Page 31 of Gideon

“Sorry, pumpkin. We have to leave early, or you’ll be grouchy when we have to get up for our trip tomorrow.”

My eyes widened. “A trip?”

Roxy shrugged. “Work, but Mommy’s coming and we get to visit the zoo.”

I wriggled happily. I’d always wanted to go to a zoo. “Have fun.”

Roxy gave a little hand-wave and got up, taking her Mommy’s hand. I turned back to Samantha just in time to see her nodding, and followed her gaze to her Daddy, but he turned and walked to the bathrooms.

Samantha put her crayon down and whispered. “Will you show me our bathroom?” She wiggled in her seat a little. I glanced over at Daddy, who had stood and was saying goodbye to Meghan.

“It’s just there,” I said pointing it out behind the little kitchen area Daddy had gotten our juice from. There were two bathrooms on the opposite wall next to the fire exit door, and we had to walk past the small kitchen area and the large fridge that held snacks and juice.

Samantha seemed to shrink a little and look for her Daddy, but he’d gone in one of the bathrooms himself, and I felt so sorry for her. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt there was no way Daddy would have left me on my own in a strange place.

“Will you go with me?” Samantha whispered.

“Sure,” I said smiling and I stood holding out my hand, which she clutched. I glanced at Daddy, but Roxy was hugging him, and suddenly I wanted a hug too. I could show Samantha the bathroom then maybe Daddy would let me sit on his lap for a cuddle?

I took Samantha’s hand because she seemed so scared and walked her through the small kitchen to the bathroom doors, and I paused, but Samantha didn’t let go. “It’s just there,” I said encouragingly, and she winced. At the same time the other bathroom opened and Samantha’s Daddy stepped out. He walked up to me and put out a hand to shake. Flustered, but not wanting to seem impolite, I held mine out to touch his.

“Good girl,” he murmured, then took my hand as Samantha let go of my other.

I tried to let go as he glanced behind me again, then so quickly I was too stunned to cry out, he clamped a hand over my mouth and grabbed my waist, lifting me off my feet. In another second he kicked the emergency exit door open, and the alarm started shrieking. We were outside and in a huge car waiting with a door open before I even got the chance to struggle.

I saw two things. Samantha’s look of horror as the car left without her, and Daddy just appearing at the open door as the car I was in lurched and sped up. Then I felt a sharp prick on my neck and after that I didn’t see anything at all.

Gideon

I didn’t pause, just ran. I had one chance and that was it. If the lights on the corner of our parking lot changed, then whoever was driving had to at least hesitate. My slim Sig Sauer P365 was the only one I was comfortable with in a suit, but I hadn’t drawn it because I didn’t dare risk so much as hitting the tires when my baby was in there, unless it slowed.

I heard the car horn behind me just as the lights changed, but the Escalade I was running after didn’t so much as pause, causing another car to swerve. I turned my head as the car slowed at my side and dived into the open door. Max floored it as soon as I was in, and I managed to grab my phone and fastened my belt. I needed Eric to see if he could get into the traffic cams in case we lost it. The Escalade turned onto West Gandy, and I knew they were heading for the expressway. Maddox sped up then swore as another car pulled right in front of us. He had to hit the brakes and swerve, and my phone slipped from my grasp. Horns beeped and Max floored it again toward the intersection. Then we heard the sirens and before Maddox could get around the car in front, two cop cars effectively blocked us in.

“FUCK,” I screamed and punched the dash.

It took two hours. Two fucking hours and it was only when my lawyer finally threatened them with a complaint via the mayor because we had given a hell of a lot to her favorite charities that they let me go. I’d refused to tell the regularcops why we were chasing a car, and just said he’d cut Maddox off, and I had no idea who it was. Eric had wiped the parking lot cameras and all they had was a mad car dash through town. The cops were conveniently there as apparently a store had been broken into and they thought it was us. It was all fucked up.

Dion picked Max and me up. We’d been separated but I knew Max wouldn’t say anything. Technically, they should have never held me anyway as I wasn’t driving, but I hadn’t come nicely when they’d asked, just yelled at them to get out of the fucking way. So, they’d taken me in.

“Please tell me you have something,” were the first words out of my mouth.

“What about the other Little?” Max interrupted.

“Picked up in a second car,” Dion said, “while we were trying to get to you. A regular Ford Explorer. False plates on both cars.”

“We have him though,” I said. “We have him taking her.”

“We have her being taken out the fire exit with no cameras showing his face. As you know there are no cameras in the Little room because of privacy concerns. We can kick shit up, but I’m guessing you don’t wanna go official because involving the cops could make whoever took her wanna—” Dion clamped his lips shut but I knew what he was going to say. Some version ofget rid of her.

“Why?” I said. “I meanwhat the fuck? A kidnap with a ton of witnesses is hardly what old man Kirkman wants. How is that staying under the radar?”

“No,” Maddox grunted. “This is personal.”

I opened my mouth then closed it.Personal?“He’s pissed because I took Abby? How would anyone with a lick of sense go this far for that? Kirkman I can understand in a pinchbecause he’s a crazy sadistic fuck, but Jonathan Price?” Who spent most of his time on the other side of the country. It was ridiculous.

Dion hesitated and my stomach took a dive. I couldn’t even ask.

“What do you know?” Maddox snapped out.

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