Page 10 of Forever Found
“Maxwell Kline. He was the fucking attorney I sent to help Addy before we met her, when she was in police custody in Vegas. He was recommended to me by Dartford. Fuck, I’m such an idiot!” he growled as he handed me back my cell.
“Dartford? One of the guys that Addy recognized in your office that day? One of your father’s friends?” I questioned.
“Yes. That’s why he was running it out of Vegas. He was working with fucking Max!” Asher said as he pulled out his own cell and started calling someone. “He had to be the one working with my father. I thought it odd that he kept in contact with Addy after we left Vegas. He was trying to keep track of her.”
“He’s the one who took them?” I asked as I tried to catch up.
“Harris. I have a name. Maxwell Kline. He’s a criminal attorney out of Vegas. I’m sure he’s behind this. Get me everything you can,” Asher barked into his phone. “Yeah, thanks. I’m headed to Vegas tonight so send me anything you find.” Asher wrapped up the call and turned to me.
“What now?” I asked.
“Get your shit. We’re going to Vegas. Time to end this once and for all, and bring Addy and Eli home.”
“Good. I’ll call Jordan and let him know what’s going on. Call the Feds to come and collect that,” I told him as I nodded to the room Zara now sat quietly in. “And Ash,” I called as he started to walk away. He stopped and turned to me. “Make sure you take a shower and get changed. Addy and Eli will both freak out if they see you looking like you do right now.”
“Fuck you,” Asher huffed as he turned away and headed for his room. I didn’t even know if he had clothes left there, since we were supposed to have moved out of this building by the coming weekend, ready for the new owners, but I was sure he’d find something.
“We’re coming for you, angel,” I whispered as I paused and just allowed myself to breathe. We knew who had taken Addy and Eli now. It was only a matter of time until we found where they were being held and got them both back. I was determined I would not leave Navada without Addy at my side and Eli at Asher’s.
CHAPTER 5
ADDY
“Eli?” I cried again for the fifth time. He’d fallen asleep about thirty minutes before and I’d let him be because he looked exhausted. He’d told me the bleeding had stopped, so I’d thought it best to allow him to rest. Now he wouldn’t wake up and I was freaking out all over again. “Eli, please just wake up!” I cried as I pulled in the lot of a tiny service station. I’d turned off of the highway a few minutes before, and I had actually shed tears when I saw the first sign of civilization ahead. That’s when I’d started trying to wake Eli. Now I was parking up outside the tiny, run down diner and Eli was still non-responsive.
I slammed on the handbrake then leapt from the car, running to the other side, and throwing open the passenger door. I shook Eli, but when he didn’t move I searched his neck for his pulse, tears flooding down my face the whole time. I could see he had lied to me about the bleeding having stopped. The leggings I had wrapped around his arm were sodden with his blood and I knew he’d lost way too much.
Finally I found his pulse, but it felt slow. Too slow. A sob slipped from me as I realized I should never have allowed him to sleep. He clearly hadn’t fallen asleep, he’d passed out and now he wouldn’t wake up.
I ran from the car, leaving the door wide open and ran into the diner. There were a few guys who looked like the drivers of the huge trucks in the lot, sat at the counter, but otherwise it was empty.
“I need a phone. My brother….he needs help!” I cried, the words shaky and broken as I fought to get them out.
“Here sweetie,” A waitress dressed in a red and white uniform appeared and slammed an old fashioned phone up on the counter. “Call 9-1-1. Nearest hospital’s about twenty minutes away,” she added when I ran to the counter and started dialing, the blood on my fingers making them slip as I pressed the numbered buttons frantically.
As soon as the 9-1-1 operator assured me an ambulance was on the way I slammed the phone down and ran back to Eli where he remained in the car. I untied the leggings I’d wrapped around the wound and pulled them free, crying harder when blood continued to pour from the wound.
“He’s been shot?” The deep voice startled me and when I looked up, one of the truckers who’d been sat at the counter was behind me. “We need to slow that bleeding down. Let me take him inside.”
“Yes…okay. Please,” I uttered feeling lost and terrified. The man, an older guy dressed in jeans, a checkered fleece jacket and a knitted hat stepped forward and scooped Eli up. Luckily, the guy was big enough to take Eli’s weight.
I ran ahead and opened the door, then followed them to the table the trucker set Eli down on, grabbing the back of Eli’s head so it wouldn’t thud on the table.
“I need something to stop this bleeding. A first aid kit would be good too,” The trucker rumbled in a deep voice. The waitress came running around the counter with a stack of white napkins and a green box which I assumed was the first aid kit.
“Are you hurt, sweetie. That blood yours?” The waitress asked as she nodded down to my dress. I looked down and realized for the first time I had Eli’s blood all the way down the front of my dress, likely from trying to tie my leggings around it earlier.
“No,” I shook my head, keeping my hands under Eli’s head to cradle it. “I…I’m okay…thank you.”
When I looked back to Eli the trucker had some squares of gauze, which he must have gotten from the first aid kit, pressed tight against Eli’s arm. I was relieved to see the blood was flowing slower through them.
“Thank you. I…I tried to slow the bleeding b-but it wasn’t enough. I thought he was j-just sleeping. I thought he’d be okay,” I rambled as tears flooded down my cheeks.
“Help’s on the way now and until they get here I’m not letting go. You sure you’re not hurt?”
“I’m sure.”
“Someone chasing you?” he asked.