”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Chase said. “Emelia’s been harassed by this person. This morning, she was kidnapped, and we don’t believe he’s going to let her go.”
“Fuck. Okay, I’ll get right on this.” Tex hesitated. “Hey, have you guys ever thought about using trackers on your women? Wolf’s team and several others incorporated them into jewelry.”
“Humph. We’ll think about it,” said Chase. Tex hung up, and Chase sighed as he looked around the table.
“If I thought Felicia would willingly wear jewelry with a tracker in it, I’d do it,” said Colt, who grimaced. “However, I think she and Isabelle would have a problem.”
The men chuckled, but it caused them all to think about the circumstances in which they met their women.
“Well, something to think about,” said Chase. “Hopefully, Tex will get back to us soon. Colt, keep looking for information. I’m going to order lunch to be delivered.”
Titus was sure he couldn’t eat a thing, but when sandwiches were delivered a half hour later, he laid into a chicken salad club. Tasty but not anything like Emelia’s sandwiches and tarts. Emelia. He closed his eyes, trying hard not to imagine what she was going through.
Finn brought in a tray of coffee, and Titus inhaled the rich coffee aroma. Just as he was about to sip, the phone rang.
Everyone paused what they were doing as Chase picked up the phone and put it on speaker. Titus’s heart was racing, caught between hope and dread.
“It wasn’t easy and took some digging to find this asshole,” Tex said. “Here’s what I found. You mentioned Stacy Young. Well, her brother Steve met Tim in prison. Steve got out before Tim, so there’s a chance they’ve been in contact.”
Tex continued to share his findings. “Tim’s cellmate, Todd Pearson, is still in prison, but he has a cabin on land his father owns and where I bet Tim is hanging out. Tim was evaluated in prison for mental acuity, but he must have passed because they never moved him to a different facility. Checking his records from juvie, a psychiatrist claimed he was a psychopath, but the system never acted on it. His father claimed to be getting him help.”
Titus’s head throbbed. This was so much information—helpful information—but he was ready to rescue Emelia.
“The father went bankrupt paying off junior’s debts,” Tex added. “I’ve texted you all the information about the cabin and addresses.”
“Can’t thank you enough,” Titus said.
“Yeah. Well, glad I could help,” Tex replied before hanging up.
Chase leaned back in his chair and checked the incoming message. “Colt, pull up 6203 Mulready Street.”
Colt rapidly tapped a few keys, and the parcel showed up on the screen.
There was a house near the street. Would Tim have taken over the house if it belonged to Todd’s father?
“Zoom in. Tex said it was a cabin,” said Finn.
Colt zeroed in on a one-room shack with a dirt drive. “There it is.”
“Okay. Ryker, you go visit Steve Young and get whatever information you can from him. The rest of us will head to the cabin,” Chase said.
Ryker nodded and left after wishing them good luck and telling them to keep him informed.
“Are we calling the police?” asked Colt.
Oh hell no. Titus didn’t want a potential shoot-out at the cabin, but he definitely wanted the chance to pummel Tim Stein for kidnapping Emelia.
“After we rescue Emelia, I’ll call,” Chase replied. “She’s our priority. I don’t care what happens to Stein. He can rot in jail for all I care.
“I have the comms, vests and weapons packed in the back of my truck. Let’s go.” Chase stood and walked out through his office as the men followed close behind.
The center was quiet as they made their way out of the building. Jennie was in her office with the door closed. Ava waved at them from her desk. If she thought anything was strange, she didn’t show it.
Titus wondered how much she knew about their clandestine jobs. Didn’t care right now. Didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting Emelia back.