Lemon callsas we leave the police station.
"Hey," she says. "So, Abby went to an interview at Home Brew. Plum and I are back at my house. I just wanted to give you the 411; that's where she's at."
"You left her there?" I say. "Lemon!"
"She's fine. She's with Griffin."
"I know, but how long ago was that? What if the interview's over?"
"You think she could be in that much trouble?" Lemon asks. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was that serious."
I need to get to Home Brew. I need to get there now, already rushing down the street, Reuben next to me.
"The thing is, Lemon, Graham's patrol guys saw some big trucks and semis come in about an hour ago with the Big Top Circus logo on the side headed to the Burly Fairgrounds, but one of the trucks split.” Fuck. I need to find my girl.
"Shit," Ruben says. "Griffin's outside. She's not with Abby."
We stop Griffin outside of the brewery, asking where Abby went.
"She just left here a few minutes ago. Sorry, was she supposed to go somewhere else?" Griffin shakes her head, frowning, confused.
"Do you know which way she went?"
"Honestly, I have no idea," Griffin says. "I was too preoccupied with getting these menu boards out for tonight's specials."
Ruben helps her set the signage up on the sidewalk, but I'm already pushing past them. "Sorry," I say. "I just got to find her."
There’s a shout, a scream.
"That's her," I say, "goddammit."
Griffin's eyes are knitted with worry and Reuben follows me as we round the corner toward the alley. I hear Rueben on the phone with Rye, who is coming around Warm Way just as we are coming from the other direction.
"I was at the bakery," he says. He's holding a croissant. He drops it in a trash can as he joins us, our eyes locked. "Abby?" he says.
I nod. "She's in trouble," I say it as a truck drives off down the alley. "I know she's in there," I say.
I run down the alley after it, but I can't see her. Can't see anyone.
"Goddammit," I shout.
But my truck is right next door in the alley behind Hammer Home.
I jump in, my brothers with me: Rueben in the truck bed, Rye at my side. I tail the truck, my foot on the gas, driving fast as I can.
A moment later, the truck that I know Abby's in jolts to a halt, and I'm about to rear-end it. Then it turns down Restful Road.
"Shit, Bart," Rye says. "I should have never questioned her or how you care her about her or anything. You knew what you were doing."
"You want to do this now?" I ask. "When we're in the middle of a car chase?"
"We're gonna get her, okay?" Rye’s words are firm. Resolute. "No matter what, we're gonna get her."
He's right, of course. We are. Because we're not gonna let anybody, and I mean anybody, hurt the woman I love.
He's calling our other brother, Mac. "Hey," Rye says. "Where are you?"
"Grabbing some pizza at Home Slice."