Page 22 of Sleepless Pact

“Careful with your tone or I’ll end this call,” she snaps.“I’ve been told you’re Phillip Howard.The man who stole my daughter from me.”

“I didn’t steal her,” I say through clenched teeth.“She was running away from you.”

“She would never do that to me.”She’s seething, and the quick change in her emotion makes me afraid for Audrey.Then to my shock, she lets out a little giggle, and I wonder if this woman is mentally stable.“She’s my baby.Audrey would never leave me.”

“I want proof you have her.”I’m not sure who the hell I’m dealing with, but clearly she’s not okay.

“No.”

“I was told you’d be willing to speak to me but you had demands.How do I know you even have Audrey?”My eyes cut over to David, who is in the passenger seat of the car, and he nods for me to keep her talking.

When we left, I headed in the direction of the estate where Audrey’s mother lives.Now he’s using his laptop to pinpoint her location on the estate.Meanwhile, the underground sources I talked to are already there and looking for a way for us to get in.

“I might be willing to provide certain access to my daughter in exchange for—”

“Name your price,” I snap, cutting her off.

David looks over and raises an eyebrow at me.He’s trying to silently tell me to calm down, and although I know he’s right, I’m having a hard time keeping my cool.

“I said be careful with your tone.”She sing-songs the words, and I swear I feel totally helpless.

“What do you want?I’ll do anything to get her back.”

“I said you could have certain access to her.Check your phone.I’ve shared a link.”

David grabs my phone from the console between us and clicks on the link.The video is grainy, but it shows Audrey sitting on a bed with her hands tied in front of her.She’s still wearing my shirt, but it appears she’s been tossed around because it’s dirty.The way she’s sitting with her shoulders slumped and her head hanging down, she looks like she’s emotionally beaten.

“Fuck,” I say through clenched teeth as Audrey’s mom continues to hum her little tune.“Please let me see her.”

“You are seeing her.”She sounds like she’s being totally honest and can’t understand my meaning.“Now I’ll leave this live link going so you can watch her as often as you like, but I’d like something in return.If you don’t agree to my terms, then I’ll delete the link and you’ll never see her again.”

Fat fucking chance, lady, but I don’t say that part out loud.“Tell me what you want and I’ll get it for you.”

“That’s what I hear.That you’re a man with connections.”There’s another little giggle, and it makes me sick.“I’d like to have my supply replenished.”

“Your what?What the hell are you talking about?”

“There are few things that I can’t seem to acquire on my own anymore.They’re my…” She pauses as she thinks it over.“Vitamins.”

“Vitamins?”What the fuck is this woman on?

“I’ll have my assistant send you the list.”There’s a muffled sound that I don’t catch, but it sounds like she’s barking orders.“It seems as if a few of them have gone off the market, and I’m in desperate need of replacements.If you’re able to give me what I want, then I’ll make sure you can watch my sweet girl as often as you’d like.”

“Give me a second to look it over.”

My phone vibrates, and I mute the call so she can’t hear what I’m saying to David.“What’s on it?”

“Holy shit.”David is scrolling and then he looks over at me with an expression of horror and confusion.“Some of this shit was outlawed decades ago.She’s been taking these drugs?”

“Shit.”I glance at the list, and one of them stands out as a drug containing lead that’s known to send people into psychotic episodes.“What if she’s been giving them to Audrey?”I say my biggest fear out loud, but David is already shaking his head.

“Doubtful or it would have come up on the toxicology report when she was at the hospital.”

He’s got a point.When I see a message from one of my guys, David checks it and then quickly directs me to a service road at the rear of the estate.After he tells me where we can get in, I unmute the call to Audrey’s mother.

“Okay, I should be able to get everything on the list,” I tell her, and I hear her clap her hands together.

“Excellent.You can call me back when you have it.Until then, I’m closing the link.”

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