Page 152 of Here and Now
While we have been watching each one for a sign of them, I reached out to Ainsley for help. She’s a journalist for a newspaper, and there was a name in the book that she’d mentioned once in regard to a story she’s working on in Washington, DC, about a senator.
It wasn’t the same one, but the name I gave her was heavily involved. She asked me to give her a day so she could do some digging. She called this morning with information that makes this book far more dangerous.
It wasn’t long before we could figure out the bigger names—high-ranking judges, police who were being paid off, and the senator who was definitely making money off all of it.
He has the most to lose, and I will make sure, once Penelope and Kai are safe, he does.
I speak to Quinn, staring up at the skyscraper. “I’m still not sure this building is right.”
While we didn’t see the senator or anyone, I entered the other two buildings we were watching, posing as a member of the janitorial staff. I did a scan of the floors, hoping I’d just stumble upon them, but there was absolutely no sign of them. The other one that Ben was sitting on, I can’t explain it, but I just felt they weren’t there.
When we arrived here, where Quinn has been doing surveillance, I felt it. My instincts were ringing, telling me they’re here.
“It’s your call,” Liam says.
“I can go in, scope it out, be sure,” I suggest.
Quinn shakes his head. “It’s too risky. You’ve been in two buildings, and if someone recognizes you, then this will be over before it starts. No, we have to play this right, and my gut says they’re here.”
I’ve made the wrong choice before, and it almost cost someone their life. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt because of this, but at the same time, each minute we spend out here, second-guessing things, is another minute Penelope and Kai are in danger.
Please let them be here.
For five days they’ve been gone. Five days of enduring God only knows what. Feeling like it’s now or never, I make the call. “I think we should go in. We have a plan, we’ve gone over contingencies. The only thing I think might be better is if we release what’s in the book in smaller doses. That way, it could give us a chance if he doesn’t kill me.”
Liam looks to Quinn. “He’s right. If Penelope and Kai are alive and Miles goes in, there’s nothing saying that they won’t just shoot him immediately. If that happens, we can enter and inform them that something will be breaking soon unless they give us your sister and nephew.”
“Fuck,” Quinn grumbles and looks to me. “You realize you’re putting your life at risk right now.”
“I don’t care about me,” I say.
Quinn stares at me. “She does.”
“Then she has to trust us. We’ll figure it out, but my only goal is to get them safe.”
“Then let’s roll.”
I’m coming for you, Penelope.
thirty-two
Penelope
“Just be calm, Kai. Stay quiet.” I brush my hands over his face, imploring him to do as I say. The last five days have been the worst of my life, and that’s saying something.
Kai and I were in the house, I left the door unlocked because I’ve become complacent, and we were discussing moving in with Miles.
I needed to know that Kai was really okay with it, not just in theory.
He was happy, smiling, wrapping his arms around me in absolute joy.
That’s when everything changed.
Two men entered my home and grabbed us.
There was no time to do anything, and I knew all I could do was cooperate so they didn’t kill us right then.
Now that they have us, there’s no way I’m getting out of here alive. No one knows we’re gone. There’s no way anyone could find us, even if they were looking for us.
