Page 48

Crew

A s soon as I step foot in the hospital, I can feel something’s off. Maybe I’m just paranoid about having left in the first place. Yet as soon as I stroll past the nurses station on the first floor, my chest tightens. Two nurses run past the elevator as my phone buzzes in my pocket. I answer as soon as I see Taylor’s name.

“She’s gone.”

Two words are all it takes to make my world stop spinning.

“She was gone for less than a few minutes. I should’ve gone with her. But I figured with Aleks… I should’ve-“

I force myself to move. I don’t bother using the elevator. I burst through the stairwell, taking the steps multiple at a time. “What happened?”

“There’s a few busted vending machines at the end of the cafeteria hall. There’s blood too, and- they left her purse and her phone. Shit- I was so stupid.”

I end the call. I don’t even have to think to recall the path to the hall, and even though there are about a dozen staff and security guards blocking the door leading to the cafeteria hall, I shove through them when I see Taylor.

Then I see it.

Shards of glass are strewn across the tile, and a pool of blood is smeared from the vending machines to the stairwell- as if someone was dragged. My eyes drop to the blue syringe on the ground. Then her purse and bag next to it. I swipe her things, my body seizing when I see the last person she called on her phone was Aleks.

She called for help-

“Crew,” Taylor calls, shaking my shoulder and saying something I don’t hear.

I shake my head as I try to sort through the onslaught of thoughts. “Cameras,” I manage, heart pounding. “There’s cameras. Check the stairwell. I need footage from the last 48 hours.”

“Okay,” he nods. “I’ll get it.”

Think .

I force myself to swallow another breath, to consider the angle. There’s no note. If whoever took her wanted to kill her, they would’ve. Which means that they’ll make contact sooner or later.

If they haven’t already.

My mind turns to Harvey.

Taylor grabs hold of my shirt, keeping me in place. “Where are you going?”

“She called Aleks,” I say, still trying to play every course of action. “They probably took him too. If anyone knows anything, it will be Harvey.”

Taylor seems to piece the clues together himself. “Harvey is the first person they’ll contact.” He looks over the crowd again before jutting his chin toward the exit. “Go. I’ll get the footage.”

Anger is a vicious thing inside me, fueling me. Nothing else matters. Nothing- and no one- can stop me from getting her back. But right now, my mind is focused on only one thing:

Harvey.

Getting to Aspen House in record time, I slam on the breaks so hard the car slides through the gravel. I make it to the front door and knock twice before Harvey answers, but I’m already through the door and grabbing the collar of his shirt. I slam him against the wall.

“Who the FUCK do you owe?”

“What are you-“ he struggles in my grip, confusion clear on his face.

“Who. Else. Do. You. Owe?”

His face is red with effort, grappling with my grip. “Let me go or this will be the last job-“

“There won’t be a job if she’s dead!” I yell, and realization falls over him.

His eyes are red, and I know without having to ask that he’s high. When he thrashes again, I release him. He falls flat to the ground. I blow out a full red-hot breath, forcing myself to calm down.

“She’s gone?” he asks, but it seems like he already knows the answer because his mouth opens and closes a few times. “What did they do? Where the hell is she-“

“She was kidnapped. They waited until she was alone. We think she was drugged.”

His eyes dart from left to right, and he shakes his head as his hands pull at his hair. “H-how?”

“You’ve lied to me before,” I start, and when another wave of anger takes over, I jab a finger into his chest, shoving him back. “If you lie to me now, this will be the least of your worries.”

“Look,” Harvey starts, shaking his head. “I- I owe a couple people… They…” his voice breaks on a sob. “They must’ve taken her.”

“Who?” I growl, and he shakes his head.

He doesn’t even fucking know .

“I- They approached me a few months ago…” he mopes, pitifully. “But… they didn’t want money.”

The words punch a hole through my chest. “What did they want?”

“They wanted me to make a deal with Skar. With Omenin.”

Shit.

My head is reeling. I try to reign in the anger, but ultimately, something inside me already knows.

This is bigger than Harvey.

I make for the door, forcing myself to think things through. “Get in the car,” I order, and when he turns, I grip his arm and shove him out the door ahead of me.

“Where are we going?” he yells as we get in the car.

“To get your daughter back,” I say, throwing the car into reverse.

I drive without thinking. It isn’t long before the sweeping estate comes into view, and I’m taking the front steps. With Harvey ahead of me, I knock twice, shaking with impatience until the door opens and my best friend appears.

Worry is etched into his face, and I stall when I glance inside and find Charlotte in the same state.

“I need your help.”