“No. If I tell you, if I take you, you will act like a normal human being and listen to me for once in your life.” The words got through to me, causing me to pause in searching for things I didn’t exactly need.
“You’ll tell me?” I asked more than I demanded.
“I’ll fill you in on the way with what I know.”
I held out a hand towards the door. I was more than ready to get going.
“He’s okay?” I asked once we were on the road.
“He’s alive.” April glanced at me before turning her eyes back to the road. “I don’t know his full condition yet. He’s heavily guarded right now. He wasfound at some worn-down cabin in the middle of the woods. A few miles from where his GPS location was last noted.”
“Who had him?”
“I’m not going to tell you that.”
I grunted, not pleased. I hadn’t expected her to, not when I was officially pulled off this case. Not my fault I was being too emotional—her words, not mine.
“Is that guy dead?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
April went on to tell me after a few minutes. “Dakota was unconscious at the time I was informed and will most likely still be when we get to the hospital. And, they may not let you in.”
“Wanna bet on that?”
“Would you let me finish?” April shot me a quick glare. “I will get you in. But you are not to interfere with the investigation. If you do, I’ll remove you myself.”
“Got it.” I just wanted Dakota. I wanted to see him with my own eyes that he was alive.
“He…he’ll be okay. He has to be.”
***
April had barely parked the car when I opened the door and hauled myself from it.
“You won’t get in without me.” That made me pause to let her catch up. If I could, I’d tear the entire place apart to get to my boy.
At the front desk, April showed her badge and rattled off who she was looking for, which wasn’t the name of the boy, before being told where to go.
“He’s under a different name.” I was certainly not thinking clearly, knowing witness protection started right away.
“Calm down.”
“I am fucking calm,” I muttered, shoving my hands into my pockets with the lie. The action did little to ease the panic that was swarming to the surface.
April huffed, turning down another endless hallway. Then another. Finally, we came to another nurse’s station, where April spoke, and I stood back, keeping calm.
I wasn’t. I was burning alive on the inside. Nothing would help me until I got to set my eyes on Dakota.
“Room twenty-thirty-five.”
I went off, April trying to keep up. Her hissing of my name did nothing to stop me.
Of course, I was blocked by a police officer who moved to stand right in front of the door. He had his hands on his hips, making his slim body wider than it normally was.
“He’s with me, Officer. Please let him in.”
