Page 90 of Aydin

“We have breaking news that Addison Chatsworth is on the run after being accused of kidnapping,” the reporter from KBNF said.

“Her father sent a notice that the accusations are baseless,” Nicco mentioned, and I figured he’d want to save face.

“Too late to try to save her now. She made her bed.”

The car turned down Beale Street, and the driver turned off the lights a few blocks from the destination.

“Remember, try not to kill anyone until I find her.”

I slid the door open, climbed out, and checked to make sure my gun was on me. I waved and pointed for Nicco to take the lead and motioned for the alley I was going through a block from the building. Behind me, Nasir shifted and got my attention. Someone was smoking in the alley. I wiggled my finger, balled my fist up, and slid against the wall before he turned to see me. I caught him around the neck and whispered in his ear, “If you scream, I’ll kill you.” I held him in a headlock as he tried to get loose.

I tightened my grip and threw him to Nasir, who punched him in the throat. I walked up to the back door of the building and saw it was locked. I pulled my gun out with the silencer and shot the lock off. Slowly, I pulled the door open and noticed it was empty and grew frustrated. Continuing to hold the gun up in front of me and trailed down the dark hallway. Finally, Nasir caught up to me, and we looked at each other and saw a light on in a room. I pointed to myself indicating I would go first and slightly pushed it ajar. I saw no one inside, but a TV played a game show.

“This is the place,” Nasir whispered, and I believed him, but it was more like a distraction to throw us off.

“There’s about twenty floors here.”

“She wouldn’t have men outside unless this was the place.”

“I have to think,” I said.

“What if we’re being watched?”

“What do you mean?”

“She knew we’d trace the call.”

“So, this is a chase to make us go crazy.”

“Edgar.”

“Edgar.”

I nodded.

“The last place we’d think she would keep someone is her father’s place.”

“She would be stupid to her at her father’s home..”

“If her father had multiple homes, he wouldn’t know.”

“I have the addresses of the main home and a few condos in the city.”

“Which one has the most privacy?”

“You’re right,” Nasir said.

“Tell me.”

He held the phone in front of me with a satellite visual of the property.

“A cabin on the outskirts of the city behind the woods.”

“The perfect place to escape.” I texted Nicco the address and said we’re out. We went back out the way we came in, jogged to the van, and climbed back in to leave.

Thirty minutes later, we arrived a mile from the condo, approaching a rocky road that led up to a path with a No Trespassing sign. Nicco turned the car off, and we looked at the map of the area.

“They’ll know we’re here by now,” Nicco said.