I dialed Jayson, while Link stepped away and made a call of his own. When Jayson didn’t answer, I dialed again. Then again. Finally, his groggy voice answered.
“This better be good, Em. I was in the middle of the best dream. There were all these hot pool boys and—”
“But you’re okay?” I asked, interrupting him.
“Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Someone kidnapped Grandma.”
“What? When?”
Link returned and held out his hand. I gave him my phone and he put it to his ear.
“We’ll fill you in when you get here, Jay,” he said. “Bull’s gonna come get you. Pack a bag, because you’ll be staying at the station until after the trial.”
He hung up and handed me back my phone. “Text Bull Jayson’s address.”
Link stepped away and made another phone call. This one to someone named Crow. As he filled Crow in on what was happening, I sent a quick text to Bull, and then resumed pacing and worrying about Grandma. Link thanked Crow, hung up, and joined me.
“Who’s Crow?” I asked, more to distract my mind from the fact my grandmother was in danger than anything.
“The president of the Dogs of Fire club down in Portland, and a good friend. He’s sending up Booker and Hawk to help us find your grandmother. Booker’s a computer whiz who’ll work with Morse, and Hawk’s a bounty hunter. Give me a second, baby. I’ve gotta make another call.”
Link spoke to Wasp about putting together an emergency meeting before hanging up and pulling me against him.
“Talk to me, Em. Tell me what’s going on in that amazing brain of yours.”
A tear rolled down my cheek, leaving a hot trail behind. Grandma. I felt so lost knowing she was in danger. “I know what she wants me to do, but I don’t think I can do it.”
“Tell me what she meant about your friend,” he said.
“In middle school I caught Julie Long stealing from a teacher.”
“You turned her in, didn’t you?” Link asked. I couldn’t tell if it was pride or disgust in his tone. Probably a bit of both.
Yep, I’d ratted out my friend, but there were circumstances. “I… Ms. Raymore was a widow living alone on a teacher’s salary while Julie’s family had all kinds of money. I realize now that she was just a spoiled little mean girl, but back then she was one of my closest friends. She got suspended, and I felt awful. But there was no way I could have kept my mouth shut.”
Link squeezed me against him. “Even then, you were a queen, babe.”
I sure hadn’t felt like a queen then, and I didn’t feel like one now. “She doesn’t want me to give up the case, but she’s in danger. And she’s the only family I have left. I can’t lose her.”
He stroked my hair out of my face and kissed my forehead. “You won’t lose her, babe, and she’s not your only family. Not anymore. You have me, and I have a whole club of brothers and a shit-ton of friends who won’t stand for this bullshit. We’ll find her. I promise you that.”
“You can’t make that kind of promise, Link.”
“I just did. I need you to trust me on this. You’re my woman, and I’m sure as hell not gonna stand by and let some asshole threaten your grandmother to get you to drop your morals.” He thumbed away the tears from my cheeks and pressed a kiss against my lips.
Needing his strength and confidence, I grabbed hold of him and held on tight.
“Trust me, Em. I won’t let you down. If we have to tear this entire city down to its goddamn studs, we’ll find her.”
I was terrified for my grandmother, but I believed him.
