“I don’t trust you, Barney.” I tell him and turn away. “Jagger you’re with me.”
“Aaron, get rid of him. I don’t give a shit how you do it. When you’re finished, tell the men that we’re cleaning house. Anyone who even thinks of betraying Hudson, best have their funeral arrangements made.” Jagger laughs, he’s enjoying this shit. I should have him tested, I believe he’s a psychopath, or is it a sociopath? “I’m driving, I hate it when you drive,” he says o
nce we’re outside, and I throw him the keys.
“That’s because you’re scared, I’m surprised you’ve not crapped your pants a couple of times.”
“You’ve got jokes, Boss,” he laughs as he opens the car door. “One rat down…”
“Let’s hope we weed out the others soon enough. It’s time to clean house, Jag.” I’m done, anyone steps out of line, and they’re gone. I’ve been too lenient with that shit, it ends.
“We’ll rebuild, the men you’ll recruit will be better than before,” he tells me as his cell begins to ring. He pulls it out of his pocket and answers it. Hitting speaker phone as he does. “You’re on speaker, Boss is here too.”
“Good,” Martin says, “I’ve found something out. Boss, I think I’ve found where he’s hidden her.” There’s something weird about his tone. Whatever the hell it is I can’t place it.
Hope and anger course through my veins. “Where?” This could be it, I could finally have her in my arms again.
“Hunters Point.” He sounds as though he’s gloating. What the hell is going on?
Jagger nods. “We’re twenty minutes out, but this time of night, we’ll be there in ten.” He pushes his foot down on the gas and my head’s thrown back into the headrest.
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, my leg is jumping like I’m some sort of addict.
“Boss, let me go in first, this could be a trap,” Jagger implores.
“Not going to happen. Just make sure you’re at my back.” If it is a trap, I don’t want Jagger in the firing line for me. I’ll take down anyone who stands between me and Mia.
“Hard headed sonofabitch,” he mutters, but I ignore him.
It doesn’t even take us the ten minutes to get there. When we do, I see that Martin has enlisted the help of Matt, Lucas, and Tyler. “Boss, this house has a basement apartment attached to it,” Martin tells me as I get out of the car, I notice that my men are fully equipped, guns in hands and ammo strapped to them.
“Jagger and I take the basement, the rest of you search the house. If you find them, don’t approach, call me and I’ll come.”
My men all nod and Jagger and I strap up. “On my count,” I say, as we approach the doors. “Three, two, one… Go.” I yell and Jagger and Martin kick down the doors.
Walking down the steps to the basement, I hear sobbing. Hope sparks inside. Jagger taps my shoulder, he hears it too. Following that sound, we come to a doorway. The door is partly open, using my foot, I kick it open and hold my gun up high. My entire body on alert. I know that this could be a set up and I’m ready in case anyone is waiting for us.
The light flicks on and my heart sinks. Lying on one of the shitty fucking mattresses is Mia and Lacey. Mia has Lacey in her arms, as she sobs. I can already tell that Lacey is dead. Blood has pooled underneath her, she’s bled out. Anger seers through me as I take in Mia’s appearance, she’s not wearing any underwear. She’s in a t-shirt and that’s it. What the fuck happened?
“Mia?” I croak.
At the sound of my voice Mia’s head rises, “You found me,” she whispers, a smile playing on her lips before she lies back down and closes her eyes.
“Help me get them out of here, Jag,” I yell and reach for Mia.
Nine
Hudson
“Jagger, call dad and tell him to get me a doctor.” I’m sitting in the back of my car, Mia on my lap as Jagger drives us away from that fucking shit place. I’ve had Ryan come and take forensics for me. I want to know everything about that place, who was there and where they are now. Ryan used to work for the police department but now works for me. Ryan is an asset to my organization and I’d be a fool to put him in a position that would have him face a moral dilemma. Him working the basement where Mia was kept is something that he had said from the moment he knew Mia was taken. He spoke to me and told me that he’d do whatever he could to help me find the men responsible for taking her from me.
“Boss, do you think we should bring her to the hospital?” Jagger’s reeling, he too has seen the condition Mia is in, not to mention Lacey’s body.
“Jag, I don’t know what the fuck to do right now. She needs a doctor, one that can deal with her properly. Mamford is out of fucking town, it’s his wedding anniversary and he and the wife have gone to fucking Cancun.” Once I know Mia’s okay. Hell is going to be paid. Barney didn’t act alone, that much is true, I need to find out who he was working with.
“Boss, do you think she’s been…” he trails off, “She’s not wearing any pants.”
Pain slashes me as the thought, I pull her closer to me and feel her chest as I have done every couple of minutes since we got into this car. She passed out as soon as she said I’d found her, I’ve not been able to wake her since. “I fucking hope not, Jag.” If she’s been raped, I’ll lose my damn mind. I don’t think I’ll be able to take it. Just the mere thought of someone doing it to her makes me want to throw up and then kill them.