I feared the worst. Dakota was most likely dead. With no signs of life from him, he wasn’t likely to be found again. I knew deep in my gut how these things turned out.
Sometimes, the human traffickers would chat on the dark web about getting new toys, but this time, it was quiet. Not a peep, or so Collin said.
It had to be bad if the monsters themselves weren’t talking. So I could only take that as Dakota was no longer of use. He was gone.
I still paced. Over and over.
I wasn’t going to stop until I thought of something I could do. A new idea to search for him. A new way to bring down whoever took him.
I’d do whatever I needed to do, and I wouldn’t stop until my heart stopped beating.
I couldn’t give up on Dakota.
I may have failed him, but I would find justice. Somehow, someway.
The ringing of my cell phone startled me enough I almost tripped over my feet.
One look told me it probably wasn’t good news.
“Tell me.” I barked the words out.
I didn’t want a sugar-coated version. I wanted to be told the truth, like ripping off a band-aid.
“I’m not telling you over the phone, Allister. I’m on my way to get you now.”
“Damn it, just fucking tell me.”
“No. You’ll wait. I’ll be there in ten.” With that, April hung up.
Like hell, she was going to make me wait.
Pulling up Collin’s name, I pressed the call button. Only it went straight to voicemail after a couple of rings.
So, like any sane person, I called again. And again.
All the while, I paced like a caged animal with my gut torn up into a million pieces.
He was dead, wasn’t he? April didn’t trust me to take the news well.
I sat heavily on a chair, head in my hands, as my world crashed down around me.
I knew. I just knew.
I just didn’t want to believe it.
Either April knocked on the door minutes later, and I didn’t hear, or she just simply walked in. I didn’t even remember locking the door as it was.
There had been no point. My safety was the least of all my concerns.
“Well?” I lifted my head.
“We found him. Alive.”What?“Barely. He’s been transported to the closest hospital.”
“Where?” I stood, checking for my phone and keys as urgency set in.
“You are not driving,” April stated, folding her hands across her chest and raising a brow above her dark green all-knowing eyes. “You are off this case, remember. You can’t go in there and demand answers.”
“Too fucking bad.” That’s exactly what I was going to do.
