Page 4 of Playing For Keeps
“It’s a long shot, but maybe they took Dori there. Take me to it.”
“It was the first time I had seen my mother in twenty-five years. I was overwhelmed and anxious, so I wasn’t paying attention when I was being taken there. I’m not sure where it is.”
He growls from low in his chest. “Think hard because if we don’t find her, this lands on you.”
“I’m fully aware.” My lungs struggle to bring in air. “Can you get the FBI to search the housing records to see if we can narrow down the area?”
Medical responders carry Tom away on a board. One of the police officers takes Dorothy’s landlord out of the loft to interview her in the hallway.
Aiden’s gaze fills with trepidation. “I can try, but I’m not on an official FBI assignment.”
“Why not?”
“I didn’t think I could put a team on it as fast as we needed.”
“Then how were you planning on taking my motherdown?” My face heats. “You told me you had the backing to take her down.”
“I did. I had the local authorities help.”
“Why not the FBI? And don’t feed me another line of bullshit. The FBI can put a team together in a matter of minutes.”
“Because I…” He marches toward the window and whirls to face me. “I didn’t want to pull in the FBI until we had your mom.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. That’s ridiculous.” I rake my hands through my hair. “What exactly does the FBI think you’re doing here?”
“They think I’m here helping my sister move.”
“Then who did you think was going to help us deal with a mobster’s wife?”
“I called in the local authorities, telling them I’m an FBI agent and my sister was being stalked. I told them I needed their help, as her life was in danger.”
This information doesn’t sit well with me. Here I thought the FBI was involved because we were dealing with the mob.
We are so out of our league with this operation, and we put Dorothy’s life on the line. A heavy weight tears me apart, limb by limb.
I step to him, standing straighter. “But why not include the FBI? Your logic isn’t making sense.”
Aiden squeezes his eyes shut. “I just didn’t include them.”
“There’s more to this than you’re letting on.” My jaw twitches as I clench down on my molars.
His eyes pop open. “I get it, Hunter. We fucked up. And because of that, my sister is in serious danger.”
“Even more now that this fiasco doesn’t have the appropriate resources backing us.” I stop a foot before him and stare him down.
“We can get more help. I just was hoping to have solid evidence before I got the FBI involved.”
“You have all the proof you want, and we need all the help we can get now. Whatever your reason for not having the FBI involved needs to get put aside. Call in a favor and get them here to help us because the local police are going to need all the assistance they can get.”
“I see that, Hunter.” He stalks to the kitchen island, pulls out his phone, and dials a number with his back to me. His shoulders broaden as he begins to speak. “Hey, Hardman. It’s Fisher. I need your help.”
My heart rate races as I shudder. Nothing went as planned today.
Dorothy’s with my evil, mobster mother, and there’s no telling what she’ll do with her.
With my mother in control, I’m not sure there’s a happy ending to this situation. I can only pray she doesn’t kill Dorothy.
CHAPTER 2
