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“Thanks, man. I appreciate the help,” I tell him, clapping him on the shoulder before he disappears into the other room.
I start to pace again, everyone giving me a wide berth. A couple members went to check out the places where Tracey had been spotted, but so far there’s been nothing. Snoop’s going to search for any properties tied to Austin and send a group to scope them out.
It’s a few hours later, and we’ve hit dead end after dead end. I keep staring at my phone, willing it to ring, but I get nothing. I sent Dad home to be with Mom an hour ago, I didn’t want them here if shit goes bad. He didn’t want to, but Mom was freaking out and needed him.
My phone finally rings, but startles me and flies out of my hand. I dive for it, handing it to Snoop and he plugs a cord into it.
“This will get a lock on their location,” he tells me. “Even if they use a burner phone, we’ll get them.”
I take a deep breath and answer. “Hello?”
“All I want is money.” It’s Tracey, and of course, she does. “You give me what I want, and you get your son back. God, how did a man like you make a little crybaby like that?”
“I’ll give you whatever you want. Just bring me back my boy and Brooke.”
Her laugh makes my blood boil. “Who said anything about Brooke? She’s not part of the deal. It appears that Austin isn’t too keen on giving her up.”
Snoop signals that he’s almost locked onto their location. He motions to keep her on the phone.
“If I don’t get Brooke back too, you get nothing.”
Tracey sighs into the phone. “I’ll see what Austin says, but know this—if you try anything, there is no telling what he’ll do to her.”
“Fuck, Tracey. Just give them back to me.” I don’t care that I’m begging. “She’s pregnant, and he is four years old. If you care for him at all, you’ll let them go.”
Her laugh sounds like nails on a chalkboard. “I could give a shit about that kid, but I don’t. I’ll call back with the cash amount I want.”
“Trac—wait,” I call out, but she hangs up. “Snoop, do we have them?”
The other man shakes his head. “No, but I have it narrowed down to a five-mile radius. I’m still running it and I’ll see if I can get a closer hit.”
***
I hop out of my SUV in the parking lot of the clubhouse. We’re all meeting here after we grab our hardware. An hour ago, Tracey called with the amount she wanted from me, and Snoop was finally able to get a lock on their location. We haggled over my son until I got her to agree to twenty grand, and thanks to her greediness, we were on the phone long enough to find them.
It made my stomach sick to think that that’s all my son was worth to her, but I’d pay a hell of a lot more for him. I told her that I wasn’t going to pay shit until she guaranteed that I was getting Brooke too. That bitch said she’d work on it, but that answer was not good enough.
Dad gave me access to the cash so I have it, but damn, she’s not getting a dime until I know they’re both safe. I’m throwing my black hoodie on when Derrick comes out from the hallway. He’s dressed similarly to me. I check the magazine of my .45 before tucking it into the back of my jeans.
“Are we ready to do this?” he asks while checking his own guns. I watch as he sticks a pistol in an ankle holster and one in the back of his black cargo pants.
“Fuck yes, I want my family back.”
Everyone else shows up, and in no time, we’re ready to roll out. We take two vehicles—Derrick, Josh, Chris, and I are going to get them out, while the other group is going to watch the perimeter and to be ready for backup if needed.
Once we reach the location, it’s a rundown ranch-style home that sits back from the road and is shielded by trees. The perfect spot to take someone if you don’t want to be seen. Derrick pulls down the road, parking off to the side.
“We make no sudden moves. Austin has hurt Brooke before and won’t hesitate to do it again. No one goes in without my signal,” I tell them. The last thing I want to do is spook either one of them to where they do something without thinking, causing harm to my family.
Josh and Chris take the right and Derrick and I take the left. There are no lights on that I can see, but that doesn’t mean anything. I squat down and feel around for the basement windows. I can guarantee that’s where they are.
I feel around to see if there is a lip to grab. Derrick turns on a penlight, shining it on the window. Using my knife, I pop the window open. I look around and spot a mattress in the corner. On the floor next to it I see vomit and see blood smears on the mattress.
“Where are they?” I whisper to Derrick.
“Move for a second,” he says before he shimmies himself through the window and I hear him drop to the ground. “Stay there. If one of us is getting caught, let it be me.”
I’ll never be able to repay him for his help, foralltheir help.
