Iwake with the first rays of sunrise peeping over the mountain. Hudson sleeps next to me, and I watch the rise and fall of his chest, the way his lips part gently, and the hard lines of his face made soft with sleep.
Once again, he was there when I needed him, reliable and comforting—my safe place. I wonder how I can bear to let him go after all this is over. I wonder if he feels the same connection I do and if he’d be willing to try with a girl like me.
With my body sore and tingling in the best way, I stretch lazily. Hudson doesn’t stir beside me, and I guess I’ve worn him out the last few days.
He was up late last night talking softly with Marcus and poring over CCTV footage on his laptop. I have to believe they’re making progress, but it feels like it’s moving too slowly, and my worry grows day by day, despite my new and enjoyable distraction.
I slide out of bed quietly so as not to wake Hudson and go down the ladder. After pulling on a fresh set of clothes, I open the laptop to check my email.
Though there’s nothing from Tyler, I see an email from an address I don’t recognize. The subject line makes my blood run cold.
We have him.
With trembling fingers, I open the email. There’s a video attachment, and I hit play.
My brother fills the screen. He’s got a black eye, and there’s a trickle of blood down his forehead. He’s sitting on a chair in a dark room with his hands behind his back.
His eyes dart to the side, and they’re wide with fear at whatever he sees. The video is only five seconds, and I watch it again. My hand clutches at my chest as the fear my brother’s obviously feeling strikes through me.
My vision blurs, and there’s a ringing in my ears.
They have him.
There’s writing under the video.
One run today and you both go free.
Under the message is a phone number.
I glance at the loft, but there’s no movement from Hudson. I should wake him; I should show him the video.
But I know what he’ll do. He’ll pass it on to Marcus and tell me to stay put.
My leg bounces up and down, restless with indecision. I trust Hudson, but I can’t sit around and wait while Mani has Tyler. It can’t hurt to text the number and find out what they want. Then I’ll wake Hudson.
I pick up the burner phone charging next to the laptop and send a text to the number
What do you want?
It comes back immediately with an address and a time.
Then another text.
Come alone and tell no one or he disappears. You’ve got one hour.
Fear grips my heart in a cold vice. If I pass this onto Hudson, I could miss my chance, and if something happens to Tyler, I’ll never forgive myself.
I can’t get Hudson in on this. I know what he’ll do. He’ll talk me out of it and tell me to wait for Marcus and his team to handle it. Or he’ll insist on coming with me, and I can’t get him into trouble. If I’m caught, then that’s on me, but I’d never forgive myself if I got Hudson into trouble.
If I’m going to do this, I need to act quickly before he wakes up.
Silently, I put on my socks and shoes and sling on my jacket.
The car keys are by the door, and I hold them between my fingers so they don’t jangle.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper in the direction of Hudson. I feel the future I could only dream of slipping from my fingertips. Then I unlatch the door and bolt for the pickup.
24
