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“What else have we got going for us?” Slash asked.
Ronan said, “Tessa called me. She can’t talk, but she’s left it connected. Rafe is trying to get her location.”
“Should we call the cops?” Tiny asked. “The clock is running here.”
“It never seems to work out well when we call the cops,” Slash said. “Besides, if we get them involved instead of getting in and rescuing the kids, they’ll have their hostage negotiators come in and make this some big deal, or have Homeland Security decide it’s domestic terrorism and jump in. It’ll play big on television, but I don’t see that as a good thing.”
Jett nodded as Tiny said, “We probably have a hell of a lot more experience in dealing with psychos than they do anyway. At least I know how to negotiate with this kind of creep effectively.” He smacked his fist into his palm and grinned wickedly.
Ronan put a hand on Tiny’s arm. “I’d actually prefer he get taken in. He’s psycho, but he’s the father of Kayla’s best friend.”
“Shit. That makes it harder. But as long as I can do it without risking the kids or your girlfriend, I won’t hurt him.”
Jett rubbed his face. “I think you guys are right about the cops, but I’m torn—they do have good resources and can put up roadblocks and things like that. But Slash’s right that we shouldn’t draw attention to ourselves.”
“Use an intermediary,” Rafe said.
Jett nodded. “I’ll call the principal and get her to do it. She should know what’s going on anyway. Let everyone know it will be complicated. If you see the bus and the cops are around, don’t be so close that they get it in their heads that this is something we cooked up.”
He turned back to the bar.
“Need a beer?” Tawnya asked him.
“Actually, I need to borrow a phone.”
She reached under the bar and took out a cell phone and slid it over to him. “No looking at my photos.”
“I just need to make a call.” He dialed the number Ronan told him and put it on speakerphone.
Naturally, Donna didn’t believe him at first, and he didn’t blame her. It wasn’t until Ronan lent his weight to the discussion that she seemed to start to budge.
“We wouldn’t try to scare you this way. We’re looking for them already, but I thought you should call the cops,” said Jett.
“We?”
“The Road Kings, our club.” Ronan sounded reassuring when he spoke.
“Oh,” she said, not sounding reassured. She did seem to understand the situation. “What do I tell them when they ask how I know they’re missing?”
“Call the plant they were going to on some excuse. Then you can tell them they haven’t arrived.”
“And I can call Tessa’s phone. If she is on another phone, then no one will answer, and I can call the bus driver,” she said.
“If you get no answer…” said Jett.
The woman began pulling herself together. “Then that would mean something is terribly wrong.”
“Yes, exactly.” Ronan had maintained a calm, soothing tone that Jett envied. His mind was whirling with all the possibilities, making it hard to be diplomatic and not just tell the woman to do what he said.
“If you hear anything at all, I expect a call from you immediately, young man.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
As Jett hung up, Tawnya grinned. “I think you need that phone more than I do, Romeo. Hang onto it until the shit is over. Just remember, no peeking at the pictures.”
“Thank you.” As uncomfortable as he was with how she handled her personal life, he appreciated the gesture. “I won’t look at your pictures. Those are for Reaver’s eyes only.”
Her lips tightened slightly, but she didn’t lose her smile. It just became less convincing.
