Chapter 2 - He Found Her
Harper forgot about the cut on her leg.
She forgot about the rules.
She forgot she was standing inside the private bathroom of one of Boston’s most feared men.
Only one thought remained.
Derek had found her.
“No.”
The word barely came out.
Gabriel closed the bathroom door again.
This time he did not lock it.
“Who spoke to him?”
“One of my guards.”
“What did he say?”
“That he was conducting a welfare check.”
Harper laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“That’s what he calls it.”
Mrs. Morrison entered carrying a medical box.
She closed the lid of the toilet and pointed.
“Sit.”
“I need to go home.”
Gabriel’s response came instantly.
“No.”
Harper stared at him.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“That was badly phrased.”
Mrs. Morrison almost smiled.
Gabriel corrected himself.
“Going home tonight is not safe.”
“My brother is there.”
The room fell silent.
Gabriel’s face changed.
“How old?”
“Eight.”
“Is he alone?”
Harper looked away.
Mrs. Morrison stopped opening bandages.
“Harper.”
“I couldn’t afford anyone.”
Gabriel was already reaching for his phone.
“No.”
Harper stepped forward.
“You don’t send your men near Noah.”
Gabriel stopped.
“He’ll be terrified.”
“Then you tell me how to get him out safely.”
Harper’s mind raced.
Their neighbor, Mrs. Alvarez, sometimes watched Noah.
But Derek knew her.
He knew the building.
He knew Noah’s school.
He knew everyone Harper had ever trusted.
“I’ll call him.”
She pulled out her cracked phone.
No answer.
She tried again.
Nothing.
Her breathing shortened.
Gabriel noticed.
“Does he usually answer?”
“Yes.”
She called a third time.
Still nothing.
Her knees weakened.
“I have to go.”
Gabriel stepped aside instead of stopping her.
“Fine.”
Harper looked at him in surprise.
“I’m coming.”
“No.”
“You can argue while we walk.”
He turned to Mrs. Morrison.
“Tell Marcus to bring the car.”
Harper followed Gabriel into the hallway.
“I said no.”
“And I heard you.”
“This has nothing to do with you.”
Gabriel stopped so suddenly she almost collided with him.
“A policeman connected to Precinct Twelve came to my home asking for one of my employees.”
His voice remained quiet.
“That makes it my business whether I like it or not.”
They descended the staircase.
Two men in dark suits were already waiting near the entrance.
Gabriel spoke to the taller one.
“Marcus, you drive.”
Harper recognized him as the security chief she had seen near the front gate.
Marcus glanced at Harper’s pale face.
“Problem?”
“Potentially.”
Within two minutes, Harper was sitting in the rear of a black SUV beside Gabriel.
Marcus drove.
Another vehicle followed behind them.
Harper stared at the passing streets.
She hated every second.
She hated needing anyone.
She hated the black cars.
She hated the armed men.
She hated how much this looked like one dangerous man protecting her from another.
Her phone rang.
Noah.
Harper answered immediately.
“Noah?”
At first, she heard only breathing.
Then her brother whispered.
“Harper?”
“I’m here.”
“There’s someone outside.”
Her heart stopped.
“Who?”
“A police officer.”
Gabriel turned toward her.
Noah continued whispering.
“He keeps knocking.”
“Do not open the door.”
“He said you got hurt.”
“I’m fine.”
“He said he’s taking me to you.”
Harper closed her eyes.
Derek.
“Listen to me carefully.”
Her voice trembled.
“Go into the bedroom.”
“Okay.”
“Lock the door.”
“I already did.”
“Good.”
“Harper?”
“Yes?”
“I think he has a key.”
A metallic scraping sound came through the phone.
Then the apartment door opened.
Noah gasped.
Harper screamed his name.
Gabriel took the phone from her.
“Noah.”
The boy went silent.
“My name is Gabriel.”
Harper stared at him.
“I work with your sister.”
That was not exactly a lie.
“I need you to stay where you are.”
Footsteps sounded through the phone.
Slow.
Heavy.
Familiar.
Then Derek’s voice entered the line.
“Noah?”
Harper’s hands turned cold.
“Come on out, buddy.”
Gabriel’s eyes became dark.
Marcus accelerated.
The SUV cut through traffic.
Derek tried the bedroom handle.
“Open up.”
Noah began crying.
Gabriel leaned closer to the phone.
“Noah, is there a window?”
“Yes.”
“What floor?”
“Second.”
“Fire escape?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
“Can you reach it?”
Harper grabbed Gabriel’s arm.
“He’s scared of heights.”
Gabriel nodded.
Then spoke calmly into the phone.
“Noah, your sister needs you to be brave for exactly sixty seconds.”
Harper’s eyes filled with tears.
“You do not have to climb down.”
Gabriel continued.
“Just get onto the fire escape and close the window behind you.”
A crash came through the phone.
Derek had kicked the bedroom door.
Noah screamed.
“Now, Noah.”
They heard movement.
Glass sliding.
Wind.
Then another crash.
Harper stared through the windshield.
They were still two blocks away.
“Where are you?”
Gabriel asked.
“Outside.”
“Good.”
The SUV turned hard onto Harper’s street.
And Harper saw something that would stay with her forever.
Noah was standing barefoot on the second-floor fire escape.
May you like
Derek was leaning through the window behind him.
And he had one hand wrapped around Noah’s wrist.
