Chapter 103: I Need Help: Roman
Sh*t.I ran my hand down my face as Marcus began explaining to me about their failed attempt at trying to find any new information about where Hannah might have been taken.
It was like she had vanished into thin air and no one knew where to find her. The best we had for any evidence or clues about the situation was the DNA sample of the blood we had found in her room, but nothing substantial came up.
The blood belonged to someone named Derek Hughs, and, for all we could tell, Derek had been reported missing and dead by his family two states over around two years ago. The lead ended cold and dead after that, and we were back at square one.
If anything, it only helped to add more confusing questions to the mix. Questions about what sort of men the Auction House had under their belt, who they were hiring from, and just how far reaching this organization was if it employed men from different states.
There was the possibility that Derek had faked his own death and moved here two years ago. But Marcus had told me that, in cases like these, very rarely was the business so well contained to a single spot in town.
Men who used women the way Bernard and the Boss seemed so happily to do were greedy and cunning. The worst type of people. And those type of men tended to lure others just like them in hopes of becoming richer and getting more money, no matter the consequences.
I tried not to let the possibility of Hannah being shipped somewhere out of state, or God forbid even the country, into my mind. But it was a possibility that I was forced to consider either way, whether I liked it or not.
"All the locations and places we were given from the members of the Auction House we had captured were places that had already been raided," Marcus said. I could tell from his tired voice that he was already at a loss.
"What about her father? Did you speak with him?" I asked hopelessly and watched on as Marcus just looked at me and shook his head.
As if it weren’t possible anymore, my hate for the man who had fathered Hannah only grew greater. What kind of sick monster did you have to be to have so little feeling toward your own daughter? It seemed he really didn’t care about what happened to her.
Frustrated with the entire situation, I got up from the seat in the living room and walked outside. I needed space away from everyone to think. I also needed to be out in the open where no objects were in sight that I might smash to the ground.
This entire situation was beyond frustrating. Not only that, but the pain in my side continued to worsen the more I moved around. Unfortunately, moving around seemed to be the only thing I was doing lately, whether it was coming from the agency headquarters or going back to the mansion.
Running my hands down my face, I let out a huge sigh.
My phone suddenly began to vibrate in my pocket. Quickly moving to reach for it and take it out, I noticed the caller ID was unknown. I thought to just let it ring for a moment thinking it was just the wrong number, but then I decided against it and picked it up.
"Hello?" I answered gravely.
"Mr. Thaddeus. You called?"
My breath left me as the voice of Rex came from the other end of the phone.
At my silence, Rex continued to speak. "I managed to take a look into your case. My condolences for your loss–"
"She isn’t dead." I snapped at him.
"No." A laugh sounded. "She isn’t. Not yet, anyway. But my sources say she has caused quite the stir within the Auction House. There seems to be a high-ranking person among the members who has developed a keen interest in your wife."
I gritted my teeth together from anger. "Who?"
The line was silent for a bit, then the voice rang out again. "You wife, Hannah—lovely name by the way—was taken from her mansion by two of the lower-ranking members of the Auction House, hired muscle if you will, and delivered to the man who financed this entire extraction operation."
"Who is it?" I demanded, growing impatient with the way Rex seemed to want to dance around the subject.
"You’re no fun at parties are you, Mr. Thaddeus?" His sing-song voice sounded through the phone. I was more concerned over the way my phone might break from the grip I had on it than the other man on the line.
"Rex, I swear to God–" I was cut off with a light chuckle from the other side of the phone.
"Relax, Roman, she’s fine. The man who paid for her capture goes by the name of Bernard. Sound familiar?" His voice was light as he spoke, which was completely contrary to the way I felt.
Rage was overflowing inside of me. I tried my hardest not to throw the phone on the ground from irritation. How long would this damn bastard continue to torment my life? Not just mine, but Hannah’s as well.
He should never have been allowed to make bail. God damn it.
Taking a deep breath in, I tried to practice patience until I was able to have Bernard’s throat between my hands.
"What else do you know?" I asked Rex as calmly as I could.
"Not much else. They are, that is, the organization is keeping everything very hush-hush. But I do know she was collected to be delivered to Jared." That wasn’t good news at all. In fact, that was the worst possible scenario.
"I don’t know where she was taken or where she’s been held now. Sorry old friend." Despite his previous light-hearted and teasing tone and situation, Rex sounded somewhat sympathetic as he told me that.
"It’s alright," I breathed out heavily. "Thanks. At least we have a lead now."
"Good luck. You’ll need it."
I tried to rack my brain for any hints or clues I may have missed.
What we knew so far was that Bernard was involved. He had delivered Hannah directly to Jared. All the previous locations the raids had taken place were the most known and frequented places where the girls were being held.
But what if this place she was being held at now wasn’t a frequented place by the Auction House?
An idea popped into my mind. I grimaced at what I knew I had to do to secure Hannah’s safety. It was something I swore I wouldn’t have to do unless it was completely necessary. Now, it seemed completely necessary.
I lifted my phone to my face again and stared at the contact that was now showing on my screen. Was this even a good idea? The last thing I wanted to do was involve her in something like this, especially after she had escaped this sort of life.
But this was Hannah we were talking about. She deserved every chance she could get. I looked up as I heard footsteps approaching me and saw Marcus walking toward where I was standing.
"You look like you have a plan," he told me before I could dial the number on my phone.
I nodded slowly. "I might, but you won’t like it. Hell, I don’t even like it."
Marcus only shook his head as he looked at me. "I think we’re past liking our means of securing the safety of those girls now. Now, we have to take those bastards down at any cost."
I knew he was right. Sighing and looking down at my phone again, I considered the option for a moment more before pushing the dial button.
The phone rang three times before the woman finally picked up. And I paused before I spoke and allowed her to greet me first.
"Roman?" Her voice was filled with anxiety and hope. I knew she had already heard of the news. God, I wished I were calling her to tell her Hannah was home and safe instead of asking her what I was about to ask her. "Have you found any leads on Hannah?"
Swallowing down a heavy lump in my throat, I promised myself this was going to work. It had to work. This guilty feeling that was growing in my gut had to be worth something.
"Actually," I said slowly, "I was hoping my lead could be you."
"Me?" she asked slowly. I could almost hear it in her voice as she realized what was going on.
I tried to tell myself that I didn’t have any other choice, because I truly didn’t, and time was running out to find Hannah. If there was anyone who would give me even a hint of hope as to locating her in time and saving her, it was the woman on the phone with me now.
I swallowed my nerves and spoke.
"I need your help finding Hannah, Kirsten."
