Dangerous Abduction (O'Connor Brothers Book 2) (26 page)

“Marina, I’ll call you as soon as we know something, I promise.” James pulled her aside and held her in his arms.

“Please be careful and find him.” Marina clung to him.

“I’ll do everything I can to bring him home.” James lifted her chin so he could see her eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Marina stood on her toes and kissed his lips softly. James hugged her and followed the team of men out of the house.

H
e looked around the cold, dark room when the man closed the door. He slowly moved towards the old bed and climbed onto it. It made a scary, creaking sound and he didn’t like it. He was really scared and he wanted to go home to Mommy, Uncle James and Mason. He wrapped his arms around himself and rocked. Mommy always made him feel better when she rocked him. What if he never saw Mommy any more? He couldn’t run away because he didn’t know where he was and the man was so big.

Besides, Mommy said he should never run away because he wasn’t happy. The man said he was his daddy, but how could that be? He was mean and he yelled. Uncle James didn’t yell at Mason. He missed Uncle James and he wanted him to be his daddy, not this mean man. He curled up on the bed and cried until he fell asleep.

He woke up a while later shivering. He was so cold, and it was dark in the room. He jumped down off the bed and ran to the door to open it, but it wouldn’t open. He banged on it and screamed as loud as he could. He didn’t like being locked in the room. He screamed so loud his throat hurt. He was kicking the door when it swung open and knocked him to the floor.

“I want Mommy,” he screamed at the man.

“I don’t want you here anymore than you want to be here, but you need to shut the hell up so I can get your mother on the phone. Now get in that bed and go to sleep before I give you something to scream about.” The man towered over him, and he didn’t like the way he looked at him. He was like a monster.

“I’m cold and thirsty.” He sobbed and hiccupped.

“Come out here, you pain in the ass.” The man grabbed his arm and it hurt. He sat him at the table and put a can of root beer in front of him. “Drink that and here’s a blanket.” He tossed the blanket on the floor and sat on the couch.

“I need to pee.” He pulled back when the man jumped up and lunged at him.

“Jesus Christ, kids are a fucking pain.” He opened up another door and pointed. He really had to pee badly but he was afraid the man would lock him in the bathroom. He slid off the chair and walked slowly to the open door. At least there was a light.

“Hurry the fuck up, kid.”

After he used the dirty toilet he walked out of the bathroom. The man was standing with the blanket in his hand and pointing to the dark room. He really hated the dark, but he knew the man would get mad if he asked to leave the door open.

“Get in there and go to sleep.” He pushed him into the room and threw the blanket at him then closed the door, leaving him in the dark again. He climbed up on the noisy bed and curled up under the blanket. It smelled funny but he was warm. He started to cry until he was too tired to stay awake.

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T
he sign Marina told them about was still there but faded. James thanked their lucky stars, because without the sign, they’d never find the entrance. Like he promised, James stayed back and let the others go ahead of them. The pathway was rough and full of debris, almost as if nobody had been through there in a long time. It made his heart sink.

“I don’t know how anyone would get through here with a kid in tow,” Aaron said as if he was reading James’ mind.

“I don’t think any vehicles have been up this way, but maybe there’s another way to get there that we don’t know about,” John said.

“This snow is not making it any easier to find the fucking thing either,” Aaron complained. James knew his brother was getting frustrated because he’d been cursing Marc the whole way into town. Aaron didn’t get angry often but it seemed Marc was bringing the worst out in all of them.

The snow had slowed a bit but it was still making it difficult to find the trailer Marina had described. Kurt had turned around several times and the look on his face said Kurt was thinking the same as everyone else. They probably wouldn’t find their way to the place in the dark with it snowing, even with the flood lights.

James was ready to give Kurt the word to stop the search, when he heard Greg’s voice up ahead.

“Newfoundland Police Department, open the door.” Greg’s voice boomed through the woods and by the time James got through the opening, one of the other officers had pulled open the door. The trailer had broken windows and it was rusted badly. His heart sank at the sight. There was no way they’d find Danny and Marc in there. Greg and Cory came out through the door of the trailer. Their faces showed nothing as they walked up to Kurt and Keith. James wasn’t staying back any longer and jogged up to the group.

“Nobody’s been in that trailer in a long time,” Greg said.

“I’ll call the coroner.” Kurt turned from the group and put the phone to his ear.

“Wait? Coroner?” James legs almost gave out.

“James, it’s not Danny,” Cory grabbed James before he went to his knees.

“Then why are you calling the coroner?” John had joined the group.

“We found human remains inside but they’ve been there for a while.” Greg said. “The remains are chained to a chair.” All the air whooshed out of him and he went to his knees. Aaron and John knelt next to him and listened as Greg explained what they found inside. “It looks like whoever it is was kept there against their will. I think it’s a male, but the remains are badly decomposed.”

“So Marc and Danny haven’t been here?” Aaron sighed.

“I’m not going to say no, but I really don’t think so,” Greg said.

“So now what do we do? Sandy said the phone signal came from up this way,” Keith said.

“We have to wait for forensics to go through there, but if the phone is here at least we know Marc has been here.” Kurt had rejoined them.

James stood up again and glanced around the clearing. He just wanted to scream and run at the same time. He’d have to go home and tell Marina they didn’t find Danny and she was going to be devastated. He turned and headed back to the main road because he just wanted to get away from everyone so he could catch his breath.

“We’ll find him, bro.” Keith was behind him, and James nodded but didn’t speak. He wouldn’t be able to control his emotions if he spoke at that moment.

He managed to find his way back to the main road alone, but the road was pitch black. Not unusual around the area because there were very few street lights. Not many people lived out that far. James just wanted to get back to Hopedale and see Marina. He pulled out his phone and sent a text to John and Keith telling them he was heading home. There were enough vehicles so he didn’t worry about anybody not having a way home, and besides, he just wanted some solitary time to figure out what he was going to say to Marina.

By the time he got into Hopedale, the snow had almost stopped but the roads were completely covered and he had to take his time once he turned onto his road. He managed to get his truck into the driveway without much trouble, but getting out of the truck seemed to take everything he had. Going into the house and telling the woman he loved that he didn’t find her son was tearing him apart. As much as he had promised himself he wouldn’t get his hopes up, he had and the disappointment was gut wrenching.

The front door opened before he made it up the steps, and Isabelle stood there with a sombre look on her face. For a moment she just stared at him but then she walked out and closed the door behind her. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

“John called and told us what happened,” she said when she stepped back. “Uncle Sean came by and gave Marina a sedative. Mostly because she kept saying she can feel how afraid he is. I don’t know how true that is but Nan seemed to believe her.”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” James hissed through his teeth.

“Nan managed to get her to go to bed and told her we would send you up as soon as you got back.”

James wrapped his arm around Isabelle’s shoulder and kissed the top of her head. “Thanks, cuz. I don’t know what I’d do without all of you.” He opened the door and was greeted by Nanny Betty.

“I jus’ made some tea and coffee, if ya want some, but ya get upstairs and see da lass. She’s fightin’ the medication Sean gave her because she’s waitin’ for ya.” Nanny Betty reached up and cupped his face in her small hands. “Doncha worry, Jimmy, we’ll get little Danny back.” 

“I hope you’re right, Nan.” James tried hard to keep the tears from spilling out of his eyes, but since Nanny Betty pulled a couple of tissues from her pocket and handed them to him, he was pretty sure he didn’t succeed.

He heard her soft sobs just as he got to the bedroom door. He swallowed hard and opened it. She was curled on her side facing the window and didn’t seem to hear him coming into the room.

“Marina?” James voice cracked as he said her name.

“He’s scared, James. I can feel it.” Marina sobbed.

“Baby, we’ll find him, and I’m sure Marc will get in touch with us soon.” James lay next to her on the bed and pulled her into his arms.

“I don’t want to cry, but I can’t stop and it makes me feel weak.” Marina turned into his embrace.

“Marina, you’re not weak. You’re a mother missing her child and you can cry all you want. I’ll be here to hold you as long as you need me to, but don’t ever think for one second that makes you a weak person.” James pressed his lips against the top of her head and held her until her sobs stopped and her breathing became deep and even. She’d fallen asleep and hopefully the sedative would help her get a good night’s sleep.

Once he untangled himself from Marina and covered her, he made his way downstairs. He knew everyone was back from town and they’d all congregated in the kitchen. James walked in and the conversation stopped. That wasn’t good at all.

“What’s going on?” James didn’t like the look on Kurt’s and Keith’s faces, and John was averting his eyes.

“We found the phone,” Kurt said. “It was about a hundred feet from the trailer.”

“Why do I get the feeling that’s not good news?” James leaned against the counter next to John.

“The phone case was inside a plastic bag with this.” Keith handed him his phone and James glanced at it. A picture of Danny was on the screen. He was stood in front of the trailer and from the red rims around his eyes, he’d been crying.

“So he was at the trailer.” James tossed the phone back to Keith.

“I had a feeling he knew we were going up there, so I brought the box the key was in to one of our techs,” Kurt said. “There was a listening device embedded into the bottom of the box under the insert.”

“So he heard everything we said and where we were going.” James sighed.

“I think he has to be close by that trailer, so in the morning we’re expanding our search area and pulling in more people to help,” Kurt informed him. “I’m going back to the station and making the calls. Keith is calling in all his available men and women.”

“Kurt you can drop me off home so I can start getting some food ready for all those people tomorrow.” James turned to see Nanny Betty pulling on her coat.

“Mudder, we won’t need any food,” Kurt said.

“Doncha be so foolish. Ya can’t have all dem wonderful people tramping through de woods and snow and not feed ‘em.”

“Mudder, it’s their jobs and they don’t expect to be fed for doing their job.” Kurt sighed.

“Jobs or not they’re helping our Jimmy and Marina find dere son. Now are ya gonna drive me home or will I walk.” Nanny Betty pulled her wool hat over her head.

“I’ll drop you off, Mudder.” Kurt shook his head as he left the kitchen. James knew, like everyone else in the family, there was no arguing with his grandmother and just because it was after ten at night didn’t mean she wasn’t going to go home and pull in Kathleen, Cora, and Alice to get lots of food together so everyone would be fed.

“We’ll make sure ta have a big scoff ready when everyone gets back with our boy.” Nanny Betty followed Kurt out of the house. A scoff was what Newfoundlanders called a huge home cooked meal and nobody did it like Nanny Betty and his mother.

“Nan does realize that the search is not in Hopedale, right?” Aaron said.

“Shut up, A.J. She might pack up her car and follow the search party out there.” John chuckled.

It was well after midnight and everyone had left except for John, Stephanie and Nick. They’d decided to stay for the night. Aaron and Mike had gone to stay with Ian at his house. Keith had gone to his own house. James stood on the back deck staring out at the ocean. He never got headaches, but his head felt like it was going to split in two. The last time he could remember having a headache was when Sarah got sick. Stress did funny things to a person. A hand clamped down on his shoulder, and he jumped with his fist ready to strike.

“Jesus, John, give me a stroke next time.”

“Sorry, I thought you heard me come out.” John sat next to him and handed him a shot glass. “Thought you may need this. You know the family motto.”

“A shot of screech calms your nerves.” James chuckled and quickly downed the dark liquid. He didn’t drink it often and the burn that was currently in his throat reminded him why. He was glad it was John who followed him outside. John knew him well and knew if he wanted to talk or just be quiet. “Thanks, bro.”

“For what?”

“Just for being here.”

“Since conception, bro,” John said.

“I don’t know how much more she can take.” James swallowed hard.

“I don’t think you’ve got to worry about Marina. She’s a tough cookie. First she got herself out of a bad marriage. She’s been raising Danny by herself and working full time and did you see her with Uncle Kurt? I thought she was going to throat punch him.” John chuckled and then put his hand on James’ shoulder. “I’m worried about you, though. I know how you feel about Marina and Danny.”

“He’s like my own son.”

“I know.” James tipped his head back, closed his eyes and silently prayed for some help. He couldn’t watch the woman he loved go through this turmoil anymore, and he didn’t know if he could take much more himself.