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I clipped my head in a nod, not needing to say anything as Ky led us down another hallway and to an office with several screens attached to the wall.
“Hi, I’m the manager of the—”
“Show me this morning. East side of the lot.” I didn’t have time for unnecessary words, not when I didn’t have a clue where Belle was.
“Right. I…” He cleared his throat and pulled against his too-tight collar. “I’ve started it from seven this morning.” He pressed play on the remote, but my patience was wearing thin, so I took it from his hand and stepped closer. I clicked fast-forward and watched for my car to enter the lot.
“There she is.” I clicked play and stared at the screen as Belle got out, then got Leo out and walked around to the passenger side. I took note of the time stamp 10:17. “She’s feeding Leo.” I clicked fast-forward again and pressed play as she got back out at 10:34. I watched as she walked across the lot, then forwarded it again until I saw her walking back into the frame, only this time, she had a cart. The numbers at the bottom of the screen read 12:10.
“That was an hour ago,” I murmured, not able to look away as Belle put all the groceries into the trunk and then walked away with the cart. She came back into the frame a couple of seconds later, cradling Leo, but then her head spun to the right, and she sped up. “Something came into the lot.” I pointed at the screen, and I felt Brody move closer too.
Belle opened up the door, put Leo inside, and it all seemed to happen so fast. The lights on my car flashed to indicate it was locked, and then she turned just as two men grabbed ahold of her. She fought for mere seconds, and then her body went limp, and she was dragged into a van which was on the edge of the frame.
“Get that exact time up on the footage from the camera that covers the entire lot,” I demanded. “Twelve fourteen.” The manager darted across to the computer, and then another screen came to life, a still of the same scene only from a different angle. I pulled my cell out and took a picture of it. “We need copies of these.”
“Of course,” he stammered out.
I turned to face Brody, my entire body strung so tight I was afraid I’d snap. Someone had taken Belle, and we had no idea who or why. Deep down, I had an inkling.
I just wasn’t sure it was plausible.
Chapter Seventeen
BELLE
My head was fuzzy, my mouth dry, and my entire body ached. They said it took a few seconds to come around and realize where you were, but I knew immediately what had just happened. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but I could tell we were in the back of a van and driving along a bumpy road.
My hands were tied behind my back, and I pulled on them, trying to get some traction, but they must have used cable ties because there was no give.
“No use, puta,” a gruff voice said from beside me. “You ain’t getting out of them.”
I turned my head, trying to see in the darkened space, but could only make out the shape of a body. My gut told me to get him talking—to find out what was happening—but my brain told me to stay quiet. I’d listened to my gut earlier when I’d heard and seen the van, and it hadn’t been wrong, so I decided to do the same again.
“Where are we going?” I asked, my tongue feeling twice its usual size. The man ignored me, but I wasn’t going to stop. “Who sent you?” Silence. “Where are you taking me?” The van swerved to the right, and without my hands to help me from toppling over, I went headfirst into the side of the van.
The man laughed, the sound closer to a cackle, and spat on the floor of the van. “Stop asking questions.”
“Why?” I righted myself and used the side of the van to lean against. I narrowed my eyes, which were now adjusting to the darkness. I could make out his hair tied at the nape of his neck, and the sneer on his shadowed face. “Are you not allowed to talk to me?” I was trying to provoke him, and his growl told me I was hitting the right place. “So, you’re not the boss, then?” I nodded to myself. “Noted.”
I felt rather than saw him move, and then a palm connected with my face, but it was nothing compared to what I’d had before. Blood trickled from my lip, and I swiped my tongue over it. I was pissing him off, and although it may not have been the best idea, it was the only one I had right then. I laughed, similar to the way he had. “That all you got? I’ve had better hits from my cat.” I didn’t have a cat, but he didn’t know that.
“Shut the fuck up,” he ground out, but I had no intention of doing that. As long as I kept him talking, I had a way to find out what was going on and where we were going.
“Had you followed me for long?” I raised a brow even though he couldn’t see me. “Nah, you couldn’t have. Otherwise, you would have gotten me earlier when I was alone in an unlocked car.” I tapped my foot against the floor. “You did seem in a rush, though…”
“I won’t tell you again, puta.”
“Tell me what?” I asked, putting on the same innocent voice I did when Asher had tattled on me.
“To shut the fuck up.”
The tires squealed to a stop, and he got his wish because I was too busy listening to what was happening. Two bangs, like doors being closed, rang out, followed by footsteps. They were getting closer, and my stomach rolled. I backed right up as far as I could, afraid of what was about to happen. I was fine with it just being the one guy in the back, but now the doors were opening up, and the sunlight was blinding me, and there was no way for me to escape.
One of them grabbed ahold of my ankles and yanked me down, not caring that the back of my head bounced off the floor. I winced, cursing under my breath. They hadn’t tried to conceal where we were, and I feared it was because they didn’t think I’d be coming back out of here.
“Let go of me!” I screamed, kicking my legs out, but it was no use because another one of the men grabbed me, and together they hoisted me out of the van and into the air. “Get off!” I wiggled and squirmed frantically, fighting with all the strength I had, but a punch to my side had my body bowing forward. I slowly lifted my head, trying to take in everything around me. A large building stood in front of me with two large barn doors, which were open halfway. They headed toward it, dragging me with them. My brain knew I couldn’t win against these three men, so I took the opportunity to look around. All I could see were overgrown fields and a few patches of concrete, and then an abandoned tractor. Were we on a farm?
The scent of hay hit me as soon as we entered the barn, and I bucked, causing them to drop me on the ground. I rolled in on myself, moving to the side so that it took the brunt of the fall, but it still knocked the air out of my lungs.
