Foster Siblings 3: Brokedown Hearts (41 page)

“Fuck.” Ben beckoned in Braden’s direction and said, “Let me see those notes myself.”

Braden handed the sheets of paper and note card over, and Ben went through them one by one. Even though Braden had already texted the contents to him, with each threat Ben read with his own two eyes, he grew sicker and more furious.

“Bastard.” In this moment, Ben didn’t know if he cursed David or his kidnapper. “Why wouldn’t he tell me about these?”

Looking as if he’d just given a child the news that his beloved pet had been slaughtered, Braden shrugged. “I wish I had more answers, man, but I don’t know.”

Then Brittany—Ben recognized the petite redhead from his research and surveillance of David—broke free from a group gathered in the bathroom area and looked to Ben. “I think David must have been too scared to ask for help. He had this thought that he deserved anything bad that happened as payback for what he did to Chris.” She glanced at Braden, frowned, and added, “He probably thought if he told the police, they would think the same thing.”

A glint of steel hardened Braden’s stare. “When someone makes a complaint, my personal feelings don’t come into account.” Clipped edges owned the detective’s tone. “I take my job seriously. When I arrested David, I made sure his mental state at the time of the break-in and attack was a factor in where he was incarcerated and what type of sentence he received. I didn’t throw my weight around or demand a tougher sentence as punishment due to my friendship with Christian and Jonah. That’s not who I am as a law-enforcement officer or a man.”

“I apologize.” Pinking in the cheeks, Brittany dipped her head at Braden. “I addressed you, but I didn’t mean he was wary of you specifically, just that he feared that police in general wouldn’t believe him, or they would think he deserved what happened to him as retribution for the mistakes in his past.”

A burly guy—Ben recognized him as one of David’s brothers from a photo in his original files—slipped in next to Brittany. “I think he might have thought it was me anyway,” Travis added. “He accused me of threatening him, but I knew I hadn’t, so I brushed it off and told him he was full of shit. I didn’t think anything more of it at the time. But if David really believed I was the one threatening him, he would have known deep down I wouldn’t hurt him, and that might be why he didn’t say anything too.”

With every reasonably spoken word Travis uttered, Ben boiled hotter and hotter on the inside. He shoved Travis and growled, “Bullshit. I know who you are. I know how you treated David before he went to prison, and I know the things you’ve said to him since he got out. You’ve hurt him plenty of times, so don’t act like you haven’t and you’re some kind of saint or something.”

“I mean physically,” Travis argued, although at least he had the decency to look red-faced and guilty. “He would have known that no matter what I’ve said, he is my brother, and I would never beat him up or kill him. That could be why he let the threats go.”

Overcome with the need to protect his mate, Ben pushed in and bumped his chest against Travis’s arm. “You goddamn don’t treat him like any decent brother should, and if you don’t stop treating him like he’s worse than the shit on the bottom of your shoe, then I will intervene for him and make sure you do.”

“Hey.” Braden stepped in between Ben and Travis and eased Ben back. Locked in on Ben, he quietly said, “I hear you, and I get where you’re coming from, but Travis isn’t the enemy right now. Let’s focus and find David.”

From over Braden’s shoulder, Ben glared at Travis one last time and then shifted in Braden’s direction. “Who else have you talked to?”

“Everyone at the shelter,” Braden replied. “One of the kids there admitted to a misunderstanding between him and David yesterday. When I told him David was missing, though, the kid looked as if I’d shot him. He doesn’t have a poker face, so I know it’s not him. Everyone else there cleared. His brother and sister-in-law here”—Braden jerked his thumb back toward Brittany and Travis—“were together at a movie late last night. All other family is accounted for, including the ex-wife. I couldn’t uncover anyone else in David’s life locally to question.”

Ben clenched his teeth so tightly his jaw creaked. “He has me.”

Braden quirked a brow. “But I already know you were halfway around the world.”

The heavy knot in Ben’s belly grew, making him ill. “Don’t remind me.”

“You know I didn’t mean it like that.” Braden scowled at him. “You were getting your brother. How could you possibly know anything would happen with David at home?”

With the standard Ben set for himself, in his mind, he should always know, always remain one step ahead of something bad or dangerous or hurtful aimed toward those he loved. Particularly since he could count the people who owned his heart on one hand: David and Mikael. This was not a task Ben should ever fail.
Except you just did
. Searing heat ripped through Ben’s middle and cut his heart straight out of his chest.
Oh Christ, he’s gone
. Ben’s legs buckled, and he stumbled.

“Ben.” Braden grabbed Ben and snapped his fingers in Ben’s face, jarring Ben back into reality. “Keep it together. If we’re going to find David, I need you to stay sharp and help me.”

Think, man
. Pulling from years of police and PI training and experience, Ben drove destructive images and thoughts from his mind and trained his focus on Braden.
Think. Help Braden now. David needs this.

“Did you talk to anyone else at the prisons?” Ben questioned, wheels shifting into gear once more. “David was hesitant to tell me about the guard abusing him.” He ached for David but had to say, “He might have been knocked around or mistreated by others and was too embarrassed to reveal more to me.”

“I don’t think so.” With two steps, Braden reached the table and grabbed a file. “I talked to the wardens at both prisons; no one ever complained about David, nor did David complain about anyone.” Braden handed the manila folder over to Ben. “There’s nothing in his file about any attacks or fights he was involved in while there.” As Ben scanned David’s prison record, Braden flipped through a notebook and added, “I also tracked down every psychiatrist he’s worked with at their offices—”

“Hold on a sec.” A spark flicked with bright yellow light within the darkness permeating Ben’s thoughts but quickly dimmed. He snapped his fingers in rapid succession, trying to get the kindling in his mind to catch fire. “All of them?” He rubbed his fingers together. Jesus, he could practically taste the information trying to solidify into clear facts. “You spoke to Dr. Fariday too, and he was at his office?”

“Yes. Here’s the number I called.” Braden held up his notebook and pointed to the middle of the page. “After I identified myself, his assistant put me right through. The doctor wouldn’t give me details, obviously, but he said he’s been in contact with David since his release. He said David has struggled but was finding his place, and that he’d begun to show progress. He’s shocked to hear David might have run away since, to him, David seemed adamant about staying in Coleman.”

Over and over again, Ben shook his head. “No. No way. That’s not right.” He reached for his duffel but came up empty.
Fuck
. It didn’t matter. Ben no longer had his notes about David in it anyway. “Wait.”
Sweet Jesus. Yes
. “I think I made a note in my phone.” Before he’d even finished talking, Ben had his cell out of his pocket and began scrolling through his list of phone numbers. “Son of a bitch.” A note attached to Dr. Fariday’s number—
out of town
—made everything clear. “I knew it. When I tried to reach him, his office had a stock message that he was away on an extended vacation, and to try back again in six weeks.” The sick feeling growing in the pit of Ben’s stomach, he looked at Braden. “Six weeks have not passed since they gave me that message.”

Brittany stepped in and added, “David told me the doctor kept telling him that living in Coleman wasn’t good for him. I think he even suggested David should move to Gainesville so they could continue their therapy.” Clarity rang in the young woman’s voice and steady stare. “I remember it specifically because I told David that was crap, and that he was doing well here and needed to stay right where he was.”

Tunneling his hands in his hair, Ben cursed himself ten times over. “Christ, he’s probably been close by, watching David the whole time, and I’ve been so caught up in everything I couldn’t sense it or see it. Damn it, it’s my job; I should have been able to see it.”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck
. “Braden—”

“I’m on it.” Braden dived to the desk and grabbed a phone without Ben needing to say another word. After punching in a number, Braden held his hand over the mouthpiece and said, “Gainesville will have cops swarming his office and home ASAP.”

“Don’t overwhelm him and force him to snap,” Ben warned. He barely kept his feet planted in place. More than anything he wanted to run to his car this second and bring David home himself. “Make sure they know he has someone imprisoned and that they’re careful.”

Braden shot Ben a thumbs-up as he began explaining the situation to someone on the other end of the phone line.

Then, behind Ben, Brittany softly squeaked, “Oh my goodness.”

Ben spun, and all the color had fled from the woman’s face.

Travis put a hand on the small of her back. “What, honey?”

Shaking, Brittany said, “I just got a text from David.” She held up her phone to Ben. The message read:
Dr. Fariday kidnapped me. I escaped. I’m in the woods somewhere. He’s chas

“Fuck.” Ben grabbed the phone and rushed it to Braden.

Behind them, Brittany whispered, “Why do you think he couldn’t finish it?”

“Braden.” The scrape in Ben’s tone conveyed to anyone in hearing distance that Braden’s computer held the success or failure of Ben’s future in its memory. “Find it.”

Braden handed the phone over to another officer and said, “Already looking.” His fingers moving faster than lightning, Braden punched keys on the laptop and started pulling searches from law-enforcement databases. File after file popped up, only for him to discard it and bring forth another. “Nothing, nothing, nothing.”

Agonizing minutes ticked by, each one taking a year off Ben’s life, adding gray hairs he knew would never go away. Suddenly Braden said, “Here we go.” He swung the computer around to show Ben. “The doctor is divorced. He rents an apartment. But look at the properties.” Ben scanned the info on the screen while Braden talked. “After the divorce, the ex-wife became sole owner of their home, and at the same time, a cabin owned by the wife’s family was transferred over to the good doctor.”

His heart thumping hard, for the first time in hours feeling like he might get his life back, Ben looked to Braden and nodded. “That has to be it. He had David there, and David got free.”

After pulling up a map on the computer, Braden jotted the address on a piece of paper and shot to his feet. “I have the location. It’s closer to us than Gainesville. Less than an hour away.”

Ben made a mental note to grab his firearm from his car and said to Braden, “Let’s go.”

Already making a plan for his crew, Braden lifted a finger in Ben’s direction, signaling he would need a minute, and Ben turned to Brittany and Travis. Ignoring the brother, he looked to the woman who’d been such a good friend to David, and gave her the best smile he could muster right now. “In case David tries to contact you again, I’m going to take your phone.”

“Of course.” Moving fast, Brittany flung her arms around Ben and hugged him tightly. “Bring him home safe.”

“That’s my plan.” Ben took a step back to Braden, but the sleepy blond kid he’d dumped in his motel room flooded his thoughts, and he silently cursed. Immediately, going with his gut, Ben looked to Brittany once more. “My brother. He’s in my room. I just brought him from his home in Sweden, and he’s scared—”

Brittany put a finger to Ben’s lips. “I’ll go keep him company. Don’t worry.” She grinned big, and it made her cute, pixie face downright beautiful. “I’ll make him feel right at home.”

“Thank you.” Glancing to the group of officers filing out of the motel room, Ben held back, even as his heart seized with the need to rescue his man. “My brother’s name is Mikael. Explain your relationship to David, and where I’ve gone, and tell him I’ll be back as soon as I can. I promise.”

“Of course. I’ll take care of him.” Brittany scooted him toward the door. “Now go.”

Ben chased Braden out of the motel room, grabbed his gun from his glove compartment, and slid into the passenger seat of Braden’s unmarked car. He clutched Brittany’s phone to his chest but didn’t dare send a message. He didn’t want to tip off the doctor, just in case he’d found David.

Silently, Ben moved his fingers over an invisible keyboard on the darkened screen and typed the message he would have sent if he could.

Hold on just a little while longer, baby. I’m coming for you. I’ll be there soon.

Chapter Seventeen

Deep into the dark, unusually chilly night, David crept out from under a thorny bush, ignored the new cuts scraping his skin, and started running again. David’s phone had finally died, so he could no longer check the time, but long ago David had abandoned his plan to always run in one direction with the hopes that it would lead to someone who could help him. With his motorbike, Dr. Fariday could cover too much area too fast, and in order for David to stay on the move, he’d sometimes had to backtrack in a direction he’d already run. David had spent the night running and hiding, hiding and running, but somehow had managed to keep out of Dr. Fariday’s sight.

Playing an unending game of human cat and mouse, David didn’t know how much longer he could stay one step ahead of Dr. Fariday’s crushing paw. Exhaustion made David’s legs and arms feel like they were made out of stone, and the doctor was relentless in his pursuit, remaining out all night with David, and thus David could not slow down.

Please help me, Brit
. Stumbling to his knees as pain radiated through his leg, David bit his cheek to keep from crying out. He’d cut his knees raw hours ago, and every time he had to crawl to hide, he swore the jarring pain rattled all the way up into his skull.