Only Friends (Destinations Series Book 1)

from the bathroom entrance, but there was no answer, so I decided to come in. I was desperate to find a huge pool of blood in the center of the bathroom. Some spatter made a way to the back, where the parking lot of the club was. I immediately called Casey who, along with Maise and a group of police officers, began the search procedures. I had been waiting for almost forty long minutes, with no answer as to what might have happened or where Brooke would have been. My phone rings and, thinking it's Brooke, I rush the pocket-sized device. An unknown phone number makes me frown.

- I wonder who that is. - I whisper before I answer. - Hello?

- Hello, Prince! Did you answer quickly? - ...the known voice, mocks when it is pronounced...

- What do you want, Leila? - I ask in a harsh voice. - I thought I made it very clear that I didn't want to talk to you anymore and that you weren't supposed to look for me anymore.

- Still angry? - she asks, still mockingly. - Don't worry, I'll be brief!

- Oh, great! You tell me right now, I'm very busy!

She has a dark laugh.

- You're waiting for Cinderella to show up, aren't you? - she says in an ironic voice.

- Wait, wait, wait, wait! How do you know? - I ask, beginning to be astonished.

- I can see how important she is to you. - she continues. - After all, you don't put a 20 carat on someone's finger if it's not forever.

- How do you know that? - I ask in a choked voice. - Leila, what have you done with Brooke?

- So far, nothing! - she answers in a cold voice. - But I can do a lot of things if you don't listen very carefully to what I have to say.

- I'll kill you, Leila, if you do anything with Brooke!

- Hey? - she screams on the other side of the line. - I'm the one who gives the cards or makes threats here, so listen well to what I'm going to say, if you want the poor little doll, whole and alive again.

I hold my breath, close my eyes and put one hand on my waist.

- What do you want?

- That's much better! - she takes a break. - I want you to put two million dollars in unmarked bills in a bag and bring it to Church Hill.

- two million/ - scream. - Have you gone crazy?

- Don't treat me like an idiot, Ryder! - ...she's a cold-blooded replica. - I know you have a lot more than that. Your father was clever enough to put all his possessions in your name, before he divorced me.

The words spoken by my father minutes earlier in the club hall echo through my mind.

- I'm not gonna get out of a boring relationship with one hand in the front and one hand in the back. - she continues. - You do what I'm asking or I'll kill the little princess before midnight.

- All right! Just don't hurt Brooke. - I ask with my voice embargoed.

- You have until midnight tonight or she'll turn into a sack of flour!

Leila out. I look at the wall in front of me with a lost look. Church Hill was a church that was in reform. She was located in a neighborhood in Brooklyn. Leila's words indicated that she would play Brooke from somewhere high up in that church. I needed to act quickly, but with caution. Taking a deep breath, I'll call Casey who's running towards me. I tell her about the call, so she sends the information for tracking and confirms that the call came from Church Hill. Leila wasn't bluffing and was holding Brooke hostage.

- I need the plan of that church. - says Casey.

Quickly, Maise makes a call and then someone sends a message to him. He shows Casey his cell phone and she goes through it with him.

- We need to surround the place and enter discreetly. - says Maise, like she's reading her partner's thoughts. - Something tells me this girl doesn't want us at the scene.

- I agree! - Casey sighs. - There's a skylight here. I think I can get in through the roof.

- That door is locked with wood. - says Maise pointing to the location indicated in a photo. - I think if I come in here, I can cover you.

- No! I'll cover it from above. - she says, smiling. - You'll be closer, so you can immobilize her.

I look at the pictures and I understand their plan.

- Well, I guess I'll just have to keep her close to the altar. - I say.

Casey looks at me seriously.

- Can you do that? - she asks.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Maise breathes deeply.

- Are you sure? - he asks in a firm voice. - No matter what you see, you'll have to be as cold as possible. Your girlfriend's life depends on your attitudes.

- Bride! - I correct. - And yes! I can get Leila distracted long enough for you to arrest her.

Casey settled down, so he keeps his cell phone, saying he needs to communicate with the dispatcher and mobilize more men. I say I'll go to the bank and provide the amount mentioned and we'll make an appointment to meet you there for a while. Hours later, we headed for Clinton Hill, the neighborhood where the church was located. She had been abandoned for