Page 14

CHAPTER 14

Ethan leaned against his truck, his arms crossed as he watched Brooklyn sitting in the passenger seat. Her legs dangled out the open door, her hands gripping the edge of the seat as if it were the only thing keeping her upright. Her face was pale, her lips pressed into a tight seam in an apparent effort to hold herself together. His gut twisted at the sight. He hated seeing her like this—shaken, vulnerable. But he knew there was no time to focus on emotions. They needed answers.

The low growl of a car engine pulled his attention toward the entrance of the parking lot. A sleek black sedan came to a stop, and Nova stepped out. She moved with the kind of confidence that came from years of experience, her dark jeans and white blouse crisp, and her ponytail swinging as she approached.

“Ethan.” Her greeting was brisk but tinged with concern. Her sharp gaze flicked to Brooklyn before landing back on him. “What do we have so far?”

Before Ethan could answer, a second vehicle pulled in, this one a rugged SUV. Cooper jumped out, his lean frame moving with practiced ease. Beside him, Whiskey and Mojo bounded out of the backseat. Mojo’s sharp eyes immediately scanned the area. Ethan’s tension eased just a fraction at the sight of his dog. Mojo was more than a partner—he was a lifeline.

“Brought the cavalry,” Cooper said, his tone light but his expression serious. He handed Mojo’s lead to Ethan. “Thought he’d want to stretch his legs.”

Ethan crouched to rub behind Mojo’s ears, the dog’s tail wagging briefly before he settled into an alert stance. “Good boy. You ready to work?” Mojo’s ears perked up as if he understood every word.

“You working this, Nova?” Ethan asked. He knew this wouldn’t fall under her jurisdiction normally and he didn’t want to piss off the local cops. They were going to need all the help they could get.

“I wouldn’t normally but with the death of my two guys in prison and the van linking to them and the Yakuza, I have some leeway on this.”

“Alright, that’s good. We’ll take all the help we can get.” Ethan rose to his feet and faced the group. “Here’s what we know. Liam walked out of the school during recess and got into a black SUV parked outside the gate. He had his backpack and his phone with him. The SUV had no plates, and the windows were tinted so dark we couldn’t see who was inside.”

Nova nodded, pulling out a notepad. “Did he appear to be forced into the vehicle?”

Brooklyn’s voice was faint but steady as she answered. “No. He got in on his own. He must have known whoever was in that SUV. Liam would never just go with a stranger.”

“That narrows things down,” Nova said, jotting a note. “We need to figure out who he’d trust enough to follow. Family? Friends?”

Ethan shook his head. “It could be someone who knew just enough about him to fake familiarity. Liam’s smart, but he’s also a kid. A friendly face and the right words could have been enough.”

Cooper folded his arms. “What about the school guard? Isn’t there usually someone at the gate?”

Brooklyn looked up, her brow furrowing. “Harry’s been there for years. But he’s out sick today.”

“That’s worth checking out,” Ethan said, his voice hardening. “If Harry’s not here, we need to know why. Someone should go to his house and make sure he’s okay.” His gaze locked with Cooper. They were both thinking the same thing. Someone had to make sure Harry really was sick and not just hiding because he was paid not to be here. “I’ll handle that,” he added, glancing at Mojo. “We’ll take the dog. If something’s wrong, Mojo can help.”

Nova nodded. “Brooklyn, Cooper has been keeping me up to date. You are absolutely sure Liam has no connection to the Yakuza?”

Brooklyn’s face hardened. “Yes,” she hissed. “He’s a twelve-year-old boy. What possible connection could he have?”

“You would be surprised,” was all Nova said but Ethan understood. There was so much in the world that all of them except Brooklyn had been exposed to. Nothing would surprise them anymore. Things that just made them sad.

“Nova, Brooklyn and I spoke to his best friends. These kids aren’t involved.” Ethan sent her a look and she gave him a nod back. He knew she would take him at his word which is what he wanted. No point in wasting time checking out something he had already covered.

“Is there anything else?” Nova asked. “Anything at all?”

Brooklyn shook her head but held a frosty silence.

Nova put her notebook away. “I’m going in to talk to the principal and the head of security. I’ll look at the video and check with the officers that responded.” She met Brooklyn’s gaze. “We’re going to do everything in our power to get your nephew back, Brooklyn. I promise.”

Brooklyn hesitated but appeared to thaw enough to nod. Ethan knew Nova was just doing her job, but it would help if Brooklyn understood that as well.

“Good call,” Cooper said. “Meanwhile, I’ll head back to the comms center and see what I can pull from the traffic cameras. We need to track that SUV before the trail goes cold.”

Nova glanced at her phone screen at an incoming message. “It looks like we’re having a few issues with the phone company, but I’ll follow up on Liam’s phone. If he had it with him, we might be able to trace it or at least get a sense of who he’s been talking to recently.”

Cooper commented, “What about Dave’s Café? We already know someone there tipped off the Yakuza before. It can’t be a coincidence that Liam ended up targeted after being there.”

Brooklyn let out a small yelp of surprise. “You think someone from Dave’s is involved?”

Ethan shrugged. “Let’s just say someone at the café knows more than they’re saying. But, that’s going to take some digging.” He glanced at Cooper. “We’ll hit there after we’re done with Harry but do me a favor and have Rusty and Bellamy standing by at the comms center. I might send a bunch of photos, and I’ll need a fast turnaround on any and all information. I’ll start with the regulars and see where it leads.”

“On it,” Cooper replied, his expression grim. “If someone’s connected to the Yakuza, we’ll find them.”

Nova cleared her throat. “I will pretend I didn’t hear any of what you guys are going to do because all of it should be done by a cop. I know you all won’t stand down and, quite frankly, since this involves a kid, I don’t want you to.”

A tense silence fell over the group, the weight of the situation pressing down on them. Brooklyn stared at the pavement, her hands balled into fists on her lap. Ethan moved closer, standing beside her.

“We’ll find him,” he said quietly. “I won’t stop until we do.”

Her eyes met his, and for a moment, the fierce determination in her gaze matched his own. “Neither will I,” she whispered.

Ethan straightened, his focus shifting back to the task at hand. “Alright, let’s move. We’ll regroup later and share whatever we find.”

Nova nodded. “I’ll be in touch. If anything turns up with the phone, I’ll let you know immediately.”

Cooper gave a sharp nod before heading back to his SUV, Whiskey’s lead still in hand. Mojo gave a low whine, as if sensing the tension, but a quick command from Ethan had him obediently hopping into the backseat.

Brooklyn closed the door of the truck. Ethan slid behind the wheel, the engine roaring to life, and then he backed out of the parking space. The silence between them was thick, Brooklyn’s unspoken fears, and his, hung heavy in the air.

As they drove toward Harry’s house, Ethan glanced at Brooklyn. She was staring out the window, her fingers tracing aimless patterns on the edge of her seat.

“Do you really think Harry is involved?” she asked.

“It’s my job to think everyone is involved,” he replied. He didn’t want to scare her, but he also wasn’t going to lie to her. “If Harry is involved then he’s our next lead. Make no mistake, I will find out everything he knows.”

Brooklyn shivered but remained silent.

“You okay?” Ethan asked, breaking the quiet.

She hesitated, then shook her head. “I’m scared,” she admitted. “But I can’t let that stop me. Liam needs all the help he can get.” Her thoughts flicked to Jackson. She was going to have to call him soon and tell him the awful news. He would be devastated. She wanted to wait until she had more information, something positive to tell him. Or at least that’s what she was telling herself. Really, she just didn’t want to tell her brother she’d lost the light of his life.

Ethan’s grip on the wheel tightened. “We’re going to find him,” he said again, his voice firm. “And whoever took him is going to regret it.” He meant every word of it. Every. Single. One.

Harry’s house was a modest single-story home on a quiet street. The front yard was tidy, the grass neatly trimmed. Ethan parked the truck at the curb and stepped out. Mojo hopped down beside him, both of them watching for any sign of movement inside. Brooklyn followed, her eyes scanning the property nervously. The place looked deserted.

Ethan knocked on the door, the sound echoing in the stillness. Brooklyn spoke up. “Harry? It’s Brooklyn Alexander. Can we chat for a minute?”

There was no response. Mojo’s ears perked up, his body tense as he sniffed and quietly growled. Ethan’s instincts flared.

“Stay here,” he told Brooklyn, his voice low. He gestured for Mojo to follow as he moved to the side of the house, checking the windows. Everything appeared normal until he reached the back door. It was ajar, swinging slightly in the breeze.

Ethan’s stomach sank. He glanced at Mojo, whose fur bristled as he stood at alert. Drawing his weapon, Ethan pushed the door open and stepped inside. The house was ominously silent.

“Harry?” he called out, his voice firm but cautious.

Mojo moved ahead, his nose to the ground as he sniffed for any trace of Harry. They moved through the house methodically, checking each room. The living room was untouched, the TV remote resting neatly on the arm of the couch. The kitchen showed no signs of disturbance. But when they reached the bedroom, Ethan froze.

Harry lay sprawled on the floor. A dark bruise marred his temple, and a small trickle of blood had dried on his forehead. He was pale but breathing. Mojo sniffed him, whining softly as he looked back at Ethan.

“Dammit,” Ethan muttered, crouching beside the older man. He pressed two fingers to Harry’s neck, finding a pulse but just barely. “Harry? Can you hear me?”

The man stirred slightly, a low groan escaping his lips. His eyes fluttered open, unfocused and glassy. “Who are you?” he rasped.

“I’m a friend of Brooklyn Alexander’s,” Ethan said, relief washing over him. “What happened?”

“Brook…lyn?” Harry was having a hard time forming words. His pupils flared. “Oh no…Liam…okay?”

“They took him,” Ethan confirmed. “Tell me what you know?” There was a sound behind him. He whirled to find Brooklyn at the doorway. He wanted to curse but he said, “Call an ambulance.” Then he turned back to the man on the floor.

Harry’s eyes lost focus and started to close.

“Harry?” Ethan felt the man’s pulse again. Still there but weak.

Harry opened his eyes. “Someone… came…asked about… Liam. Said they…were family. I told…get lost…left my phone in the bedroom… was going for it when they—” He grimaced, his voice fading. “They… hit me.”

Ethan’s jaw clenched. “Did you see their faces?”

Harry “No… hoodies and ballcaps pulled low…Black SUV…Dark windows. Going to kill me but…dog next door…barking like crazy…they hit me again...” His voice faded out.

The description matched the vehicle from the school. Ethan cursed under his breath. Whoever had taken Liam had planned this well.

“Stay still,” he said. “We’ll get you help. Did they make you call the school and say you were sick?”

Harry started to shake his head but winced. “Email from…computer. Tried…stop them but—” He moved his hand and that’s when Ethan realized two of the man’s fingers were broken.

Brooklyn had stepped away to call for help and then appeared in the doorway, her eyes wide with fear.

“Is he okay?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“He’ll be alright.” Ethan had no idea if Harry would make it. The head injury was obviously more severe than it looked, but telling Brooklyn that wouldn’t help. “But we need to get him to a hospital. And we need to move fast.” Again, he wanted to say something reassuring but what could he say? The reality was the kidnappers, most likely the Yakuza, had Liam and knew their time was limited before everyone realized he was gone. None of it boded well for Liam. He was on the clock too. If they didn’t find him in time, the Yakuza would kill him. Ethan knew he had to make it in time. He could not let that little boy die.