Julian (Trinity Academy 4)

Henry Little threatened Julian’s life. I’ve gone to CRC Holdings. Please come.

Checking my watch, I add the time, and then I dart out of the front door while Hayden and Max are still busy in the study.

Rushing out of the hotel, I hail a cab and give the driver CRC’s address. I know Hayden and Max will be right behind me because they will check on me soon, and seeing I’m gone, they’ll find the note.

They have to.

My heart’s beating out of my chest as the cab takes me closer to CRC.

There are guards there. I’ll cause a scene, and Henry will be arrested.

For a moment, I close my eyes, my skin coming alive with pins and needles.

Today this madness ends, and I take back my life.As we near CRC, my eyes dart around the area for any sign of the janitor.

I ask the cab to stop across the road from the office, and after settling the fee, I climb out. I keep glancing around me, feeling a sense of reasonable safety because I’m surrounded by people.

There are empty vehicles lining the street, and there’s an officer standing on the corner, busy issuing a ticket to a delivery van.

My phone beeps, and I quickly pull it out of my pocket.

Come inside, little girl.

Shoving the device back into my pocket, my eyes dart to the building. The windows are all darkened, and I can’t see inside.

Slowly, I begin to cross the street. My eyes dart to the officer, and I feel a sense of panic as he walks further down the block.

Crap.

Taking a deep breath to calm my frail nerves, I turn my eyes back to the building in front of me.

I’ve just stepped onto the sidewalk when someone bumps into me. Something presses against my arm, and it instantly feels like a swarm of bees is trying to crawl through my skin.

Fear drags me under as I begin to lose control of my body, and I’m shoved inside a van.Chapter 31JulianMy phone begins to ring, and I pause as I glance at the screen. Seeing Hayden’s name, I push my chair back. “Excuse me. There’s an emergency.”

I walk out of the boardroom as I answer my phone, “What’s wrong?”

“Jamie left the suite. Is she with you?”

“No, I’m in a meeting. What’s going on?”

“Little made contact with her and threatened to kill you, so she snuck out without telling us first. We’re pulling up to CRC.”

“What?”

My breaths slow down as the world warps around me.

“Julian? Are you listening?”

This is not happening.

Not again.

“I’m on my way down. Meet me out front.”

The shock begins to lift, and adrenaline begins to pulse through my body. Darting forward, I run for the elevator and slam the button a couple of times before the doors slide open.

Horror fills every corner of my soul, and it feels like the walls are closing in on me. I begin to breathe faster, and as the doors open, I run out of the elevator into the lobby. Seeing Hayden and Max outside the entrance looking around for Jamie, I head toward them.

Hayden spots me first, and as I reach him, I ask, “Any sign of her?”

The worried look on Hayden’s face is answer enough for me.

Desperately, I glance around, and when there’s no sign of her, I say, “Preston can trace Jamie’s phone. We need to leave now.”

Max takes hold of my arm as he begins to walk away from the building with Hayden right behind us. “Call Preston and get him to do the trace. Don’t try to phone Jamie. You’ll only give away the fact that she has her phone on her, if he doesn’t already know, and we’ll lose the only way to find her.”

I yank out my phone and make the call as I climb into the back of Hayden’s SUV, putting the call on speakerphone so Hayden and Max can hear.

“Preston Culpepper speaking.”

“It’s Julian. Can you trace Jamie’s phone and tell us where she is.”

“Yes, Sir.” I hear him shuffle something around. “What’s her number?”

I ramble it off as Hayden steers the SUV in the direction the van sped off in.

A minute later, Preston says, “The signal is heading northwest on CA 150 W toward Black Mountain Fire Rd.”

Thank God, her phone is still working and with her.

“Send me the location and keep me updated every minute,” I order.

The moment the call cuts, Max says, “Hand me the bag from the back.”

It’s heavy when I pick it up, but I pass it to the front between the two seats. “Hayden says you know how to fire a gun.”

It doesn’t sound like a question, but I answer anyway, “Yes.”

“Good. Just point this thing away from Hayden and me, and we’ll be good.” He hands me a colt, and the metal feels heavy and foreign in my hand.