She nodded.
He got out of the car and waited for her to come around before crossing the street with her at his side.They strode up the short walkway to the front door.“Stay out of sight for now.Let me talk and see if I can catch her off guard.If she sees you, she might not be forthcoming.”He placed his hand on her elbow and moved her a couple of feet to the side and out of view.
Natalie wrapped her arms tightly around her waist.Last thing they needed was for Mary to call the cops before they could even talk to her.
He rang the doorbell.
Soft footsteps sounded inside, and the door swung open.From where she stood, Natalie couldn’t see Mary’s face, but she could just make out the older woman’s pink floral dress, over which she wore an apron.She wiped her hands on the material.“Hello.How can I help you?”she said to Brick.
“Good afternoon, ma’am.I’m looking for Bray Shaw.That’s your grandson, correct?”
“Why, yes.Is he okay?”
Natalie fought the urge to rush forth so she could study Mary’s face.But the woman’s surprise sounded genuine.
“He’s missing.”
Mary gasped.“What!”
Desperation forced Natalie to step forward.“Mary, please tell me if you’ve seen Bray.Has Keetan brought him around lately?”
Mary’s eyes went wide, and then her pleasant face immediately pinched.“You!You killed my Shelby.”
“Ma’am,” Brick boomed, forcing the woman to look at him.“Those allegations will be challenged in court under the right circumstances.Right now, a little boy is missing.Your son stole him from Ms.Shaw’s apartment last night, after he beat the shit out of her.”
Mary’s eyes turned beady.Furious.“Lies,” she hissed.“My son would never.”
“Mary,” Natalie said firmly.“You can hate me.You can think the worst.But I know you love Bray, and he loves you.If you don’t know where he is, then something—” Her voice broke, and tears warmed her cheeks.“I’m begging you.Have you seen him?”
Mary sniffed as she wrapped the material of her apron around her fingers until her extremities turned purple.“Bray isn’t here.”She pursed her lips as if debating what else to say.“I hope for my grandson’s sake you find him.But I pray you get what’s coming to you.”
She slammed the door, and the lock snapped into place.
Brick circled his fingers loosely around Natalie’s elbow.“Come on.She’s going to call the cops.”
She let him lead her down the steps and to the car, but her footsteps were slow and uneven.“I don’t understand.Where would he be?If he’s unharmed, then someone must be with him.If—”
They reached the car, and he turned her to face him, letting her lean against the passenger door for support.Two lines channeled horizontally across his forehead as he stared at her solemnly.
He was so much larger than she was.That was one of the things that’d drawn her to him.She pulled her arms across her middle again.
His gaze sharpened on the bruise on her cheekbone, and his mouth firmed.He lifted his fingers and carefully touched the spot.“I know you’re scared and all you can think about is Bray.But we need to take better care of you or you’re gonna collapse.”
She tensed.“I’m fine.”
“You need to eat.”
“Probably, but I can’t.”She rolled in her lips.“How can I eat when my baby could be starving?”The heart-wrenching question came out small and plagued with guilt.Her baby might not even have the bare necessities to survive—how could she possibly continue caring for herself?
He cupped the back of her head and pulled her into his arms.She went limp against him.The low hum along her nerve endings told her she was getting weak without food and hydration.
“I can’t do much until my team’s here.But I promise you, we’re going to find him.Keetan didn’t hurt him.”
“How can you know that?”she whispered with torment.
“Because I know.It’d ruin him.It’d crush his mom.He’s sick.He’s a piece of shit.But I don’t think he’s a baby killer.”
She closed her eyes, hanging on to his words.Lord, please don’t make Brick a liar.
