“Hands up!” Duke commanded. “How many more in the house?”
“Three,” the short, pudgy asshole said. “We’re just here for the festivities, nothing more.”
Duke growled. “Where are Josh Kinley and Drew Lopez?”
Fran’s hand was on my back as I stood to the side of Duke. “Sabine is in there. She helped Grace and me.”
I stiffened at the mention of her name. She would pay for what she’d done.
“Dad, we can’t let Sabine die,” Fran said.
Sabine didn’t deserve death as a punishment, but right now, Sabine was the least of my worries.
“The lady you just mentioned is dead,” the short guy said. “Her son killed her.”
Fran screeched.
“Duke, take Fran, please.” I guided her to him, then I climbed the porch steps. “What’s your name?” I aimed the gun at him.
“Richard.” He eased away, fear written all over him.
“Well, Richard, if you and your buddies in there want to live to see another day, then I suggest you tell us everything you know.”
He nodded. “We didn’t come here to die.”
“No, you came here to purchase girls.” I shoved him against the door, growling like a wild animal. “My daughter included. And my girlfriend. So if you don’t want me to”—I placed the gun on his dick—“shoot this off, tell me where I can find Josh.” If I located him, then I would find Grace.
“He took off into the woods, chasing a woman by the name of Grace. She has Josh all fucked in the head and fights him like she’s a wildcat. All I know is he had a special shack built just for her.”
I jammed the gun farther into his dick. “Where’s this shack?”
Richard was sweating. “Somewhere past the barn and the horse pen. That’s all I know.”
Sirens blared in the distance.
“Sounds to me like your ride is here.” I jumped off the porch.
Duke kept his gun trained on the guy.
“Fran, stay with Duke.”
“I want to help,” she said.
“Fran, I have to know you’re out of danger.” I used my fatherly tone. “I can’t worry about you and find Grace at the same time.”
“Fran,” Duke said, “you can be a big help and tell the police what you know.”
“I do want to make sure they arrest Grayson,” she mumbled.
“Go,” Duke said to me. “I got this here.”
Blue lights flashed, cutting through the darkness as tires crunched on gravel. I couldn’t rejoice yet. With Fran safe, now was the time to rescue the woman I loved.
Fran stabbed a shaky finger toward the dense woods on the side of the house. “The barn is in that direction.”
I left one part of my heart with Duke and ran.
The lighted path led to the barn where that white van I’d seen in the street cam video was parked—the one Sabine had coaxed my daughter into.
