I sit back in my seat and hope to god that Riggs heard all of that.
We drive around to the farthest point at the rest stop, away from the services building. There’s one truck parked there with the curtains closed. Reggie gets out of the car and taps on the truck window. “If you can hear me, Riggs, then I hope to god you have the cops on their way to us. The truck is white. The registration plate looks private, it’s CAL007.”
I watch the truck driver get out of the truck and shake hands with Reggie. They go to the truck of the car and I use the mirrors to watch them get the girl out. She only looks around eighteen and I cover my mouth to keep the sob in. I glance in the back and Malia is asleep. Thank god.
The truck driver throws her over his shoulder, her lifeless body hanging limply. Anyone looking would assume she was passed out. “Shit, Riggs. Where are the cops? He’s getting her in the truck. They’ll miss him if they don’t hurry,” I hiss, hoping he can still hear me. As if my prayers are answered, the sound of sirens fill the air and I sigh with relief.
Reggie marches towards me and pulls my door open. He grabs me by the hair and pulls me out of the car. Police cars stop a few metres away and officers get out with guns pointed at us. “Get in the truck and drive at them,” Reggie tells the truck driver.
“Don’t be stupid, they’ll shoot us all,” I hiss as he tugs my hair tighter.
“Stay where you are. Put your hands above your heads and drop to your knees,” yells one of the cops.
“You come any closer and I’ll kill her,” yells Reggie, pulling a small handgun from his back pocket and holding it to my head.
The air is filled with men yelling. Cops are shouting over and over for Reggie to drop his weapon and he yells back threats to kill me.
“Reggie, it’s over,” I whisper. “Let me go.”
“No. If I go, then you go with me!” he warns.
“And who will look after our daughter?” I ask pleadingly. “Let me raise her away from this.” I carefully reach behind me for the knife. I grip the handle tightly and release it from my waistband. My heart beats rapidly knowing the police might shoot when they see the weapon.
“Hands where we can see them,” yells one of the cops.
“I don’t have a gun,” I yell back. “Please don’t shoot me.” As I say the last words, I raise the knife quickly and aim it over my shoulder, praying I hit a part of Reggie so that he releases me and doesn’t pull the trigger. Reggie’s hand lets go of my hair and I drop forward and away from him. I crawl quickly towards the police, who encourage me to move faster. A cop grabs me under my arms and hauls me back through the throng of police. There’s yelling and then a shot is fired. “My daughter,” I cry. “My daughter is in the car!”
The cop holding me yells into his radio. “Cease fire! There’s a child in the car! Cease fire immediately.”
I’m shaking so hard that my whole body is shuddering. The police move out and I can make out Reggie lying on the ground. My eyes are fixed on his jerking body. His hands are gripping his neck and he’s making a choking sound.
Another officer rushes towards me cradling Malia to his chest. He places her in my arms, and I hold her tightly to me. Her body is wracked with sobs and I dread to think what she may have seen through the car window.
Chapter Twenty
Riggs
The room is silent, and I can feel everyone’s eyes on me. The muffled sounds of Malia’s and Anna’s sobbing come through the cell phone and I bow my head to contain myself. “She’s safe now, brother,” says Cree. I nod because I’m too choked with emotion right now to use words.
“They’re taking her to get checked at the hospital as a precaution,” says Chains, pulling his cell away from his ear. “Shall I tell the officer we’ll meet them there?” I nod again and he relays that information.
“Arrange for Frankie to send the mayor’s wife some flowers with our condolences and a large bottle of bourbon for the mayor,” I say.
The connection between mine and Anna’s cell is cut off from her end. Eva is outside church when I open the door. She looks at me expectantly.
“She’s okay. They’re both okay,” I confirm. She throws herself into my arms and sobs into my chest. I hear Cree growl from behind me and I hold her closer just to mess with him. “I’ll take you to see her,” I say. “You can ride on my bike.”
“She’ll ride on my fuckin’ bike,” growls Cree, and I hold my hands up and smile.
“Okay, VP. She can go on your bike.”
My mom brings Ziggy over to me and I kiss his head. “Can you keep an eye on Michelle, Mom? I need to go and see Anna.”
She nods with a smile and Ziggy suddenly looks brighter. “Is Malia coming?” he asks.
I smile and nod my head. “Yeah, Zig. She’s coming home.” He smiles wide. It’s the first smile I’ve seen from him since we got him back. “And we’re all gonna go on holiday. Me, you, Anna, and Malia,” I add. He reaches for me and pulls me in for a hug. I realize he’s been feeling just as lost without Malia as I have without Anna.
When we get to the hospital, we’re ushered into a private waiting area. It often happens in places like this. We arrive in kuttes with our patch on and big boots and they’re afraid we’ll scare
