Brandon
Connor is in a foul mood. He’s not usually the most talkative of people but today he’s practically vibrating with anger.
“I can’t fucking believe it,” he says about Tom when I pick him up.
“I know,” I say, not really feeling the same. There are a lot of snakes in this game. In a way, I’m surprised it hasn’t happened before now. I look across at Connor wondering what I don’t know about him. Has he been talking to our rivals, working out a better deal for himself?
Am I in danger again?
Stupid thought because I’m always in danger. I’m Adam Ford’s son. It’s why I carry the fucking gun.
We do as Adam asked. Driving out of town, then taking another road in on a loop, listening to an old rock radio station to fill the tense silence. We find a coffee shop we’ve never been into before and I order a black coffee while Connor orders a mocha-whippy-chocolate something or other that makes me want to laugh. He still has devil-furious eyes so I don’t bother. It’s not really the time for jesting, whatever his choice of beverage.
When it’s time, Connor directs me to where Leon will be waiting. The exchange is tenser than usual which isn’t surprising. No one likes standing around on the street holding illegal substances or large sums of cash. I get that. It’s only our years of mutually agreeable business dealings that has kept this meeting in play.
We get back in the car and I drop Connor off to where he’s left his ride. We head in opposite directions, him to sort out the distribution channels, me to Jackson’s so I can report back to Adam.
When I arrive I know something is off immediately. Adam is more pensive than usual and when I tell him about the drop he seems distracted. In the end, I ask him what the fuck is wrong with him.
He says nothing but brings his closed fist from where it’s resting next to his leg up onto the table in front of me. He opens it and there’s a thin silver chain inside, and for a moment I stare at it, wondering why Adam is handing me a piece of women’s jewelry. Then I lean in closer, catching sight of the small ‘S’ charm and the silver angel’s wing tucked into the crease by his thumb and I know.
“Where the fuck did you get that?” I ask, bracing one hand against the table and snatching the warm chain from his sweaty palm.
“It was left on the bar in an envelope addressed to me. You know who it belongs to?”
His eyes are narrowed suspiciously and I swallow, barely controlling my rage with deep breaths. Someone has Sammie. It’s what I feared the most and why I kept telling her to just leave me be. Why the fuck didn’t she listen?
“It’s Samantha’s necklace. My stepsister.”
Adam sits back, still sizing me up. He’s wondering how all of this fits together.
“But you haven’t seen her for years. Why would they think they could use her as leverage?”
“Who the fuck has her, Adam?” I’m so damn angry I can’t breathe.
“The same fuckers who shot at you last night. Now answer my goddamned question.”
“The lawyer you hired for me, the first one. It was Samantha. They must have seen us together and think she’s my girl or something.”
“Well, they got that wrong, didn’t they.” He sounds relieved and I don’t understand.
“What are you talking about?”
“Well. She’s your ex-stepsister and you haven’t seen her for fifteen years. We just tell them we don’t give a fuck that they’re holding her. They’ll probably just release her. No point in risking a murder charge for the sake of this shit.”
“What the fuck…” I’m so furious I ball my fists. I never expect much from my scumbag father but this is low even for him. “You tell me where she is right the fuck now or I won’t be responsible for what I do.”
“You know what they are asking for?” he says, eyes narrowed again, leaning forward like he might go for me at any second. His biceps are bunched and ready for assault but I don’t give a damn. I’d kill him before I stand by and let anyone even ruffle a hair on Sammie’s head.
“Whatever it is, we are going to give it to them, do you understand?” I say through gritted teeth.
“Understand this, boy,” he says, spit flying from his mouth and landing on the table in front of me. “I decide what we do…not you and not any other punk-ass motherfucker who thinks he can threaten me.”
“She’s innocent in all this, Adam. I’m not gonna stand by and let them hurt her…”
“You don’t get a choice in this, Brandon.”
I slam my fists down on the table so hard the bottles of beer bounce and overturn, spilling foaming dregs across the wooden surface.
“I’m only going to say this once more,” I growl. “I am not going to leave her in the hands of those men, Adam. There is nothing here that is worth more to me than her, do you understand? Whatever it takes, I will do it to get her back, with or without you. So tell me where the fuck she is before I have to do something both of us are gonna regret.”
“You’d stand against me for a cunt who’s practically a stranger?” he asks, looking genuinely baffled, and I understand, once and for all, that he is incapable of caring about anything but himself and his money. And I know now, that whatever happens next, I have to get away from him because he would sacrifice anything to protect what he loves most, and that includes me.
“She’s not a stranger. She’s my sister.”
“And I’m your father. Doesn’t count for shit though does it?”
“Don’t make this about anything other than finding Sammie and getting her back. It’s fucking pathetic. If you don’t want to get involved then leave it to me. I’ll go and do this myself.”
“And what do you think that would look like? That I send in one man to do the job of a crew. I’m not a pussy, Brandon.”
“You know you’ve got to do this, because if you don’t they’ll think you’re scared.”
We glare at each other in a bar that has now gone quiet as everyone looks across, waiting for our argument to turn physical.
“I’m gonna get her back,” I say as quietly and menacingly as I can, my mind filled with the terror that Sammie is likely to be dealing with right at this moment, and I slide out of the booth until I’m standing with my fists resting on the table. I look down at the man who’s supposed to be my father. Blood means nothing to him, loyalty means nothing. If I told him I was leaving he wouldn’t care because I’m his son and he was losing me. He’d care because of the inconvenience, how it would look to our rivals and the danger that I might pose to him as a civilian who knows too much about his precious business.
Adam doesn’t stop glaring at me with his narrowed eyes but I know his brain will be searching through all the available options for the one that has him coming out the best. I don’t expect it, but he nods. He leans in closer, talking in a whisper. “Had someone on them since last night. They think they’re clever but they’ve got no idea what they’re doing. All muscle and no brain. They have a safe-house where they congregate and I think that’s where they will have taken her.”
“So let’s get over there.”
“You don’t know what they want in exchange though do you?”
“What is it? Tell me?”
“They want territory and contacts…they want us out of our deal with Leon so they can take over.”
“Leon won’t deal with people like that. He values his life too much.”
“You’re right. But they’re not going to listen to that if it comes from us.”
“So we agree to it all and get her back.”
“If we go in there, they’re gonna try and kill us. This isn’t an exchange based on some old-fashioned gentlemen’s agreement. This is a set up between villains.” He laughs then, as though he’s enjoying the game. Adam was made for this kind of life. I was not.
“So what the fuck are we going to do?”
“We’re going to distract them. They’re greedy and stupid and they don’t have the brains to work out shit. They proved that last night. That’s got to be one of the worst ambushes in the history of man.”
“They nearly killed me,” I growl.
“They should have succeeded but they didn’t. Leave this to me, okay.”
Adam pulls out his phone and slides out of the booth, heading to the backroom for some privacy. I go to follow but he waves me away so I go to the bar and order a whisky. I know I shouldn’t because I need to be clear headed but my hands are shaking and my mind is already spinning. The alcohol might just take the edge off. The liquid burns on the way down but feels nice and warm when it hits my stomach. Adam comes back rubbing his stubbly chin and pushing his phone into his jeans pocket.
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” he says, as though he expects no disagreements from me. “I’ve told them we’ll meet them to discuss terms in three hours. Jared is already staking out their lair. He’s good at being discreet and he’ll call you to let you know what’s happening. I’m going to need to take Connor and most of the boys with me because I intend to deliver a very tough message. If you want to go and get the girl then you make sure there aren’t too many of them left in that wasp’s nest and you do what you need to do.”
“Okay,” I say, exhaling now that I know I have the green light to go and find Sammie. “You give me the address of the place now and I’ll go up there and join Jared.”
“That isn’t what I said, is it?”
“You want me to sit around here while Sammie is there? I want to get as close as I can.”
“You see, that’s why I’m telling you not to go. You’re going to get down there and you won’t be able to wait until that house empties out.”
“I’ll wait,” I hiss, hating that he’s treating me like a kid.
“Yeah, you will. Right here.” He turns back to the booth and collects his things. When he walks by me towards the door I grab him by the arm.
“This is it for me, Adam,” I say. “I’m going to find her and then I’m out. And I’m not coming back.”
Adam’s eyes scan over me and his poker face gives nothing away. “You think you can just walk away?”
“I do,” I say with as much conviction as I can find, when inside all I can think is that this isn’t going to work. He’s never going to let me go.
“And why would I let you do that?” he asks.
“This time it’s not about you letting me do anything, Adam. This time it’s about me telling you that I’m deciding. I won’t do this anymore…any of it. I’m done. I’ll never speak any of what I know but I’m going. For good.”
We stare at each other, eye to eye, man to man, and I’m convinced he’s going to start threatening but he doesn’t. Instead he shrugs his shoulders. “Jared will be in touch,” he says, and I can’t believe he’s letting me go so easily. All the years I worried about what he would do. All the years I wasted. He slaps me once on the shoulder, a pathetic gesture to mark the end of our business and personal relationship, and turns to walk away and I shake my head. I should be baffled but in my heart I know. Adam will only try to control those who are prepared to be controlled. It’s taken me standing up to him like a man for him to accept me as one. And that’s it.
I’m left in Jackson’s with no option but to wait. I slip Sammie’s necklace into my pocket and rest my face in my hand. No one bothers me for conversation, probably because they heard my argument with Adam and can see how anxious I am. The next hour is the longest of my life as I stare at my phone, willing Jared to call. When he does I almost drop the damn thing with all my fumbling to answer.
“Brandon,” he whispers.
“Yeah, where the fuck are you? What’s going on?”
“I’m gonna message you the address. They’re starting to leave. I’ve been here counting all day. If I’m correct, there’s only two of them left in the building.
“And you’re sure Sammie’s in there?”
“No,” he says flatly and my heart falls in my chest. “But they pulled up in a truck and unloaded something…there’s a pretty good chance.”
“I’m on my way.” I hang up and run out of the bar, sprinting to my truck. By the time I’m belted in, the phone vibrates with the address. I know the area…it’s in a pretty shitty neighborhood but I wasn’t expecting a mansion. I tap it into the Sat Nav to find the exact road and then I’m off.
During the whole journey my leg is jumping and my hands are sweating. I have to wipe them on my jeans to keep a good grip on the steering wheel. In the traffic I’m cursing and leaning forward in my seat, driving too close. I just need to get to her. I need to know she’s safe.
When I get near, all my reflexes seem to slow. I know I have to be careful now. If I put a foot wrong I could put her in even greater danger. I pull over down the road, switch off my lights and wait in the truck for exactly two minutes. I have a baseball cap in my glove box which I pull out to wear. I don’t want to be recognized before I need to be and with the bill pulled down low my entire face is in shadow. I open the door, palm my gun and step onto the sidewalk, shutting the truck as quietly as I can. I slip the gun into the back of my jeans and loosely cover it with my shirt, then I make my way up the road, sticking as closely to the buildings on my right as possible. I hear the noise of a car pulling up and turn to see a dark truck at least a hundred feet behind me. I don’t think anything of it because this area is relatively residential. Probably just someone coming home for the day. I go to the place Jared has said he’s waiting and observing, a thin walkway between two houses on the opposite side of where Sammie might be held. I peer around the corner and find Jared in the shadows, dressed in a similar way to me.
“You made that fast,” he says, keeping his eyes on the building.
“Did you see anyone else leave?” I ask, pressing myself against the brickwork.
“Nah, and no one else has gone in either.”
I exhale though I’m far from feeling relieved. That won’t come until Samantha is in my arms and I know she’s unharmed.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I expect it to be Adam with an update but it comes from a discreet number. I read the message, blinking a few times at the cryptic words.
Brandon Ford. You have a tail. Contract set by S.C. Can no longer contact as arranged. Concerned for safety. Indicate from position if you are seeking S.C.
I shake my head, confused, then realize the message must have been sent by the man Samantha arranged to watch me, the one that pointed her towards Jackson’s. I curse, mad that she didn’t listen to me and cancel the surveillance. I don’t know whether this development is useful or a burden to our activities but I wave anyway, one hand movement down. I don’t want whoever is out there to blow our cover when we could be so close to finding Sammie. After thirty seconds I get another message.
My name is Dirk. I’ll be at your position in one minute.
“We’re getting some company,” I tell Jared and he frowns.
“That’s not part of the plan,” he says, but after last night’s betrayal I don’t trust him enough to tell him anymore details.
“He’s my backup. That’s all you need to know.” I try to mirror my father’s tone and it seems to work as Jared goes back to watching the house like hawk.
Dirk arrives as promised and I’m surprised when he turns out to be a guy that looks like he’s just out of Special Forces rather than the overweight dude I’d expected. With cropped black hair, a military style vest and black combat trousers, he’s huge and imposing.
“That where you think she is?” he asks, nodding to where Jared is staring.
“Yeah. The guys in there are trying to extort from my father using Samantha as leverage,” I reply.
“What’s the plan then?”
“I think there are two men in there with the girl,” Jared says behind me. “There are two doors, one at the front that opens into the ground floor area and one at the side that opens into a utility area. There is also a flat roof that could give access to one of the upstairs rooms via a window.” Dirk nods and I get the impression he’s done this kind of thing before. He certainly looks the part.
“Well, what the fuck are we waiting for?” I say, getting pissed off with all the talk and total of action. Anything could be happening to Sammie right now and the longer we stand here talking tactics, the worse it could be.
“We’re good,” Dirk says. “Three points of entry, three of us,” he says like that’s gonna answer all the questions.
“Are you suggesting one of us knocks at the front door?” Jared asks.
“Yep,” Dirk nods and I catch Jared rolling his eyes.
“Where the fuck you get this dude from?” he sniggers.
“Two make their way round the side, one to climb and access upstairs, one to come in the back. On a signal, the one at the front knocks the door as a distraction. If they can, they should work to disarm and immobilize whoever opens the door. And we hope that the girl is being held out in the open as opposed to in a basement that we will struggle to get access into and escape from.
Jared is staring at Dirk open mouthed. “You some sort of police reject?” he asks and Dirk shakes his head.
“Just seen a lot of Hollywood movies.”
I think for a fraction of a second that Dirk’s serious, then I see a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth and I know this strange man is playing with us.
“I’ll take the upstairs,” I say, because that feels like the most obvious place Sammie will be held and I want to be the first to get to her.
“I’ll take the side entrance,” Dirk says.
“So you want me to do the dick job,” Jared says, looking putout.
“Every job is equally important.” Dirk grins.
“So let’s go,” I say, moving to stand at the edge of the walkway and scan in both directions. We’re clear and I start walking to the right about forty feet before I cross over the street and make my way back toward the house. Dirk follows, then Jared goes to the left. I wait in the shadow cast by a tree, pressed in close to a brick wall. Jared gestures for us to go down the side so we do, me with my gun in hand. When I glance behind me I catch a reflective glint off the side of Dirk’s piece. I’m glad he’s packing because I have no idea what we’re about to face.