“Thanks. I never thought I’d have a chance with him.” Understatement. The warmth of his encouragement had infused confidence to face her fears and enter the same stores she’d visited the day of her abduction—without him by her side. The morning’s solid conviction that she could peruse the shops hadn’t faded with his absence.
“He’s something, all right.” Lexi nibbled her bottom lip, a tell that she wanted to impart something but wasn’t sure how to approach.
“You mean handsome, heart-poundingly sexy, and protective.” Kaylee waited for a beat, waiting for Lexi to flesh out the concept her unvoiced thoughts had developed.
“Yeah, he and Ethan have that in common with the rest of the McAllisters. But it’s more than that. He’s a changed man, despite the teasing about running a grind train through his house.”
“I’m still waiting for women to throw their bras and thongs at him when he walks by.” When Caden first helped her retrace her steps after the kidnapping, she’d counted at least half a dozen women who’d specifically asked him for his business card and personal contact information.
“I know what you mean. It’s funny though, all the brothers seem immune, except Lucas, not that he’s shallow, just always horny, I guess.”
“Huh, I think Lucas just assigns numbers instead of taking names.”
“Good morning, ladies. I thought I recognized you.” Tall and swarthy, the gentleman smiled, his shadow arcing across their bodies as he stood in front of them, directing his gaze at Kaylee. “Mind if I join you for a minute?” A veiled tension filled the air, due in part to the grin which never reached his eyes.
“You’re the contractor rehabbing the Methodist church on Devlin Avenue.” Twisting to gauge Lexi’s reaction, she added, “I stopped to ask a few questions and take some pics.”
Lexi’s shoulders tightened almost imperceptibly as she sat straighter, yet there appeared to be no viable threat. The guy was obviously slick, but they were in full view of many pedestrians. Ingrained curiosity dictated she solve the conundrum.
“How’s the renovation going?” Remembering Caden detailing her friend’s street savvy, Kaylee still didn’t perceive any threat. The guy maintained an affable if slippery persona.
“We still have a ways to go, but the outside entrance is done if you’d care to see it.” Extending his hand toward Lexi, he added, “Hi, I’m Basil Millen. I don’t believe we’ve met.”
Instead of taking the proffered hand, Lexi picked up her drink and took a sip before answering. “I’m her friend.” Monotone flat.
If anyone could form ice balls in hell, Lexi was the prime candidate. The smile plastered on her face wouldn’t fool a soul. Her instant dislike pulsed in the air like a foul smell.
Okay, the guy’s a shark, that’s evident. But why snub him so abruptly? “Um, we’ll stop by and take a look in the next day or so. Thanks,” Kaylee replied. Not likely. If this creep set Lexi’s sixth sense into orbit that fast, there was no way in hell there’d be further contact. A vague acceptance and avoiding confrontation was better than a public pissing match, especially when she didn’t understand the variables in play.
“Come on, Kaylee. We have a meeting to get to.” Lexi stood, the hard edge of her voice as clear as the threat settled in her expression.
Instinct urged Kaylee to her feet, her napkin sliding from her lap and skidding against the bench’s leg. “O—okay. I’m set.” I can pick up the trash later.
“I think we’ll take a little detour.” Basil sidestepped to block their paths, latching onto Kaylee’s elbow. An exaggerated motion of his hand in his jacket pocket formed the outline of a gun barrel.
Kaylee gasped.
“At least this time I haven’t had to go to the trouble of drugging you, then explaining why my girlfriend is drunk this early in the day.”
Lexi grumbled a threat too low to discern.
“Yes, it is, and no, I won’t hesitate. With the silencer in place, it won’t even be heard.” The shark’s grin widened with the cold, clipped threat. “Now, we’re going to take a little walk. First, you’re gonna throw away your cups and cell phones. No one’s gonna track us, either the two or four-legged hounds.”
“Our men will find you. Count on it.” Lexi’s gaze canvassed the area.
“If you don’t move it, you won’t be alive to find out. Though I am curious about what tipped you off.”
Lexi sneered as her gaze raked him from head to toe. “It’s Monday morning. You say you’ve been working in construction, yet you’re wearing two-hundred dollar loafers. Plus, the likelihood of just running into us is a little too much coincidence.”
Fear yielded to anger despite the horrific images of Ciera’s lifeless body surging forefront in Kaylee’s thoughts. If she didn’t come up with a plan, she and Lexi would vanish without a trace. From previous experience, she knew surveillance cameras would yield nothing in their disappearance. If they were forced into a car, chances were slim they’d be found. In counterpoint, if they were forced through a deadfall or trapdoor in a nearby shop, she stood a chance of leaving a trail.
The moment’s mental standoff allowed a weak plan to form. One where she and her friend didn’t end up in a harem of unwashed, desperate women. Fear granted strength to jab her nails deeper into her palm. She kept her hands down and by her side, determining the creep was more interested in keeping an eye on Lexi than the ground behind them.
When she felt the telltale warmth dribble over her clenched knuckle, a slight flick of her right wrist sent the organic beacon behind them. Instead of breadcrumbs, she’d leave drops of blood to delineate her path into another realm of hell.
Basil kept to Kaylee’s left side, guiding her while keeping Lexi in his sights. Wooden movements carried them forward, their gazes firm, steely, and cold.
Lexi’s street skills were useless without close proximity to the dirtball holding the weapon.
If Kaylee passed out, he might decide they were not worth the trouble and shoot them. Despite the light breeze, sweat dotted her brow and dampened her back. Blood thundered a violent beat in her ears while a heaviness grew in her limbs. Nausea accompanied the mental images of Ciera’s dead body.
“Where’re you taking us?” Lexi’s question grated through clenched teeth.
“Back to the tunnels. Think of it as a blind date. Yep, I know all about how you came back to find the rich bitch. But you were too late. We’ll even take the same route, with you girls side by side. At least this time you’ll remember it for the rest of your life, however long I decide that to be.”
“Why? The police found no links between you and the Asian.” Kaylee’s gaze desperately searched the shoppers on the sidewalk. Happy times for many, a few intermittent tense conversations, but none with the terror which reigned within her mind.
She released another drop of blood. Alternate clenching and releasing ensured the wound wouldn’t clot.
“Let’s just call this insurance for future employment and a penalty for your boyfriend. He’s cost me an entire business network unless I can deliver you as promised.”
Months ago, she’d studied the architecture of the tunnels and deadfalls leading to them. She’d never expected someone to force her through one. Certainly not twice. A glance at Lexi communicated the nonverbal, this bullshit’s not gonna happen. The same conviction filled her own mind.
Shoppers milling about and flitting from one store to the next had no idea of the tragedy unfolding. Smiles and greetings from people contradicted the fact that no one would remember two women accompanied by a man dressed in casual slacks and a polo shirt.
No one would solve the puzzle of how the thugs had whisked her away without a trace unless Matt brought Damien. When they came to a sign suspended in the covered walkway advertising vitamins and supplements, Basil guided them to the door. It was a few scant yards from the café where she’d first enjoyed a sunset.
Another drop of blood.
“I see the wheels turning in both your
heads. Forget it.”
Kaylee’s thoughts whirled with possibilities and wondered what plan Lexi conjured. The hard glint in her gaze detailed a fighter when the opportunity arrived. Every scenario had a weakness for exploitation if recognized. Keep your eyes open.
“What better place to take someone who’s feeling under the weather than to a health and nutrition store?” Basil smiled and nodded to the male clerk behind the counter. No other patrons were present as the younger man stepped forward and turned the sign hanging on the door to, Closed for lunch. Be back soon.
The click of the door locking equaled the sound of a casket closing.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Caden stood nose to nose with Joe, owner of the cozy café. “What do you mean you haven’t seen them? They were supposed to be here ten minutes ago. They wouldn’t be late intentionally.” Caden’s fear and anger warred for dominance as he suppressed the urge to shake Joe by the collar.
“Caden, I haven’t seen them all morning.” Annoyance overshadowed the patience encompassing the older man. “And women shopping are ten minutes late? I wouldn’t think it’s time to call out the National Guard just yet.”
Several ladies sitting at a nearby table had shown no recognition of Kaylee’s picture on his cell phone.
Without another word, Caden pivoted and headed for the door. His gut told him Kaylee and Lexi had found trouble in some form or another. Restless energy hummed through his neural passages in a forewarning he couldn’t ignore.
Matt answered on the first ring.
“The girls are missing. Never made it to Joe’s. I’ll find Lexi’s car and ring you. Bring Damien.” Growled expletives mimicked his own thoughts. Precious minutes passed, his heart beating a staccato rhythm to match his steps. A prickling sensation began in his stomach before acid seared the back of his throat. He should never have let Kaylee out of his sight.
All during his meetings, he’d worried about them but knew Lexi would stay close, and safety lay in numbers. Then where the hell are they?
Midday sun blazed down and glared off the parking lot’s hoods and windshields. Rows and rows of assorted steel, rubber, and glass behemoths held their master’s treasures and waited to transport them in cool luxury at the touch of a button. Lexi’s small sedan wouldn’t stand out.
Rather than race down each row, Caden vaulted up on a patio table to gain a better perspective. Disparaging remarks from nearby diners equaled a radio’s squelch in the background.
From his vantage point, he could view the bulk of the lot. Scanning each line until spotting Lexi’s car close to the end of the third row, he knew in his gut something horrendous had taken place.
Grumbles and admonishments trailed him through the crowd when he took to the pavement. Scrutinizing both the lot and the shoppers, he found no sign of the women. Air became a commodity secondary to his need for Kaylee.
She’d suffered so much yet refused to break. Would this be the final straw? She’d declared death preferable over enslavement.
Lexi’s car remained locked with packages piled on the back seat. The time taken to retrieve a lock jock from his SUV would waste precious minutes. Minutes that could take the women out of his reach.
His brother had remarked on several occasions how a jacket made a good buffer, He wrapped his windbreaker around his fist before smashing the back window. Several bystanders gasped and retrieved their cell phones.
Just what I need, my face featured on the evening news.
With shaking fingers, he yanked the bags from the seat and spread them over the car’s trunk. Looking back at the shops, he took note of the names, coordinating each bag with the store’s physical location. Several bags contained receipts with date and time stamp. When he finally had them in chronological order, he knew where they’d shopped last and their direction.
Skidding tires snapped his attention to Matt and Ethan’s vehicles halting behind him. Unadulterated rage manifested in Ethan’s flushed skin and clenched fist holding one of Lexi’s scarves. Bystanders, watching the scene unfold gave him a wide berth.
“Update.” Matt’s clipped command echoed Caden’s anger. Excited chuffs marked Damien’s exit, picking up his master’s anxiety and ready to work.
Difficulty breathing and a roiling stomach combined with Caden’s grinding teeth to make it difficult to articulate his thoughts. “Last known shop they visited—Sheer Delights, the lingerie shop. Time stamp is less than a half hour ago. Joe hasn’t seen them.”
“Neither one is answering their phone and reception here is good. They both know better than to ignore it.” Ethan scanned the shopping center’s walkway.
“Billy and Lucas are heading to the tunnel exit where Kaylee came out.” Matt tightened his hold on Damien’s leash.
“I checked in with Kaylee about an hour ago, everything was fine.” Caden’s hands shook while replacing the bags.
“There’s only a few stores between. Let’s start with their last known location. Get your vests on.” Ethan tossed Lexi’s scarf to Matt. “Scenting material.”
Caden snatched Kaylee’s jacket from the back seat and handed it to Matt. “Will two scenting objects confuse him?”
“No. And unless someone carried the women or forced them into another car, Damien should pick them up.” After giving the command, Matt allowed the dog to sniff the garment.
“Jesus, I shouldn’t have let them go alone.” Caden raked furrows through his hair. Desperation squeezed his chest.
“Not like you could stop them. Lexi’s as single-minded as your woman.” Ethan stopped to show some bystanders Lexi’s picture. Several girls recalled seeing her but had no other information.
Damien’s sudden pull toward the coffee shop altered their course. Matt gave his charge extra lead.
With his nose in the air, Damien zeroed in on his invisible goal. When he reached a bench and began sniffing the supporting legs, the two ladies resting there harrumphed and left amid comments of, “What the hell?”
“Kaylee must’ve dropped the napkin.” Ethan sheathed his hand in a glove and picked up the discarded trash.
Chuffing and pulling at his lead marked Damien’s desire to move. With his nose to the ground, he stopped and sniffed at a stain on the pavement.
“Looks like blood.” Caden crouched on the other side of the dog. “Fuck. It is.” A cold sweat broke out over his body while a low buzzing sounded in his head.
“Caden, get a sample. Ethan, go grab our gear. We might be headed through a deadfall. We’ll need flashlights.” Matt reached over and squeezed Caden’s shoulder. “It’s just a drop. We’re in broad daylight and surrounded by lots of people. Maybe she left it—intentionally—for us.”
“Yeah, but either way, they’ve got her. We don’t even know who they are.” Caden spat the words through gritted teeth.
“No, not the same now. This time there’s two women. It won’t be as easy to control them both. Plus, I doubt either is drugged since it would draw too much attention. Chances are—considering the time stamps on the receipts, the girls still have their wits about them.” Matt’s hardened jaw and deep frown betrayed his emotion’s undercurrent.
Caden fumbled, then gently folded the gauze and placed it in the paper bag Matt provided. “This has to belong to one of the girls. It’s fresh.”
“Damien seems to think so.” Matt nodded to Ethan, carrying a duffle, as the dog pulled them along. “Let’s go find our girls.”
“I promised Kaylee’s dad I’d call him with any news or updates. Christ. He thinks I’ve taken advantage of his little girl.”
“Actually, he caught you taking advantage. At least that’s the way Lucas told it.” Matt’s attempt at keeping Caden from going ballistic didn’t help.
Damien’s chuffing, nose-to-the-ground gait led them to a storefront with a Closed for lunch sign hanging in the door. Floor-to-ceiling glass allowed potential customers to view the health supplements and vitamins on display.
“Closed during the
busiest time of day? I don’t think so,” Ethan growled.
Caden centered himself to the door to shatter the glass with a well-placed kick.
“No, Caden.” Matt pulled Damien away. “We have no evidence.”
“I see blood on the floor inside,” Caden said, almost snarling. “And I’m going in—now.”
Behind him, Ethan grumbled his agreement after dropping his gear bag.
“The floor is black tile. How can you possibly see a drop of blood?” Matt cupped his hand around his temple to block the glare while peering through the glass. Damien scratched at the glass door.
“Yep, he’s right, bro. I see it too.” Ethan backed his younger brother despite his stance three feet behind them both. Over his shoulder, Caden saw his sibling’s need to find Lexi etched in fear and desperation. Several bystanders stopped to witness and murmur their curiosity of observing three men and a dog peering in a health store.
“Probable cause. But let’s be smart about this. Caden, help me hoist the trash can over here. A kick won’t work and will probably just break a bone.” Ethan yanked the metal barrel sideways, his feral grin matching Caden’s sentiments.
Matt stepped back with his dog to address the few onlookers. His calm, authoritative tone preceded dropped jaws and more phones recording the event.
Caden grunted with the effort to lift the can. “What the fuck do they put in these things?”
“They weight the bottoms to keep ’em from blowing over when empty.”
A loud crash preceded crunching glass shards hitting the concrete outside and the black tile floor inside. Shocked gasps from the gathering crowd turned to low murmurs when Matt issued a short statement about police emergency, holding up his badge and warning others to stay out of the shop.
“Grab the bag, Ethan.” Caden swallowed the lump in his throat. No doubt the blood trail would lead them underground, a place he’d wished to never revisit. Tension held him immobile like a negligible element in the eye of a hurricane. Time would sweep away what he loved most if he couldn’t stand strong and grow a pair.
Bound By Shadows (The McAllister Justice Series Book 2) Page 25
