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“Okay, we will get things wrapped up here and you and I are making a quick trip to my friend. He’s a doctor with a private clinic not too far from here. Let’s see if we can get you patched up there.” Levi opened his mouth. “Or it’s the emergency room. I’m not sure urgent care will take you.”
“Clinic.” Levi allowed the men to help him up.
“I was afraid you would opt for that. I hope we’re making the right decision.”
Levi tried again to stand, unsuccessfully.
Carter looked at Levi. “Fuck this. He lifted his teammate like he carried his pregnant wife, cradling him to protect his head and get him safely in the car.
“Carter, stay with Monroe. He may need help with Levi.” Garrett looked at the remaining two. “Scan the yard for any details that will tell us something. Take pictures but don’t touch or remove. We’ll leave most of this for the cops.”
“Hold on just a little bit longer, Fin. We’re coming as soon as we can,” whispered Levi as he lay in the back seat of the SUV.
His thoughts were consumed by worry as the sun pushed through the day from morning to midday. In his heart, Levi swore that he would do whatever it took to bring them home or die trying. He knew they all would do the same. He accepted help from Monroe and Carter to get out of the vehicle. Damn, his head hurt.
Cash arrived just as Monroe pulled away from the curb. “Where’s Levi?”
Mark nodded in the direction of the moving SUV. “He’s getting medical care. Got a rock to his skull. He’s conscious but in pain.”
“Couldn’t wait for an ambulance?”
“Refused one.”
Cash swore. “Of course he did.”
“Who is covering the house?” asked Garrett.
“I called in three backup guys who weren’t out on a job. I have one doing a sweep of the grounds, one in with Sharlee and the girls, and one doing sweeps of the house and monitoring the cameras. There are now two at the gate as well.”
“Excellent.”
“What about the stroller and this note?” asked Callie behind the two men.
“Fuck. Grab the note and take the stroller home. No kidnapping, so nothing of their things left behind,” said Garrett. “First, read us the note.”
The words written on it made their guts clench.
“Welcome to the party, Jac. I have something you want and you have something I want. Let’s exchange our gifts, shall we? There is quite a market for my gift, but I’m willing to trade. Bring five million dollars to the old warehouse on Oak Street at midnight, or you’ll never see them again.”
Mark said what they all were thinking. “Fucking bastards. Whoever they are, they are going down hard. That warehouse was condemned and taken down a month ago.”
Cash added, “Sharlee and Kaden are working to get through the barriers. The tracking starts and stops like there is a firewall stopping them, but they will figure it out and we’ll find them.”
Callie called out. “Found the rock they used to give Levi his headache.”
“Leave it. It validates our version of events. The only thing we’re not telling is that the abduction took place. Other than that, we are on the level,” said Garrett.
The group murmured their agreement. A few moments later, Callie yelled out again. “G-man.”
The men all walked over to where Callie stood. She pointed to the ground.
“A syringe,” said Cash as Mark reached down to pick it up. “Hell baby, what is going on here?”
Chapter 6
Once they had all the information they needed from the park, Jac called the Sheriff’s department. His people thinned out, leaving the scene to Garrett and Cash because Garrett was taking lead and Cash wouldn’t leave the area. Garrett wanted his wife to head back to the house, and this made it easy to get her to go because Callie hated dealing with the local police. Jac and the Colonel then made their way to the other two.
Jac’s teams knew he always tried to cooperate with the locals because it worked best for everyone, especially him. “Better to work with the locals than need them later and have to call them in. They get testy whenever we’ve done it before.”