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Forcing myself to do what was necessary, I began to share. Pierce and Sutton were aware of some of the details from our phone calls, but I hadn’t told the others in the room. “Tim tried to rape River.”
Jace’s mouth gaped. “That’s so fucked up.”
Chance’s eyes narrowed, but he remained silent. I continued to explain that not only was Tim a sorry son of a bitch for attempting to hurt River, but also what I’d learned concerning his extracurricular activities.
I hadn’t asked Brynn’s permission to share, so I kept her name out of it. I didn’t want her tangled up in this mess any more than necessary.
“Where’s Tim now?” Pierce frowned and folded his arms across his chest, his biceps bulging beneath the sleeves of his white button-down shirt.
“The last I knew, here in Spokane, but he might have left again. After he attacked River, I saw him at Mom’s once. But that’s it. I haven’t had anything to do with him,” I said.
“What about the guy River was running from when she arrived here?” Jace asked. “His asshole friend grabbed Becky instead.”
“His name is Logan,” I explained to Pierce and Sutton. “From what I understand, River’s guardian, Dan, owed Logan a lot of money. Since Dan is dead, they were looking for River to pay up … she overheard exactly how they wanted their payment, and she ran. It’s how she ended up at my house. River also mentioned that Logan is a meth dealer. I’m not sure what else he’s involved in, but years ago he knew Tim.”
Everyone stared at me, waiting for me to continue. “River found a picture I had of my family. Logan was standing next to Tim. It was a long time ago, so the details are spotty, but Tim had introduced him as a business partner.”
While I’d been talking, Sutton had been taking notes. She was furiously scribbling as I spilled River’s and my secrets.
Pierce stepped forward. “I have a guy at the FBI. I want to reach out to him and see if Logan and Tim are on their radar. Holden, go back to 4 Play and I’ll be in touch. You guys try not to talk to anyone else about this. If you need an ear, call Sutton or me, or chat between yourselves. Vaughn and Zayne will continue to watch the club. Holden, don’t go anywhere alone. Take one of my men with you at all times. I’d like to have someone posted outside the penthouse while you’re home, too.”
“I understand. But I have to ask … has Zayne lost a client before?” I shot an angry look in Zayne’s direction. He’d been quiet the entire time, stoic and unreadable.
Compassion flickered in Sutton’s gaze. “Although we’re all trained, Holden, sometimes a situation is unavoidable. The fact that the elevator was already on the floor gave River a head start. I know you’re angry, but Zayne is one of the best men we have, and I guarantee you he’s not taking this lightly.” Her attention zeroed in on Zayne, then back on me.
“What bothers me is that the stairwell was locked,” Pierce added. “If it hadn’t been, Zayne would have gotten to her in seconds. I’ve personally seen him jump the handrail and drop a flight to tackle a guy. In this instance, he was literally stuck. It makes me think whoever we’re dealing with knew where Zayne was and had this planned.”
I groaned in disbelief and frustration. “Those doors are never locked. First, it’s against the fire code. Second, Chance is a manager at 4 Play, and both of us use the stairs all the time.”
“Someone knew the layout of the club,” Pierce said.
“The only people that I wasn’t familiar with were the men moving the furniture into the penthouse. There were four of them, and I don’t even have their names.”
“I do.” Zayne stepped forward. “They all had patches on their uniforms. Mitch, John, Alex, and James. I realize those are common, but the company should have a record of who worked that day.”
“I can call them and find out,” Sutton said, taking more notes. “I’ll pretend that I’m a new customer. That will allow me to see if they run background checks on their employees and gather some information. I’ll explain that they did a wonderful job for you, Holden.”
I appreciated their expertise, and the more we talked, the more the anger at Zayne slipped away. Pierce was right. If the stairwell door had been unlocked, Zayne would have been able to reach River by the time the elevator arrived on the main floor.
A sinking feeling knotted my stomach. “If Tim has her …” My molars ground together as hate pebbled my skin. “I’ll fucking end him.”
The room grew quiet as I realized I’d threatened to kill someone in front of five witnesses.
“We’ve been in your shoes before,” Sutton said softly. “My sister was kidnapped, and I plotted a few murders myself. You’re in good company with people who understand. Also, every word spoken between us is confidential. Pierce or I will talk to Brian at the FBI, but we won’t repeat anything said here, like what you mentioned about Tim.”
“Even if your father turned up dead tomorrow, no one would ever know what you said.” Understanding flickered in Pierce’s brown eyes.
“Thanks. I’m pretty fucked up. I just want my girlfriend back and safe.”
“We’ll find her,” Chance said, his words full of conviction.
I hoped like hell he was right.
Pierce sat down in the brown leather wingback chair. “I’ll reach out to the FBI and see what I can learn about Logan and Tim. Sutton will deep dive into Logan, as well. I’ll call as soon as we know something. Until then, feel free to check in. I understand everyone’s nerves are on end.”
My cell vibrated with a text, and I removed it from my pocket. Brynn’s name flashed across the screen.
Any news? I’m out of my fucking head with worry right now.
