Chapter 34
Thirty-Four
G unner smiled as he read the text from Lily. She was having a great day at Sloane’s, and as much as he wished she wanted to stay home safe in their apartment all day, he understood how much working meant to her. And he felt proud.
His office phone rang.
“Mae?”
“Hey Gunner, Sheriff Porter is here to see you. Shall I send him back?”
“Yeah, that’d be great. Thanks.”
Before his mind could spin out of control with reasons why the sheriff had come to see him directly at work, there was a knock on his office door. Gunner waved the man in, while standing up from behind his desk.
“Sheriff Porter.”
“Hank, please. It’s good to see you’re doing okay.” Hank pointed to Gunner’s stomach.
“Yeah. I was lucky. So, what’s going on?”
“Well, I was in the area and once I got the call, figured you’d want to know right away.” Gunner waved his hand towards a chair and Hank shook his head. “Cole Trudall was released today. His lawyer got him to plead out for probation.”
“What the fuck?”
“We still have a protective order in place for Lily and Sage.”
“You and I both know that won’t mean jack shit to him, Hank.”
“I know. That’s why I came over as soon as I heard.”
“How long has he been out?”
“Since nine this morning. I would have had a deputy follow him home if I had known. I’ll send someone to check out his address over in Lark Lake just to make sure he’s behaving.”
Fuck. That was nearly five hours ago. The asshole could easily be on his way, or already in Silver Springs.
“Well, I appreciate the heads up. Lily started working next door this morning. She’s going to be pissed when I go over there and tell her?—”
Gage ran down the hallway and past his door, yelling Gunner’s name as he passed by. What the fuck?
“What’s that about?” Hank asked.
He didn’t bother answering because he was already halfway down the hall.
Running to the front of the building, Gunner looked over at Mae, who was staring out the door after Gage.
“Mae? What’s going on?”
“The silent alarm was just set off at Sloane’s.”
WHAT THE FUCK?
Gunner ran, the blood in his veins turning to ice and his stomach souring as he begged his body to move faster. Out on the sidewalk, he looked at the building. Nothing was out of sorts. There were no strange people standing around, nothing screamed emergency to him.
He nearly pulled the door to Sloane’s office off its hinges, trying to get in. By the time he made it in the door, Gage was coming out of Sloane’s office, back into the reception area where Lily and Sage should have been. The place was nearly pristine, almost like no one had been there in days.
“They aren’t here, are they?” he asked, placing his hands on his knees. His whole chest felt tight with panic.
“No.”
Gunner turned and ran back onto the sidewalk. There were no strange vehicles in the area. Nothing that screamed we’ve kidnapped two women and a baby don’t look at us. He had to be missing something.
“I’m calling Max.”
Gunner nodded, walking back into the office. Hawk and Stone ran in behind him.
“What’s going on?” Hank asked, following behind the other men.
Gunner looked around the small space. He hadn’t noticed the desk chair tipped over in front of the closet door for the first time. Had he dragged Lily out of her seat? Had he hurt her? Where was Sage?
He swallowed down the panic and ground his molars together, trying to make sense of the last few minutes.
“Cole Trudall.”
“The guy who tried to take Lily before? What about him?” Hawk asked.
“He was released this morning,” Hank replied.
“It has to be him.” Gunner paced in front of her desk. “How did we not get here in time?”
“Now, wait just a second guys.” Hank’s eyes scanned the area. “How do we know that Sloane and Lily didn’t just go somewhere for a minute? Maybe they went to grab a late lunch.”
“She knows not to leave without telling me,” Gunner growled. “Gage, where was the alarm triggered from? ”
“It was her doorway alarm,” Gage said, pointing to the hidden button on the door at the back of the office. “I built one into the frame for her. Someone else could have bumped into it if Sloane wasn’t the one to active the alarm.”
Gunner walked through the door and into the parking lot. There wasn’t anything out of place. The only vehicles there belonged to the team. How the fuck had they left so fast?
“We have to review the footage,” Gunner said as he walked back inside, but Gage was already shaking his head. “There aren't any cameras here, are there Tracker?”
“She said she couldn’t because it was against patient confidentiality.”
“Fuck!” Gunner roared.
A small cry sounded from behind the door Gunner had assumed was a utility closet.
“Was that?—”
Gunner marched over and slowly opened the door. Relief flooded through his veins. Sage was safely inside a crib on the other side of the small room.
“Well, hey there, Sprout. I am so glad you cried just now.” Gunner picked the baby up and snuggled her against his chest. The relief he felt at finding his daughter safe was overwhelming. “Good girl. I promise we are going to find your mommy, okay?”
“Is she okay?” Stone asked.
“I’m not sure,” Gunner answered as he cleared his throat. “She seems fine, but will you look her over?”
“I don’t have training with babies, Reap, but I’ll give it my best go. Come here, sweet pea.” Stone held out his hand, but Sage’s little lower lip turned down and tears flooded her eyes. “Aw, sweetheart, it’s okay. I can look you over while your daddy holds on to you. Is that what you want?”
“We need to find her. I can’t,” he swallowed thickly. “I can’t do this without Lily. I can’t raise Sage without her. ”
“You’re not going to. We’re going to figure it out.”
Hank stood in the doorway of the small room.
“Lily would never leave our daughter behind, Hank. Never.”
“I believe you. I’m going to call this in and get my deputies out there looking for them, okay?”
“I want to see if I can track Lily or Sloane through their phones, but I have to be at my computer to do it.” Gage looked at the door.
“Go. The sooner we locate them, the sooner we can get them back.”
“Sage looks fine, Reap,” Stone said as Gage left the office.
“Thank God.” Gunner held her back against his chest and kissed the top of her head.
He turned to Stone as they walked outside. “Take Sage. Give her to Mae for me and help Hank with whatever he needs. I need…I need a second.”
Stone nodded, taking Sage before he left with Hank.
He couldn’t breathe.
Not without her.
Not without their family being whole.
He was going to lose her.
He was going to find her lifeless body.
Or he wasn’t going to find her at all.
The Santoros had sent someone to warn him.
He knew this could happen.
And he still let Lily out of his sight.
He didn’t protect her.
He didn’t keep her safe.
He couldn’t fucking breathe.
Gunner stumbled past the door to Montgomery Defense and down the small alleyway that led to the back parking lot. His body leaned into the brick before his legs gave out .
He didn’t know how much time passed as the tears fell down his face. All he knew was that it felt like his whole heart had been ripped from his chest and he still couldn’t fucking breathe.
A hand pressed down on his shoulder. “Deep breaths, buddy. You’re no good to her if you spiral out now.”
He wiped the tears from his eyes and looked up at Hawk. “She’s my everything. I can’t lose her. I can’t raise our daughter without her. I fucking can’t.”
“You won’t have to. We’re going to get your girl back, and Sloane, too. But I need you to be one hundred percent focused here, Reap. You need to cry for a few more minutes so that can happen? Let it out. You need to punch someone to get your mind clear? I’m right here. But you gotta do whatever you need to right now because once Tracker finds them, you’re the biggest asset to getting them back. You going to be ready for that?”
“Of course I will be.” He stood, taking in a deep breath and forcing his fears into the darkest shadows of his mind. “I lost it for a second, but I’ve got it under control.”
“Actually, you lost it for about ten minutes there, big guy. And as much as I want to tell you I came out here for emotional support and to give you a big hug, I actually came to tell you that the fuckers who are trying to get custody of Sage just walked into the office and they’re demanding that Hank gives her to them.”
His eyes snapped to Hawk’s, unable to process what he’d just said.
When his friend simply nodded, he took off.
“What are you doing here?” Gunner yelled as he walked into the room where Paul and Corrine were standing.
“I’m sorry, Gunner. When they said who they were, I figured it was best to let them back so Hank could handle things.” Mae looked visibly upset, rocking Sage back and forth, but Gunner nodded to let her know she had done the right thing.
“We heard our granddaughter was abandoned by her mother at work today. We have a judge looking over our petition to take her into our custody now that Lily has shown her true colors.”
“I’m sorry. Tell me who you are again?” Hank’s booming voice filled the room.
“We’re that baby’s biological grandparents,” Corrine answered.
“Her true paternal grandparents,” Paul added.
“Well, I’m very sorry to break it to you, but one of Sage’s legal guardians is here, present, and perfectly capable of taking care of her. And that’s exactly what Gunner is going to do.” Hank nodded to Gunner. “And as for Mrs. Brooks, we don’t believe she abandoned her baby, but that she was forced to leave Sage against her will. Her disappearance is being treated as suspicious. Maybe you both could follow me to answer some questions, starting with how you knew about Lily’s disappearance so quickly.”
“It’s not illegal to listen to police scanners,” Corrine huffed before Paul put his arm on his wife and shook his head.
“We certainly would be more than happy to speak with you, Sheriff, once our lawyer is present.”
Gunner rolled his eyes and tried to stifle the growl barreling through him. Of course, James’s parents would show up. He should have been expecting it.
“Mae,” Gunner moved past the weight lifting equipment and into the kitchen area.
“I didn’t know if anyone tried to call Lily or Sloane, so I’ve been trying. But I can’t get through.” Tears filled her eyes.
“We’re going to find them. But I need you to take Sage up to our apartment and stay there with her until I bring Lily back, okay? ”
“Of course.” Mae moved Sage from her arms and placed the baby over her shoulder, gently patting her back as she bounced up and down.
“I love you, sweet girl. You be good for your Aunt Mae.” Gunner kissed the top of Sage’s head. “There should be milk Lily pumped yesterday in the fridge and she has Sprout’s schedule posted there, too.”
“I’ve got it all under control. Just bring them back.” She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as she turned to go.
“I’m going to see what Tracker found.” Gunner turned towards Hawk. “I need you to stay here with Mae.”
“No fucking way, Reap. I’m going out with the team. I’m not staying back.”
“There is literally nothing more fucking important than making sure nothing happens to Sage while we get Lily back. You know those assholes in there with Hank are trying to take her any way they can. I can’t focus on getting to Lily safely if I know Sage is in danger. I trust you to keep her safe. I trust you. ”
Hawk sighed. “Tell Gage I want in on the team comms.”
“Yeah, man. Of course.”
“Good. I guess I’ll be upstairs with Mae.”
“Thank you.” Gunner reached out and pulled Hawk into a hug. It wasn’t something he’d ever normally think of doing, but his friend was putting aside his own needs to help him. Gunner knew Hawk would die protecting Sage if that was required, and he needed him to know how much that meant to him.
“Fuck, man. Don’t make me cry. Go get your wife and Sloane back.” Hawk stepped back, and both men shared a nod before he turned to follow Mae and Sage.
“Tracker, what do you have?” Gunner walked into his office without knocking.
“I wasn’t able to find anything tracing their phones.”
“What the fuck does that mean? We’ve got nothing to go on?”
“No. Listen. Before you and Lily came to town, Sloane asked me for some help. She wouldn’t give me any details and swore up and down that she wasn’t in any trouble, but she asked me if there was any way I could put a tracking device in a necklace that she owned. I told her yes. I mean, that’s one of the easiest things to do. I activated it and gave it back to her the next day. She’s been wearing it ever since.”
“You should have fucking led with that information.”
“I didn’t know if she had it on, or if it was charged. I didn’t want to get your hopes up. The important thing is, I have a lock on where they are.”