Page 167 of Gunner

“Of course it’s me. Look, I need you to put the woman you took tonight on the phone.”

“I can’t do that.”

Tension mounted inside me.

“Why not?” he asked.

“She escaped. Didn’t know a pregnant woman could fight that much, man. All the others were easy to handle. I let my guard down, and she fucking knocked me out. I’ve been searching the woods behind the cabin, but it’s dark out there.”

“What the fuck do you mean you lost her?” I yelled, grabbing the phone from Thoms. “You listen to me, you asshole—”

All I got was a dial tone. He’d hung up. I cursed and punched in Redial, but the call went straight to voice mail.

“You spooked him,” Thoms said. “Should have let me done all the talking. You would—”

The rage building up inside me needed an outlet. I swiped the knife across Thoms’s face, slashing his cheek. Blood flowed from the deep wound. He screamed like a stuck pig, covering his cheek with a bloody hand, but I wasn’t done with him. Alice was the only blood relative I had who I cared about. I jammed the tip of the blade between his legs.

“You listen to me good, Thoms. You tell me where he took her, or I cut you up into tiny pieces, starting with your pathetic balls.”

Thoms turned pale, shaking and trembling. “No, wait. I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you everything.”

43

BEN

I miss him.

No number of years in the police force could have prepared me for the search and rescue team mobilizing around me. We’d arrived at the cabin my sister was allegedly brought to against her will. Before the cops arrived, Gunner’s men had picked up the man who’d kidnapped her. Both he and Thoms were being held in a discrete location, their fates undecided until we found Alice.

I was trapped in a swirl of horror, my heart heavy. Thank god so many people had shown up. Not only were police officers already in place but the EMTs as well. After all, a heavily pregnant woman wandered in the dark in the woods alone. Citizens had come out to join the search, and all the bikers from the Grimm Reapers and the Blood Hounds seemed to have turned up. Even the younger guys had come. Jamie was present on the scene in the event of complications.

Jasper was being treated by an EMT. Since I’d arrived, he’d fainted twice. Once after screaming that this was my fault. I’dput his wife into the situation she was now in by including her in police affairs she had no business in.

It’s my fault. If anything happens to her and the baby, how can I live with myself?

“Witter, I came as soon as I heard.”

Mayor Getty walked over to me. What was he doing here? I didn’t expect him to show up, but I should have known better. Of course he would try to use my sister’s situation to promote his image as a politician who cared about the people of Smoky Vale.

“Mayor Getty,” I said. “I didn’t expect you to come.”

“When I heard, how could I not? In fact, more people should be here. You’re the chief of police. If a family member of yours goes missing, we should all be concerned.”

“Thank you. Time is of the essence. The temperature has dropped, and according to Jasper my sister wasn’t wearing much. We have to find her soon. She’s had at least an hour’s head start.”

“Are we joining the search or what?”

“I’m waiting for my dog to arrive,” I said. “He’s a retired police dog, and he should be able to track her, since he’s familiar with Alice.”

“Good idea. I hope you don’t mind me joining your group.”

“Of course not. The more the merrier.” As much as I would prefer not to see his face, I couldn’t turn down extra eyes.

Gunner stepped into the clearing, leading Zeus by his leash. He glanced from me to Getty and frowned.

“Chris just arrived,” he said, ignoring the mayor. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” I took Zeus’s leash from him. Should I introduce the two men? If Getty was joining our search party, a brief introduction might not hurt. “Gunner, you know the mayor. Mayor Getty, my partner.”

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