Page 151 of Always Be an Us

To Rick? Might be.

Shit. It's still too risky to leave Xavier alone, so I say, "Keep tailing him."

I call Monty next.

"Get to Emma's grandfather's house and stay with the old man. Better yet, bring him down here too so Officer Jensen can guard him and Emma at the same time. And then you’ll catch up with me. I’m heading over to where they potentially took Amelia."

"Okay," Monty says.

With that settled, I turn back to Emma. Uncertainty plagues me. I need to save my daughter, but I don't want to leave Emma alone for even a second with Xavier out on the loose.

"It's okay," Emma says as though she can tell my struggle. "I'll be fine. Just be careful."

She reaches out and holds my hand, squeezing it. I pull her in and kiss her softly, as gently as I can manage with the storm raging inside me.

Then I press my forehead against hers.

"I love you," I tell her. "I was going to save it for after this was over, but I want to say it now."In case I never get the chance again.

Emotion climbs into her eyes. She opens her mouth. And I think she's going to deny it at first, but then she says, "I love you too, Declan."

I kiss her again and then turn to Officer Jensen who isn't even pretending not to watch us.

"Stay with her," I tell him. "Lock down the station if you can. And keep your gun handy."

Jensen nods.

I turn back to Emma and unable to help myself, I kiss her one more time.

After I leave the police station, I finally remember something I forgot in all my panic. The trackers I put in some of Amelia’s clothes. That would help me find her.

But when I pull up the app to locate them, only the one in her necklace is active, leading to somewhere up in the woods. Likely Rick’s cabin. Thank God, I’m on the right track.

Nevertheless, I arrive at the base of Ashton Woods, ready for anything. I palm the gun in my hand as I ascend the hill slowly and carefully, hopping onto the rocks rather than walking on the marshy ground.

Officer Jensen refused to give me his spare gun, but I got one from Monty on the way here. He was on his way to deliver Emma’s grandfather to the police station, and then he’ll come circling back to follow me to Ashton Woods. He’s likely about fifteen to twenty minutes behind me right now, but I can’t wait.

Urgency eats at me. I need to know if my daughter is there, and I need to know now.

My father took me to a lot of shooting ranges when I was younger, and I went hunting once in college. I didn't get the appeal of shooting at defenseless animals, so I never went back. But I know enough about how to hit a target, and I have no qualms about defending myself and my loved ones with a bullet.

My car lays abandoned at the base of the hill and as I climb, I stay concealed in the thicker parts of the foliage watching around me for any traps. The darkening sky provides even better cover, although I'm concerned it will start raining any moment from now.

I remember the last time I was caught in this forest during a storm, and I would rather not repeat the experience.

But I soldier on, trying my best to keep thoughts of my daughter's suffering at bay.

Don't think about that right now. It will distract you. Just focus on finding her.

When I get closer to the lodge, I crouch even lower. Two cars are parked out front. I recognize Rick's truck, but then there's another darker SUV.

I go closer keeping my eyes peeled, and that's when I notice curly brown hair through the window of the truck.

Hope pumps through my chest.

It's Amelia.

The damn bastards left her in the car, probably so they could go inside and discuss their plan in private.

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