Chapter Thirty-Nine
Nash
“We can’t just ‘wing it’, Cole.” Ren’s voice carries across the room loudly.
The five of us have been sitting here for almost two hours trying to come up with a plan. We’ve been close, but someone always has something to say about it. Everyone agrees; Lucy’s safety is our top priority, but we can’t stop arguing about how to ensure it.
“He’s right, Cole. We have to plan it out. All of it.” Lawson leans back against the couch and rubs his hand down his face.
“How do we even know they’ll want to meet with her?” Ren’s question is full of uncertainty.
Cole lets out a hard laugh. “Ha. You know they do. They wouldn’t have tried to kill her if they didn’t.”
I see Lucy out of the corner of my eye shudder from the comment, but she remains quiet. She stopped talking when Ren shot down her idea of a simple meeting turn ambush.
“Exactly my point!” Ren’s voice grows louder. “They tried to kill her on more than one occasion, and we’re supposed to what? Just hand her over?”
The guys’ voices try to top one another, arguing, when Lucy’s phone pings and she looks up at all of us.
“They want to meet. Tomorrow, 8:00pm, at the old grain station right outside of town.” She turns her phone around to show everyone the message.
She holds up her other hand when Ren starts to open his mouth.
“I know you don’t want me to meet them, but it’s the only good plan.
Everything that’s happened is my fault. Ren, you almost died because of whatever they want of Nana’s. ”
“How’d you get them to agree to meet?” Lawson asks.
“I didn’t have to. I just told them I’d give them what they wanted and walk away.
” Lucy shrugs her shoulders and looks down at her phone in her lap.
“This whole thing is my fault. I need to be the one to end it. They won’t meet with any of you, and they won’t meet me if any of you are with me. I have to do this alone.”
We are all quiet as we take in her words. Lawson is the first to talk. “She’s right. This is the best possible plan.” He looks over at Lucy. “But you won’t be alone. We can go in, set up cameras so we have eyes on you. We’ll mic you up, and the four of us can hide in the trees around the property—”
“And how do you expect us to do that, dumbass? We don’t have equipment like that,” Ren spits out, causing me to chuckle to myself.
“Just meet me there after it gets dark tonight. I’ll bring what we need.” Lawson shakes his head and laughs before standing up.
“Send me a text when you get it all together,” I say, standing up to shake his hand. He starts to walk towards the door when Lucy stops him, placing her hand on his arm.
“Thank you, Law. I appreciate you helping us out.” She gives his arm a gentle squeeze, and he nods his head before leaving.
“You sure this will work?” Ren asks, rubbing the back of his neck.
“No. But it’s our best option,” I answer.
“I promise I’ll be careful. And you guys will be there if anything goes wrong.” Lucy places her hand on Ren's and gives him a soft smile.
“I don’t like it, Love. I don’t want to lose you again. I can’t.” Ren's voice is barely audible.
“You won’t.” Lucy rubs her thumb across his hand.
Cole scoffs and stands, heading to his room.
“I’ll get some dinner ordered.” I walk towards the kitchen and pull out my phone, ringing the diner to place an order.
The rest of the evening goes quickly and quietly. Ren and Lucy sit on the porch until I return with dinner, while Cole holes himself up in his room. We eat in silence, all lost in our own thoughts, and before I know it, it’s time to meet Lawson.
“Everyone in place? Car incoming.” Lawson’s voice breaks through the earpiece as I’m lying on the ground, looking through the small hole in the bushes with my binoculars.
Lawson went all out. I didn’t ask how or why he had all of this stuff, but he loaded us up with earpiece radios, binoculars with night vision, and a gun each.
Cole lies a few feet to my right, watching the cameras that took us a couple hours to install inside the building last night.
Ren tried to take over watching the cameras, but we knew he would be the first to jump into action or overreact if he had eyes on Lucy, so he is on the other side of the building with Lawson.
Headlights come into view and pull up next to Lucy’s car.
Diane and Wayne excitedly get out of their old beater and head into the main building.
We’re lucky the electricity hasn’t been cut off at this place yet, even though no one has been here for a couple years.
The office lights shine through the windows, but from this low angle and with the windows being high up, I can’t see Lucy.
The air is thick, and the humidity is making me sweat.
I wipe my forehead with the back of my hand before looking over at Cole.
He looks angry watching Lucy on the screen with her aunt and uncle.
I know he didn’t sleep much last night. I don’t think any of us did.
Lucy was already in her room when we returned late, and Ren was the first to go in there.
Before the sun had come up, we were all lying quietly in her bed together.
Lucy’s voice brings me from my thoughts as it comes across through the earpiece.
She doesn’t have one, but she does have a microphone so we can hear everything that’s going on.
I shift my weight a little and listen in.
The way her aunt talks to her makes my blood boil, and I can tell it’s affecting Cole too as his jaw ticks while he watches and listens.
“Uhh, guys?” Ren’s nervous voice overpowers Lucy’s. “We have another car coming in.”
“Stay put, Ren. Do not move,” I answer back quietly as I bring up the binoculars to take a look.
“Car description?” Cole asks.
“Not a car. Small red truck. Damage to the front passenger bumper. Can’t see the driver.” Lawson’s voice is calm as Cole and I look at each other with wide eyes.
“Oh, fuck—” Ren starts to say before Cole and I both speak the same words.
“Stay put, Ren.”
“Keep him there, Lawson. Do not let him move,” I add.
The headlights turn off before the truck pulls up to park next to the cars already here. When the driver door opens and the person gets out, I suck in a deep breath at who I see.
“Is that—” Lawson asks, his tone stuck between confusion and shock.
“Did you call him for backup?” I ask, looking over at Cole.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Why the fuck would I call Deputy Fritz when I can’t stand the guy?” Cole answers as the Deputy pulls his gun out and walks quietly towards the door.
“Guys, I don’t like this,” Ren’s voice is almost frantic.
“I don’t either,” Cole grunts out.
Cole’s eyes are glued to the screen as a gunshot rings out a few moments later and Lucy’s scream echoes through our ears and around us. Only silence follows.