“Hey, watch it!” shouted the thin, greasy man. “That’s assault!”
“How long have you been watching this apartment?” I asked.
The man narrowed his beady eyes, and I resisted the urge to shake him senseless.
“I’m not mad and I won’t report you for trespassing. Do you have any pictures from yesterday of the park across the street?”
Sensing my desperation, a smarmy smile slid across his face. “I might.”
With an aggravated sound, I said. “I’ll give you whatever exclusive interview bullshit you want if you show me the pictures. Right now.” I was already grabbing for his camera, determined to see those photos.
“Okay, okay, easy with the equipment. She’s expensive.”
After clicking through the photos on the tiny digital screen at rapid-fire pace, I finally found what I was looking for.
We had a lead, but it wasn’t good news.
Shoving the camera back at the man, I said, “Thanks! But seriously, get lost. Stop stalking my brothers.”
“Hey, what about my interview?” the man protested.
“Call Hale’s Peak and ask for me!” I shouted over my shoulder, already halfway up the stairs.
Bursting into Diego’s apartment, I said, “Hal and Antonella have him. The paparazzo outside nabbed a picture of Hal in his piece-of-crap car driving away with Juanito.”
As I said the words and saw the devastation on Diego’s face, the truth of the situation washed over me. Recollections of the car accident camerushing back, pummeling me with their intensity. Antonella, screaming at me, berating me for standing up to her. Antonella, ripping the steering wheel out of my hands. Antonella in prison, telling me she wished I was dead.
Antonella, Antonella, Antonella.
I tuned in to what Diego was saying partway through. “—was across the street playing in the park with his friends. I can see it from here and there were other parents watching, so I thought it would be safe. I should have known better, especially with how Hal’s been lurking around.”
I put a reassuring arm around him. Because what else could I do? My anxiety launched into overdrive and I was moments from spinning out, but I had to keep my head on straight if we had any hope of finding Juanito. So I plucked out a few questions from the list sprinting through my head and began to formulate a plan.
Lists, I could do. Plans, I could make.
We’re going to find you, Juanito. Te prometo.
“Where would they take him?” I asked.
“I don’t know, but in Antonella’s latest message, she talked about taking over her ‘motherly duties’ again.” With a frustrated growl, Diego ran his hands through his hair. “I should have known it wasn’t just empty ramblings of her drug-soaked mind.”
“She can’t do that without going to court though.”
“You think Antonella gives a fuck about the law? She’s delusional. Probably strung-out. We can give the police a description of Hal’s car, but they’ve probably ditched it for another one by now. How the fuck are we supposed to get Juanito back, Val? He doesn’t have his meds. He’ll die without them.” Tears shone in Diego’s eyes as he clutched my hand like it was the only thing keeping him from drowning in the torrent.
Oh my god.Juanito’s meds.
As if Antonella’s deranged abduction wasn’t bad enough, now the clock on Juanito’s life was ticking. In the whirlwind of events, I hadn’t even considered they wouldn’t have his medication. We had no leads, no idea where they would take him.
In my desperation, my thoughts turned to the only person who might have the capability and influence to help. My insides twisted at the prospect of what I was about to do, but it was Juanito. I would do anything for my little brother. Anything for my family.
I picked up my phone and dialed.
Chapter 33
NOLAN
Iblewoutabreathas I stood in my corner office, hands braced on the floor-to-ceiling windows.
