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“MJ,” I called out softly, my voice scratchy as if I hadn’t used the thing in decades. “Work your magic here. Watch out for Phoebe. You told me to let go and open up. Well, I have, sweetheart. This can’t end this way. Watch over her. Watch over my guys. Let me find her and get her home safely.”
I closed my eyes and continued to pray softly until I heard someone clear their throats behind me. It was Ivey.
“Please tell me you have something.”
He cleared his throat again and knowing what clearing his throat a second time meant, I knew whatever he was going to say I wouldn’t like.
“I just got off the phone with the fire chief. The fire is out, but they’re staying on the scene to take care of any hotspots. Someone used an accelerant; the fire was extensive. Danny checked the cams of the neighbors around you and they saw two cars pull up and four assailants got out in front of your house. They lit what looked like cocktails and threw them through your window. They saw the Maxima burst out of the garage. It crashed into a car before hightailing it out of the neighborhood. Danny is going through traffic cams in and around the neighborhood looking for the Maxima. He’ll let us know what he finds.”
I nodded, took a deep breath and noticed Ivey was still standing behind me. I glanced over my shoulder when he said, “There’s more.”
I finally gave him my undivided attention, but as soon as I met his somber eyes, I knew this shit was bad.
“What?”
He cleared his throat again and I could see his emotions beginning to get the best of him.
All he said was, “Homer.”
At first, I didn’t understand what he was trying to say, but from the look of heartbreak I knew. We had been calling Homer for a long time, trying to get him. Danny pinged his phone and it showed he was still at my house. We had been optimistic when we heard that the Maxima was seen screaming from my house. We had hoped it would have been Homer driving Phoebe to safety and he just left his phone. But we all knew better.
“Fuck…” I seethed closed my eyes and resisted punching the window in front of me. The sadness from losing a friend, someone that had had my back for years was heartbreaking. Homer wasn’t married, no kids, but his parents and sister would be devastated.
I inhaled and brought angry, sad eyes to my second. “Do we have anything else to go on, where the Maxima had gone. Anything?”
“We think she’s heading for Watson and Tyler but like I said Danny is still searching. If it was Phoebe driving, which I am ninety-nine percent certain that it was, we will find her.”
“And I’m assuming you’ve called them?”
Ivey nodded. “Yes, Danny is trying to reach them. He hasn’t been very successful but he’s trying. He’s also going to send a patrol car out to the warehouse to check things out.”
“Good. What about Ayana and Noelle? Have they spoken to Phoebe?”
“They haven’t said much. Just that Phoebe sounded distraught. She said something about you being shot and killed.”
That surprised me. I raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? How did she know that?”
“No clue, but it makes sense why she’s heading to Watson and Reed. Maybe it’s for protection.”
I grunted. I didn’t believe that for a second. If anything, she would have called Ivey and told him she was in trouble and she hadn’t called him or any other of my guys.
“Shit doesn’t feel right. First, we get that weird call from Schindler. He threatens me then someone takes a shot at me outside Santos’ place.”
“Do you think Santos had something to do with this?” Ivey asked.
I shook my head. “No, I don’t.” I answered, leaning my back against the window staring out into the packed waiting room filled with cops from Major Crimes and a few patrol officers who knew Brady and the patrol officer that was shot. We had good news on the patrol officer. He would be fine, out on leave for a few weeks but otherwise he’d make it. His partner wasn’t so lucky. They had gotten into a firefight with men outside my house who we assumed were responsible for burning my house and possibly killing Homer.
My eyes gravitated to Brady’s parents who were sitting to the side, huddled together, worry etched on their tired faces. I told myself I needed to make it over to their side to be a comfort to them just in case shit didn’t end well for Brady.
“I think Schindler somehow had someone waiting for us when we exited the house,” I said to Ivey, turning from the Nelsons. “He knew we would be there. I think he planned this whole thing. From sending guys to my house, to jumping Homer a few days ago. It was sloppy work. It was three against one. Homer is a brawler, but it was still three against one. They could have overpowered him and killed him. Then they could have entered the house and killed Phoebe. Easy. But that didn’t happen. I think this bullshit is a sick twisted game of his. I think he believes he’s bested me, put me in the ground and now he’s going after Phoebe. Scott,” I placed a hand on Ivey’s shoulder and squeezed. Ivey, not used to me saying his first name perked up, straightened his back and waited for my orders. “We need to find her. That’s it. That’s all I have. All I’m capable of doing right now. Find my woman. Got me?”
Ivey placed an assured hand on my shoulder and repeated the gesture.
“I got you, boss. I will find her.”
He gave me a nod before leaving my side, determined steps, as he disappeared down a hallway. I took a few deep breaths, pulled out my phone and dialed Phoebe’s number again. And again it went straight to voicemail.
Lester came up to me and handed me a cup of coffee. I sent a nod his way before accepting the cup and taking a tentative sip. A tired doctor in scrubs came over to the Nelsons and spoke in hush tones. I quickly moved closer so I could hear the doctor, and relief flooded me when I saw Mrs. Nelson smile.
