"If you hang up you'll never see your family again."
"The police are already on the case. I don't have to participate in these stupid games to get what I want. I'm not getting involved in whatever you have to offer."
A dark chuckle made my...
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"What can you tell us about these people, Squish?"
I asked Lacey as I unlocked one of my cases.
"Patrick Dallas and Michael Metzer. They're your run-of-the-mill drug dealers. They've both been in and out of jail for an array of charges. These charges range from drug possession and distribution to aggravated assault. But there are no kidnapping charges. So it makes you wonder where they're kidnapping someone like Jacklynn. I guess her daddy is loaded, so it makes some sense. But the fact that we got involved makes everything even weirder."
"They're not working alone," Alex muttered as they turned a sharp corner.
"We'll confirm that when we get there," I replied. "Their residence is a dilapidated shack on the sketchy cliché side of town. There's only surveillance of the front of the building, and I see one car in the driveway."
"Thanks, Squish."
"What's the plan, boss?" Mike asked as he poked his head over my seat. Lacey had kicked him out of the passenger seat. Poor guy always gets stuck in the back.
"We'll go in from the front. I'm not expecting much resistance, so it should be easy in and out. Our main objective is to get Jacklynn out safely. However, I would like to pull one of the goons out for questioning."
"So this is a search and rescue mission?" Mike asked.
"I guess so," I replied.
"Hell yeah. We're superheroes."
"Superheroes are charming. They get laid too." Lacey chuckled.
"Lacey, I will throw you out of the car." Mike shot back.
"No, you won't."
"Don't test me."
"Calm down, you two," Alex ordered.
"Anything else we should know about these two?" I asked.
"Patrick is a registered sex offender. So prepare for that." Lacey's voice lost its typical chipper lilt.
"Thanks for the heads up," I replied.
"SHIT!" Alex cursed at the top of their lungs as they slammed on the brakes. Mike flew around in the back while Lacey held onto her laptop for dear life.
"What the fuck?" Jamie choked.
"What gives?" I added as I rubbed the knee I had rammed into Lacey's seat.
"You might not have to go inside to get Jacklynn." Alex backed up the car and parked it.
"What?" I peered over Lacey's shoulder.
"We got curbside pick up of a redhead in the middle of a mental breakdown," Mike answered.
