“JJ!” She’d yell his name and wait for a response. Nothing. Her arms were growing weaker, her armpits hurt from the crutches’ rubber cushions, and her thigh screamed in pain.
A muffled noise came from somewhere. She stopped and listened. It was her ringtone. Her phone was close by. JJ must be, too.
She followed the song as fast as she could, but it stopped before she found it. “No. No. No.” Pressure built in her chest. She took a deep breath and then another. Focus. She kept going the direction she’d been heading. There it was again. Louder this time. It was coming from behind some trash cans. “JJ?” Her stomach dropped when she found only her cell phone.
She tried to maneuver the crutches so she could bend over and pick up the phone, but she lost her balance, fell, and landed on her right knee. Pain shot up her wounded leg, and her vision blurred. She fell forward and caught herself before face-planting on the concrete. She scrambled to right herself, and the music ended. She picked up the phone and fumbled it. Her hand shook. The ringing started again. Reid’s name flashed as the screen illuminated.
“Reid.” Her voice quaked.
“Quinn, where are you?”
“JJ’s gone. I can’t find him.” The tears she’d been holding at bay released, and she sobbed into the phone.
“Quinn, calm down. We’re looking for him. Are you okay? Did Andrew hurt you?”
“No.”
“Where is he?’
“I don’t know. I told him to go back to the police station.” She took deep breaths, calming herself. She was no good to anyone hysterical.
“Why would you send Andrew to the police station?”
“Because—”
“I found JJ,” Reid said. “There he is.”
Tears welled in her eyes again, and she pressed a hand to her chest as a weight lifted.
“There he is. Victoria, pull over.”
“No! Get JJ away from her.” She shook her head as lead filled her stomach, and she couldn’t breathe.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Reid opened his window. “JJ!” Theboy stopped and turned toward him. “Why?” he asked Quinn. Victoria stopped the car, and Reid jumped out.
JJ’s face contorted, and tears started rolling down his face as he ran to him.
Reid’s chest tightened as he held out his arm and caught JJ. “You’re okay, buddy.”
“Reid, get him away from Victoria. It’s dangerous.” Panic filled Quinn’s voice.
“I don’t understand.” Andrew had been the one to kidnap them.
“It’s Victoria. She’s responsible.”
“How?” He turned back toward the car. His heart clenched, and he squeezed JJ tighter. Victoria stood five feet away, aiming a gun at them. Reid’s throat went dry.
“Reid, did you hear me?” Quinn asked.
“You should have listened to her. Now, drop the phone.” Victoria gestured to the phone with the gun.
Reid let it slide from his hand. It fell to the ground with a thud. “Why?”
“Shut up, and get in the car.” She was eerily calm.
He didn’t budge.
