Page 34 of Vanishing Legacy

He burst through the back door and into a narrow alley. The cool air hit him like a refreshing wave, but the smell of garbage and stale cigarette smoke made him want to gag. His feet slipped on the greasy brick pavement, and he grabbed a handrail to steady himself. It was covered in something he didn’t want to think about.

He looked left and right. Which way had he gone? Savannah was always full of tourists around spring break, and the fact it was a weekend meant the locals were out too. Every street was filled with slow-moving people. He spotted the black helmet bobbing through a crowd on Factors Walk and Cash bolted after him.

Helmet Guy had a head start, but Cash was fast. He had to catch him and figure out who’d paid him to kidnap Penny. This was his chance to put an end to this dangerous game once and for all. Helmet Guy weaved in and out of the crowd. His bulbous head stood out among the sea of people until the street began to slope downward.

Cash pushed himself harder and topped the hill in time to see Helmet Guy turn right on the River Street access ramp and disappear. A few seconds later, Cash rounded the corner. Eyes on the hunt for the black helmet. He sucked in a ragged breath and spotted him jogging up the steep stone steps to the street level above. Cash’s calves burned as he chased up the stairs after him.

As he reached the top, Cash caught sight of the attacker running across Bay Street. A car screeched to a halt and laid on the horn. Helmet Guy pounded his gloved fist on the hood. His head turned in Cash’s direction before he ran to a black motorcycle parked at the curb and threw his leg over it. The bike looked menacing. Sleek and aerodynamic, with a shiny blacked-out finish that seemed to absorb all the light around it.

Half a block away. He could do this. He could catch this guy.

Cash crossed the street behind a dump truck rumbling by, filling the air with exhaust fumes. The motorcycle engine roared to life with a deep, throaty growl that shook the air. There was no plate on the bike. No way to identify it.

No. No. No. If he couldn’t get there before Helmet Guy pulled away, he’d never catch him.

The motorcycle roared, drowning out the distant sounds of sirens. Helmet Guy glanced over his shoulder and revved the bike louder. The fool was taunting him. Cash lunged at the guy, but it was too late. The bike peeled away, kicking up bits of gravel and debris that pelted Cash’s legs and face. He winced and shielded his face with an arm.

His eyes locked onto Helmet Guy as he weaved the motorcycle through traffic, the wind tearing at his clothes. The sound of the engine and the single taillight disappeared into the distance.

Cash turned around to head back to the restaurant only to find a small group of curious onlookers gathered around him. A few people offered help, but he waved them off and leaned his back against a nearby wall. He just needed a minute to catch his breath. Give his pounding heart time to slow. Detective Williams had said stranger abductions were among the hardest crimes to solve, and now, because he’d been too slow, they still didn’t have any idea who was behind the kidnapping attempts. The thought of him still being out, able to try again—well, it made his blood boil.

He couldn’t stand here and fret about it. He had to get back to Penny and Alana. As he picked his way back down the almost vertical staircase, he replayed the events of the past few days in his mind. Three men had tried to take Penny. Two were dead after failing. If Trejo wanted a life for a life, why kidnap Penny when any of those men could have pulled a gun and…No. He wouldn’t go there. Trejo wanted Cash’s life, not Penny’s.

But if that were true, why hadn’t Helmet Guy turned and shot him?—

Cash stopped dead in his tracks and rubbed his forehead. “Ah! I’m so stupid!”

What had made him think he could chase that guy down and not get shot? He shook his head and drew a deep breath. He couldn’t run off without protection. That’s why he’d hired the Elite Guardians. So they could chase down bad guys, not him. They had developed strategic plans to stop attackers, and here he was running down the street like he was in an action movie.

Thanks to Alana, Penny was safe. But this…whatever this was…it wasn’t over. One thing he knew for sure…Trejo wasn’t going to stop.

NINE

SUNDAY EVENING

Alana was quiet on the drive back to Cash’s house, having drained all the adrenaline out of her system. She’d made the right decision to leave Rocco at home. Her brain didn’t even want to consider what could have happened if he’d been there today.

Penny slept in her car seat, holding her daddy’s hand. The last few days had been traumatic for the little girl. Shoot, they’d been traumatic for Alana. She couldn’t shake the sound of Penny screaming out of her head.

They’d almost lost her. Again.

Alana turned into Cash’s driveway and drove toward the house. No, it wasn’t a house. It was a sprawling estate with breathtaking views of the Herb River. The pristine white home sat at the end of a circular drive, where she parked behind Juliette. The lot was narrow, so Alana could see Cash’s neighbors, but the mature landscaping created a sense of privacy and seclusion.

“We’ll wait here while Juliette does a thorough security sweep of the house and grounds,” Alana said.

Cash turned and looked in the back seat. “Wow, she’s still asleep.”

“Probably for the best. She’s been through so much.” She wasn’t sure if napping was normal for Penny, but Rocco had given them up years ago. “Is Penny okay? What I mean is, this is her second time falling asleep in the car. Are you sure this isn’t a side effect from the injection?”

“I thought about that, but still…all her bloodwork is normal. Not so much as a fever. I’m chalking it up to the fact she hasn’t gotten much sleep the last few days. Neither of us.” He rubbed his jaw. “So, that was pretty stupid of me today, huh?”

“Chasing that motorcycle guy?” She lifted an eyebrow, pretending to think for a moment. “Incredibly risky, but incredibly brave.”

“I don’t know about that last part.” Smile lines formed around his eyes. “At least I wasn’t dangling from a hot air balloon.”

“Hey now.” She bumped his shoulder. They laughed and Penny stirred but didn’t wake.

Alana looked past Cash to the house. Yellow lights flicked on behind each window. She let her eyes drift to Cash. He had his head turned, staring at Penny in the back seat. There was more behind the man than she’d realized. In the short time they’d been together, she found herself wanting to know him better. Not just the handsome man who’d found ways to make her laugh even in the serious moments, but as the father who would do anything to keep his daughter safe.