Page 109
“I’ve always known there was something wrong with Erick—with all three of them.” They were sick monsters. Psychopaths. Deviants. But it had never crossed her mind that Matt might ever be in danger. If someone hurt her Matt, Wes wouldn’t get the chance to kill them. She would do it herself.
“Slow down a little bit,” Wes urged. “We’re trying to buy time. Remember?”
She eased back on the accelerator. It took every ounce of strength to keep from getting to her baby as quickly as possible. Erick wouldn’t scare Matt, would he? Angus and Kimbra wouldn’t let him. “Angus knows what’s in that condo, doesn’t he? If he called and he said, if he knows where I was, why Erick’s upset, then he knows everything.”
“He sure as shit knows something,” Wes grumbled as his cell phone vibrated. “It’s Viv.” He answered so Bailey could hear too.
“Am I on speaker?” Vivian asked.
“That’s affirmative.”
“Bailey, can you handle this conversation, or should I have it one-on-one with Wes?”
Bailey’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel again, and she swallowed the bile bubbling at the back of her throat. “I can handle it. Don’t hold anything back on my account.”
“Gage and Dean are with me. We’ve intercepted a nine-one-one call that you want to hear.”
“Nine-one-one. What’s your emergency?”
“Please send the police to the Cosgrove estate.”
Bailey looked over at Wes as the address was given. “That’s Mary Lacey.”
He nodded.
“What’s the emergency, ma’am?”
“I’m a nanny for a little boy, and his uncle took him from me. He showed me the butt of a gun and said I had to let the child go with him.” Mrs. Lacey sobbed.
“Can you give me their names, their location, and what the child was wearing?”
Mrs. Lacey recounted the outfit Matt had worn that morning, and tears slipped free from Bailey’s eyes.
“The little boy’s name is Matt. He’s five years old and has no reason not to trust his uncle. But something’s very wrong. This family—the people I work for—they’re very…they’re very powerful. And if there was any way to cover this up, I think they would. Will you please make sure that doesn’t happen? Please.”
“What do you know about the caller?” Vivian asked.
“Mary Lacey. She works for the Cosgroves and nannies for me when I need help. She’s helped me with Matt since he was born.”
“I’m running point with Fairfax County PD,” Gage said. “I’ve looped in Jared Westin. He has people moving into place.”
Bailey exited onto the parkway leading to the Cosgrove estate. “We’re less than ten minutes away.”
“Everything is already in motion,” Gage said. “Concentrate on getting yourself there. Wes, just sent you a location. Get there and stand by. Further instructions incoming.”
“I don’t understand,” Bailey said. “This seems too simple. What am I missing?”
“Your part is simple. Let Wes out at the spot I directed him. No one will be able to see him. Then continue on to the house and stall the conversation. We won’t let anyone hurt you or Matt.”
“What if they’re tracking my car and ask why I stopped?”
“Good question,” Viv said. “Say something was in the middle of the street—a turtle, a mama duck and her babies, another car. You’re good at thinking on your feet. You’ve got this.”
Bailey slowed as traffic crawled through a construction zone. “Another car.”
“Good. Easy. Just like that. This will be over before you know it.”
Wes spoke with Vivian, Gage, and Dean for another moment before they ended the call.
