Page 17

Aria

I continue working on every single angle I can find. The guys are in and out, but I pay them little mind, except for Pigeon. He’s the one I’ve been working closest with, along with Bella’s help. We have a large, circled area on the map, and we’re pretty sure Rex is somewhere within that circle. Trying to narrow it down, though, has come almost to a stop. We’re in an area on the outskirts of town that has little, if any, CCTV or security cameras anywhere. It’s the type of area where the residents don’t want cameras viewing what they’re doing. What cameras I could find are mostly broken or offline for some reason.

“Take a few minutes break, Aria. Step outside. Get some fresh air. You’re not going to be any help to Rex if you burn yourself out,” Freddy says in a low tone.

He’s right, and I stand up away from the table. I didn’t realize how long I’ve been sitting in that position until everything ached upon standing. I arch my back, then tip my head from side to side, trying to loosen the knots. Taking my bottle of water with me, I walk out the front door and stop on the sidewalk. It’s almost breaking daylight, and the air is still. I can see the sky has lightened a little toward the east, but my thoughts are still with Rex.

Where is he? Is he suffering? How bad are his injuries? Will I see him again? My mind whirls with questions I don’t have the answers to, and my shoulders sag against the weight of not knowing. I feel heat behind my eyes, but I push it down. I don’t have time for tears or self-pity. Once Rex is found and is safe, I’ll allow the tears then.

The door opens behind me, and I turn to see Reeves stepping out. He walks to my side, then, without a word, gently pulls me into a hug. I push my face into the front of his hoodie and lean against his strength. We stand there for about a minute before he speaks.

“You’re falling in love with him, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, even though it’s too soon to say that,” I reply softly.

“It’s not if that’s how you feel. He’s a good man. A great brother. We’ll bring him back, Aria. Also, it’s okay to cry if you need to. It’ll be our secret.”

I sniff and blink away the wetness that was creeping in and pull back to look up at him.

“Thanks, but I just promised myself I’ll do that once he’s here and safe.”

“If you change your mind, let me know. I’ll bring the tissues, and we’ll do it up right,” Reeves says with a small smile as he releases me.

Pointing at the door, he asks, “Ready?”

I nod my head, and he follows me back inside.

Hours later, we’ve narrowed the circle by half. We’re getting closer, but it still seems success is too far away.

“We have company,” Gunner announces.

Looking up, I can clearly see the strain on Gunner’s handsome face. He’s been on the move all of yesterday and through the night. So has pretty much everyone else, though, and it’s showing on all of our faces.

Several men enter the clubhouse, and it’s clear it’s the Morales brothers. While each has their own look, they all look very similar. Gunner greets them, and they follow him straight to his office, but several greet Bella by name or at least dip their chin in her direction as they pass by our table. The rest of us go back to our search. A few minutes later, they emerge, and Gunner calls for everyone’s attention.

“We have additional hands to help with the search. I want a club member paired up with a Morales to hit the streets again. You all have pictures of the SUV and the men who took Rex. Call in with anything you see that might help. Pigeon, Bella, Aria, and Petey will stay behind to continue working their angle. Has anyone made contact with Candy? Petey, try to track her down and make sure she’s not missing too. When you do, send her my way. Let’s go.”

The men leave, and I watch Petey pull out his phone. I feel a moment of relief when Petey indicates that he’s made contact and that Candy is fine. I impulsively reach over and give Bella a quick hug, and she smiles softly before we both get back to work. When Petey sits down across from me, I look up and see his concerned eyes on Bella.

“Petey. Where was Candy?” I ask, drawing his attention.

“She hadn’t heard about any of this and went to work yesterday like normal. When she got off work, she went straight home, not feeling well, but Chubs called early this morning and explained what happened. She went first to the funeral home to make sure Marti was being taken care of properly, then met up with Chubs. She’s been with him, searching all day.”

“I feel bad I didn’t think to call her yesterday,” I mutter.

“She’ll understand. There was a lot going on,” Petey answers before looking at Bella again. “You should take a few hours off and get some sleep, honey. You’ve been here all night.”

“I’m okay, Pops. I’m going to run up to Bailey’s for a few minutes, though, and see if they need anything. I might run home for a quick shower. Then I’ll be back. You okay for a while, Aria?” Bella asks.

“Yeah, I’m good. Take your time,” I answer.

After Bella walks through the kitchen door and disappears, Petey speaks up again.

“It’s hard sometimes to know where her head is at. She keeps everything locked down tight. I worry that us dealing with sex traffickers and the Morales family again might bring back her own experience with them.”

I nod in understanding but reply honestly, “She’ll be fine. You’ve raised her to be strong, and she is. She has all the family around her that she needs, and she’s smart on top of that. She needs something, I think she’ll ask.”

Petey nods in agreement, but the worry lingers in his eyes. I pick up my phone when it vibrates, moving slightly on the table next to my arm.

Pippa: It’s me, Craig. I only have a minute or so before Mom realizes I have her phone again. Drones! Use the drones!

Me: Hey Craig. What drones?

Pippa: Rex has a couple of super high-tech drones. They have video and audio capabilities. He’s let me and Luke fly them before. He keeps them at the security company.

Me: I’ll let Gunner know. Thanks!

Pippa: Rex will be okay. Remember that. Love you!

Me: Love you too!

“Craig just texted and said we should use the drones. He said Rex has a couple of them, and they could help,” I say to Petey.

“I don’t know shit about them, but let Gunner know. Can’t hurt,” Petey states.

I shoot a text to Gunner, and while waiting for a response, I holler to Pigeon.

“Do you know how to fly Rex’s drones?”

“Fuck no. They’re too high-tech for me. Horse might, but I’m not sure. I know Craig and Luke know how because Rex has let them fly them outside at the security office. They also play video games with him that are beyond my comprehension. Maybe I’m just getting old.”

Gunner responds saying he thinks the drones are a great idea. After a couple of minutes, he asks if anyone at the clubhouse knows how to fly them. When I answer saying no one here can, but Craig and Luke both know how, I don’t hear back from him.

Returning to my work, I find another small lead when Petey’s phone rings. He answers it but stands and walks off, so I tune him out. Pigeon and I are comparing notes when Petey approaches the table again.

“I have to leave. I’m taking the boys to the security office to retrieve the drones and then meeting up with Gunner. A couple of the Morales brothers have flown drones before, but Gunner wants the boys there to help familiarize them with Rex’s. Need your keys, Pigeon. I’m going through the back door so the boys don’t see the carnage up front. Gunner’s going to call for whatever coordinates you have before putting the drones in the air.”

Pigeon tosses Petey his key ring, and Petey leaves. Working together, Pigeon and I narrow down the search area a little more and wait for Gunner’s call.