“She’s not there, Zane,” he says, speaking the words I was terrified to hear.
There wasn’t a body. That’s good news for now, I try to remind myself, but all I can see is Tessa bloodied and broken as she fights for her life. “Then they’ve taken her.”
“Who? Do you know who is doing this?”
“I’m not a hundred percent sure, but I need you to do me a favor.”
“What is it?”
“Keep Garrison in the hospital under a false name. To anyone not on this call, he died right after surgery. I’m bringing a doctor with me; she’ll treat him when we get there.” I lock eyes with Lani, who offers me a single nod. “Send someone over to watch my mom’s house, please. I’m going to call Anastasia and have her head over there, too.”
“Why? What’s going on, Zane?”
“Someone just tried to take all five of us out in one night. I want them to think they succeeded so they don’t see me coming for them. We’re on our way back. Call me with an update.” I end the call and tighten my hand into a fist around the phone. If it were mine, I’d crush it just to have some control.
“They tried to kill Garrison?” Weston growls.
“And took Tessa,” Sawyer adds.
I tap my sister’s contact, then breathe a sigh of relief when she answers with a groggy, “Hello?”
“Listen, Anastasia. I need you to pack a bag and get to Mom’s house. Now.”
“What happened? What’s going on?” A faint click in the background tells me she likely just turned her lamp on.
“Do not open the bakery. Do you hear me? Get to mom’s house now, and you two stay put until I get there. Don’t open the door for anyone. Don’t answer the phone unless it’s me. Do you understand what I’m saying? No one.” My voice trembles.
“Zane, what’s going on? You’re scaring me.”
Fear finally sinks its sharp talons into me, momentarily robbing me of my ability to speak. They nearly killed Weston, Ryker, Sawyer, and Garrison. They took Tessa. If this is Brenda, she knows about my family—will they go for them, too?
“Zane?”
“Hey, Anastasia, it’s Sawyer.” He coughs. “We can’t tell you everything right now, but please get to your mom’s. Take your gun and get there now. Text this number when you do, okay?”
“Sawyer. Are you guys safe?” Her voice cracks beneath the weight of emotion, and Sawyer closes his eyes tightly, his expression tortured.
“We’re okay. Just please get there now.”
“Are you sending Garrison over? How is Tessa?”
“We’ll tell you everything when we get there, okay?”
She doesn’t answer for a few moments. “Okay. Zane?”
“I’m here.” Tears slip from my eyes, and I pinch the bridge of my nose, hoping the pressure will keep me grounded and prevent me from completely losing it.
“I love you and stuff.”
“I love you and stuff, too,” I reply. It takes every bit of strength in me to keep my tone level when all I want to do is tear apart this entire world until I find who did this. Until I find who took Tessa…and make them pay.
Hospitals are not my favorite place to be, but they’ve never really bothered me before. Not until now, when I’m sitting here beside Garrison’s bed, waiting for him to open his eyes.
Leopold is scouring Garrison’s apartment, surveillance cameras, and anything else he can think of, looking for any sign of where Tessa might have been taken. Tucker Hunt is doing the same, though on a much larger scale, from his computer room back in Texas.
Bradyn and Riley have set up shop in my sister’s apartment while she is staying with my mom. Sawyer is with them now, just in case whoever came for Tessa and us makes a move on them as well.
I’m betting they don’t, though, because they already think we’re dead.
