A picture follows. It doesn’t show her face, but I can tell those long legs from anywhere. She’s still in the same clothes she had on when we were home.
I slide my phone into my pocket, go to my desk, and retrieve the semi-automatic I keep there. I take the Glock, too.
“Wait. We need a plan,” Steel says.
“The plan is to get my daughter back,” Mom says. “But I want my son back in one piece.” Mom’s not a crier, but I can tell she’s on the verge. “Go get your wife, son. Handle this, but be careful. Be logical. Cori needs you.”
“He can’t just charge in there. Do you know where they are?”
“That’s Jack’s tacky house. I’ve been there many times.”
“Let’s go,” King says while he checks his gun’s chamber.
The Titans and Preacher follow us out. Mom gets in her car and drives off without a word. She’s scared, but she’s also angry, and Mom is not the type to let an incident like this go.
“They’re luring you there,” Stone warns. He’s right, but I don’t care. Cori didn’t ask to be in this life. She has nothing to do with this, and to use her to get to me is unforgivable.
“They want me, they got me.”
“I’ll drive.” King unlocks his car, and I get in. The Titans climb in the back seat, and Preacher follows us in his van. We make the forty-minute drive in under thirty.
The house is located at the end of a cul-de-sac. There are only three other houses on the street, which the Brennans own, but King doesn’t park there.
“Preacher says the cameras are down.” King waves his phone, and we all hop out of his car. He parked one street over, adjacent to a private park. We are silent while we walk through the woods.
“Gentleman.” Stone’s voice is a warning. “Gloves.” He pulls several out of his jacket pocket and hands them to us. “We go, we get your wife, and you get justice for her, inthat order. We must be quick and efficient. Five minutes maximum. Stick to the plan. I know it’s hard, Hunt, but leave your emotions out of it for now. Efficiency is the goal.”
He doesn’t say anything anymore, and I don’t acknowledge his words. I take the lead, and they follow me. As we get closer to the house, everyone disperses. I end up at the back door. It’s left slightly ajar, so I walk in.
The only light is what’s seeping in from outside. I slowly walk down the hall holding my Glock.
“Put the gun down,” Reed Brennan says. His brother Chandler points a small handgun at my face, but I don’t lower mine.
“Where’s my wife?”
Reed smiles, and I remain stoic.
“We locked that bitch up like you did to my brother. We’re going for King’s wife again. That bitch is lucky she survived the last time.”
A large shadow comes into view as King deftly walks in from a side door. Both of those idiots have their backs to him. Big mistake. King knocks the gun out of Chandler’s hand, and he kicks it on the opposite side of the room. Chandler tries to run away, but I trip him, and he falls on his knees. I kick him in the face, and he rolls onto his back.
I snatch Reed by his collar, but I don’t point the gun at him. I point it at his brother, who has passed out. “Tell me where my wife is, or I’m going to put a bullet in his head.”
“Fuck you,” he tosses out. “My life is over, and so is—”
I shoot, but I shoot Chandler in the leg. That wakes him up, and he screams.
“Where’s my fucking wife?” I yell.
“Dax!” I hear Cori’s voice. King kicks open a side door. I exhale in relief, but only for a moment. My wife is hunched over in a cage like an animal.
I hear footsteps above, followed by the opening of a door. I point my gun toward the steps, and King does the same, but we put them down when the Titans come into view.
Stone shoots the lock off the cage and pulls Cori out. I punch Reed so hard in the face that blood gushes out of his nose. He looks shocked by the action, and he starts to weep.
I leave him and pull Cori into my arms.
“Are you okay?” She nods, and I exhale in relief. “They didn’t hurt you?”
