Golden Trail (The 'Burg #3)(176)

A young girl from Youth Group missing, Merry would hear or Colt, Layne would get a call.

Fuck.

“That won’t be necessary,” Layne stated quickly and went on. “Which uniforms did you get?”

“Sorry?”

“Who were the cops who came out on the call?”

“He didn’t wear a uniform. They sent a detective. I figured they weren’t messing around, seeing as she’s a…” He stopped talking and Layne visualized him swallowing, struggling to keep it together and Layne struggled with him, trying to keep his patience. Then Wade continued. “They sent a detective right off.”

Fuck!

Layne looked at Rocky then he was on the move, moving swiftly toward the stairs, speaking and walking. “What was the detective’s name?”

“Rutledge. Harry Rutledge,” Wade answered.

Fuck!

Layne took the stairs two at a time.

“Only Rutledge?” he asked.

“Sorry?” Wade answered.

“Was it only one detective? Did they only send Rutledge?”

“Yes.”

“I want the names and phone numbers of all her friends. Every one. You get your wife to write them down. You call the police, you talk to Garrett Merrick, Alec Colton, Patrick Sullivan, Mike Haines or Drew Mangold. You don’t talk to anyone but one of those men and you absolutely do not talk to Harrison Rutledge.”

“Why?”

“No time to explain. I’m hanging up now. Do it. Someone will be over to get that list.”

“Okay,” Wade Speakmon whispered.

“Don’t worry Wade, I’ll find your girl,” Layne promised then flipped his phone shut.

He was in Rocky’s room and he bent to pick up his t-shirt as he flipped his phone open.

“Layne,” Rocky called and his neck went back to see her standing in the door, face pale, dark hair framing it, she was holding her body carefully.

“Not now, baby,” he whispered, straightened, pulled his shirt over his head then he scrolled down to Ryker in his phone and hit go.

It rang once then Ryker answered with a, “Yo.”

“You listening?” Layne asked.

“Yep, to nothin’,” Ryker replied. “Relieved Dev, who, by the way, is a pain in the ass.”

Layne was moving while bent, grabbing his boots and socks. “Dev get anything?”

“Nope, that’s why he’s a pain in the ass. Pissed and left while bitchin’ about spendin’ all night listenin’ to nothin’. Don’t think they’re even there. Silence.”

“I want Gaines,” Layne stated, sitting on the edge of the bed, he put the phone between ear and shoulder and Ryker finally read his tone.

“What?”

“You got any clue where he’d be?”

“Why?”

“Speakmon girl is missin’ and has been since last night. She left to go to the game, never made it there, never made it home. I want Gaines. You leave my office, you get on your bike and you find that f**ker. You got friends, you get on the phone, you mobilize their asses and they find that f**ker. I want him in my office.”

“Blows your operation, bro,” Ryker said softly.

“We’ll worry about that later. Find that f**ker,” Layne replied, yanking on a boot.

“Blows everything, you take him,” Ryker returned.

“Find. That. Fucker,” Layne repeated, flipped his phone shut and yanked on his other boot.

“Layne,” Rocky whispered and Layne didn’t look at her.

He flipped his phone open and called Devin.

“What?” Devin clipped, Layne stood and moved to Rocky.

“Giselle is missing,” Layne answered.

“I’m on it,” Devin declared and disconnected.

Layne stopped at Roc and finally looked down at her.

“It’ll be okay,” he whispered.

Her hands came to his tee at his sides and fisted.

“Layne,” she whispered.

He wrapped his hand around the back of her head, pulled her to him and kissed the top of her hair.

Then, his lips still there, he whispered, “It’ll be okay. Get to my house. Now.”

He felt her head nod.

Then he let her go, pulled gently away and took off.

He was out of the gate and on the road when his mind cleared of everything except trying to shut it off from thinking he waited too long.

He was trying but he was failing.

* * * * *

The door to the reverend’s house opened and Layne looked at Pastor Knox.

“Well, Tanner Layne!” He smiled big. “What a surprise, you here, you and your Ma back at church, bringin’ your boys and Raquel into the fold –”

Layne didn’t smile and cut him off. “I need the whereabouts of TJ Gaines and I need them right now.”

Pastor Knox’s smile faded, his brows drew together in confusion and he asked softly, “What?”

“Your Youth Minister, TJ Gaines, is not a Youth Minister. He’s the recruiting agent for an underage sex racket,” Layne laid it out and Pastor Knox’s face went as white as his hair. “Giselle Speakmon went missing last night and I need Gaines.”

“That can’t be,” Pastor Knox whispered.