Chapter 23

Allen

I ended the call with Ricky and gripped the phone tightly in my hand for a moment. I’d stepped out to the back porch to talk in private and needed a moment as I let my anger cycle through me at the scumbag on the other end.

One million fucking dollars is what he asked for. I’d need to call the captain and update him on the ransom demand and dreaded it, putting it off for a moment.

Nicole sounded scared and weak on the phone for the few minutes that we talked. I wasn’t sure if I believed she was okay. He could have been holding a gun to her head for all I knew, and I heard the fear in her voice again as I closed my eyes.

I needed to pull my shit together. I had another day and a half before I was to meet him at an address out near the infamous Area 51. I knew how remote it was out there and that he wanted me to go alone but that wasn’t going to happen. This asshole was getting arrested and put away for a very long time, and I was going to save Nicole.

As much as I was looking forward to that, there was another issue that I needed to deal with. I heard the sliding glass door and opened my eyes to see Brandon walking out, sliding it closed behind him. As strong as Noelle was being, I wanted to deal with things on my own. I was the police officer, even if I was responsible for her sister getting kidnapped.

“What did he say?” Brandon asked as I pushed away my inner concerns.

“He wants a million dollars to keep her alive. Better than that, he wants it by six at night on Thursday. It’s easy to fucking come up with that kind of money in a couple of days, right?” I laughed without humor and shook my head.

“Call the captain. He can deal with that part and we can make plans on what to do. Are you going to get her?” Brandon asked as I looked at him.

“He wants me to come alone to the middle of nowhere near Area 51,” I said, seeing the anger in his eyes as he shook his head.

“Fuck that. He’s going down after this shit,” Brandon declared before looking back at the door. “They can ask for all they want in these cases, but we’re not sending anyone alone into danger.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll be there supporting you along with a lot of the guys.”

“I appreciate that,” I told him sincerely before I pressed my lips together. “She sounds so fucking scared. I made him let me talk to her to know that she’s still alive. She is, but she sounds freaked.”

“Call the captain so he can set this up,” Brandon urged me gently, and I nodded.

I made the call and explained the demands as he listened quietly. Brandon stood with me the entire time as I was assured he’d get on it and for me to sit tight and wait for any further communications.

We went inside and explained what was going on to Noelle. She’d been strong lately, focusing on being optimistic over everything else. She assured us her sister was strong and would do everything she could. She trusted us to do the best that we could and went to the kitchen to make me a sandwich. She brought it back on a plate with a bottle of water and set it down as she stared at me. “You’ve barely eaten since the burger, Allen. You have to take care of yourself.”

I picked up the sandwich to see that it was peanut butter and jelly. Then I looked up at her.

“I am not the one that is great in the kitchen,” she told me as sadness crossed her face. “I just want you to eat.” Noelle looked between Brandon and me for a moment before yawning. “I think I am going to rest for a while.” She shook her head and gave a weak smile when Brandon got up to go with her. “Stay out here and make the best plan that you can to save my sister.”

She went down the hallway and he watched her with a tormented expression before sitting beside me.

“She’s doing good given the circumstances,” I said.

“I’m going to have to tie her down to keep her here on Thursday,” Brandon remarked as he smirked for a moment. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m not sure. Confused.”

“Confused about what?” he asked as I looked at him before tearing a piece from the sandwich. I chewed it thoughtfully and swallowed before opening my mouth to speak.

“I want her back here so bad. So fucking bad,” I started as he sat back to listen. “She’s different from the others, Bran. She was from the start.”

“You care a lot for her. Anyone can see that, especially me.”

I nodded before I ate another bite, trying to force it down as my stomach churned with nausea. “I do care for her. I think I’m falling in love with her, but I can’t stay with her when she comes back.” My voice was pained as I admitted the truth, and I pushed the plate away from me.

“I have never seen you this into a woman before, Allen. What the hell are you talking about?”

“If I hadn’t done what I did that night at the auction, maybe Ricky wouldn’t have singled her out. Maybe he wouldn’t have decide to kidnap her and do whatever he’s doing to her. Fuck, Brandon! This is my fault.” All the guilt came rushing out in a wave of words as he reached out to grab my arm. “I risked a lot for her just to have her taken away.”

“If you hadn’t done that the night at the club, she might have been taken home by some psychopath who raped and murdered her. Did you ever stop to think about that, Allen? We don’t know what happened to any of the other girls yet and there’s a damn good chance we won’t. You and I both know that those men there weren’t the pillars of society. You did Nicole a favor by getting her out of there and you’ll get through this.”

“I don’t think I will. I love her but I am going to rescue her and bring her home to her sister. I’ll end things after that once I know that she’s okay. I have to know that she’s okay.” I stared at the floor as I spoke, accepting the words into my mind. It was for the best.

“What the fuck are you talking about? I have never known you to be serious about a woman before this one and you did more to get her than you ever have before. You’re just going to let her go after this went down?” His voice was cold, and I glanced at him, surprised that I didn’t see the point that he was making. “I think you’d worry about her safety more being away from her.”

In truth, I was. I wanted to lock her in my house and never let her leave again, but Nicole deserved a life. She deserved to find herself after so many years of worrying about other people.

“She’ll be fine. Ricky will be locked away again after this and the girls can move forward.” I tried to brush my concern off, but I could feel his hard stare on me.

“You’re full of shit, Allen. I don’t know what you’re doing this for, but it’s the wrong choice. You don’t want to lose the only girl that you’ve risked everything for,” Brandon warned me, and I admitted to myself that he was right.

“I can’t be with her, Bran. I can’t live with the guilt behind this kidnapping and everything that she’s been through. I wish you’d get that,” I insisted as I lifted my eyes to meet his. “I can’t do this anymore.”

“I think you’re an idiot. Don’t think I’m going to do the same with Noelle if she’ll still have me around. I know a good woman when I see one.”

I saw his eyes brighten when he mentioned her name, knowing that Nicole was the same thing for me. I hated that I had to make this choice, but I’d put myself through hell since she was taken. That along with all the guilt from the way I’d bent the rules to have her in my life made me feel like a crazy man, and I needed to contain that into saving Nicole. I’d do that and make sure that she was okay and home before I cut all ties.

Why did my body ache at the thought of that?

He shrugged and walked back to the bedroom, leaving me alone as my eyes started to sting. I was exhausted and stressed out beyond belief, and I decided to go home tonight and sleep. Noelle would be safe with Brandon here, and I could wipe away all traces of Nicole from my place before I got a few hours of sleep.

I grabbed my keys and headed out after locking the door, sending a text to Brandon to slide the dead bolt once I was in my car. I drove home feeling empty as I wondered where Nicole was and if she was still safe. I wondered if she was ever safe at all after some of the things she said on the phone. I knew Ricky grabbed the phone from Nicole after that, and it sounded like he hit her, making my blood boil. I wanted to kill him for even touching her, and I hit my steering wheel at the red light as I let out a loud curse.

Someone next to me looked over at me as I stared forward, letting the anger transition into something productive. I needed to keep my cool with this and save Nicole. That had to be my only focus, and I pressed the gas as the light turned green, making my tires screech as I tore into the intersection.

I pulled into the garage and closed the door behind me before walking into the house. Fuck me, but this place felt empty without her.

I sighed and dropped my keys onto the counter, giving in to the dread the filled me as I headed to the bedroom. I missed Nicole, and I allowed the pain to take over for a moment while I sucked in my breath. I imagined Ricky doing terrible things to her as I stepped into the bathroom and stripped for a hot shower. I needed to relax.

I dropped into bed once I was done and turned on the television for some noise. I felt my mind racing as I worried about her and knew that I wouldn’t rest until she was home. I knew that I might never sleep properly again as I stared at the crime show that was on the screen, too distracted to even criticize the fake scenarios in it.

I slept fitfully and got up in time to be at the station early. I skipped my run and any exercise, too sore with anxiety to do anything but make it through the day at work.

I headed right to the captain’s office where Brandon was waiting for me, sipping coffee. I gave him a surprised look as he glanced at me. I was shocked that he’d left Noelle alone.

“I took her to work, and I’m picking her up when she’s done,” he told me as I nodded and settled into the seat.

The captain walked into the office holding coffee, and he glanced at us before he sat down. “So, the bank is getting the money together for us and we’re following the usual protocol once the perp is arrested. It’s going right back once the girl is safe and he is in custody. We’re going to have enough officers there to handle everything.” He looked at me for a long moment, seeming to read my face before he frowned. “Are you guys up to this?”

“Absolutely. We’re in, boss,” Brandon assured him quickly as I gave him a curious look. He was far more energized than I was but his girl was home.

We made some plans to leave in the late morning the following day, and Captain Peterson laid out all the plans before we left for the day. Brandon was going to Noelle’s house, and I just went home to be alone and prepare myself for the following day.

I felt nauseous as I parked in my garage and went inside the house to distract myself with some television. I wanted all of this over even though I dreaded that, knowing that I was giving her up all too soon.