Page 32 of Ground Zero

I addressthe next question to Hardcore. “What happened with Siri?”

He shakes his head, and his words tell me his emotions are threatening to spill over. “We fucked up. That’s what happened.” He looks over at Jocko. “We left Angel at home.”

Jocko nods and says, “It’s okay, brother. Don’t look back. Move forward.”

He nods and continues. “Siri and I went to The Stallion. She was filling in for a friend. An hour in, Ann called me. I told Siri I would check on her, and I would let her know. I called and informed her that Ann was hurt. That I was going to the hospital with her. But Siri’s phone was in the back of my truck. However, at this point, I did not know that. Siri called and then texted from Red’s phone that she was going with the girls to Do Donuts.”

Mike asks, “Is that their routine?”

Justin nods, “Yes. We give the dancers an early bird discount and let them come in to unwind while Farrah and I are cooking.”

“How many girls last night?”

Hardcore answers. “Five plus Siri, but they didn’t make it. They were run off the road, lost control, went down an embankment, and crashed.”

“How do you know that?”

“Justin and I found the crash site, and the side of the SUV has damage and paint transfer consistent with another vehicle sideswiping it.”

“Continue.”

“The driver was killed in the crash.” He looks at Ann. “Red died on impact.”

She shakes her head and bites her lip—tears threatening again.

“Everyone else had vanished. The car doors were left open. Nothing was taken. Cash, phones, and purses were left behind. It looked like a snatch and grab.”

His phone rings.

I tell him, “Answer it.” I don’t add, ‘it could be kidnappers asking for a ransom,’ but I don’t have to.

His eyes lock with mine. “Moore speaking.”

The silence in the room is deafening. The only sound is Lucifer hassling.

He drops his head, closes his eyes, and says, “Siri! Thank God!”

Everyone takes a deep breath, then he says, “I am at Nik’s gym. Where are you?”

She answers somewhere.

“Are you hurt?”

He looks at me, and I see the relief on his face as he shakes his head that she isn’t. She is okay. I motion for him to put her on speaker, and he tells her as he taps the button.

“I am putting you on speaker.”

We hear the sweet, southern voice of the star that sings like Whitney Houston say, “My God, what a fucked-up night, Aurei. I have to call the police. Fuck. I don’t know where to start. Fuck.”

She starts to cry, and he speaks softly to her. “Siri, breathe, baby. You got this.”

She sobs for a moment, then she says. “I’m sorry. I just need a fucking hug from my man.” I can hear the strength and fight in her voice. Then we listen to her taking deep breaths, getting her shit together.

Aurei smiles, “Good girl!”

She blows a deep breath out and says, “Okay. I’m good.” But she does it twice more before she speaks again. She asks, confused. “Why am I on speaker?”

I take the lead. “Siri, Crockett speaking. Aurei has called my team in. We know your friends were taken, and we are going to find them. Can you tell us what happened? We know the vehicle was sideswiped.”

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