“She’ll be fine,” Colin told her firmly, pulling his phone from the inner pocket. He sent off a quick message to his assistant. He wanted the police report the instant it was available. “What’s the woman’s name, Bailey? The one not speaking English,” he listened and typed in the information about the restaurant.
“She was probably getting ready for the lunch Sunday people,” Bailey said with a little smile. “She always watched out for me, too…and now she watches Angel.”
“She’ll make a good witness,” Colin said, tucking the phone away. “Will Angel file charges?”
“I…I don’t know. I don’t know why she wouldn’t,” Bailey said after a thoughtful minute. “Usually, there was never anyone around when they’d do this. And there’s the paperwork from the last time and the hospital filed a report. She told them who’d done it and the police have a record, but…they claimed to have witnesses at the church. I think it made her feel…defeated…that they would lie to cover what her brother’s had done and no one would believe her.”
Colin stared at the large, imposing structure that had come into view a few miles from the highway. Nestled in a small valley to the southeast of Tacoma, the church held a prominent place in the community. That was more than evident by the number of vehicles in the parking lots.
“Where would they take her, Bailey?” Gabe ignored the parking valets and maneuvered around them toward the main entrance.
“In the back,” Bailey pointed. “They usually park back there where the family vehicles are. They collect back there and make a grand entrance,” she told them, recalling the few times she’d come to the church with Angel. “They aren’t friendly,” she murmured softly, her feet flat on the floor and pushing herself into the seat.
Colin heard the anxiety in her voice; a tremor of fear in her body that tensed. She had been to this area before; neither Gabe nor he had been exposed to the Reverend and his family. He didn’t have to look at his friend to know Gabe was beyond tense at the moment. And he wasn’t sure he had words to describe his emotions.
“I don’t suppose it would do any good to order you to stay in the car,” Gabe looked at the mixed expression on his fiancée between shock and pure, open defiance that he’d even ask. “I didn’t think so. C’mon, tiger, let’s see about finding Angel.”
Colin was out of the back seat, striding toward a cluster of men who looked like they would be her brothers. He was an only child, as far as he knew, and had mostly grown up on the streets. And even with the cases he’d been part of in court, knowing her brothers were part of the pain she’d been through completely turned his stomach.
“This is a private area. You’ll have to return to the…”
Bailey raised a hand and waved. “Hi there, Timothy…remember me?” She asked with a bright smile. “Oh…and the police are on their way.” She looked toward the entrance that was blocked open and then to the side where a large white tent had been erected.
“ANGEL!!”
No clear response came until a loud, pain filled scream filled the air and had Bailey breaking into a run toward the tent. She ducked and dodged, avoiding the hands reaching out to her.
“Touch her and I’ll break every one of your fingers,” Gabe told the first man she avoided, his larger frame following quickly in her wake.
Evidently the look on his face had the younger men considering their actions.
Colin felt the first hint of humor since this had begun. He knew what it was costing his friend to allow Bailey free rein on something unknown like this and if she were to be hurt…
He kept himself alert and aware, taking in all the stances, all the people and their locations. His pace picked up when Bailey ran straight into a tall, heavy man who tried to grip her shoulders. Colin winced at the palm that shot forward and caught the man straight in the groin. The redhead was far from harmless. He doubled over and staggered out of their way.
Colin scanned the large, open space. Ice chips of blue landed on the two men holding a semi-conscious Angel by her arms between them. She was wearing a pristine white dress that buttoned to her throat and fell in drapes of soft fabric to the floor. He saw a pile of clothing at her feet and he guessed it was her running clothes.
“Get out of here! How dare you invade our personal, family time!” An older, more seasoned man came toward them, his dark hair peppered with silver and one hand clutching a leather bound book. A woman dressed in a soft green dress moved at his side, shoulders back and the scowl on her face meant to singe.
Chapter Thirteen
“The police are on their way,” Colin said calmly, skirting around him and continuing toward Angel. “I’ll be filing charges against you and your sons the instant I can get a coherent statement from Angel. Charges are already waiting for the two that broke into her apartment and removed her against her will. There was a witness, gentlemen. And she has your presence on camera,” Colin added, thinking of the small phone the Vietnamese woman had been clutching. When he caught the look on the faces of the men holding her, he knew who had been at her apartment.
“Let her go,” Gabe ordered in his best Dom voice, striding to stand to the side and daring either man to defy him. Bailey gathered the clothing on the floor and grabbed a bottle of water from the table beside them.
Colin ducked beneath her left arm and put his hand beneath her knees. “I’ll see you in court,” he promised coldly.
“Colin…” her throat was dry, her voice rasping. Probably from screaming, Colin thought, slowing enough for Bailey to tip the bottle of water to her lips.
“Drink, Angel,” Bailey urged, backing off after a short drink. “I’ll give you more when we’re in the car,” she promised, red lashes narrowed and a low growl coming from her throat when Angel’s father came toward them. “Get away from her.”
“You…were never welcome here,” he told her, his hand up and almost connecting. A wince crossed his face at the large hand that suddenly circled his wrist and twisted.
“I said – don’t touch her,” Gabe repeated firmly, lowering the man’s arm and giving him a firm shove back a step.
“This is not your concern, boy,” Joseph Morehouse stepped forward, blocking Colin’s exit.
“I’m taking her to the hospital. I’m having photos and blood work drawn. I will be filing charges that Angel will sign for prosecution,” Colin stepped to the side, his features drawn and temper under control only because of the woman who seemed to know where she was suddenly and snuggled against him. “Stay away from her,” he said to the men not moving forward outside the tent.
Their eyes traveled back and forth to their father and Colin, but no one made a move.
“Stop him,” Joseph ordered roughly, shrugging off the hand of his wife. “Keep out of this, Elizabeth.”
“Let her go, Joseph. She’ll destroy you with her evil,” the woman whispered loudly, following closely behind him. “Let her go, please.”
“She belongs to me. I am her father and her life belongs to me,” he moved through the open expanse at the same time two sheriff vehicles came through the side gates. Men in suits backed up, looking to him for guidance. He raised one hand and stopped moving. “You will regret this.”
“I doubt it,” Colin continued toward the SUV, glad that Gabe and Bailey were at his side. Ignoring the police, he took her to the backseat of the SUV and leaned against the seat when the door was pulled wide. “Thanks.”
He stayed there, holding her, while Gabe dealt with the police. He looked at Colin who nodded toward the two men huddled with the reverend. Colin recited his address and Bailey gave them Angel’s address before they left the police to deal with them. He wanted her at the hospital and his patience was fast evaporating.
“Which hospital did she go to before, Bailey?” Colin asked tensely, buckling her into the seatbelt and then himself. His hands framed her face, there was a large bruise on the left side and a split lip that made his stomach fall.
“The one on the resort,” Bailey answered quickly, shifting to the side to watch her friend. She handed the cold bottle of water to Colin, her fingers wrapped in one of Gabe’s hands as he drove.
“She’ll be alright, pet.” Gabe promised.
“I know,” she whispered. “I know…the police…” Bailey patted down her pockets and snapped her phone into the dashboard connection before tapping in the number she’d added. “Lieutenant, it’s Bailey O’Conner. Can I speak with you a few minutes?”
“Bailey, of course and please, I think you can call me Natalie,” the husky voice came through the speakers. “Is there a problem, Bailey?”
“Always the optimist, Lieutenant,” Gabe chided with a forced chuckle.
“What’s wrong? I can hear it in both your voices,” Natalie said in her best lieutenant voice.
“If not you, could you have a police officer meet us at the emergency room on the resort?” Bailey asked quickly. “Please.”
“Are you alright, Bailey?” She demanded a little more firmly.
“It’s not me. I have a friend…Angel Morehouse…”
“Reverend Joseph Morehouse?” Natalie said quietly.
“Yes…her father.”
“I see. Does your friend have a…a…”
“The word is Dom, Lieutenant. But how about if we stick with boyfriend, to make things easier for you,” Gabe said with tense humor seeping into his tone.
Small waking noises were coming from the backseat.
“Yeah…okay…what happened? I’ve got my recorder on and I’m heading to my car. I was going to meet Tre for lunch because he’s working today. So I’ll head there, but fill me in,” Natalie requested bluntly.
“First, there is another police report that was filed a couple weeks before Halloween. Heck, possibly even more than one, I honestly don’t know. Her father got people to lie for him, so nothing was done. Second, her brothers went and broke into her apartment and kidnapped her. There’s a Vietnamese restaurant across the street from my apartment and Mah Chow took photos with her phone. I don’t know how good they are, but she saw everything,” Bailey said firmly.
“Her brothers took her from her apartment? Against her will? How old is she?”
“Thirty, I think…”
“Where is she, Bailey?”
“Here…in the car with us…we’re going to the emergency room now,” Bailey answered quickly. “She’s not conscious. I don’t know…I don’t know why…”
“Alright. Ask for Tre…I’ll ping him and let him know you’re on the way. Have him take a blood sample.”
“Yes. I will. Thank you,” Bailey said hurriedly. “We’re almost there now.”
“I’m on my way,” Natalie promised and ended the call.
“I’m okay,” came the weak voice from the back.
“Never lie to me, pet,” Colin said with a voice that shook just the slightest.
“Yes, sir,” she murmured sleepily. “I think they gave me something…I can’t…I can’t focus and I’m so tired…and I wasn’t…I was happy and…and had a really nice run…”
“Who struck you?” Colin asked.
“Michael…he was angry because I didn’t want to go…I told him no…I told him I didn’t…I told them to just leave me alone,” Angel’s voice drifted with each word. “Earl is there…he was going to…to help my father with the discipline…”
Colin decided not to respond. It was safest that way, he thought, the large portico of the emergency room coming into view and a familiar figure waiting outside.
“Tre works here? The lieutenant’s Tre…”
“Yeah…go figure,” Gabe said with a chuckle. “Take her in. I’ll park and be right behind you.”
Colin went around to the other side and opened the door. He ignored the shaking in his hands when he released her seat belt and lifted her out.
“I don’t like hospitals,” Angel mumbled testily.
“Not an option,” Colin replied, nodding at Dr. Tre Thorne. “I’m right behind you. I take it you have a police lieutenant now?”
“Wife…” Tre answered with a slight grin. “She half-filled me in. No idea what they gave her?”
“Pull previous file…it might give you a hint. I don’t know, Tre and I doubt she does. She’s been in and out that last few minutes,” Colin laid her out on the gurney and stepped out of the way, his hands shoving his coat back and sinking deeply into the pockets of his jeans.
“I have her records here,” Tre answered, his hands moving over her face, checking her eyes before shoving the long white sleeve out of the way on one arm. He quickly swabbed and took a blood sample, looking over at Colin and gesturing him forward. “Hold this. Tell me about the bruise…” His fingers probed gently over the side of Angel’s face.
“Brother…looks like a backhand…I don’t know. I wasn’t there…she said Michael struck her,” Colin repeated her words.
“I can hear you,” Angel’s voice whispered out, dark lashes struggling to rise. “Can I have some water, please?”
Bailey had entered the cubicle and went forward with the bottle of chilled water. She was about to hand it to Colin when she stopped and looked into the water.
“There’s a hole here…” she held the bottle higher, peering into the plastic just where the lid connected with the base of the bottle.
“I’ll take that,” Tre said, removing the bottle from her hand.
“Here’s some water,” the nurse that had been helping brought a large cup with fresh, cold water and handed it to Colin. “I’ll get those rushed through the lab.”
“Thanks, Toni,” Tre found an evidence tag and wrote on it, attaching it to the plastic bottle after taking his sample. “And there’s the sound of those sexy boots on the tiles now.”
“Hey, I’m working here,” Natalie teased back with a wink as she stepped inside the drapes. “How is she?”
“She is fine,” Angel said in a sing-song voice that was followed with a giggle. The empty water cup almost fell to the floor, Colin’s hand swept out and snagged it quickly.
“A little bruised,” Tre answered. “I’ve taken pics for the file and made notes. Sent blood and this…” he held up the bottle of water. “I’m pretty sure it’s been tampered with…but it’s also probably covered with prints.”
“I got it off the table where they had Angel,” Bailey said quickly. “I thought it was just a bottle of water. It was still sealed.”
“Was it the only one there?” Natalie angled the bottle and looked at the tiny pin prick in the plastic.
“I…” Bailey frowned and nodded. “It was…”