When they were flying low through the bayou, weaving their way through the trees and swamps, he kept his eyes on anything moving. Tyler Moses was hiding out here and he was going to find him.
“What do you mean she’s gone?” he whispered into the phone. He’d given Nicole a sedative, hoping she would wake a bit more cooperative.
“We’re not sure and we can’t find Helker.”
“Maybe he took her somewhere,” he said not believing the words as he spoke them.
“You know he wouldn’t do that. She’s been quite disagreeable lately and he’s had to punish her every day for the last two weeks.”
The statement made even Tyler wince. Two weeks of Helker’s type of punishment would ensure his mother was dead.
“She’s not here. She had no idea where I lived,” he said shaking his head, staring at the woman chained to his sofa.
“If you find her, you know what to do, Tyler.”
“I know,” he said calmly.
“Speaking of. Have you found a woman yet. You’re getting old, Tyler and you’ve yet to produce one child for our people.”
“I’m working on it.”
“You’re always working on it,” said the elder. “Find a woman in the next week or you’ll be excommunicated from our community.”
The line went dead and Tyler wanted to throw something and scream but he couldn’t. If he did, it would show weakness on his part. No. No, the elder was right. He needed to get a woman immediately and the chaos and debauchery of New Orleans would provide for it.
Walking toward the sofa he bent down, kissing Nicole’s forehead.
“I’ll be back darling, perhaps with another playmate. You’re my choice but if you don’t cooperate, I’ll be forced to ensure that you never speak of this again.”
He left the small house and locked the multiple locks on the doors. As the Jeep roared to life and he pulled away, Nicole opened her eyes and sat up.
“Okay, girl. Get your shit together and find a way out.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
“Hey, guys? I think I have something,” said Hawk staring at the sky. He wasn’t looking at the sky. He was seeing what the bird was seeing. “It’s a woman walking barefoot through the swamp. It looks like she might have chains on her wrists.”
“Damn, we need a location,” said Ham pushing the boat as hard as he could.
“She’s to your east, running along the bank,” said Hawk.
“I got her!” said Ham.
“Thank you my friend,” whispered Hawk to the bird. He heard the loud screech of the hawk and smiled to himself.
Ham, Gator, and Jak pulled the boat to the side and the girl panicked, trying to run but she slipped in the mud.
“Nicole! Nicole, stop! We’re friends of Willa’s,” called Gator.
She stopped, falling to her knees in the mud, staring at the three men. Jak got out first, walking slowly toward the young woman.
“It’s okay, Nicole. We know. We know it was the professor that took you. We’re going to get you home,” he said calmly.
“He-he’s crazy,” she said in a shaky voice. “He’s absolutely crazy!”
“We know, honey. Come on, let’s get you home,” said Gator.
He put a warm blanket around her shoulders and lifted her, setting her in the boat gently. Jak handed her a bottled water and an energy bar. She took one sip and broke down, sobbing.
