Warrior (First to Fight #1)(65)

Inside, the station is quiet save for the rustle of papers and the soft murmur of conversation. It ratchets the hooks of anxiety ever tighter around my lungs. Livvie spots Logan standing outside of the conference room about the same time I do. She reaches for my hand and I take it, grateful for the small measure of comfort.

The length between us feels never-ending, but when we reach Logan’s side his face brightens with a smile, and I nearly drop to my knees. The relief is all-encompassing. She spares Logan a glance and inhales deeply before opening the door to the conference room.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I am holding when the air is rent with the squalling of a very unhappy baby. I never thought I’d be so happy to hear someone cry.

Livvie lets out a sob, lets go of my hand, and falls to her knees in front of the female officer holding a very unhappy Cole, who notices his mother for the first time and holds out his arms. She accepts him into her embrace and he makes happy sounds, though he’s still sniffling. Her shoulders shake as she cries into his hair.

Logan puts a reassuring hand on my shoulder, and I realize silent tears are streaking down my own face. I clear my throat and wipe them away as Jack and Sofie arrive—for once, not arguing.

Sofie bursts into tears the moment she sees Livvie on the floor and Cole looking around at all the adults in confusion. She nearly collapses, but Jack is there in a moment, supporting her with an arm around her waist.

Cole looks up at me and gives me a gummy smile. His little hand reaches out to me and he says quite clearly, “Da-da.”

Relief is both welcome and crushing. I gather him in my arms and take comfort in the fact that my f*ck up didn’t cost him his life.





A FEW HOURS later we reconvene at the house once the media furor has died down.

“They found him in an empty car—a white SUV—at the gas station over on Seventh Street. Someone recognized the description from one of Sofie’s social media call outs and reported the car to the police. They went out to check and found Cole asleep in the back seat.”

I rub my hand over a sleeping Cole’s back. “A white SUV?” My mind flashes back to the day we were attacked at the doctor’s office and the few glimpses I’d manage to get of the car they were driving.

“It’s possible,” Logan says, knowing where my mind was going. “We ran the plates, but they turned out to be stolen. From what we can gather, they were heading out of town. The back was full of suitcases, baby toys and clothes.”

“So, this couldn’t have been a ransom—not that we have tons of money in the bank. They were truly planning on taking him. Keeping him,” I finish on a whisper, and my body is racked by shivers. I lean down and kiss his forehead. I can’t seem to go a few minutes without touching him in some way. He’s gotten more hugs and kisses in the past few hours than in his entire life, and I’ve always been very affectionate.

“That’s what the evidence points to,” Logan says gently. “But something must have spooked them because they abandoned the car. The witness who found it works across the street. They didn’t see anyone drop it off, just that it had been there for over an hour and he recognized the car from the description Sofie gave.”

I flash Sofie a grateful look, but she’s fast asleep on the couch opposite me with her head cradled in Jack’s lap. While I was in the oblivion of sleep last night, she had been trolling every website and imploring every hacker connection she’s made over the past five years to help find Cole. I’ll never be able to repay her for that.

“What about prints?” Ben asks.

Logan shakes his head. “No luck there. There were too many in the car and none that matched anyone in the system. We believe that since they abandoned the car and didn’t take Cole with them, he should be safe. Even so, I think it would be best if Ben continues to stay with you to keep an eye on things. I can also have a car stationed outside your house until we’re certain they’ve fled the area.”

“I doubt I’ll even sleep tonight, but that sounds great, thank you.” For the foreseeable future, I want to keep Cole as close to Ben and me as possible.

Logan nods. “I need to get back to the station. Take care of yourself.”

Ben stands to walk with him to the door, and I lift Cole up to take him to the portable play pen. At least I can move it around to keep him in sight while he sleeps. As I’m pulling the blanket over him, I catch a thread of Logan and Ben’s whispered conversation in the doorway.

“Did you find him?”

“I have a lead on his last place of residence, but no one’s seen him in months, so it’s possible he’s moved on.”

I hear Ben’s heavy sigh and my heart slows to a heavy thud in my chest. What in the hell are they talking about?

“Thanks, man.”

The door opens and I heft Cole’s pen so it’s shadowed behind the couch. My hands are trembling with a combination of rage and shock, and I can’t believe there’s something Ben is hiding from me that could possibly help find who took Cole.

He appears in the doorway, a hand rubbing his neck with his eyes downcast.

“Was that about Mason?”

Ben’s head jerks up and he says softly, “No.”

“Then what is it about?” After the horrors of the past few days, the last thing I want are more secrets—or more surprises.