Finding Her Son(56)

Before she could reply, a clanging alarm sounded in the hallway.

“Okay, girls, back into your rooms. Looks like we’ve got a new arrival almost here.”

The jolly voice made Emily shudder in revulsion.

“The doctor,” she said. “The baby’s coming.”

“We’re out of time, but he’s also made it easier. If everyone’s in their rooms, we can make this thing happen safely.”

Mitch tapped his earpiece.

With a quick relay of more intel, Mitch turned to Emily. “They have Ghost. They’re coming in. Doing a room-to-room. You stay here. They’ll come get you.”

“Where are you going?”

“To find the room with the doctor.”

He shoved a weapon into her hand. “Don’t shoot the SWAT team. Officer Vance, on the other hand, feel free to take aim. There’s nothing I hate more than a traitor.”

He slipped out of the door, his stealth movements dangerous.

She gripped the gun in her hand and stood near the door, expecting screams or shuffling, but it was utterly silent.

A few minutes later, her hand had cramped around the gun. The lock turned. “It’s SWAT, Mrs. Wentworth,” a voice said softly.

An arm covered in black eased through a crack in the door. A split second later, a man had pivoted and stripped her of her weapon. “I’m Reynolds. Good to meet you. Now come with me.”

Emily stepped out of the room, covered by the large SWAT team member. About four pregnant teens were being rushed down the stairs, a couple being carried with hands over their mouths.

Vance rounded the corner in a dead run. He headed toward Emily. Mitch plowed after him.

“Vance. Stop!”

Reynolds pushed her down, covering her body before taking aim at the errant cop.

“Bitch,” Vance screamed and leaped at her.





Chapter Thirteen


Mitch caught Vance from the side and shoved him away from Emily. The man slammed into the floor, and with a quick move, Mitch pinned Vance to the ground and forced his hands behind his back. Mitch had to stop himself from taking a cheap shot at the guy who’d gone after her. “You’re going down.”

Reynolds stood and helped Emily to her feet. “Nice move. You back?”

“Almost.” Although the ache in Mitch’s leg indicated a SWAT assignment wouldn’t happen anytime soon.

Reynolds knelt down and fastened zip ties around Vance’s wrists. “Where’s the doctor, traitor?”

“I wasn’t doing anything wrong.” Vance glared at them. “I just followed you guys in.”

Emily stalked over to the man on the floor. Mitch could see the fury vibrating from within her.

“You were going to kill me,” she said.

“Liar,” Vance spat.

Mitch tugged the man to his feet and spun him around against the wall. He closed his fingers around the soon-to-be-ex-cop’s neck.

Emily rushed behind Mitch, leaning over his back. The woman was fearless.

“You know something about my son. I know you do.” Her husky voice had gone desperate.

“Idiot. Your son was never here. You were chasing the wrong devil from the beginning.” Vance laughed.

Emily sagged against Mitch. “No. Someone here knows something. They just have to.”

He shoved his arm harder against the guy’s throat. “Unless you want me telling every inmate you’re a cop, you give up the doctor’s location. I find out you’re lying, you won’t last a week inside.”

Vance went ghost-white and deflated like the coward he was. “Fourth floor. Insulated room so the other girls don’t flip out when they hear them scream.”

“What’s the layout?” Mitch snapped. “And how do I get in without tipping him off?”

Their prisoner spilled the description of the room. “Doc’s waiting for the midwife. She’s not here yet, but he’ll expect a knock on the door.”

Mitch passed off Vance to another of his teammates, then turned to Emily. “Go with them. I want you outside.”

She shook her head. “I can help. If he’s really expecting a woman, I can get him to open the door for me. Otherwise, you place the girl in the room at risk if he panics.”

“She’s right,” Reynolds said quietly.

Mitch wanted nothing more than to get Emily away from this place, but they were running out of time. “Get Vance out of here,” he told Reynolds. “Emily, stay behind me,” he ordered.

They ran up the stairs to the fourth floor, meeting Greggson at the top.

“All clear, except at the end,” he said. “But check this out.”

They followed him into a space with a wall full of monitors showing every room in the house.

Mitch cursed. “They knew we were here?”

“I don’t think so,” Greggson said. “This area was deserted when we arrived.”

Mitch looked at the sea of empty rooms. Except one. Kayla lay on a bed, her legs bound in stirrups, but she was fighting against the bonds. “That’s Kayla Foster. Does this thing have volume?”

Greggson flicked a few switches and turned a knob. The man in the white coat smiled, his face cold and terrifying. “Finally dilated enough, my little troublemaker. It won’t be long now. After we deliver your brat, we’re getting rid of you. Just like your friend.”