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Julia’s hands shook, but she shoved her earbuds in tighter and forced herself to press play a second time. The message started again.
“I want my damn kids back,” Wilson growled. “Now. You bring them to me or I swear I’ll—”
She hit the pause button and glanced over her shoulder at her niece and nephew who were playing on the floor of the tiny cabin she’d rented. They couldn’t hear their father’s message. They could never hear it. Never would hear it. She’d make sure of that. Julia had been protecting the kids for the past six weeks as they’d moved around, staying in cabins and crappy motel rooms. Anywhere away from their father’s grasp.
Lucy’s eyes met hers and the child raised her stuffed horse’s front paw in a wave. Julia found a smile for the five-year-old that she hoped was reassuring. Her primary concern, what mattered most to her, was conveying to the kids that they were safe and loved. That had been hard when they’d asked about their father and sometimes asked when they were going home.
Julia unpaused the message. Her brother-in-law’s voice continued at a low snarl, but his meaning was crystal clear. He was desperate to find her. All of his attention suddenly seemed to focus on her and the kids.
“You can hide and run, but I’ve got people who will find you for me. And when they do—”
She didn’t need to hear that part again where he threatened to kill her in front of his own kids. Fighting the instinct to delete the message, she considered everything Wilson had said and the way he said it. He was usually cool and detached, but his tone and words were almost unhinged and definitely threatening.
She shouldn’t be surprised since the noose was tightening around him and his drug smuggling operation. An investigative reporter and one of Julia’s closest friends had recently published an article about how Wilson used his position as the director of a museum to smuggle drugs into the country. Sophie’s writing revealed Wilson’s crimes and his violent tactics to all. The article had gone viral taking on a life of its own and forcing an investigation into his actions. Wilson was cornered, and like the rabid animal he was, his instinct was to lash out. Julia was now the target of his rage since she’d taken his children and run six weeks ago.
She’d done it to protect the kids from their father, who was a monster in her eyes, because she feared what he’d do to them. Her actions were justified. She was sure of that, but that didn’t mean she was any less terrified. The truth was she’d been living in fear all these weeks and battling against it. Her only lifeline were her daily check-ins with Sophie and Helen, who’d both had their lives disrupted by Wilson’s treachery, too.
The target was off their backs now and squarely on hers. She squeezed her eyes shut and admitted to herself that she needed help. Sean Miller’s phone number was programmed in the burner she used. She’d been stalling about calling him, waiting until she could no longer go on alone. He was a former SEAL and a friend of Owen and Ethan, the men who loved and supported her friends. Men, she could trust.
She removed her earbuds and snatched her phone up, her fingers hovering over Sean’s contact. Before she could tap the screen, the phone rang and she answered.
“Hi,” Helen’s voice came through. “Just calling to see how you’re doing.”
“Oh, Helen,” Julia said, keeping her voice low. “I’m…scared.” It was tough for her to own up to that. She’d been putting on a brave front for so long.
“What’s happened? Are you okay?” Helen was instantly concerned sounding.
“For now,” she said. “Wilson left me a message.”
“How’d he get your number?” Her voice hitched up.
“It wasn’t on my burner,” Julia assured her and explained about checking her messages that came through her professional website.
“I’m glad for that, but he must have said something truly awful.”
Julia didn’t want to frighten her pregnant friend by going into the details. “Yes. I’m…I’m thinking of calling Sean.”
“You should. You absolutely should,” Helen said. “The feds are pushing hard in their investigation of Wilson thanks to Sophie’s article and what Quinn revealed about her former boss. Mason is singing like a canary and the evidence is mounting against Wilson. He’s going down sooner rather than later.”
“Why doesn’t he just run for it?” she asked. Wilson’s demand for the kids didn’t make any sense to her. He’d never shown much interest in them, and he could flee the country more easily without them.
“I don’t know, but you can’t wait any longer to get some help. Call Sean. Do it as soon as you hang up with me. Promise me that.”
“I will.” Julia just couldn’t hold off any longer.
“I’ll let everyone know what’s happening,” Helen said, meaning her husband and Sophie and Owen. Her friends and the men in their lives had been Julia’s support system, but they were all miles away. She needed someone next to her.
“Thanks. I’m going to call.” She had no choice. Before then, she’d been worried, even paranoid at times, which was why she’d moved with the kids every few days. Now, she was bordering on petrified. It was time to accept help.
“Take care, and we’ll talk soon.” Helen hung up.
Julia took a minute to check on the kids and get them a morning snack, a crunchy one, so they couldn’t hear her next call. After taking a big breath, she brought up Sean’s contact again and pressed send.
“Miller,” a deep voice answered.
He sounded so abrupt that she had to fight the urge to hang up. “Hello. This is Julia Hart. Ethan Lee gave me your number, and I think he talked to you about possibly helping me out.”
“He did.”
