by Jay Hogan
Michael’s gaze flitted from the man to Sasha and back again. She appeared to be breathing but fuck if she wasn’t frighteningly still, a trickle of blood running the length of her jaw from her ear. He couldn’t tell how badly she’d been hurt, but the brain was a fragile thing. It didn’t like being bounced around. All Michael knew was he had to get this guy away from her as soon as possible and get her help.
“I’ll go with you. Anything you want, just leave her alone.”
The man tapped the blade against Sasha’s throat and grinned. “Good boy. Now get up and face the door.”
Michael obeyed, taking a second to steady his legs. The man took a position behind him, the blade pressed somewhere close to Michael’s right kidney.
“Now we’re going to walk out of here nice and calmly. No talking, no running, no fucking even looking at anyone, understand?”
Michael nodded.
“Behave and maybe they’ll even find your little friend in time.”
Michael panicked. Josh was due back from the cafeteria but just when, Michael didn’t know. He had to get this man out of Sasha’s room and get her some help, now.
The guy followed Michael through the door and closed it behind them, keeping the knife tip pushed into Michael’s side. He nudged Michael down the hall toward the waiting room, pausing at the other room to catch his injured friend’s attention.
“Call Jeff to meet us outside,” he ordered. “Engine running. We’re done here.”
“But….” The man waved his still unstitched hand.
“Now!”
The guy stood and started punching numbers into his cell.
It was only a few seconds, but Michael figured it might be his last chance. While the two men were focused on getting their ride out of there, he lunged sideways and dropped, twisting to free the man’s hold on him. It worked, and he almost couldn’t believe it, but once free he was able to reach up and punch the cardiac arrest alarm on the opposite wall. The ER was immediately lit up with a series of three-bell alarms. Voices rose, and feet hit the floor. Yes!
He sprang in the direction of the nurses’ station, expecting the guy with the knife to head for the waiting room to escape, but the bastard didn’t. That’s where it all fell apart. To Michael’s horror, he instead headed straight back into Sasha’s room, reappearing seconds later with the girl slung over his shoulder, knife at her throat. “Stay put, arsehole.” He threw Michael’s cell at him, made a “call you” hand signal, then sprinted out the ambulance bay, followed closely by his mate.
Michael set off after them just in time to watch the guy throw Sasha into the back seat of a blue Toyota and then join her just before the car took off. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He flew back down the corridor, grabbed his phone from the floor, and called Mark. Then he pocketed his phone and ran to the nurses’ station.
The place was in an uproar. Two crash carts filled the hallway, and staff were milling around Sasha’s room wondering where the hell they were needed, confusion written all over their faces.
“Turn that damn alarm off,” Michael shouted, and within seconds someone shut it down.
Cameron appeared at his side. “What the fuck’s going on?”
“Michael?” Josh joined them from Sasha’s room, his expression panicked. “Where’s Sasha?”
Fuck. He turned a frantic eye to Cameron. “Your office, now.” Then to Josh. “Come with us.” He grabbed Josh’s arm.
Josh threw him off. “I’m not going anywhere. Where’s my daughter, Oliver?”
Michael took a deep breath. “Josh, please… just come with us.”
Cameron took Josh’s elbow. “Come on.”
The man threw a furious look Michael’s way but let himself be led.
Inside Cam’s office, Michael handed the nurse his phone and told him to dial the number last called and put it on speaker. He wasn’t going to waste time telling the story more than once. Then he turned to Josh and grabbed his hands. The man eyed him warily but didn’t pull away.
When Mark came on the line, he was already on his way, so Michael repeated his earlier story to the detective but with a lot more detail. He was acutely aware of the stunned silence of Cam and Josh sitting alongside, listening in. At one point, Josh attempted to jerk his trembling hands free, but Michael held fast, watching the man’s face pale into shock and disbelief. When he finished and hung up, he locked eyes with Josh.
“I’m so fucking sorry,” he blurted. “I didn’t think he’d go back for her. I thought he’d take the chance to run or come after me. I just wanted to get him out of Sasha’s room, so I could get her help. If I’d just left with him like he wanted, she’d be safe now. But I was so fucking worried about Sasha. It was all I could think of.” His voice cracked.
Josh sucked in a trembling breath and squeezed his hand. “You tried.”
“No, I screwed up, Josh. And now he’s got Sasha, and we don’t know where she is, or how badly she’s hurt. I’m sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing. I’m so, so sorry.” Tears brimmed in his eyes.
Josh lifted a trembling hand and brushed his cheek. “I… I can’t… do this right now… I just want her back, okay?”
Michael swallowed hard and nodded. “Of course.” Like fuck it wasn’t his fault. He’d fucked up again, and again a young girl’s life was at stake. The urge for a drink roared in his head.
Josh pulled away and got shakily to his feet. “I need to let Katie know,” he said, as he pulled his phone and left the room.
MARK ARRIVED ten minutes later with two other detectives in tow. He commandeered the break room and herded everyone he needed inside, demanding an update.
“And you’re positive it was that guy you saw in the mug shot?” Mark eyed Michael.
Michael nodded. “I just needed another look. He’s older than your photo of him, and with the tatts and stuff I just….” He swallowed. “I’m positive.”
Mark turned to the other detectives. “It’s Cruz.”
Cameron and his team had used their time waiting for Mark to do a quick canvass of the ER for anyone who might have seen anything. A woman in the parking lot and a paramedic restocking his vehicle in the ambulance bay both saw the car with Sasha head out the north entrance and turn right onto Manukau Road. Both agreed the car was blue, and the paramedic added it was a Toyota, which meshed with Michael’s account. More importantly, the paramedic’s intuitive unease had him check the plate. He’d only caught the first three letters, KED, but it was a start.
When Katie burst into the break room, she immediately eyeballed Mark. “Don’t even think about asking me to leave. Here.” She pushed a plastic bag holding a T-shirt into his hand. “For the dogs. Josh said to bring something.” She then turned to her brother. “He’s in the car.”
“Who?” Mark demanded.
Josh glared at Mark. “Paris. And I don’t want to hear a fucking word about it.”
The detective threw his pen on the table. “Damn it, Josh. You can’t be involved.”
“No dog knows Sasha’s scent better than Paris,” Josh argued, lifting his chin in defiance.
God, how Michael knew that look.
“Who would you want searching if it was you out there?”
“Come on, Mark,” Michael agreed with Josh. “He’s right and you know it.” Josh sent him a grateful nod.
Mark’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Okay, but you cannot be on the end of that harness, got it?”
Josh nodded. “Got it.”
But Michael saw the lie in Josh’s eyes. There was no way the man was going to keep that promise, and Michael didn’t blame him. Then his cell vibrated with an incoming call, ID unknown, and something cold slithered through Michael’s chest as he raised the phone to his ear.
“You like to make things difficult, don’t you, Doc?” a familiar voice mocked.
He recognised the kidnapper immediately, but something stopped Michael alerting the others. He scanned the room. No one seemed too curious except Josh, who was busy eye
balling him intently. Shit. The man knew him too well.
“If you want the girl safe, keep your mouth shut and get somewhere you can talk. Do anything stupid and she’s dead.”
Josh raised a brow his way, but Michael shook his head and mouthed the word “work” before excusing himself from the room.
“Where is she?” he hissed into the phone.
“She’s fine… for now. Still out like a light so she can’t talk to you if that’s what you’re hoping. But it’s not her I want, so she can stay safe as long as you agree to replace her.”
“How do I know you’ll let her go?”
“You don’t. But you agree to keep your mouth shut and meet me where I say, and I’m telling you I’ll let her go. Best offer you’re gonna get, so I’d take it if you want her to ever see her family again.”
Michael didn’t hesitate. If he wanted a chance at redemption, this was it. He’d get Sasha back to Josh. No little girl was going to die this time.
“Tell me where.”
JOSH HELD tight to Katie’s hand, keeping one eye on Mark and the other on the break-room door waiting for Michael to reappear. Mark was busy organising the helicopter search for the car, and Michael had left with his phone to his ear. What the fuck was so important that he’d needed to leave them now? And work? The guy was at fucking work.
He knew he had no real right to be angry. Sasha being taken wasn’t Michael’s fault, but Michael was here, and Sasha wasn’t, and Josh was terrified. Still, he wouldn’t have wanted Michael to be taken either.
And Brent? Josh knew Michael had jumped to the conclusion that Josh was with Brent. He’d seen the hurt flash in Michael’s eyes and he’d let it stand uncorrected. Childish? Sure. But he’d wanted just for a minute for Michael to regret running away, to have him think the worst. He wanted to have him feel what Josh had felt seeing Michael in the club that night with that other guy. It was stupid and hurtful and… unnecessary, and Josh needed to right that mistake as soon as possible. He’d take Michael aside when he returned and tell him the truth.
Cameron appeared at the open door, frowning and out of breath. “Has something happened?” he demanded. “Adele said Michael left in a hurry about five minutes ago. Said he had his bag, car keys, and his phone to his ear. He ignored her hello and headed straight for the car park at a run.”
Mark’s head snapped up and the other two detectives put their phones aside as they all exchanged a look. Fuck. It didn’t take a genius to guess what they were thinking.
Josh blurted, “He got a call, just before.”
Mark spun to face him.
“He took it outside. Said it was work.”
A suffocating silence filled the room.
Josh’s hand hit the wall. “Fuck. I should’ve known. He looked… off. Why didn’t I follow him?”
Katie grabbed his arm. “What do you mean? What’s going on? Josh?”
“It was never Sasha they wanted,” Josh explained. “It was Michael, always Michael. Damn it to hell. Why didn’t he say something?”
Mark sighed. “You know why. He thinks he can save her for you, Michael. And Cruz just wants him gone. Best way to do that? Persuade Michael to swap for Sasha.”
Bile coursed up the back of Josh’s throat. “Shit. He felt responsible for her being taken. Thought he should’ve just gone with the guy to start with.”
Mark nodded. “I know. So let’s just get them both back, yeah?” He clapped his hands for attention and started dishing out orders. “I want the number that called him, and I want a trace on both phones. Plus everything on Denton Cruz and where he’s likely to hunker down. And what about the nurse who stitched him up?”
A young constable Josh didn’t recognise popped his head around Cameron’s shoulders. “They’ve got the Toyota,” he said.
Josh leapt to his feet. “Where.”
The constable focused his answer on Mark. “The chopper spotted it in the Pohutukawa Drive car park in Cornwall Park, up One Tree Hill. They’ve put down close by and are trying to lock the place down. Armed Offenders Squad and dogs are on their way.”
Mark pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jesus, that’s less than a ten-minute drive. We haven’t got much time.”
“Sasha?” Josh begged the constable.
The young man glanced at Mark, who nodded. He turned to Josh. “Nothing yet. Car was empty,” he answered.
Mark sighed. “Tell them to look for Michael’s vehicle, that might get us closer to the meetup point.” He turned to the others. “Bloody hell. Six hundred and seventy acres with loads of cover, and a ton of entrances and exits, especially on foot. Christ, they could just hop over any one of the low stone walls that surround the place. And you can forget about Denton returning to the Toyota. There’ll be another car waiting to pick him up, or several if he needs options. And if he leaves that park with Michael or Sasha, we’re screwed.” He glanced at Josh with an unspoken apology.
Josh shook his head. Wasn’t like he hadn’t already known everything they were saying.
“Toyota was registered to a Jeff Brady,” another detective said, looking up from his laptop. “And Oliver’s car is a no-show in the car park as yet, but he could’ve parked anywhere and made his way in. They’re doing the rounds.”
“Brady’s not the name of the guy he came into ER with. That was Trent Miles,” Cameron supplied from his notebook.
The young constable returned. “The nurse picked Cruz out from a photo. Called himself Anton Smith and this guy Brady who owns the Toyota, he’s a gangbanger mate of Trent Miles. So, there were three of them. Chances are Brady drove them both here and was also the one who picked them up outside.”
Mark slammed his fist on the desk. “At last. Now let’s make damn sure we get them.”
The team scrambled and headed out, and Katie threw Josh her keys. “I’ll wait here,” she said. “Call as soon as you know anything.”
Mark laid a hand on Josh’s arm. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
Josh jerked away. “She’s my daughter, Mark.” He glared at the detective.
Mark dropped his hand. “I must have lost my fucking mind,” he grumbled and left.
Josh signalled Cameron. “Give them something of Michael’s, something the dogs can use.” Cameron nodded and disappeared.
ARRIVING AT Cornwall Park, Josh saw the police still working on getting it cordoned off. Good luck with that. If Denton Cruz was still in the area, he’d be hard pressed to miss what was going on. Josh had to hope Michael hadn’t gotten to the swap yet, as that would be the only reason for Cruz not to have hightailed it out of there already.
On the back seat, Paris whined, picking up on the tension and the police action around him. He leaped from one side of the car to the other, head butting the windows, excited as all hell.
Colin Hardy and Rage were all over a blue Toyota parked at the far end of the car park, clearly getting a scent range before heading out. He caught Josh’s eye and gave him a thumbs-up and a sympathetic nod. Paris howled, keen to join his mate. The two dogs always worked well together. Not today, boy.
Next to him on the passenger seat, Paris’s harness burned a hole in Josh’s concentration. Sasha’s pyjamas sat in a plastic bag underneath, and Josh blessed his sister’s presence of mind in remembering the extra clothing. His mind drifted to Michael. The idiot was gambling with his life to save Sasha, and if they both made it out, Josh didn’t know whether he wanted to punch him or kiss him. It was a debt he’d never be able to repay, regardless the outcome.
Mark jogged over, and Josh read the unspoken warning on his friend’s face. “Since it’s one of our own, the brass is here, just so you know.” He flicked his head to where John Stable stood in earnest conversation with someone from the Armed Offenders Squad. “So you damn well better behave, Josh. I’m trusting you here.”
“Guess I should feel grateful they’re pulling out all the stops,” Josh relented.
A constable ran across to Mark. “Ol
iver’s car’s been spotted on the southern side, close to a walking track entry. Engine’s still warm. A dog team is on its way.”
Mark squeezed Josh’s arm. “We’ll get them,” he promised. “Both of them.” Then he headed off at a run.
Josh let him go. He wanted to trust Mark and the others, he really did. He didn’t want to cause trouble or make things difficult, but he knew in his heart of hearts there was no one out there, dog or man, who was more likely to find Sasha than Paris. As far as the shepherd was concerned, Sasha was his kennel mate, and he knew her scent like no other. But Josh also knew there was no way he was getting official permission to be involved, so that left only one option. He’d wait for an opportunity, then slip away on his own.
It didn’t take long. In half a minute, the car park had emptied of most of the police teams, allowing Josh to quietly harness Paris in the car and give him a long sniff of Sasha’s pyjamas. He then slipped the shepherd out and disappeared over the brim of the hill in the opposite direction to the other teams. He’d circle back once he was clear.
“Find Sasha,” he urged Paris in a low voice, and the shepherd took off. As a new team, Josh and Paris had trained like this for hours at home and in local parks, using his daughter as the lure. The dog knew exactly what he had to do. Josh kept him on a shortish lead until he was sure they were clear of the others, then gave the shepherd his head and kept pace. Paris tracked off in the general direction of the other teams and travelled that way for a few minutes before giving a sudden bark and swerving sharply to the right. Josh frowned. He could hear the other teams still hard to his left.
He pulled Paris up short. “What’s up, boy?” He scuffed the shepherd’s neck. “You got something?”
