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“So you want to be a journalist?” I asked her.
“I do,” she said. “Apparently just like you.”
“A love of writing does run in the family,” Charles said, patting his wife’s hand.
“Oh yeah?” I asked.
Brenda shot her husband a sheepish grin. “I haven’t written in years, but yes. I was writing a book about the kidnapping, but never finished it. Before that, I mostly wrote fiction for fun, though never having one picked up by a publisher I wouldn’t call myself a writer.”
“I’d love to read your work sometime.”
“And I’d love to read some of yours.”
Having a mother that actually cared about my interests and hobbies… I had never experienced that. It was surreal to me and filled my heart with such warmth.
I looked over at Ava, who was staying quiet. She smiled at me, a knowing smile because she had been right to take me there. While I was still anxious, being around them, my family, brought me more comfort than just sitting at home alone would have.
“Thank you,” I mouthed to her.
Being there amongst people who already loved me, felt so safe and calming. Something I had never once experienced in my own home growing up.
I checked my phone, but there was nothing.
“No news?” Brenda asked.
“Not yet,” I said.
Ava spoke up at last. “They’ve got this. They will take their time, but I believe in them.”
“I do too,” I said. And I did. I just wanted our family to be back together again.
39
Gabe
We were still on the main floor. There were two ways to get to the top level, and we were taking the staff’s way—the back stairwell. It was not worth the risk of walking out in the open, through the living and common areas. Of course, anyone could still be walking around in that part of the house, it wasn’t closed off, so our risk of running into a familiar face was still high. Our risk only got higher the more levels we went, the closer we got to the nursery.
A short hallway led to the stairwell. There were footsteps coming down, and the three of us paused. My hand rested on the gun at my side.
A man came down, dressed all in black, clearly security. He gave us the once over. My fingers twisted around the gun, ready to move at a moment if necessary.
“Haven’t seen you three around before. Are you new here?”He asked casually.
I nodded. “Tony brought us on, said that there was a situation requiring extra security.”
The man nodded. “Yeah, I figured. A lot of new faces around here right now.”
He walked past us and my grip on the gun relaxed.
“Close one,” Roman mumbled with a low chuckle.
“It’s a good thing he’s new at this,” I said. Someone higher up in the ranks may have questioned us more, asked for some ID, or even recognized our faces. We had gotten lucky, but I knew our luck wouldn’t hold out forever.
I motioned for my brothers to follow me up the stairs. They opened into a long hallway, and I hoped my memory served me right, that I would know exactly what room to go to.
At the far end of the hall, I saw a woman dressed in the same attire as the nanny from the video. It may have even been the same woman. She turned right, exactly where I thought we were supposed to go.
I moved forward, walking with confidence, as if we were supposed to be there. I turned the corner and as expected, there were guards at the door. Three of them. One for each of us. I looked at Roman and Dante as we continued toward the room.
