“Go to hell,” I muttered, busying myself with trying to find another escape. His grasp caught me off guard as he reached behind the seat to grab my hair, slamming me face-first into the headrest.
The action must’ve shaken my brain because a plan came to me almost immediately. He wanted to go to Silas. It was risky, but I would bet Silas is exactly to whom Beau would head next. If I took the long way to Silas, it might just buy us enough time to let Beau get there first.
“Turn left.” I groaned, playing up the pain as I cupped the side of my face he’d bashed. Dean’s gaze met mine in the mirror, and he smirked cruelly.
“When we get to where we’re going, I’m going to teach you that you’re mine, and there’s nowhere you can hide that I won’t find you. You’ll pay for letting that pig put his hands all over you.”
“That ‘pig’ gave me the best sex of my life, unlike your pencil dick.” Dean slammed on the brakes, throwing me forward into the seat again as my face cracked off it once more.
“You’re going to pay for that comment too,” he said as he returned to the speed limit and made the left hand turn like I’d told him to.
13
Beau
“So,I spoke to my deputy, and he’s informing your local department that we’ve found you. However, he’s also putting together a restraining order for your ex and back-dating it for me, so it looks like you got it done before you left. I’m guessing it was the day you arrived here. I just need your ex’s na—” I stopped talking when no one answered me.
“Rosie?”
Panic gripped my chest as I rushed through the house, going room-to-room looking for her. But she was gone, and all I found was the backdoor open. Emotions flooded my senses, making the room spin as horrific scenarios went through my mind. When I told her I believed her, I did, which only meant she was right. Her ex had already been here, and when he saw me pull up, he must have panicked and taken her.
Except I had no idea what he drove, what he looked like, or who he was. I had nothing that, as a cop, I could provide my boys with to help me track this fucker down.
“Goddamnit!” I slammed my hand down on the small card table, rocking it so hard it tipped sideways. Leaving it where it landed, I hurried out of the small cabin and returned to my squad car. Maybe there was something in her possessions that would give me an idea of who I was looking for.
Yanking the trunk open, I began dumping out her bags and going through the few things she had with her. Most of them were things I’d bought when I naively thought she was a single mom struggling to make ends meet. I should’ve asked her about my suspicions sooner. I should’ve helped her sooner.
I cursed again, angry with myself that this was even happening.Again, my mind chimed. Here I was with another woman in danger, and it was up to me to do right by her. I couldn’t fail again.
My hands closed around a worn, old wallet, and I quickly unzipped it, tipping the cards inside out onto the messy pile I’d made. Shifting through the find, one card stood out to me: a driver’s license. Picking it up, I stared at it for a moment as my eyes read over the name: Abigail Horner.
My pulse quickened as the promise of a lead stirred hope in me. Fishing my phone out of my pocket, I hit redial to connect to the station.
“SR PD.” My former best friend’s voice rang through the phone, my chest tightening as I resisted the urge to hang up.
“I need your help, Landon.”
There was a long pause before he spoke again. “What do you need?”
“Run a check on Abigail Horner, find out who her husband is if you can. Their son, Silas Horner’s registration might be able to get you to the right guy.”
I could hear the keyboard clicking in the background; small talk lost between us. Although considering the situation, I was grateful for that.
“Alright, I got him. Dean Walsh, not married.” I breathed a sigh of relief, a primal part of me glad she’d never taken another man’s name. The only one she would ever claim was mine—if she’d take it. Landon let out a slow whistle. “This guy has a rap sheet a mile long. Battery, battery, assault, possession, disorderly conduct, battery, unlawful discharge of a weapon.”
“Jesus H Christ, how did he even manage to get an Amber Alert on her with that kind of record?” I shook my head, disgusted with the flaws in the system, as I slammed the trunk shut. “Actually, can you pull that up after you put a BOLO out for him?”
“Sure.” There was another pause and then, “Is everything okay? What’s going on, Beau?”
I stuttered to a stop for a moment, considering telling him what was going on. I didn’t believe he would sabotage it, he was helping me, but with our bad blood, I wasn’t sure. Still, I needed all the help I could get.
“Rose is Abigail, and her ex has kidnapped her. She’s in danger unless I get to her soon.”
“Fuck.”
Walking around to my car, I pulled the door open and slipped inside.
“Yeah, but I have no idea where he’s going with her.” Sitting there for a moment, I tried to think what I would do if I were an abusive asshole. Naturally, nothing came to me.