Her voice sounded detached, and she probably shouldn’t be so blunt in explaining. She knew if she was in their shoes and had found out her brother was kidnapped, she’d want the one delivering the news to show a bit more compassion.
But she couldn’t let her emotions run free that way. She needed her wits about her, and if she allowed any break in her armor, she’d fall apart. She couldn’t be a mess and do what she needed to do.
“You said Sabra,” Jackson said.
Bailee nodded. “Sabra Barnes is the woman in the video. She’s apparently working with Clive Melvin to get revenge against me. She is the mother of my informant who was killed. She blames me for Shantayle’s death.”
Luke scowled. “I never found a connected between Melvin and anyone involved in the gang, including your informant or her mom.”
Bailee turned her phone around to show them the proof of life photo. “Doesn’t matter. There may not be an obvious connection, but she is using Melvin to help her seek revenge. They’re torturing Easton because they figured out he’s important to me.”
“So they’ve been watching you.” Jackson snared her with an intense stare. “And is he? Important to you?”
Bailee nodded. “He is, but I can’t let her know that. I’m not sure why she went after Easton instead of my parents, Gran, or even my brother, but it doesn’t matter. She probably figured I’d cooperate to save anyone she kidnapped, and Easton happened to be the first one she got to. Regardless of why she picked him, I have make her believe she doesn’t have the upper hand just because she has him.”
They all watched her with a mixture of expressions, from stoic to concerned, but then suddenly they all stepped into action.
Reagan had her cell phone out. “I’ll call English and fill him in. Let him know he needs to be on alert just in case they make a move on Darby Anne.”
“I’m working on a phone trace. There might be a clue in the photo they texted you, too,” Luke said, taking her phone from her to forward the text to him.
As Luke handed her phone back, Bailee felt overwhelmed with the plans being made around her.
“I’ll loop in Tater on what’s going on,” Ben said. “We’re going to need him for the takedown.”
“I’ll call Alex and alert him. He’s had a couple of guys watching Bailee’s parents and brother, so we need to make sure they’re covered in case Melvin and Barnes go after them,” Jackson added.
“Wait!” Bailee shouted.
They all stopped and stared at her.
“I need you to stand down. Involving too many people could only make this worse. Let me handle this. I have contacts I can call in for backup who are involved with this case, and I can assure you we’re good at our jobs. We’ll get Easton back, but we have to do this within the law. I owe you all a lot, so let me do this. It’s the only way I can keep you from getting hurt because of me.”
“Easton told you about us,” Jackson said. “He probably told you enough for you to realize we’re not staying out of this. We’ll get our brother back and do whatever it takes to punish his kidnappers. You have to operate inside the law, but our hands aren’t tied in the same way yours are. We’re an asset, not a liability. Use us or don’t. But we’re going to get Easton back whether you want us involved or not.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “If we don’t handle this right, they’ll kill him. I never thought Sabra would be a threat, but she’s had years to watch and learn from the Blood Disciples. I have no doubt that she and Melvin are dangerous enough to follow through on what they’ve said.”
“We’ve faced danger before,” Ben said. “We’ll be ready, and we’ll have your back. This can be your play. Just don’t shut us out.”
Melody reached out to hug her, and Bailee struggled to hold herself together at the kind gesture.
“None of this is your fault, Bailee,” Melody said. “You’re not to blame because you did your job. And you’re certainly not to blame for involving Easton. He cares about you. Nothing you did would have kept him from you. Trust me on that.”
The words did little to assuage her guilt, but they made her more determined than ever to get Easton back, not just to save his life but to return him to the people who loved him.
Bailee pulled away and gave Melody a small smile of thanks. “I need to make some calls. But I won’t shut you out. We’ll do this my way, but we’ll do this together. I swear I’ll do whatever I have to for him to come home alive.”
Jackson nodded. “All right. This is your show, but the goal is for all of us to come home alive, you included. Like it or not, you’re one of us now.”
Bailee wasn’t sure what to say to that, so she simply smiled and excused herself to make her calls. No one stopped her from leaving the office, and once she did, she quickly headed for Easton’s Jeep.
She rode with him tonight, and though he had the keys on him, she had the knowledge to break into the vehicle and hot-wire it to start. Hesitating only a moment, she tossed her phone to the ground, put the Jeep in drive, and peeled out of the parking lot.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Bailee’s legs ached, and she shifted her position without changing her line of sight. She’d been kneeling in the same spot for a while, watching and learning. She was certain she’d have to make her move soon.
The cover of night was an advantage she didn’t want to lose, and it was fading fast. For all she knew, Sabra had tried to contact her again. She didn’t want to think about what was happening to Easton if Sabra thought Bailee was blowing her off.
