Hearts and Aces (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 7), Kaylie Hunter [guided reading books TXT] 📗

toward Casey as he stood guard at the front door. Hearing the noise, Trigger turned around and came face to face with Milo. They stood shocked, staring at each other in surprise. After a brief pause, Milo fled down the back stairs. Trigger tossed his tranq gun and threw himself off the porch at Milo, tackling him to the ground.

“Start the clock!” I yelled at Tech, slapping him on the shoulder.

The far-right TV screen lit up with a stopwatch. We watched Trigger snag both Milo’s arms behind his back, whirling rope through them. He captured one of the legs, but it kept popping out of his hold. Finally, he secured it with a rope, then the other, before bundling all the appendages together with a center rope.

“Time!” Trigger said, jumping up and lifting his hands into the air as he panted to catch his breath.

“Three minutes, forty-two seconds. You’ve done better,” Tech said.

We watched Trigger shrug on Casey’s body cam. “He’s a doughy bastard. Makes it harder.”

Casey handed Trigger his tranq gun. “Why didn’t you just shoot him?”

“That wasn’t our order. Besides, I didn’t want to have to wait around for him to wake up. This is the part where one of us asks him a few questions.”

“Let’s hold off on the interrogation,” I said. “Casey, turn around and look behind you.”

Casey turned—gun first. When he confirmed no one was behind him, he lowered his gun. “What is that?”

“I believe it’s a cellar door or storm shelter.” I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans. “We need to know what’s in there.”

“What do you think is in there?” Casey asked.

I placed my palms flat on the table and closed my eyes.

“Kelsey?” Tech asked. “Tell me you’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking.”

I sighed. “Fuck, I don’t know.”

“Fill me in here, guys,” Casey said. “What’s your best guess for what I’m going to find when I open these doors?”

“I think…”  I looked at Tech. He nodded, encouraging me to answer. “…Allie Jacobs is in there.”

“I thought she was dead,” Casey said, taking a step back. “You said she was dead.”

“Either I was wrong this morning, or I’m wrong now. I won’t know until you open the door.” I took a step away from the table and exhaled slowly. “There’s trash dumped all over his property, but the inside of that trailer is spotless. And then there’s the bedroom.”

“What about the bedroom?” Casey asked.

“There was a floor bolt where a chain could be secured.”

“Fuck,” Casey said, making the sign of the cross before he started removing the trash bags that covered the cellar doors.

An old padlock hung from the latch. Trigger moved forward, picking the lock and tossing it into the grass. They both stood back a moment, mentally preparing themselves.

I watched them closely on the screens, reading their body language. “Guys, if she’s in there, you might need to tranquilize her. She might not be stable.”

Casey took a deep breath, nodding, before pulling the door open. The sun lit only as far as the last step. Everything beyond the stairs was pitch black. Trigger made to move forward.

“Wait,” I ordered.

We all waited in silence until a bare foot shuffled into the light. Then another. Then with another step, Allie Jacobs stepped into view at the bottom of the stairs.

“Your parents sent us,” Trigger said, keeping his tone low and holding out his hand, palm up. “Milo can’t hurt you anymore.”

She looked from Trigger to Casey, then back to Trigger. Tears started spilling as she climbed the stairs. At the top of the stairs, she cringed away from Trigger’s offered hand. He stepped back, so she had room to step away from the cellar.

Something behind them startled Casey, and he spun around to face the woods.

Blake stood frozen, staring at Allie before one foot stumbled in front of the other, moving him across the open dirt yard. “Allie!”

Allie’s body shook as she cried. “Blake?” She dove toward him when he was within reach, wrapping her arms tight around his neck.

Blake fell to his knees as he held her, smoothing her hair out of her face.

“Now what, boss?” Trigger asked, sounding bored.

“Disarm Blake before he decides to shoot Milo.”

This time Casey didn’t hesitate. He pulled Blake’s Glock while Trigger leaned over to check for an ankle holster. None of us had anticipated Allie snagging Trigger’s gun, though. Before they could stop her, she fired three rounds into a hogtied Milo.

Casey yanked the gun out of her hand, and Trigger ran over to pull the darts. Everyone was silent for about five seconds before we broke out laughing.

When I could stop laughing, I leaned closer to the phone. “Best if you untie Milo now, Trigger, and hide the ropes. We’ll have to call this in to the local police.”

Trigger snorted. “Sure thing, boss.”

“Tech, call the parents and tell them the good news. I’ll call the cops.”

The first call to the police was short and easy. The return call from the sheriff himself wasn’t as pleasant. He screamed in my ear for nearly twenty minutes about jurisdiction before I reminded him that without us, he wouldn’t have a child abductor in custody. He then threatened to arrest Blake, Casey, and Trigger. I told him I’d be glad to reciprocate by calling the media and ensuring he wasn’t re-elected as sheriff. Thankfully, he hung up on me. Trigger called ten minutes later and said they were released. Blake was driving to the hospital. Reggie was sleeping in the backseat on his way back to Michigan with Casey and Trigger.

I picked up my phone to call one more person.

“Hello,” Kristyn answered.

“Kristyn, it’s Kelsey Harrison. Are you still at work?”

“Yes, just wrapping up a few to-dos before I head to class. Did you