Page 58 of Big Daddy Mountain Man

“We are, sweetie. Don’t worry. We’ll find her,” he assured her.

“I’m going,” Sawyer said.

“You know where this guy lives?” Quinn asked.

“Nope. But I know his name. Donnie Bradley. I can search property records. It’s all online. Trust me. I was intelligence backin my SEAL days. I hunted down terrorists and druglords. Some asshole thug—excuse my language, girls—won’t be an issue.”

Alyssa, Janie, and Mindy all dipped their heads, indicating the language didn’t offend them.

“I’ll call the Oklahoma City PD,” Quinn said, “and let them know what’s going on. But I’m going to level with you, a ripped stuffie is awfully slim evidence. They’ll never give a warrant off of that. At best, they’ll look him up and do a welfare check. Assuming they have any clue which Donnie Bradley it is. There’s got to be a few in a city that large.”

“I appreciate it,” Sawyer replied, already striding to the door. “But I’ll get to her before they do.”

“Sawyer—”

He turned around and looked at Quinn. “Don’t bother telling me to leave it for the cops. You know I won’t.”

Sawyer was wondering how Quinn would take it and was relieved when the sheriff smiled. He liked Quinn, but he wasn’t about to listen to his advice when his Little girl’s life was on the line.

“I was just going to say I’m going with you,” the sheriff said.

“Count me in,” Cane added.

“Count all of us in,” Austin said. “Except you Littles.”

The Daddies all nodded in agreement.

“Let’s go to the city and show ‘em how mountain folk do things,” Austin said.

Despite the grim circumstances, Sawyer smiled. He nodded and added, “Let’s roll.”

CHAPTER THIRTY

Amber arrived back in Oklahoma City about ten o’clock that evening.

The trip had taken longer than she’d expected, but Donnie had been adamant that T-Rex obey the speed limits. She theorized that they didn’t want to get pulled over since she could easily scream and alert a cop that she was being held captive.

A drive that should have only taken about three and a half hours ended up taking over four. They’d even stopped for burgers but ate in the car, probably so she wouldn’t have a chance to get help inside the roadside fast-food joint. She’d declined any food, not being able to even think about eating at a time like this.

“I’ve got big plans for you,” Donnie said as he grabbed her elbow and roughly tore her from the car.

She cried out in terror, but around the crappy, dilapidated apartment complex, there wasn’t anyone who would come to her rescue.

Somehow, the complex looked even more depressing than she remembered. Trash blew around the outside of the L-shaped building. The black iron fence that surrounded the property was sagging in spots and outright missing panels in others. Emptybeer cans, liquor bottles, and even a couple of syringes littered the busted-up concrete of the parking lot. There were a few streetlights around them, but two of them were out. Amber didn’t know if the bulbs just hadn’t been replaced or if they’d purposely been rendered useless to decrease the light.

People doing shady stuff don’t want to be spotted.

The place looked like a sad, lonely prison full of lost hope and broken dreams. Amber already longed for the green, rolling mountains of Big Cedar. And her friends.

Of course, Daddy, too.

Most of all, Daddy.

“I’ve already rented out your old place,” Donnie said. “So you’re staying with me.” He howled with laughter, as did T-Rex.

A group of men leaning against the wall outside the apartment’s office grinned as they saw Amber being dragged toward them.

“You got her,” one of them said. He was a big guy who thought he was strong. Indeed, he had some muscle, Amber noted, but it was under a layer of extra weight.

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