Last year Ridge took out one of the key players in the drug game. It left many people searching to buy their illegal product in Clearwater. The local dealers upped their prices. It could be why her parents needed more cash to keep themselves supplied, but it just didn’t fit.
Cassandra told me about the relationship with her and her mother while we were in Florida, and never once did she mention drugs. A lot changed since the last time she was in town, and she obviously didn’t talk to her mother much since she left. I had to spill the news about her parents’ split. They might have hidden a drug addiction from her without much trouble, but not from the town.
There was also the fact her brother married and, from the sounds of it, quickly. Their mother didn’t respect the new wife, but the cat wasn’t harmed. Wouldn’t her mother have taken any anger out on the beloved family pet? No. Maybe not. We now only had more questions, never answers.
Now that I’d opened the door to horrible questions, they continued to tumble out.
The only thing missing included the jewelry box Cassandra purchased from the antique store. But it’s not like Cassandra took inventory of her brother’s home. Jewelry, money, or even a weapon could have been taken that she didn’t know about.
The ten-dollar antique jewelry box was sitting on a random shelf in the store, so it wasn’t anything rare. I hadn’t asked Cass why she selected that exact jewelry box, but maybe her new sister-in-law had a collection.
Spencer continued to search, and I contemplated what direction to have him look next. Maybe we’d hit the time to run the whole family and see what popped up. Everyone had skeletons in their closet. It was only a matter of how decayed they’d gotten.
I’d been seconds away from suggesting we check out the sister-in-law when both our phones lit up with a message. The three beats let us know whatever the topic, Ridge considered it a work emergency. I didn’t have time for drama in Pelican Bay when I was already trying to solve another drama.
Why couldn’t criminals stand in line and wait their turn?
“Shit,” Spencer said, reading his phone first and jumping up from his chair.
I scanned the text and then followed suit. “I’ll drive.”
At any given time, the crew was scattered across Pelican Bay. Often it was easier and had more parking to meet at the bakery. Thankfully, the shop was close to pretty much everything, and we made great time getting there. Only half the men from Pelican Bay Security were in the kitchen when Spencer and I walked in. All the key players huddled around the metal kitchen prep table, which was the first sign whatever happened was major.
Anytime you saw Ridge, Bennett, Drake, Lee and Colt together, you had reason to worry.
Ridge pulled the cookie from his mouth long enough to give us a quick greeting. Spencer and I shared a look. When my brother started gorging on sugar, it was batten-down-the-hatches time because shit just got real. I took a deep breath and braced for whatever tornado gathered the speed to plow through Pelican Bay.
We circled around the countertop, and Tabitha handed Ridge another cookie, set the platter of them in the middle of the counter, and backed out with her fingers in her ears and her head lowered so she didn’t hear or see anything.
Not that any of us believed they weren’t listening on the other side of the door.
Ridge waited until the swinging metal doors of the kitchen were mostly closed before he spoke. “They’ve kidnapped Cyrus Kensington.” He waited a beat for us to digest the information. “He was in Portland shopping for the day, and it seems they picked him up in the mall parking lot.”
“Ransom note?” I asked. It’s not I didn’t believe Cyrus’s kidnapping, but we knew the Kensington twins for being mischievous and partiers. Someone needed to be sure first.
Ridge shook his head. “Not yet, but we’re waiting. I expect one to come in soon.”
“Do you think the Grand Master is involved?” A few weeks ago, Cyrus’s twin brother Corbin had a run-in with the famous and ruthless mobster from Chicago. The Grand Master claimed none of the trouble they caused in Pelican Bay happened from his loyal men, but rather a rogue player Jerico from his team who decided he wanted to make more money on his own.
Not all the men were convinced of his innocence, me included. Corbin barely survived the encounter, and I couldn’t believe the Grand Master would go after him and his twin again, but we knew men with lots of money and power hated to lose.
“We need to be mobile on this one,” Ridge continued, “Spencer, I want you tracking where the Grand Master has men right now and keep those feelers out for Jerico.
We rescued Corbin, but Jerico and his key players escaped. Ridge ate five cookies that day. A five-cookie day was not a good day… for any of us.
“Do you want me on point?” I asked.
In previous times, I’d gone with Ridge and acted as coordinator when we needed to move locations on a time crunch. The offer slipped from my lips without thinking. It’s what I did, but who knew how long this case would take. By the time we made it home, Cassandra may have gone back to Tennessee. I might never get a third chance with her.
He shook his head. “No, I’m taking Bennett with me. I want you in charge of headquarters while we’re gone. We need someone to coordinate here. I trust you to handle this.”
I nodded, trying my best not to let Ridge know I how rewarding I found the assignment. Normally, he left Lee in charge back in Pelican Bay. Not only was it a small promotion in our own little way, but I got to stay with Cassandra. Pelican Bay had been quiet, and as long as I kept control of Katy for a few days, we should be in the clear.
“I want Cyrus back within the next twenty-four hours or I consider this mission a failure,” Ridge said, his voice hard as granite.
Anything less than the best he considered a failure, but if the Grand Master and Jerico were behind Cyrus’s kidnapping, Ridge was taking this personally. He wouldn’t stop until someone was in jail.
12
