Page 13 of Catch My Fall

“She’s fine, for now.”

“Did she give you my number?”

“Yeah.”

A corner of my mouth curves into a smile. Clever girl…

He glances over his shoulder, his eyes searching for his companion. “Just by standing here talking to you, I’m risking everything.” I feel like it’s a loaded answer.

“Why? What’s Austin got on you? Is he blackmailing you?”

He heaves out a shaky breath. “He’ll hurt my family.”

“My boss, Gage Hudson can protect them. Help me get Sierra back, and I promise you and your family will be safe. I know you have no reason to trust me, but I’m a man of honour and a man of my word.”

He stares at me, searching my eyes for any hint that I’m lying. “What do you need me to do?”

“Tell me where she is and how many men are guarding her.”

“She’s in the basement of an abandoned farmhouse, four miles north of here, just off of Cornham Lane. There’s a dirt track that leads right up to the house. There’s usually four of us, tonight it’s Vik and me and two of the others. Shift change is nine o’clock.”

“Will Austin be there?”

“I don’t know, he just drops in whenever he feels like it.”

“Text me the address of your family. I won’t move on the house until your family is safe, I swear.”

Ollie searches over his shoulder again, wringing his hands just as the bartender brings over his beers.

“I got those, put them on my tab,” I say.

The bartender nods. “Sure thing.”

I turn to face Ollie for the first time. Up close, he looks to be around Sierra’s age. Dark hair, kind face, he definitely doesn’t fit in with Austin’s other men. “If we do this, and we all make it out the other side, I’m sure there’ll be a job waiting for you with my boss. He rewards loyalty, he doesn’t exploit people like Austin does. What’s your name?”

“Ollie Jessop.”

I smile. “Thank you, Ollie. I’m Alec McKenna.”

“I know, the gir—Sierra, she told me about you. We talk sometimes when I’m assigned to watch her. I—I never signed up for this, what they’re doing to her is…” He grits his teeth. “I’ll help you. I’ll help you get her out. I don’t know how, but when the time comes, I’ll find a way. Wait until after shift change. When you get to the house, head through the backdoor that faces south, I’ll leave it unlocked. Head through the kitchen to the basement, it’s a door off to the left before you get to the stairs. She’s down there. And if you get the chance and you see Vik, kill the son of a bitch.”

“I’ll give you word when your family is safe. I won’t let you down, I promise.”

“Neither will I,” he says, offering me a tight-lipped smile before taking his beers and heading back to his table.

He’s only back in his seat for a matter of seconds before Vik returns, seemingly none to wiser.

“Well?” Vik asks Ollie. “What’s it gonna be? You’re either in or you’re out, but let’s not forgot what’s at stake here. Your sister… What is she seventeen? She’s a pretty little thing, isn’t she?” The amusement in his voice is hard to miss.

“I’m in,” Ollie replies grudgingly after a few seconds.

“Glad to hear it. Let’s go. Got a feelin’ tonight gonna be good.” Vik’s chair scrapes back as he stands and I glance over my shoulder to find Ollie’s eyes on me while Vik isn’t looking.

He gives me a tight nod, to which I return before he and Vik leave the bar. I only have to wait a few minutes until a text comes through from the same number, and address.

I take my phone from my pocket and pull up Gage’s number.

Me: Need a favour. Get eyes on the address I’m about to send you, they need protection asap. Can’t explain right now, so need you to trust me.

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