“I understand. I would never hurt her.”
He sighs, “I believe you. I’m going to call in a favor and try to get you out of here today.”
“Thank you.”
Putting his hands in his pockets, he says, “It’s not for you. You’re going to help me find her. I swear to you if I have to tell my wife she has lost another daughter I just might kill you both.”
He hands me a piece of paper, “Call me when you get out, at this phone number. Do not use my personal number. I’m going to go talk to a few of my informants and see if I can find anything out.”
As he leaves, I breathe a sigh of relief, finally someone who can and will help me. He must have some pretty great connections because an hour later, I meet privately with a judge and am granted bail. As I leave my cell, I get many a glare and sighs front he officers. But none of that matters. I care about one thing, finding my girl.
After collecting my cell phone, wallet, and keys, I head out to the street and call Xander to come get me. But he’s in surgery, so I call Gilbert and ask where I should meet him. He tells me to wait at the corner of Seventh and Mountaintop and he’ll send a car. We are meeting at a bar in Stroudsburg, which makes sense because there are a lot of drugs in that area. Luckily, it’s only a thirty-five-minute drive so it won’t take long. I’m itching to find Mercy and make sure she’s safe. A black Escalade pulls up after what feels like forever. He rolls the window down and asks, “Liam?” I nod and open the back door and slide in.
I have hope for the first time since I walked into my house and found her missing. We are going to find her. And when I do, I’m installing a surveillance system, video cameras fucking everywhere. Hell, I may never let her out of my sight ever again.
I love you, baby girl, please hold on.
When we arrive, I rush into the bar where I’m meeting Gilbert. He’s sitting in a corner booth with a young man that I immediately recognize. Nash’s friend Matt sits with him. I walk up to them and sit down, “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Matt sits in the booth, his eyes staring down at the table, as he trembles uncontrollably.
Gilbert narrows his eyes, “Matt here was just admitting to me that he’s your son’s drug dealer.”
Instantly, I see red and want to pound this fuckers face in. But I tell myself, this is about Mercy. You can deal with the rest later. Mercy. That’s it. But fuck he owns some responsibility in this. He has been friends with Nash since they were little kids. How could he give drugs to him? Why is he even involved in drugs? Matt comes from a good, religious family. Hell, his father is a priest of an Episcopalian church.
“Did you know he took her?”
“Yeah,” he averts my gaze.
“Where the fuck are they?” I almost yell.
Gilbert points his finger down, “Calm the fuck down. You aren’t helping.”
Shaking his head, Matt says, “I really don’t know.”
Gilbert glares at him with his hands on the edge of the table in a death grip, “You don’t want to go to jail today or worse, right?”
What’s worse than jail? Will he actually kill him? Probably. This is not yourto serve and protecttype of cop.
Matt peers up at him, “No.”
“Good. Then you’re going to help us find her. When are you seeing Nash? I assume he’ll need drugs.”
He shakes his head, “I told him no more. He’s gone insane; besides, he has no money.”
“How do you contact him?” Gilbert asks.
Mumbling he responds, “Cell. He’s got a burner phone now.”
A waitress walks over to our table, but Gilbert holds up his hand and she turns on her heel and walks away without another glance.
“Text him. Tell him you will give him a little bit, this one last time.”
“Right now?”
Gilbert glares at him so hard, I think he might catch on fire. “Yes, now, you fucking idiot.”
He gets out his cell phone and sends a text while I say a silent prayer.