When Family Became a Place I Couldn’t Return To novel Chapter 139

Sheila’s phone was impossible to track, but the police could still look into everyone she’d been in touch with lately. There just wasn’t any time. Nelly couldn’t sit around making lists and waiting for investigations. She had no choice except to follow the kidnapper’s instructions and head to the preschool.

She grabbed Brody’s phone and let the team fit her with a hidden earpiece and tracker. Brody watched, clearly uneasy. Just as Nelly was about to get out of the car, he reached for her arm.

“If things go south, walk away. Don’t do anything stupid. And whatever happens, keep in touch.”

Brody didn’t even know why those words came out of his mouth. Carrie was his priority, always. Nelly, as her mother, would never give up on their daughter. Sheila’s life was at stake too.

Nelly stared at him, surprised for a split second, then let out a dry, sarcastic laugh.

“That doesn’t sound like you at all.”

Brody caring about her? Unlikely. There was a flicker of worry in his eyes, maybe a hint of hesitation about letting her go, but it couldn’t be real.

“I’ll save my daughter. No matter what it takes.”

Nelly said it quietly, and then she stepped out of the car. There was still a bit of a walk to the preschool. She slung her bag over her shoulder and made her way there alone.

The preschool entrance was quiet, barely a car in sight under the streetlights. Nelly stood out, waiting by the gate, and before long, her phone rang. The kidnapper told her to find a big backpack in a trash can nearby. Following his directions, she found the bag tucked into a shadowy corner and poured all the money inside.

He called again, told her to take off her jacket, get rid of every device, even Brody’s phone. Only then did he say there was a note in the new backpack. She found it, unfolded the scrap of paper, and saw an address. That was the drop location. She had a time limit. If she wanted to see her daughter again, she had to hurry.

The kidnapper made Carrie speak on the phone, and hearing her daughter’s voice nearly broke Nelly’s heart. She didn’t even hesitate. She did exactly as she was told.

Back in the surveillance van, Nelly’s connection suddenly went dead. Brody tensed.

“What’s going on?”

“It looks like the kidnapper knows every move we make. He’s good at covering his tracks.”

Everyone was stunned. They’d hidden the trackers better than ever, and still, he’d found them. Whoever this was, he had eyes on Nelly, watching her every step.

Brody tried to get out of the car, but the officers stopped him.

“We have people tailing her. Don’t worry, we’ll have a location soon.”

“She’s my wife. I need to see for myself,” Brody insisted, his voice hard as steel.

*

He was young, barely out of his teens, but his eyes were cold and mean. The others looked just as rough, their faces hidden but their attitudes obvious.

“Scared?” he scoffed. “Of you?”

He spun the knife, pressing the blade along her cheek, then slid it to the side of her neck. The tip rested right against her artery.

But before he could do anything else, a thunderous crash echoed behind them. The guy froze as something cold pressed against the back of his head.

A whole squad burst through the door, weapons ready. The kidnappers dropped to the floor with their hands up.

“Ms. Stewart, are you alright?” one of the soldiers called.

They wore military uniforms, looking at Nelly with respect and concern. She was too stunned to speak for a moment. Felix’s people were seriously impressive.

From the second she’d left the car, Felix’s team had been following. The Watson family had access to high-grade drones, military level, linked straight to satellite tracking. In Westhaven, if the Watsons wanted to find someone, they would.

Felix had promised to keep her safe. Clearly, he wasn’t taking any chances. The drone patrol had been watching over her the whole time.