“Yeah. She thinks she’ll never see me again. She’s got another think coming because I’m far from through with her. If she thinks what I did to her before was bad, she just needs to wait.”
“Who are you? Are you the guy she was going to marry?”
“Oh, no, I’m not Lance Gordon.” He chuckled again causing a ripple of dread to run over Finn. “For one thing I’m definitely not gay, and another, Glenna hasn’t seen me in what? About ten years.”
Finn had no clue who this guy could be. The only thing he knew, was he had to get away and warn Glenna. This guy had an agenda, one that didn’t bode well for his future step mom.
He wiggled his hands, yeah the rope was lose. The guy had no clue how to tie a knot. Even so, Finn knew he had to be careful, you just never knew what a nut job was going to do. He’d seen enough of them on TV, he wasn’t talking movies either. The nightly news was full of them.
“If she hasn’t seen you in ten years, why are you so interested in her now?”
The guy paused his pacing and stared at him as if he’d said something completely dumb. He shook his head and continued. The steps were measured as if the guy counted each.
Think Finn, stall or things aren’t going to go well.
“Okay, so that was a dumb question.”
Reagan had said, the best thing would be to ask leading questions that required more than a yes or a no. If you could actually get your captor to talk. Until he started pacing, the guy had been a regular Mr. Chatty. Finn just needed to figure how to start him talking again.
“How did you get them to take you to California? There’s lots of people there that wouldn’t know their plan they could get information from.” Finn waited a beat. “Why drag you, an unknown from New York to drive the car in Calistoga?”
Finn had been known to watch a crime show now and again.
“Since I knew the floor plan of the exact shop they were discussing, I made myself valuable. It’s the way of the world, son.” The guy frowned as if something just struck him. “They didn’t drag me to California. They didn’t even know I was there. And neither did you. It was fun to make you think their van was everywhere. Most the time it was me watching. They left the area not long after the beating. They watched the house for a day or so, but then they left and I filled their spot, son.”
Finn fought the words back, he didn’t want to antagonize him by telling him not to call him son. It was just a word.
“You had something they needed. Knowledge. Okay I get it. But couldn’t you have just shown them a map?” Finn was grasping, it sounded like he only had one meeting with the four art thieves. He had to keep him talking.
Finn continued to work the ropes, he could almost slip one hand out.
The pacing stopped again and the guy turned to glare down on him. He’d said something to piss him off, he could tell.
“What does it matter to you? If they had listened to me in the bar, they wouldn’t have bungled the job and now they’re trying to figure out how to get the art.” He walked over to a small basement window. “I don’t give a fuck about their plan. I just used them to watch Glenna.”
The rope slipped over Finn’s hand and he was able to get both hands free. Holding the rope so it didn’t drop, he tried to figure a plan. He would only have one chance, and it had to be a surprise. He tried to shove the rope in his back pocket and discovered his phone. He’d been so preoccupied he hadn’t felt it in his back pocket.
The guy was pretty lame as a kidnapper to leave a phone on the victim. When they’d gone to the gun range Tyler, Keira, Reagan, and Paco had given him their numbers, just in case. None of them thought he’d need the numbers. Damn he wished he didn’t.
“What now?”
“I call your daddy.” He grinned. “Of course, I’m pretty sure he knows you’re gone by now. I’m just letting him stew.”
“My dad doesn’t stew easily.”
Finn sized the man up. He was at least three inches shorter than Finn. He wasn’t as muscled either. Finn could take him down. Especially if he caught him at the right moment. He glanced around the room while the guy continued to pace and mumble. He didn’t see any guns laying around, that was a good thing.
“If you know Glenna then you must have something in common like art.”
“Now I do. I’ve traveled all over the world. I’ve seen some of the finest exhibits. She’ll be impressed. And my knowledge helped me into the inner circles where Glenna felt most comfortable. Oh, yeah, I would see her from time to time.” He frowned. “Until now, I haven’t dared visit California.”
He swirled from the window startling Finn, he almost dropped the rope. Thank God he hadn’t. The guy pointed a finger at him. “Only then did I find I hadn’t needed to leave. Glenna knew it had been all her fault. She hadn’t turned me into the authorities.”
Finn didn’t have a clue what the guy babbled about, he didn’t care. Let him ramble. The guy was barely tall enough to see out of the high window, he stood caught up in his own thoughts. Finn took advantage, pulled out his phone. Careful not to move too much or make any noise, he kept the phone low to his side. Dividing his attention between the man and his phone he first turned the sound off so it wouldn’t ring. Thank goodness no one had called so far, but maybe they were tracking the signal.
He glanced at the muttering man, he had enough time. He called Tyler, muted it and set it on the chair just enough under his butt cheek so it wouldn’t fall on the floor, but hopefully enough Tyler could hear the conversation.
“Are we still in Brooklyn?”
The man jumped, if Finn wasn’t so scared he would have laughed.
“You don’t need to know where we are.”
“What are you going to tell my dad when you call him?”
“Nothing until I have Glenna with me.”
The guy was a total loon. “You think Glenna is a toy to give to you in exchange for me? We’re people, and you do know that most of Glenna’s family are cops or special agents, right?”
That made him pause, had he not thought of that? Again, the thought the man was a complete loon crossed Finn’s mind.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The door banged on the wall as Glenna pushed through it, knowing Patrick was close on her heals. This was her fault. Guilt burned in the pit of her stomach. Finn, the most precious person in the world. Not just to his father but to her. She loved that boy as if he were her own. And she’d planned to be a wonderful mom to him, and what did she do? Put him right in the crosshairs.
“Glenna, come sit, I have tea.” Her mother’s answer to just about everything.
“Here son, I have a shot of Jameson’s for you.” Her dad’s answer to everything.
The two were settled in with their beverages, not necessarily of choice, across from what looked like a command center. Three agents set across form the Elders with there laptops, and smart phones, typing away with a grunt here and there.
These were not her family. Anyway, they weren’t when they were in work mode. Tyler, Keira, and Reagan were deep in their thoughts and she would not disturb them. They were the one chance Finn had.
Where…. And as if she’d brought him in on her thoughts Paco came through the back door.
“Gabby?”
The girl had been in the corner with Sophie bent over something. “Do you know if the gate was open? Did you hear anything?”
Gabby had probably already answered the same questions over and over again, so Glenna was surprised when the teen didn’t roll her eyes. Instead she walked over to her stepdad, pursed her lips in concentration trying to remember if she’d left anything out.
“Soph, come here.”
The girls were about two years different in age, yet no one would know it. They were together as if the best of friends not to mention sisters, far more than cousins. Though they weren’t even really blood relatives, just by marriage. Glenna felt the moisture gather a moment before a tear slipped down her cheek. She’d wanted Finn to
be the big brother the girls didn’t have. He was only a few months older than Gabby.
Why hadn’t she insisted on staying at a hotel instead of with Patrick? Instead she’d let him take her to his home for protection, where she’d fallen so hard for him and his irresistible family.
“Sophie, Finn was checking the lock, right?”
“Yeah, I noticed the other day it either stuck and you couldn’t get it open or the darn thing wouldn’t click shut. I had asked him to check it out.” She sniffed. “If he hadn’t been by the gate he’d be here….”
“Don’t you dare blame yourself young lady. If it hadn’t been at the gate it would have been another time.” This from Gabby, who was a young lady herself.
Glenna turned in her seat and reached for Sophie’s hand. “Soph, it was a blessing you both were there. The two of you were able to see the van. If it had been another time when he was by himself, we wouldn’t have a clue. You two are heroes. Don’t you forget that?”
Patrick who’d shot down his whiskey the minute he sat, had a dazed look on his face. Her father poured him another, and he tossed it back without hesitation. Would he ever forgive her?
The girls continued to go over things with Paco. Glenna watched the other three, intent on what was happening on their screens. Tyler had on a headset listening to what, she had no idea.
“Good boy.” Tyler grinned. “Somehow the kid was able to call me. I’m listening to the conversation.”
Patrick pinned him with a stare, the first indication he’d been listening. “Which one of the bastards have him?”
“From what I can tell, none of them.” He switched his attention to Glenna. “He wants you.”
Uneasiness raced through her. Who would want her? Lance? He hadn’t seemed violent. And he had never wanted her. Thoughts of the men who’d she come in contact with over the years flew through her mind. Other than customers, she really had only dated off and on after Danny. He’d ruined her for relationships. Until Patrick, and now she’d ruined things by bringing danger to his son.
Danny.
“Can I listen for a moment? See if I recognize the voice.”
She slipped out of her chair, walked around the table to where Tyler handed her the headset, she fit it over her head and listened. Finn sounded good, he kept up a running dialogue.
She was going to throw up. She grabbed the back of Tyler’s chair, her knees wobbled. She’d never forget that voice as he stood over her and called her vile names with each pound of his fist.
Danny.
She pulled the headphones off and threw them down on the table, she needed to get out. She ran out the back door even though her legs felt like gelatin. She heard Patrick calling her name. But she didn’t care. That lunatic had Finn. She’d never forgive herself.
Please God don’t let him hurt Finn.
*****
Patrick couldn’t believe he’d let his son come into the danger zone again. He reached for the third shot of whiskey Glenna’s dad had poured and realized if he kept going he wouldn’t be good for anyone especially his son. He left it untouched.
Startled out of his reverie, the thud of the headset hitting the table brought his attention to his surroundings and the fact that all color had drained from Glenna’s face. She took off out the door, the rest of her family stared after her in confusion.
“Look up Danny Collins, he’s the bastard who’d raped Glenna, he’s the one who must have Finn.”
Then he took off after Glenna. Shit poor agent, that’s what he was. He let his emotions and his love for Glenna distract him.
He caught her as she was about to leave through the gate where Finn had been taken. He wrapped his arms around the front of her and pulled her back against his chest. Her hands were pulling at his trying to move them, luckily she faced away from him, or he was sure she’d kick him in the shins. What did she think she could do?
“Glenna, you’re going to hurt yourself.”
He kissed the top of her head, held tight to ride out her emotions. He would not let her go until she had it all out. She continued to flay and kick, his arms were soaking up the rain fall of tears.
Several minutes passed before she ran out of steam and she went limp. If he hadn’t been holding her tight the dead weight would have let her slip through his arms. Instead he gently turned her around, keeping his hands firmly, but gently on her shoulders. He bent enough to look into her face.
“We’ll get him. He will not hurt you again.”
Her eyes widened. She tried to wrench free. He held firm.
“I’m not worried about me.” Anger vibrated her shoulders with each word. “I’m worried about Finn.”
“I know honey. Your family is the best, and you and I are going to walk right back in there and help. We’ll find Finn before Danny does anything.”
She sniffed. “I don’t understand why this is happening, how would Danny even know about Finn. Does he have something to do with The Black Cats?” She placed a hand over his heart and dropped her head to rest on it. “Your heart is racing. Here I am going on like it’s all about me and Finn’s your son. I’m sorry.”
“Glenna look at me.”
He felt her sigh more than heard it, she finally raised her head, her eyes glazed with worry. He knew she loved his son almost as much as he did. He glanced up at the window of the kitchen, they were both needed. But first he had to make sure Glenna didn’t blame herself. This was all on him. She’d done nothing but follow her heart even though she’d been scared.
“That’s better. We will figure out what, if anything, Danny was doing with the other men, but first we’re going to rescue our son.”
He saw her throat work in a swallow and if he hadn’t been watching her closely he’d have missed the affirmative nod of her head. She stepped away, he let his hands drop a moment before she turned to return to the house.
“You’re not to blame for this, Glenna.” He called after her retreating back, but she never broke stride.
He closed his eyes a moment to send up a prayer, to whatever God wanted to listen, that Finn would be okay. A hopeful feeling passed over him. He’d made sure his son was trained in defense and he’d had a crash course just the other day about situations, like kidnapping, Finn was a smart kid. He’d use what he learned.
Hell he already had. He’d called Tyler, they were tracing the signal right now.
The back door blew open, only a heartbeat after it had swallowed Glenna. Tyler leaped the two stairs landing in a run.
“Come on, we have a location.”
Patrick didn’t need to be asked twice. He fell in step behind Keira who had been right on her husband’s heals. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Glenna coming out also. He stopped, turned to block her way.
“Don’t’ do this Patrick. You’re wasting time.” She sidestepped him and followed the other two.
He opened his mouth, but the words telling her she’d be in harm’s way stuck in his throat as he turned to catch up. Emotions warred in his gut. She knew Danny, she could help with insight into his motives. On the other hand, he’d need to divide his worry. Again he tried to force the words out to tell her to stop before she climbed into her brother’s SUV.
Then he realized, two things at once. He wasn’t alone and he needed her by his side.
Patrick lost track of how many turns Tyler had taken, it was as if he followed a maze. He gave up trying to figure out where they were going. It had been too long since he lived in New York, and back then he’d only visited Brooklyn a handful of times. He didn’t know the area. He’d trust the man who did. He looked over to Glenna, she was staring straight ahead. He knew she wasn’t watching the road. He laid a hand over hers where it rested on her thigh. She closed her eyes and then tipped her head to regard him.
“You’re right, we’ll get the bastard and Finn will be fine.”
“He’s a smart kid.” Tyler’s voice floated from the front. “He knew we would be able to track his phone, but mostly
hear the conversation.”
Keira changed the subject. “Glenna when we have Finn, I believe you and your sisters need to have a talk.”
Patrick felt the muscles in Glenna’s thigh tighten in understanding. He’d thought she’d talked to her mother about the rape the other day while he was at the gun range. Maybe she hadn’t.
“Yes we do. I should have talked to all of you after I talked to Ma the other day.” Her body seemed to relax against him. “It felt good to finally have a mother’s shoulder to cry on. I have no idea why I held it in.”
“You’re very lucky you have a mother. Don’t ever take her for granted. She loves all of her kids and she’s always there for you.” Keira twisted in her seat to look over her shoulder to look at Glenna. “Thank you for sharing her with your motherless sister-in-law.”
Glenna reach out to pat Keira’s arm. “Ma loves you.”
“We’re getting close.” Tyler chuckled. “I don’t think Finn’s kidnapper realized that the questions Finn was asking helped describe where he was being kept. We know he’s in a basement and Danny is or was at the time, looking out the window toward the street.”
“Meaning we’re going to park around the block and rely on Reagan and Paco who are still monitoring the situation.” Keira had again taken up the reigns of the conversation.
Patrick took out his phone and called Reagan tapping the speaker button, he laid it on the console so everyone could hear.
“We’re around the corner from the location,” Tyler said as soon as she answered.
“Good, Finn’s been keeping a running conversation. The guy is still at the window so you’ll need to go around to the back.” Reagan’s voice filtered over the inside of the vehicle.
Paco’s voice sounded muffled like he stood across the kitchen. “There is a lot of rustling going on next to the phone. We’re not sure, but I think the young man is probably restrained and he’s working whatever has his wrists.”
Glenna let out a soft gasp. “Oh, I hope he’s not going to do something rash, like try to take Danny down. The man may not be as tall as Finn, but he has muscles. Or he did when I knew him. He was almost obsessed with working out.”
Abandoned (The Beckett Series Book 6) Page 26
