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CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Noel

“Where’s Phoenix?” Matt asked when he brought me a mug of coffee.

“He went to Hazel’s room. I think this is a lot for him, and watching it on these screens isn’t going to help.”

Matt hummed. “Okay, I made him some peppermint tea; he said he liked that. I’ll bring it up to him there.”

“Thanks, Matt.”

Gabe, Shep, and Angel would be home within the next ten minutes. I watched the cabin the entire time, but the only activity was the police and FBI agents milling about. Idiots didn’t realize that by doing that they were serial killer repellent.

“Noel?” Matt came into the room holding the tea for Phoenix. “He’s not in Hazel’s room or his. Where else would he go?”

“Try the theater room or library?” I was about to pull up the cameras to all of the rooms, but the front door opened and my brothers and a very irate Carmichael followed.

“Why are you here?” JJ yelled, and we all glared at him. He hadn’t arrested anyone, and pissing him off was a dumb idea. “I mean, hey, buddy, how you doin’?”

“How am I doing? You’re all lucky you’re not sitting in a cell right now.…What the hell is all this?” His arm made a sweeping motion over our command center, so to speak.

“I get that you’re angry,” Nick stood. “But you have to admit, we found where he lived, his name, all the shit none of you could.”

“First of all…” Carmichael inched closer to my brother. “You assume we didn’t know anything. Second, none of this can be used in a court of law since it was obtained illegally.” He spun and his gaze met mine. “Tell me something, what was your plan if you found him?”

I opened my mouth but Angel slapped his hand over it. “Call you, of course.”

“ Mmhm , sure. And…” His eyes swept over the room. “Where’s Mr. Briar?”

“He’s upset about his sister being abducted. He couldn’t be in here looking at any of this anymore.”

“No, he’s not, Noel.” I peeked over my shoulder where Matt came into the living room still holding the tea. “I went through the house, and he’s not here.”

“He has to be.” I chuckled nervously. “If he left the property, alerts would have gone off.” I sat at the computer and did a systems check. It wouldn’t take long, and in a moment they’d all see he was… Shit .

“Did he shut them off?” Nick was standing behind me. “How’d he know how to do that?”

“Seriously?” Mason lifted a brow. “He sits here or in Noel’s room and watches us do the patrols and system checks. He’s not stupid.”

“ Uhhh .” JJ’s face turned red, and his nose crinkled. “The other day I was showing him how to check the system. He was bored, and I thought it would be good for him to know things since he’s with Noel now, and you all complain no one can help. He’s a real quick study.”

“Son of a bitch.” Carmichael was gripping his hair. “Both Briars are gone. All of you had one job—to keep him safe, and now he’s gone. Any idea where he’d run off to?”

I didn’t need to think about it. “He went back to the shed he was found in. He asked you about it because he wanted to know if it was accessible from the tunnels, probably. When you told him it was closed off, he knew none of you would find his sister because that has to be where he took her. He’s going to trade himself for her.

I told him it was located through coordinates, I think they were on his report. Fuck!”

I rushed out of the room, my brothers and Carmichael following me.

“Where are you going?” Carmichael yelled.

When I entered the garage, I found the door was open and one of the cars missing. How had we missed him leaving?

“To get him back. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it.”

“I can’t let you do that.” Carmichael grabbed my arm.

“Let go.”

“You’re not going after Amo Cormac. He’s dangerous, and this has to be by the book.”

“No offense…or offense, I don’t really care, but you can shove your book all the way up your ass. I’m going. Want to come with me, fine? But I’m leaving now.”

Angel and Gabe were already in one of the SUVs so I walked over and got in, and a beat later Carmichael hopped in too.

I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. Nick and Shep were standing by the door.

“Go get him, brother. We’re watching you.” Nick winked.

Gabe and Angel still had their cameras and shit on. I waved and Gabe drove off. I put the coordinates to the shed in the GPS after Carmichael gave them to me. Phoenix must have gotten them from somewhere, or he knew where it was. He couldn’t have gotten more than a fifteen-minute head start.

No one spoke as we drove. I was angry with Phoenix for leaving.

I didn’t believe for a second that he thought we were inept; he was terrified of Amo.

I’d heard him whimper in his sleep, and he’d told me constantly that he didn’t want him hurting anyone he cared about.

And here he was being a brave little toaster and going to save his sister.

If I wasn’t terrified, I’d maybe be proud that he was doing any of this. No, I’d promised him that monster would never hurt him again. I had to get there before anything happened.

“Five minutes,” Angel said. “What’s the plan?”

“The plan is, you three stay in the goddamn car, and I’ll go get the Briars and arrest Amo Cormac.” Carmichael narrowed his eyes at us. “I’ve called backup. They should arrive shortly after us. We wait for them; then we’ll go in.”

“I’m not waiting, Carmichael, forget it.” No way was I sitting here with my thumb up my ass while Phoenix was facing the wrath of a serial killer.

“I’ll cuff you to the door, Saint. I swear I’ll do it.”

I snorted. “You have three sets of cuffs? Because my brothers won’t wait either.”

Carmichael was glaring at me, so he didn’t see the dirty looks Gabe and Angel shot my way.

“Two minutes.” Angel spoke through gritted teeth.

“This isn’t up for discussion. If you get out of this car, you’re all going to be cellmates.”

I grinned. “Wow, you can pull strings to get us all to bunk together?”

“I swear to God, Noel, I’ll?—”

“Pulling up now,” Angel interrupted.

The shed was still a bit of a walk, but I saw the car Phoenix had taken from the garage, so he was there. I got out, ignoring Carmichael’s cursing, and headed in the direction of the shed.

I heard footsteps behind me and knew it was Carmichael and my brothers. There was no going back at this point. If getting in there, saving Phoenix and his sister, and killing that motherfucker got me arrested, so be it. This would all end tonight.