“Upstairs clear. Copy Knight 1?” Evan says.
“Copy that, prepare to enter the basement,” I answer.
We had asked Mellie if she remembered anything about the room he held them in but could only remember the cement walls and that there was only one door and no windows. I’m hoping that means we can make it downstairs without Harrison knowing until it’s too late.
“Follow me,” I tell them as we go through the kitchen and down the hallway to the basement door. Evan, Mike, and Pat are already waiting. When I nod, Mike slowly twists the knob and opens the door. It’s quiet. All we hear is our breathing.
Pat takes point, and he uses his penlight to lead us down the stairs. It’s a large, open room, but in one corner, there’s a door. That’s got to be where they are.
We gather outside the door. I hold up three fingers. I nod at the girls, and they nod back. Then I slowly lower one finger at atime. Pat knows when I get to one to breach, Mike will be right behind him, then Evan and me at the rear. The girls know to wait until we clear the room. I just hope they listen.
I hold up one finger, and Pat throws open the door with Mike at his back. Evan and I draw our guns and follow them into the dimly lit room. I’m not sure any of us believe what we’re seeing as we get inside.
The room is small, just as Mellie said. No windows and just one cot pushed against the wall. But in front of us are the girls. Naked, gagged, and bound by their arms to the wall, their bare feet just touching the floor. In front of them has to be Rodney Harrison.
The sound of us bursting into the room has him spinning around, knife in his hand, as his jaw drops in shock.
“How the fuck did you get into my house? What are you doing here? Get the fuck out.”
The man has balls or something, I’ll give him that. He’s naked except for a pair of tightie-whities and yelling at armed men.
“Drop the knife, Harrison, and step away from the girls,” Pat demands, taking a step closer.
Harrison’s gaze is around the room and between the four of us. Probably trying to find an escape route, but there isn’t one, since we’re blocking the only door. I can see the moment he realizes he’s caught, as fear flashes in his eyes.
“If you come any closer, I’ll gut her,” he screams, and pushes the knife into the nearest girl’s chest, pricking her skin. A drop of blood forms and slides down her stomach in a garish trail of red. Tears run down her face, and her pupils are blown wide with fear. The girl next to her screams through her gag. The distraction gives us the opportunity we need. He turns to smack her with his other hand, and Pat rushes forward.
He pulls him away from the girls and flings him onto the floor. Harrison flops on the ground like a rag doll, fighting Mike as he zip-ties his wrists and ankles to secure him for the police. Evan and I lift the girls off the hooks and remove their gags. Then I call for Providence.
As the women run through the door, they go straight to the girls. Providence pulls blankets out of her backpack and hands one to Mellie. They wrap the girls to cover them up and lift them into their arms, murmuring quietly. Both children are crying. They’re dirty and bruised, but for the first time since their abduction—safe.
We need to get the girls out of this room and somewhere Providence can comfort them. Once the authorities get here, they’ll take them to the hospital, and I figure we’ll be answering questions for hours. It won’t be pretty, but I don’t care. They’re lucky I don’t cut the guy’s dick off for kidnapping and molesting children, and with my woman.
“Mike, call the police. You and Pat stay down here with this piece of garbage. Evan and I will wait upstairs for the police. Stay on comms if you need anything. Knowing the cops, they’ll be pissed that we disturbed the crime scene, so don’t touch anything else.
Mike smirks. It’s not our first rodeo. “Copy that.”
Evan leads Mellie and Providence back up the stairs with their precious cargo as I take the rear. Honestly, this whole operation went a lot more smoothly than I expected, and the girls are alive and safe. Thank God we didn’t wait any longer to track this fucker down. But we shouldn’t have had to. If the locals had done their jobs years ago, this wouldn’t have happened.
The police arrive with sirens blaring. If there was anyone around, there’d be a full audience outside. Thankfully, it’s a no-man’s-land. An ambulance shows up shortly after theauthorities, and they take the girls from Providence and Mellie. I know they want to go with them, but the police are insisting we all give our statements before leaving.
I promise I’ll take her to the hospital later. She looks like she’s been through hell and back. I think seeing the room cracked open whatever vault had contained her memories of her captivity. I want nothing more than to whisk her away, but until we get done with our statements, we’re stuck here.
It’s another three hours before the police release us, and the sun is coming over the horizon. It was a long ass night, but I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. It eases the sting of the mess in Baltimore.
By the time we get back to the Browns’ house, Trudy has breakfast waiting. I could kiss her if I wasn’t worried Elmer would take my head off. We’re exhausted. I just want to sleep, but first we need to get back to Virginia.
After a tearful goodbye with Mellie, and promises to come visit soon, we pile back into the SUVs for the drive to the airport. I’m not surprised when Providence is asleep before we hit the main road in Woolridge.
I think we all pass out as soon as we get on the plane and sleep until we land in Norfolk a few hours later.
CHAPTER 16
PROVIDENCE
We’re finally home. I don’t remember much after we left the Browns’ house. I think I was asleep before we hit the road. Not that I feel rested. Sleeping for the next six months sounds like a wonderful idea, actually.
Tony pulls me down the hall to the bedroom. “Shower or bed?”
