Page 161 of Happily Never After

CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

To Do:

- Find Brianna

- Make them pay

“I don’t understandwhy you can’t just go in there guns blazing.” Claire was going to wear a hole in the floor of the safe house. “Every second we waste here is another second Brianna could be killed.”

“They need a search warrant,” Luke said. He was paler than usual. “Right now, we have no evidence of wrongdoing beyond the fact that you think you saw Big Z acknowledge the professor at a convention.”

“A convention where there was a literal poster of Brianna labeled as a ‘dangerous feminist.’ I know it was him.” Claire bristled, stopping in front of the window and staring outside. The streetlight on the corner changed color. “If he doesn’t have her, he knows who does.”

Jack looked like he had aged a decade. “Try to understand, Claire. If you’re right about this Big Z character, his house is a treasure trove of information on ESA. He could have a membership roster or email correspondence. I want nothing more than to get your sister back. But if we don’t do everything by the book, we risk rendering all that information inadmissible in court. Every single one of them could walk free.”

“We can’t just do nothing,” Claire yelled. One of the agents in the kitchen side-eyed her. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want a dead sister on my conscience. What can we do? Do I need to go drag that judge out of his daughter’s wedding? Because I’ll do it.”

Apparently part of the holdup was the judge who was on call to sign search warrants was attending his daughter’s wedding downtown. Traffic was a nightmare. She would sprint there barefoot if she had to.

Jack shook his head. “Agents are already on their way.”

Charlie stood up from the futon. “We don’t need a warrant.”

“What do you mean?” Luke asked.

“I just texted Big Z. I told him if he wants to fix this scandal, then I need to come over right now. You don’t need a warrant if you’re invited in.”

Jack whirled around. “Charlotte, it’s too dangerous. You’re not going.”

Charlie rolled her eyes and ignored him.

“Where does he live?” Claire asked.

“Mulholland Drive. Less than five miles from here.” Charlie glanced in her compact and wiped a stray tear away. She smoothed her hair back and straightened up. “I can get an Uber and have them stop a few houses away. Are you coming?”

“Obviously.” Claire held out her hand. Luke tossed her purse at her and she slung it over her shoulder. She pulled an even smaller bag out and changed into her emergency flats.

“Girls,” Jack said sternly. “You can’t do this.”

“We’re not agents. Charlie can let me in a backdoor, and I can sneak around and find out where he’s holding her. You don’t have to wait for a warrant if there’s a nine-one-one call, right?”

“That’s technically correct,” Jack said. His normally perfectly smoothed hair was sticking up in the back. The knees of his suit were wrinkled. He had never looked so disheveled.

“Uber’s here. Let’s go.” Charlie cracked the front door open. Luke and Claire hurried after her.

“Wait!” They turned.

Tanya ran toward them and gathered them all into a bear hug. She whispered something over them and flicked something from a vial at them. It smelled like cinnamon.

“Be safe,” she whispered tearfully as they left.

“Okay, what’s the plan?” Claire asked minutes later from the middle seat of an overly large SUV.

“We stop a couple houses away,” Charlie whispered. “I go in first. I’ll ask him to let me use the powder room, and I’ll unlock the window. It’s at the back of the house by the pool. Then Luke can boost you up and you can climb inside.”

“Done.” Claire said. She would rip her dress in half if she had to. “Did he sound suspicious at all?”

“He said ‘Now’s not the best time, but I’ll make time if you can make this go away.’”

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