Page 44 of Strike Fast

Her throat squeezed shut and her heart pounded in her ears as the car came to life, spurring her into action.

She reached for the door lock, trying to pull it up so she could get out of the car and run. So he couldn’t take her.

A hard, cruel hand locked around the back of her neck. It squeezed, the painful pressure making her cry out.

“I said, don’tmove,” he snapped, his fingers crushing the back of her neck as he shot the car backward out of the parking spot.

No! He was kidnapping her!

Unable to break free of his grip, Autumn’s eyes darted around frantically, searching for help. Two people were gaping at them from the sidewalk out front of the stores, their eyes wide with horror. “Help!” she screamed at them. Why weren’t they doing anything?

One woman lunged forward as if to grab at Autumn’s door handle. “Hey!” the lady yelled at the man, her voice muffled under the music coming from the radio.

The bad man shifted into drive, hit the gas and floored it.

Autumn grabbed his wrist to pull his hand from her neck and fought to turn around, but he was too strong, and even digging her nails into his skin didn’t do anything. He grabbed the base of her ponytail, sticking through the opening at the back of her ball cap, and yanked, wrenching her head to the side.

Terrified, Autumn caught a glimpse of her mother as she raced out of the sandwich shop. Her face was stricken, eyes bulging as she stared at the moving car.

Tears flooded Autumn’s eyes as their gazes locked through the shattered window for an instant, fear clogging her throat, twisting her stomach until she almost threw up. “Mom,helpme!”

“Shut up,” the man muttered, yanking on her hair again, never easing up on his grip as he sped through the parking lot and out onto the busy street.

****

Reid was in the shower, washing away all the sweat from his recent workout at the gym with Maka when he heard his phone ring in his adjoining bedroom. He had it set to go to voicemail after four rings, so he took his time scrubbing his hair and rinsing all the soap off. The phone rang again a few seconds later. He killed the water.

The phone rang a third time as he was wrapping a towel around his waist. Whoever it was, it must be important.

Hustling out of the bathroom, he headed straight for the dresser where he’d left the phone. All three calls were from Sarah’s number. Reid frowned. She never called him, only texted or emailed. Maybe it was Autumn calling from Sarah’s phone.

He called back, putting the phone to his ear as he strode back to the bathroom to get dressed.

“Reid!”

A split-second’s shock hit him at the sound of his ex’s voice on the other end of the line, instantly covered by alarm at the sheer panic in it. His entire body tensed. “Sarah, what’s wrong?”

“Autumn’s gone! Some asshole just broke into the car when I ran into Subway, and drove off with her!”

“What?” The blood drained from his face with a hot, prickling sensation.

She let out a broken sob. “Oh my God, I don’t know where he took her, I—”

“Did you call the cops?”

Another sob, this one so full of anguish the hair on Reid’s nape stood on end. “They’re out looking for her right now.”

Calm down. You need to calm the hell down. Think.But it was fucking impossible when his baby girl had just been kidnapped. His heart beat triple time, a sickening thud against his ribs. “Where are you?” He ran back to the dresser, yanked out a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

“I’m still at the strip m-mall,” she quavered.

“Give me the address. I’m on my way.” He kept talking to her as he dressed, grabbed his keys and shoes and ran out of the condo. The blood roared in his ears as he raced for his car, terror and helplessness racing through him in a chaotic, unstoppable tide. The cops would find Autumn. He couldn’t handle the alternative.

The Mustang’s tires squealed as he turned out of the parking garage onto the street and gunned it. He kept Sarah talking to him, trying to get as much information as possible out of her despite her hysteria. Why the hell had she left the damn keys in the ignition in the first place? He bit the accusing question back. Sarah and he might have their problems, but she was a great mother and would never do anything that would put their daughter in jeopardy. This had been a horrible tragedy, plain and simple.

“Have to go. The d-detective wants to t-talk to me,” Sarah gasped out.

“I’ll be there in under ten minutes. Just stay put and don’t leave until I get there.” He hung up and immediately dialed Hamilton, started talking as soon as the man answered. “Someone just broke into Sarah’s car and took Autumn from a strip mall in town. I’m heading there now.” He could barely get the words out, his hands shaking on the wheel.

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