Page 54 of Hiding from the Truth

We all make it to Sterling’s truck. I get in the front, while Briella and Dean sandwich Rhett in the back. Sterling puts in a call to his boss, Chief Trudeau, and then dispatch. More officers are coming. He gives them a briefing and locations. If there was any question for Rhett, Briella, or Dean as to what’s going on, they know now.

When we’re close to where one of the dots light up on the map, my heart sinks as I see a car on the side of the road. Sterling stops, gun at his side but ready, as he hops out and moves to the car, holding a flashlight in the other hand. I rush to the car as he yells, “Wait, Tate,” but I don’t stop until I reach the car. It’s been hit on the driver’s side and her airbags deployed, but the car is empty. Then I see her clothes in the back seat. She wasn’t even dressed for the party, which means she knew she was meeting him.

“Let’s go!” I shout to Sterling. “He ran her off the road and took her.” I know I’m making assumptions but, in my gut, I know it’s the truth.

We get back in the truck, wasting no time as sirens can be heard in the distance. We drive for what seems like miles and arrive at a private drive in the middle of nowhere. The house comes into view and it’s a beautiful A-frame house. This one doesn’t have the full windows, it’s more like a traditional house in that regard.

We file out of the truck with Briella and Sterling taking the lead as we round the truck parked in the drive. Sure enough it has front end damage.

Sterling and Briella knock and announce themselves. After a moment, Taylor appears. He’s holding a glass of wine and when his eyes land on mine, he smirks. “What’s the problem, officers?” he asks without a care in the world.

“It appears you were in a hit and run accident with Lucy McCree. Where is she?” Sterling asks forcefully.

“Ah, Lucy. She wanted to talk. We were meeting up at her place, but her car slid off the road on the way to her house, I spotted it and stopped to help. She said she was fine, so we came here. We were going to call a tow truck in the morning.”

I lunge for him, but Briella pushes me back while Sterling keeps his full attention on Taylor. “You lying bastard.” I seethe.

“We need to see her. Now,” Sterling demands.

“Oh, I’m afraid she’s resting. I was cooking dinner for us and about to take her a glass of her favorite red wine. Maybe you should check back in the morning when she’s feeling more like herself.” He keeps smiling like he has a choice in what comes next.

I start for him again, with Briella blocking my path. He walks away and sits the wine glass on his bar in the kitchen and takes the few steps back to the front door. A look of triumph on his face as he crosses his arms. “If there’s nothing else, I’d like to get back to cooking dinner formygirlfriend.” Then he winks at me.

This time there’s no stopping me as I burst through his door—Briella hot on my heels. “Lucy!” I call out sweeping my gaze around the house. “Lucy, babe, I’m here to take you home.”

I hear her voice down the hall and to the left. “Tate?”

“It’s me, baby. Can you open the door for me?” I ask when I turn the knob, but it’s locked.

“I can’t. He has me locked in here, and I think I’m hurt from the accident.” She’s crying as she speaks.

I hear commotion at the front of the house, but I don’t care. I hit the door with my shoulder, trying to get it to budge, but this is a well-made, heavy door. “Babe, make sure you’re not close to the door. I’m coming in to get you.”

I hear her soft reply. “Okay.”

I kick it once, and it splinters slightly, then I put my shoulder and all my body strength into it and I’m finally able to break it open. Bastard locked her in with no way out unless he let her out.

As soon as she appears, my heart squeezes and floods with relief. She’s pale with tears staining her cheeks and I see bruises across her neck and chest, and damn it, her wrists. We rush into each other’s arms. “I’m not letting you out of my sight again.” She clings to me, and I feel her body shaking. I kiss her head and step back searching her for injury.

“What did he do to you?” I say through clenched teeth.

“This is mostly from where he ran me off the road,” she says staring at her feet.

I tip her chin up and start to tell her not to hide from me when Rhett’s booming voice breaks through the noise. “Lucy, sweetie? Are you okay?” He sounds panicked. Her eyes widen, not expecting him to be here.

As we walk out of the room hand in hand, Briella turns to check on us for a split second having made it to the hallway but watching Taylor as well. It only takes that second for Taylor to reach into his pocket and pull out a rather large knife before grabbing Briella and dragging her back to his chest. He holds the blade at her throat.

She swallows and he tells her to drop her gun. She glances at Sterling who now has his own gun trained on Taylor. He nods ever so slightly to her. Briella squeezes her eyes shut for a split second before lowering her weapon, dropping her magazine, and making sure the chamber is empty before letting it fall to the floor.

When he’s satisfied, he looks at us. “Lucy, I told you what would happen. You better fix this,” he growls at her as he presses the blade to Briella’s throat enough to draw blood.

Sterling inches closer as he sees the small trail of blood trickle down his sister’s throat. His determination clear. “Drop. The. Knife. Now,” he says with deadly calm.

Taylor doesn’t take his eyes off us. “I will as soon as Lucy walks over to me and tells you all the truth.” He must have snapped.

Lucy starts to step away from me and I tug on her. “You’re not going over there.” She looks at me with pleading eyes.

“I love you, but I can’t let him hurt anyone else because of me. He wants me,” she whispers.

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