The Two Younger Men Complete Collection

The controller said, “Piper One Zero Four Echo Sierra, Addison Ground, taxi to runway one six.”

“I’ll be there in three hours. Meet us at the airport.”

Zane continued the communication with Addison Ground as Toni talked to her son. “Taxi to one six, Seven Echo Sierra.”

“Joel, I won’t be able to talk to you during the flight but keep checking with Detective Hartman. I love you, baby,” Toni said and put her phone away.

Maddox handed her a set of headphones. “This will make it easier for us to talk.”

“I really appreciate this, guys.”

“Toni,” Maddox said. “As long as you need us we won’t be anywhere else but by your side.”

“That’s right, sweetheart,” he said, and then opened his mike. “Addison Tower, Piper One Zero Four Echo Sierra, ready for takeoff.”

“Piper One Zero Four Echo Sierra, cleared for takeoff, right turn approved.”

Once they were in the air, Zane looked over his shoulder at her and said, “We’ll be there before you know it, sweetheart.”

When they reached their cruising altitude, Maddox brought out the thermos of coffee. “Toni, Zane and I are going to have a cup. Want to join us?”

“It’s going to be a long night, so yes. That would be nice.”

As they drank their coffee, Zane looked at the controls. Everything was running perfectly. This was going to be an easy flight. “I hope you’re feeling a little better, now that we’re in the air and you know we’ll be there soon.”

“As much as humanly possible, Zane. I’m so grateful for both of you doing this for me. This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me, including when my ex ran off with all my money and left me to raise my boys on my own.”

Zane realized she was so distraught that her walls were down, walls that normally surrounded her and kept everyone from knowing her deepest secrets. He glanced at Maddox, seeing his brother understood it to. She needed to talk about anything to keep her mind occupied so that she didn’t spin out of control with worry.

“My boys mean the world to me. Everything I’ve done and do in my life is for them. I know you don’t have any children of your own, but I hope you can understand how upset I am not knowing where Restin is.”

“Honey, we can’t even imagine what you’re going through,” he said. “But trust us. We’re here for you. Maddox and I aren’t leaving. We will find Restin.”

“That means so much to me. Thank you. I know I keep saying it over and over, but I really haven’t had any man who was willing to help me since I lost my dad. God, I miss him. He and Mom were always there for me.”

Maddox turned and grabbed her hand. “Your parents must have been terrific people.”

“Oh, yes, they were. My boys don’t remember them. They were too young when my parents died. Not even two. Mom lost her battle to cancer and Dad died of a heart attack less than four months later. I can’t believe they’ve been gone so long.”

The deeper Toni went into her past, the deeper Zane felt for her, the more he wanted to hold her and make her feel safe. But until they found her son he knew that would be impossible.

“Peter my ex worked for my dad’s investment firm. We married young. I was only twenty and still in college. Peter was twenty-two and had just graduated. When I got pregnant with my twins, I was so excited, and Peter acted like he was, too. But Dad was the most excited it seemed. He retired and turned the firm over to Peter to run, saying he wanted to be a full-time gr

andpa. He and my mom got to see the boys’ first birthday party. I have a picture of Restin and Joel sitting in their laps. All four of them are covered in cake with the biggest smiles on their faces. Peter took the picture. God, how could I have been so foolish?”

“Foolish about what, sweetheart?” Maddox asked.

“Foolish about Peter. Being in charge of Dad’s firm allowed his true colors to come out. He showered me and the boys with gifts all the while he was funneling my inheritance to an off-shore account in his name. Once he’d drained every dime and liquidated every asset, he vanished. Joel and Restin were four years old. I had nothing. The bank foreclosed on the house. I hit rock bottom. I went to the police but they couldn’t help. Peter had covered his tracks. Apparently he’d been working on his plan for a very long time. I ended up living in my car. God, I was homeless, twenty-eight, with two boys to feed. If it hadn’t been for Izzy and Cami, I don’t know what would have happened to us.”

Zane had always sensed there was a special bond between Toni, Cami, and Izzy. They were like sisters, and now he knew why.

“They took me and my boys in. Even paid my bills until I could get on my feet. I would have never finished my master’s without their help.”

“I can really understand why you are so protective of them, Toni,” Maddox said. “After all you three have been through together it’s no wonder.”

“And now I’m in trouble once again and once again they’re helping me.” Toni sighed and didn’t speak again for several minutes.

“More coffee, sweetheart?” Maddox asked, clearly knowing she was overwhelmed and worrying about her son.