Page 8

8

SEBASTIAN

Time stood still until my friends finally arrived. Being alone in the house was maddening, and I desperately tried to make sense of the chaotic situation. A thick haze settled in my mind, like a foreign presence had taken up residence in my brain and was smothering all rational thought. It was almost as if someone else was in my head, but that was ridiculous. Then why have I felt like that most of my life?

I rubbed my face vigorously with trembling hands, hoping to shake off the overwhelming confusion, but it only amplified the intense pounding in my chest. My entire world had flipped upside down, and I was shaken to my very being. Everything was unraveling before my very eyes, and I felt helpless against it.

“We need to make a list of suspects.” I paced the living room, moving some of the still scattered toys out of my way with my foot. Kip and Dope had finally arrived twenty minutes ago, and we were digging in and brainstorming to find my wife. Three heads had to be better than one panicked one.

“I’ve already started,” Kip said, shoving his fingers through his dark hair. Many people had a difficult time telling us apart. We were the same height, with dark hair and broad shoulders. Dope, on the other hand, was much shorter, thinner, and his red hair stood out in a crowd. “With Horizon, we’ve made several enemies, and the list is long.”

Dope nodded in agreement.

“How the fuck did this happen?” I clenched my fists in frustration, digging my nails into my palms as I frantically searched for a solution to Ella’s kidnapping. My heart pounded in my chest as I turned to my friends and ran my fingers through my hair, pulling at it in agitation as I tried to see every angle of the situation. But no matter how hard I looked, all I saw was fear and despair reflected back at me from my friends’ expressions.

I swallowed over the dryness in my throat. “Stephen … he came after Ella last year. Maybe he’s pissed because he can’t find his wife and kids, so decided to take my wife. When we helped his family escape his sorry ass, he saw Ella when we were loading his wife and kids into the van, and later paid her a visit. Ella promised me that he wasn’t a problem, but I think she was just saying that so I wouldn’t worry.”

Kip rubbed his stubbled chin as he shifted in his chair. At least I’d had the frame of mind to set the furniture upright again.

“Let’s go through the list,” Dope suggested.

Kip nodded in agreement before he spoke. “I started eliminating people that didn’t seem likely to be a huge threat or know who we are, but I’ll share those names too.”

I urged him to continue. As Kip ticked off possible suspects one by one, then mentioned who they were and their family, nothing seemed to fit. No one other than Stephen.

“Why isn’t Stephen on that list? We should put a tail on the sick bastard and see what we can learn,” I said.

“He’s not a suspect, Bass. I promise,” Dope explained, his expression grim.

“What do you mean?” I pinned him with a glare. “Everyone is a suspect until we find my wife.” My voice boomed through the room, my temper rising along with it.

Kip and Dope glanced at each other, then Dope said, “He’s dead, Bass. That’s why he’s not on the list of people we need to look into.”

My jaw clenched and the muscles in my face jumped with the news. Anxiety and fear had consumed me, leaving me constantly on edge that he would come for Ella, and now I was hearing he was dead? What the hell . “Why didn’t anyone bother to inform me?” My voice rose in a mix of shock and anger, causing those around me to recoil.

“Because it was managed, and there was no need to bug you when you needed to focus on your family. It’s why you have us, to take care of problems so you don’t have to.”

I drew in a deep breath, calming myself as much as possible under the circumstances. “If this ever happens again, tell me right away. Stop trying to fix it all. That kind of information is critical for me to know about. It’s a matter of keeping my family safe.” Unease about the situation hovered around me. What is he not telling me? “How did he die?” I needed to know the answers since I was so sure that he was the one that took Ella.

“Not long after he tried to hurt Ella, he was …” Dope shot Kip another look. “He was in a car accident.”

My brow arched. “You’re clearly blowing sunshine up my ass. What are you hiding?”

Kip leaned back in his chair and scrubbed his jaw with his fingers. “I think that we should talk about some stuff, Bass, but why don’t you fly Ryan and Cami out to help? Lulu is fine, but she has no idea what we do in the society and … ya know other things. We need to keep her out of it as much as possible. I feel Cami would keep that secret safe. Plus, the kids need someone they’re comfortable with, like their Aunt Cami. We have a lot of work to do.”

My gaze narrowed on him. “If I bring Ryan and Cami over, will you two tell me what you’re hiding?”

Kip and Dope answered yes in unison. A lead ball dropped to the pit of my stomach as I reached for my phone in my back pocket. At first, I hadn’t been a fan of Ryan, but as he and Cami spent more time with us, we’d become good friends.

My attention bounced between Kip and Dope. “Since Ryan is a cop, if I call him, he’ll learn about the society and our work. Do you think we can trust him not to arrest us or share the information?”

Dope leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees, and exhaustion flickered across his features. “Yeah, we’re pretty sure we can. Besides, the most important thing is to find Ella. He won’t turn us in and have us arrested at least until after she’s home, safe and sound. It’s a chance we have to take. My personal opinion? We can trust him with our lives, and Ella’s too.”

I chewed on Dope’s words before I turned to Kip. “Your thoughts?”

“Yeah, I agree with Dope. Ryan is on our side. We don’t need to worry about him right now. Let’s just find your wife and we’ll deal with any consequences later.”

I didn’t miss the glint of uncertainty in his eyes. “Okay.” I located Ryan’s number in my contacts and placed the call. He and Cami were three hours behind us, which made it seven in the evening there. I had no idea if he was working or not.

After the third ring, he picked up. “Hey, man. How are things?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose, my temples throbbing with the sheer stress of the situation. “I need your help. Cami’s too.” I sucked in a breath. Once I told him, there was no going back, but my best friends were right, we needed their help, consequences be damned. “Someone took Ella.”

An audible gasp filled the line. “What the fuck? Surely, I didn’t hear you right.”

“You heard me. Someone stole her right off our front porch. It’s all on video.” My head hung down, and I massaged the back of my neck. “Can you two fly out? I’ll need Cami to help with the kids.”

“Yeah. I’ve got some vacation time I can take. Cami won’t care if she has time off or not, it’s an emergency, and I’m sure she’ll make it work. I was just on my way over to her place, so let me talk to her, and I’ll call you back.”

“Perfect, I’ll have my pilot meet you at the Portland airport.”

“Okay. Talk to you in a few.”

“I assume they’ll be on their way shortly,” Dope said.

“Yeah.” I hung up and released a sigh. Everything was becoming so frighteningly real.

Lulu had dropped off the twins and they were safely tucked into bed. I located the nanny cam and placed the teddy bear in their bedroom so I could keep an eye on them. If someone took Ella, they might come after the kids too. If so, I would be ready. Images of torturing and killing the person who came after my family flickered through my mind. Instead of being revulsed at the idea of someone’s brains splattering against my living room wall, it gave me peace. Although I knew that revenge was best served cold, I wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate a threat.

A soft knock sounded at my door, and I peered through the peephole. Relieved that Ryan and Cami had arrived safely, I let them in. “Hi, Bass.” Cami gave me a big hug. “We’re going to find her. I promise.”

I returned her embrace, grateful to have her here. She was a big part of my wife’s life, so in a small way, it was like having a little piece of Ella near me.

“Thank you for coming.” My voice cracked with regret and guilt. It was my fault that Ella was missing, and once Cami learned the truth … I wasn’t sure what would happen.

“Where else would I be?” She backed away, and I noticed her blue eyes and nose were swollen and red. Her blonde hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun, and strands escaped it.

“Hey, man.” Ryan stepped forward and squeezed my shoulder. His hazel eyed gaze flickered with worry and determination. “What can I do? I have some …” His expression grew even more serious. “I have some off-the-record contacts that might be able to help, but I wanted to talk to you about it first. They’re not on the right side of the law, if you know what I mean.” His voice was low and deadly.

“I wasn’t planning on doing this by the books.” I waited for Ryan’s reaction to my words, but he just tilted his chin at me. “Can I trust you to help, or do we need to end the conversation now before it puts you in a bad situation?” My accent grew thicker with the stress of my question.

“I’m on your side. Right now, I’m not a cop, so don’t sweat it. There are bigger issues at hand that need to be addressed. Plus, I didn’t figure you’d deal with this legally. I sure as hell wouldn’t if someone took Cami.” His attention landed on her briefly and then it returned to me.

“Can I check on the kids?” Cami asked, her words weaved with worry and fear.

“Yeah. I have the nanny cam in there to keep an eye on them. I’ve also adjusted the cameras to see the windows more clearly. Between the group of us, I feel a bit better about their safety.”

I closed the front door behind my friends, feeling a tinge of relief that they were here and that Ryan had pledged his help and trust. Hopefully he would still honor his word even after I explained about the society.

Ryan pulled Cami to him and placed a kiss on her mouth. “Hang in there, babe. We’re going to get her back. I love you.”

She grabbed the front of his shirt and nodded. “I know you guys will do everything necessary. Thank you for being here with me … with us.” She pushed up on her toes and kissed him again. “Love you too.”

Cami made her way upstairs and Ryan greeted Dope and Kip. “I’ll make a pot of coffee for anyone that needs it. I don’t figure I’ll be getting any sleep, but the caffeine will help me keep a clear head.” I hope. I disappeared into the kitchen and made the coffee, the scent of the fresh beans brewing keeping me in the moment. I gathered cups, milk, and creamer and set them on the cream granite counter. My mind raced with thoughts of Ella. Was she hurt or even alive? I couldn’t think like that. Ella was strong and smart, and I had to trust that she could handle whatever she was going through with the assurance that I would be coming after the motherfucker who took her.

Entering the living room, I placed the tray on the coffee table. “Anyone hungry?”

“Always,” Dope said.

“I should have known better than to ask.” Dope’s pot habit gave him the munchies on a regular basis. As much as he ate, he was still a skinny motherfucker.

I disappeared again and then returned with chips, beef jerky, nuts, and the carafe full of coffee. Once I had the snacks available, I placed my hands on my hips and glanced at my friends.

“Ryan, I don’t expect you to keep this information from Cami. She should know as well in case there’s more danger. I want you and her to make an informed decision about what you’re getting involved in.”

“About what?” Cami asked as she descended the stairs from the kids’ room and sat next to her fiancé.

Kip laced his fingers behind his head but remained quiet.

“The Society.”

I waited for a reaction from Cami, but she didn’t give one. “Ella hasn’t told you?”

Cami snorted. “Ella worked on criminal cases with attorneys. She’s tight-lipped even with me.”

That news made me love my wife even more. I knew she was capable of secrets, but Cami was her best friend, and sometimes that line blurred. Apparently, it didn’t with Ella.

“Several years ago, I created and started the Horizon Society. We”—I tilted my head in Kip and Dope’s direction—“help women and children escape dangerous situations and set them up with fake names and a new life. What we do is illegal, and we break a lot of rules when we transport the families over state lines if there’s a divorce and custody decree, not to mention creating new identities and social security cards, but we justify it to keep people safe.” There was no use in sugarcoating what we did.

Cami’s mouth opened and closed a few times before she was able to form words. “You’re criminals?”

“Yeah, but I won’t apologize for it. Dope is a hacker and an expert on the dark web. He’s already been searching for Ella while you guys were flying over. But, if we’re going to find her, you need to know what you’re stepping into. You’ll be guilty by association. If you’re not okay with that, you’re free to leave, but I ask that you not give us up. Women and children are depending on you to keep them safe, and so is your best friend.”

Ryan rubbed his hands together, grinning. “I fucking love it, man. I’m in. Too bad I can’t be a part of the Society, but with being a cop I don’t want to jeopardize my career. I won’t be of any help to anyone if that happens.”

Dope snorted, and I shot him an inquisitive look. “Mate?”

“Sorry, I got a chip stuck in my throat.”

Apparently, something that Ryan said was funny. I wasn’t sure why Dope was flat-out lying to me, but I would deal with him later.

“Ella knew about all of this?” Cami asked.

“Yeah, she actually helped us when she could. Once the twins were born, she worked more with Dope to help find the families than being on the front lines. I’ve also taken a step back to keep my wife and kids safe. Guess that didn’t work out like planned.”

Cami’s forehead creased. “Oh, you think you guys pissed off the wrong person and he took Ella?”

“Yup,” Kip chimed in. “Even though we go to great lengths to hide our identities, if a wife got in touch with her husband or boyfriend, then it could have blown everything to shit. My guess is that something like that happened, and now a pissed-off husband is coming after us through Ella.”

Cami hopped off the couch, her hands flying over her mouth with a mix of fear and shock on her face. I could only imagine the thoughts that were going through her mind. “I can’t decide if I should thank you for rescuing those kids or throttle you for endangering my best friend.”

“Cami, I know this is hard to digest, but Ella wanted in on the front line of action, and Bass said no. You’ve known her the longest, so you know how damned determined she is when she wants something. Bass didn’t have a chance,” Kip said, defending me.

Cami spun on her heel and glowered at him. “She is bullheaded for damn sure, but she never signed up to be kidnapped and taken from her kids.” Fury rolled off her in waves.

“Cami,” Ryan said gently, placing his hand on her lower back as if to contain her outburst of emotions. “Babe, we can be pissed later. Time isn’t on our side, and we have to focus on finding Ella before …”

My gut twisted into painful knots. He didn’t need to finish the sentence. We all knew what was on his mind.

Cami blew out a heavy sigh. “You’re right. My feelings aren’t important at the moment. I just want to find her and bring her home safely.”

She sank into her seat and rubbed her hands together. Ryan put his arm around her and kissed her forehead.

My burner phone vibrated in my pocket, and I quickly retrieved it, praying to a god I no longer believed in that it was my wife.

“Hello?”

“Death, oh Death, come out wherever you are. Your wife is missing you,” the voice said in a high-pitched sing-song voice.

“Who the fuck is this?” I roared. “Let me talk to Ella.”

A maniacal cackle shot through the speaker, and I wanted to reach through the phone and grab the son of a bitch through it and kill him slowly.

“Hold, please.” Shuffling filled the line, and I quickly put it on speaker and placed my finger to my lips, indicating for my friends to be quiet.

“Sebastian?” She sounded far away, terrified.

“Ella!” My heart hammered in my chest as I frantically listened. “What’s happening? Are you safe?” Every word was like a knife in my gut, but at least she was still alive.

“For now.” Her voice was barely a whisper, filled with terror and anguish. “I’m underground, trapped in a cage, surrounded by stuffed animals …” Her next words were drowned out by an ear-piercing scream.

My body stiffened as goosebumps dotted my skin, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end like soldiers at attention. My eyes widened in fear, absorbing the horror of the situation.

“You fucking son of a bitch, if you hurt her, it will be the last thing you do alive!” I yelled.

“You’ll what?” The man’s laugh sent shivers down my spine. “Listen carefully, and there’s a small chance you’ll get her back.”

A metallic taste filled my mouth, like I’d been sucking on a penny. It was the taste of fear and dread, my reaction to the horrifying situation Ella was in. “What do you want?”

“Death. I want Death.”

What kind of fucked-up shit was this? “I’ll give you fucking death, and you’ll be begging for mercy as I end you.”

“Wrong Death. Wrong Death,” he chanted. “I’ll offer you a clue while we wait for him.”

Dope scrambled for a piece of paper and pen from my desk, ready to write it down.

“Born of silence, fed by fear, my walls have ears, but none draw near. I am nowhere yet everywhere found, where geometry and nightmare are bound.” The line grew quiet, then he said, “Good luck, Sebastian. The clock is ticking.” With that, the call was disconnected.

I stared at it. “Hello? Hello?” Everything inside me wanted to throw the cell against the wall, but then Ella wouldn’t be able to contact me if I did, and I would never forgive myself. My gaze traveled across the room and to my friends, their expressions ghostly white.

“Anyone know what the hell he’s talking about? If he wants a different death, I’ll give the son of a bitch a slow, torturous one.”

Kip and Dope exchanged a worried look before they glanced at Ryan.

“We need to have a talk … in private,” Kip said, his words heavy with concern.