Page 43 of They Found Us
“What kind of trouble?” I groan, hoping this doesn’t delay my return home.
“Some of the Martelé guards that were doing the searches got a bit arsey when I was giving them their weapons back. I need Vine to teach them a lesson.”
“Can’t you just shoot him yourself?” Marco inquires.
“I could, but Vine does scary sick things that will haunt their nightmares for years.”
Hold on a minute. I know that name. “Vine?”
“Yes. Have you seen him?”
“Yes, I left him at the house with my wife and children.”
“Why would you do that?” Van asks, concern filling his face.
“Because I asked you who you could trust, and you said Vine.”
“Yeah, trust to be ruthless and kill someone on the spot, not trust anywhere near women and children. Fuck, he ripped out a man’s voice box with his teeth. He is an actual monster.” Van physically shudders.
My heart pounds in my chest. I look at Marco, who already has his phone in his hand. He dials, but it rings out. I check the house cameras. Nothing. Nobody is in any of the rooms. The only rooms the cameras aren’t in are ours and Mark’s room, which has the baby monitor. That monitor, I do not have on my phone.
“Shit,” I say. “Get in the car now.”
We all get into the car. It’s about a twenty-minute drive away. Each of us tries Katie’s phone, the house phone, and Alga and Sergio, who live on the grounds. There’s no answer on any of them. Van tries Vine, but it goes straight to answer phone.
“I’m sure they will all be fine, Leo,” Van assures me. “They’re probably all just asleep. It is almost ten o’clock.”
“They better be. I cannot believe you, Van. How could you say you trusted him? if anything has happened to them, I will be holding you responsible!”
I know it’s not Van’s fault, but at this moment in time, I am angry—mostly with myself for leaving my family in danger again. They may well all be fine, but the familiar tug in my gut tells me that something is wrong.
“I’ve got Sergio.” Marco holds his phone to his ear.
“Pass him to me.” I take the phone from Marco. “Sergio, where are you?”
“Sorry, sir, I’m at home. I was asleep. Alga is still at the house.”
“Where are Katie and the boys?”
“They were in bed when I left the house about an hour ago. Asleep, I presume, as they remained upstairs after you had gone.”
“Where is Vine, the guard?”
“Oh, that angry-looking guard dog? He was patrolling the grounds when I left.”
“I need you to get back to the house, lock all the doors, and do not let Vine into the building. We are on our way back now.”
“I’ll return immediately. Are they in danger? Alga is still at the house, finishing the laundry.”
“Hopefully not. Just lock the doors and tell Vine I have requested that he keeps a lookout on the grounds and not to enter the house. In fact, tell him to answer his fucking phone!”
“Will do, boss. I’m leaving now.”
“Ring me as soon as you are in the house.” I end the call.
Chapter Twelve
Katie
