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“Your girlfriend?”
“Yep. Because if I see you, I’ll kill you, and I’m not letting my son out of my sight,” I said.
“No police?”
“We’re telling them to back down as we speak. I just want my daughter back.”
“We get our money and you will,” the voice said. “Tomorrow morning. Sunrise. On the beach where I was standing. Leave her there with the money. Any hint of police interference, she gets a bullet in her skull.”
Then the call went dead, leaving me with no other option.
CHAPTER 24
BROOKE
I tossed and turned all night, trying to ready myself for the morning. Things with Kevin had been tense since he placed that call and I did my best to avoid him. I knew I was doing what was right. This was going to help us find Sydney. But I was scared. I sipped on a mug of coffee as a knock came at the door. Kevin let the police in and they found me in the kitchen. The entire island was still asleep as the waves crashed along the shoreline. The blackness of night mirrored the mood I felt brewing in my soul. Today, I would figure out whether Sydney was still alive. I had no idea what I was going to do if they’d hurt her, but I knew I’d do everything in my power to make them pay.
Even if it meant going to jail myself.
A sack of money was dropped at my side and I turned my head. I was met with Kevin’s bold stare, his eyes darting up and down my body. I set my mug of coffee down and stood so the tech officer could wire me. They were weaving beads that contained a small tracking device into a lock of my hair. It would look like I’d simply gotten my hair beaded like a lot of tourists did on the island, and wouldn’t cause any unwanted suspicion.
“You can still back out of this, you know,” he said. “You don’t have to do it.”
“They won’t take you if you go,” I said. “You know that. Plus, you’ve already told them I’m coming. If you take my place, there’s no telling what they’ll do.”
“Okay, the device is planted,” the officer said.
“I put the money in two separate bags,” Kevin said. “One for each hand. See if you can carry them.”
“It doesn’t matter. I’ll make it work. If I struggle with them, it will look more real,” I said.
I looked up into his eyes one last time before the sun slowly began to rise. It was time, and I was late. I picked up the bags and the police hunkered down in the house with their gear ready to track me. Their cars were out of sight and the shades in the house were pulled. Thankfully Daniel was still asleep.
He didn’t need to witness what was about to happen.
I reached down for the bags and heaved them up, one on each side. Holy hell. One hundred million dollars was heavy. I took one last look at Kevin and I could see the battle raging behind his eyes. He was torn between letting me go get his daughter and demanding I not leave. But I knew I had to do this. I knew this was our only chance. We had to find a way to track Sydney, and fast.
Which meant that bait was our only option.
I started out the front door and closed it behind me. The bags were heavy and sweat was already dripping down my back. I walked out toward the edge of the beach where I’d seen the man before. My eyes scanned the horizon one last time, taking in the beauty and the relaxation before darkness settled over me again.
Suddenly, tires squealed on the pavement to my left and a car door was thrown open.
I saw a familiar face coming at me with something I couldn’t make out in his hand. I tried to dodge him, telling him I had the money and that I wanted Sydney back. I was screaming. My heart was slamming against my chest and I was clawing at the man’s face. I felt someone rip the bags from my arms as something heavy came down on my back, taking me to my knees.
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't see through my tears.
And then, my world was black.
The smell of dampness was the first thing to hit my nose when I came to. I was scared to death, but the plan had worked. They had taken me somewhere, which meant the police knew where I was.
I was shivering, cold, and wet. And my head was throbbing.
I sat back on my ass and leaned against a wall. My vision was still focusing, but I could feel someone looming over me. Goosebumps were percolating over my body and dust was flying around my head.
I coughed to try and right myself as I felt a small hand slip into mine.
“Miss Brooke?”
