Page 74 of Brick
“Taking Bray was.”
“Yeah, but what would he have done with Bray if we hadn’t found him?Probably sold him to the highest bidder.”Just the thought of sweet Bray enduring that kind of horrific fate made Brick’s blood pressure shoot through the roof.
Taschen flicked a worried glance at him.“You good?Need some epinephrine for that heart attack it looks like you’re having?”
“No, I don’t fucking need epinephrine.”He removed his hand from his chest.“I need Keetan at the end of my gun.”
“We’re working on it.I think we should call the cops soon.With Keetan being an officer and all, we kind of need to play this close to the rules.”
Brick balled his hands.A lot of things would happen when he found Keetan.Playing close to the rules wasn’t one of them.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Taschen continued.“And I don’t blame you for plotting a bullet hole in every one of that bastard’s organs.However, you’re a dad now.”He cleared his throat.“That little guy is something.Cute as hell.Makes me even more eager for Sephie to have our baby.My point is that Bray deserves to have you in his life.Your actions today will dictate that little man’s future.That’s not something you want to miss.”
Some of Brick’s fury ebbed away.Goddammit, Taschen was probably the least-wise person he knew and here he was, not giving the worst advice.“I appreciate that,” he said, weighing each word.“I want to be there for him.”He dragged his fingers through his hair, needing to keep his hands busy.“It’s wild to think how quickly that kid became important to me.”
Taschen swatted his shoulder.“Guess you were bred for fatherhood.Looks good on you.Now I’m gonna do the right thing here and call the police department—if you don’t kill me for it.”
Brick snorted.“Be my guest.At least we’ve got a head start.That’ll give me some alone time with that motherfucker.”
Taschen smirked.“Exactly.”He made the call and asked to be connected to the chief.
Brick steered his attention out the window, tuning out the exchange between Taschen and Arnie.He couldn’t think about that right now.Needing some reassurance, he picked up his device and called Ghost.
He answered on the third ring.“What’s up?”
Brick massaged his temple.“Nothing’s changed.”He kept his voice low so as not to interrupt Taschen.“We’re about forty minutes out from the location you sent.It hasn’t moved?”
“Nope.I’ve got the tab open and just checked it.”
“All right, good.”Hell, was it good?What if Keetan had found the phone on Natalie and left it somewhere, then taken her somewhere else?They’d never find her.
“You losing your shit?”Ghost’s normally surly voice actually held a hint of compassion.
“Wouldn’t you be?”
Ghost snorted.“Probably not, but that’s because I’m not going to do anything stupid and fall for a chick.”
“Either way, the mother of my child’s in danger.”
“That’s a good-enough reason to lose your shit, but you know you’ve fallen for her, too.Fucking pathetic.”A note of humor clung to Ghost’s words.
If Brick weren’t in such a piss-poor mood, he’d have laughed.Pathetic or not, he needed Natalie back.Taschen disconnected, drawing Brick’s attention.“I’ve gotta go.We’ll keep you posted.”
Ghost hung up and Brick dropped his phone in the cup holder.“What’d Arnie say?”
Taschen’s mouth tensed.“He sounded surprised we’d found Keetan, but that’s not shocking.Obviously he’s unaware of Backcountry’s resources.”
Brick grunted.
“He also told me not to chase Keetan and to allow the police to do their job.”
“If they’d done their job properly, he’d be caught by now,” Brick snapped.Fuck he hated that he’d been unable to get to Natalie.That Keetan had gotten his slimy hands on her and that all Brick had been able to do was watch with a dozen guns trained on his head.
“Not much longer now,” Taschen said reassuringly.
Brick stifled a curse.Thirty-three minutes was damn long enough.
***
