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Sterling makes a call to his boss, Chief Grayson Trudeau, to let him know what he knows so far. He tells him Briella and I are with him. “This night couldn’t get worse,” he murmurs when he hangs up.
“What happened, Sterling?” Briella asks. She’s chewing her bottom lip like she does when she’s nervous.
“Rhett Davis is now MIA too,” he tells us as we pull up to the playground. We see Ivie’s vehicle. Sterling throws his car in park and runs to the Jeep with his service weapon drawn.
Briella raises her dress and pulls out the .380 she had strapped to her thigh beside her GVPD badge and has it in hand as well, trained on the vehicle. I hang back but I search the area.
“Ivie?” he calls out. He searches with his flashlight. “Shit, there’s her cell phone. Where the hell is she?”
Briella’s face is full of worry. I’m worried too, so I say the first thing to pop in my head. “Think, Sterling. Where else could she go on foot? We need to assume she did this on purpose to throw you off. Or… Hey, is her Jeep locked? Maybe you can check her messages.”
He checks the doors and they’re unlocked. He reaches in for the phone and punches in the code for it before reading the contents. “Shit.” He says and runs his hand down his face.
“What is it, Sterling?” Briella asks immediately.
“She absolutely did this on purpose. The psycho has Lucy at the old Rich family hospital up the road. They threatened me too,” he says as he continues searching the thread.
I clench my teeth so hard they hurt. “Let’s go get them then,” I say bluntly.
“Tate, do you have a weapon on you?” Sterling asks. I reach under my arm in my tuxedo jacket and pull out my 9mm from a shoulder holster. I have my concealed carry permit and more times than not, it’s on me somewhere. Tonight, I chose the shoulder holster with my tux instead of keeping it on my hip like I normally do. He smirks at me. “Okay, I’m going in first when we get there. Both of you hang back and cover me.”
Briella and I both nod silently and then we start on foot to the old hospital. Anger and worry settle in my chest. I’m worried for Ivie obviously, but hearing Lucy is caught up in this mess too, does something to me. Pushes a button I didn’t know I had. All I know is we’ve got to get them out of this. The feeling of dread Sterling and I both had earlier today just became ten times worse.
We reach the old hospital and see Rhett’s truck. Sterling stops and radios to Chief Trudeau we found it. He’s already told his chief that Briella and I are with him. Chief has known us for years and knows we won’t act irrationally. Our presence is just to back Sterling until more police back up arrives, although Briella is GVPD’s newest hire.
Chief Trudeau hired Briella a few weeks ago so she is technically an officer with GVPD, but she hasn’t been to the academy yet, although she’s ridden with FTO (field training officers) and been on shift with them to begin training. Still, she’s moreofficialthan I am. I’m here simply to make sure everyone is okay. I won’t do anything I shouldn’t unless it’s life or death. My job is to be an extra pair of eyes and ears to find Lucy and Ivie, while having Sterling’s back until other officers arrive. Nothing more. My plan is to hang back and be silent.
“Okay, guys, they have to be in there. Remember, stay quiet and stay behind me. Be vigilant,” Sterling tells us as we get ready to enter the hospital.
When we walk in, it’s completely dark, but we keep our flashlights off.
Sterling signals for us to follow him after we hear voices. We silently check rooms as we walk the long hallway and finally see a light at the end of it as the voices get louder.
Sterling walks ahead of us where he can see and then holds up his hand again to let us know to be silent. We finally all hear the voice of their kidnapper; it’s Jade Lancaster.
“Where was I?” Jade taps her chin. “Oh right. So, I almost killed Dean, then what did you do, Ivie? You went and fell into Sterling’s arms.” She laughs so hard she swipes a tear from the corner of her eye.
She turns on Rhett. “Sorry, Rhett, but Sterling knocked your princess up.” The blood drains from his face as he glances at Ivie, his jaw working. “Which brings me to Lynn. When you moved in on Sterling, she became my little helper. She never really got her hands dirty, but she spied for me. Between the two of us, we’ve always been able to keep tabs on you.”
She continues spilling her secrets about all she’s done to mess with Ivie and Sterling and Dean. Ivie and Rhett are both pale. She claps her hands together, avoiding the gun she’s still holding. The noise snaps me back to the here and now.
“So, let’s get to the really big surprise. This has to do with all of you here in this room, except me. See, when you stalk and spy on people, you find out all kinds of truths you weren’t even looking for. One day back in high school, when Lucy’sdaddyleft them, I overheard the reason why, but then I dug some more to find confirmation. Later I told Lucy I knew, and she made me swear to never to tell anyone. It’s hilarious she thought I was a good person and that I cared.”
She walks back over to me and twirls a strand of my hair in her fingers. Ivie glances at me, then Jade, and finally at Rhett. His eyes glisten with unshed tears.
“Two people you love more than anything have deceived you, sweetie,” she says with pleasure. Ivie suddenly throws up at Jade’s feet.
“That’s right, get sick, little tramp. Your daddy never told you, but you have a sister. Your daddy never told your mom, either. Your own sister has known for years but didn’t tell you. Maybe that does mean I’m better than you. I knew before you, and no one tried to lie to me. Why would they keep that from you? Hmm.”
She ponders for a moment, tapping her pointer finger to her chin. “Are you finished putting the pieces together yet? Lucy is your sister, sweetheart. It makes sense now, doesn’t it? You both have always looked alike and acted alike. But of course, once again, Ivie, you’re the chosen one,the perfect one. Dear Daddy didn’t claim her. He knocked up Lucy’s mom after he knocked up your mom and didn’t look back. He couldn’t settle for one woman.”
Ivie looks at Rhett and throws up more. I start crying wondering if I’m about to lose my sister, my best friend.
Jade suddenly yells. “You dumb bitch! You’re pregnant again with Sterling’s baby, aren’t you? Again! You slut! I’ll kill this one too!” She points the gun at Ivie and shoots. Ivie rolls, but still gets hit. I struggle against my restraints to get loose so I can help her. Rhett is desperately trying to get free too. Jade jumps on top of Ivie and then I see Sterling, Briella, and Tate file in, guns trained on Jade.
She turns quickly as Sterling yells commands at her to stop and to put her hands up. She grabs the gun from the ground and aims at them all, finger on the trigger. My heart sinks as I brace for what I’m about to see. Briella is faster and fires on Jade before she can get a round off. She goes down quickly, unmoving.
I feel my body relax a little as my eyes lock on Tate’s. He holsters his gun and in slow motion, rushes to my side. He gently pulls the tape from my mouth, and I drag in air before letting out the sob I’ve been choking on. He pulls out his pocketknife and cuts the restraints holding my wrists down. My hands are still bound together but I don’t care. I throw my arms around him and cry into his neck and shoulder.
