Page 10 of Tuesday

Then I throw my head back and roar.

“Fuck, brothers, that little toilet thing tipped him over the edge,” Rider’s sad voice breaks through my laughter.

He couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m nowhere near the edge. I’m exactly where I should be.

Chapter 4

Chewy

Ifinally caved and I’m letting Moss lead the way as we quietly make our way through the building Candice said the kids were in. It seems that after the DRMC took down their last place, she’s been moving the kids every few days. She’s good, I have to give her that. None of these properties show against her name or any of her businesses. Instead, they’re all owned by shell companies owned by the shareholders in Happy Values. It’s ridiculous the lengths rich people will go to cover their nefarious tracks.

“Hang back, Chewy. I’m going to clear this floor,” Moss says in a low voice, his service weapon out in front of him as he stalks down the hall.

I wave him on. I’m fully capable of doing this part, but Moss has been a great side kick so I figured I should let him have some fun. That’s how friends work. Sharing is caring and all that crap. Checking my watch I realize that I’m hitting close to six hours away from home, meaning if I don’t call or text my brothers, they’ll come for me. At this point I really don’t need the cavalry so I flick off a quick message.

All going well Moss and I should be back on the road within the next half hour.

“Clear,” Moss voices quietly.

I move to stand next to him, looking down the long hall. It’s a mansion style house, but instead of the large, white wooden doors you’d expect, each door has a window insert. Peering through I can see a little boy playing with blocks, a woman sitting in a rocking chair, reading a book.

“Looks like each kid has a nanny,” Moss murmurs. “There are no guards that I can see, just the women in the rooms with the kids.”

I nod, following along, peeking in the windows.

“It’s like fucking window shopping. Watch how the kids and nannies pay no attention to us,” Moss says with disgust.

I nod in agreement, “Yeah, they’ve become desensitized.”

Moss shakes his head sadly. “How do you know which is your kid?”

There are nameplates on each door, stating the child’s name and age. I slowly walk the hall, reading every name on the door until I come to a stop.

Laney-May

2 years old

Moss steps up beside me, before turning wide eyes in my direction. “Roads, Lane,” he bobs his head side to side, “May, like the month and the rest of your family names.”

A smile tugs at my lips. He cracked it in one. It’s what made me stop and pause too. We share a look before peering through the window. There, sitting on the floor, lining up blocks with one hand, the other clasping an alligator stuffy to her chest, is the child I’ve come here for. Rhodie’s child. Rhodie’s andmychild. I wait for a feeling of rightness to come over me, maybe a blooming in my chest, but nothing as of yet.

If I was anyone else I’m sure I’d be concerned, but I’m not. After watching Jules fall in love with his daughter I know that it might take me a little bit of time. Hopefully I’m smarter than Jules and don’t need my kid to be almost kidnapped to drive the point home.

Shuffling has my head snapping to the side, my shoulders relaxing when Dansen and his men flood the floor. He looks into a few windows as he makes his way to me and Moss, clocking exactly what we did.

“We’ll take the nannies and the children. Did you find the child you were looking for?”

“Yes, I think I have.”

Opening the door I walk through, ignoring the nanny jumping up and making a few disgruntled noises, a little shriek leaving her lips when Moss takes control of that situation. I don’t care what he does with her, as long as she’s far, far away.

“Hello,” I say, my head tipped toward the floor, at the mass of brown curls.

Laney-May tips her head back and I’m met with bright green eyes. Just like Rhodie. She says nothing, choosing to stare instead.

“I like your block line. I like to do that, too.” Sitting down and picking up a white block, I move it into the correct place, in a straight line, around an inch away from the last block.

She stares at me a moment, then adds on to the line, before looking back at me. I follow her lead and we do this a few more times before she stops, stares and then shuffles closer, sitting her little bottom on my lap. Of their own accord my arms wrap around her, like they do with Chomper, but this time I don’t need to avoid a snout.

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