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As the truck rounded the exercise area, fear gripped my stomach as I saw Ethan staggering up the driveway covered in blood. Abandoning the truck, I jumped out and raced over to him.
“Ethan! What’s happened? Where’s Quinn?” I shouted as I reached him. There was a large gash across his forehead, blood oozing from the wound. His shirt was torn and he was limping.
“Call 911,” he croaked, his hand coming over the wound on his head.
“Where’s Quinn?” I repeated, frustrated he wasn’t answering me. “Ethan, what’s happened?”
“We were on our way to the station when someone started shooting at the car. We lost control and flipped over.” He paused and looked at me. “He took her, Brody.”
“Fuck! No!” My gut was telling me Evan had found her. I felt physically sick thinking the bastard had her. She would be terrified. “Did you see who it was?” I asked in desperation.
He shook his head. “I must have been knocked out when I hit my head. I remember yelling for her to get down, the next thing I know I’m waking up on the grass by the car. My partner's been shot and the radio’s got two bullets in it. I haven’t been able to call for help.”
Tossing him my phone, I turned and ran toward the old barn where I knew Mason was working. Pushing the doors open, they hit the back wall as I flew inside. Mason, who was working with a horse at the other end of the building, turned to look at me.
“Mase, I need your help. Quinn’s in trouble.” Hearing the desperation in my voice, he dropped the brush that was in his hand, before closing the stall door behind him. Jogging over, he stopped in front of me.
“Whatever you need, Brody. What’s happened?” After quickly filling him in, he held his hand up to me, before turning and disappearing into a room at the back of the stables. Coming out a few minutes later, he held a shotgun in his hand. “Just in case. Come on, let’s go find her.”
Running back to where Ethan was now slumped on the ground, I pulled him up to standing. “Come on, let’s go.” Helping Ethan over to the truck the three of us jumped in. Starting the truck, I floored it down the driveway, dust from the gravel drive kicking up behind us. My heart was pounding on the short drive and my hands were gripping the steering wheel so tight my knuckles were turning white. I swear if he’d laid even a finger on her, I’d kill him.
Within minutes we were pulling up next to the wrecked police car. An officer lay on the ground next to the driver's door. There was blood soaking his shirt from a wound on his shoulder, and he wasn’t moving. Parking, I ran over to the officer, checking for a pulse.
“He’s alive, pulse is weak though,” I shouted over to Mason who was helping Ethan from the truck. “Where’s the goddamn ambulance?” Walking in front of the car, my stomach rolled as I saw the bullet holes in the fractured windshield. Quinn must have been terrified when Evan started shooting. I felt frantic but didn’t have a clue where to start when it came to searching for her.
Looking into the back seat, I found her purse in the footwell, the contents spilled out. Scooping everything up I noticed her phone was missing. She must have it on her unless
Evan had found it. Pulling my head out of the car I shouted across to Ethan.
“Did he have a car?” I was hoping Ethan would say no, and that he had been walking. If that was the case, they wouldn’t have been able to get too far.
“He was on a motorcycle. It’s gone, so I’m guessing he took Quinn on it.”
“Fuck!” I punched the car in frustration. If they were on a motorcycle, they could be miles away by now. “Do you have my phone?” I asked Ethan, holding my hand out for it. He nodded and reached into the pocket of his pants.
“What are you going to do?” he asked as I scrolled through my contacts, searching for her number.
“Her purse is in the back of the car, but her phone isn’t. She must have it in her pocket. I was going to send her a message, maybe she’ll be able to text me back.”
“Wait!” Mason shouted. “If she’s got her phone, can’t we just track it?” Feeling hopeful for the first time since I’d found out she was in danger, I slapped Mason on the back.
“Yes! I can track her phone. Why didn’t I think of that!” I’d done it a couple of times when I’d wanted to meet her after work and needed to know where on the ranch she was. I just hoped to God wherever she was, she had a signal. After a few minutes of looking I punched the air.
“She’s on the old Johnson land. Well, her phone is at least. Come on, let’s go.” Rushing over to the truck, Mason followed me.
“Wait for some backup,” Ethan called out. “They’ll be here soon.” I shook my head.
“No, I’m going now. I can’t wait. It’s Evan who’s got her and I promised I’d keep her safe. I intend to keep that promise.”
“Brody, he’s dangerous,” Ethan warned. “Just wait.”
“Would you wait if some crazy asshole murderer had the woman you loved?” I raised my eyebrows at him and he sighed. “Yeah. Didn’t think so.” I turned to Mason. “Ready?” He nodded and climbed into the truck, the shotgun still in his hands.
I hoped to God we wouldn’t need to use it, but I knew I would in a heartbeat if it came to it.
Brody
After the longest ten minutes of my life, I pulled off the main highway onto the dirt track road that led to the vacant ranch. Mason had been checking the location of Quinn’s phone, and we were following the map that showed her location. I stopped the truck when a run-down house came into view. Parking the truck a safe distance away, we climbed out, slowly making our way toward the house. I wanted to break the door down and knock Evan out, but I knew to get Quinn out safely we needed a plan.
