Page 47 of The Facilitator: Part 3
Vivienne declined to answer and Gabriella wanted the police to know.
“Gab, how stable is Daniel?” Lauren asked her gently. Gabriella shrugged her shoulders.
“He can’t be to have done this. He’s desperate. If the police roll up all guns blazing, what will happen?”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to think about that, Lauren,” she said, snapping at my wife. Lauren didn’t flinch.
“I think what we do is have Addison come here, hand over the key, and then have her call him. She can tell him that Alex has the money, she can ask for a cut, to prove she’s on his side. Then Alex and Mackenzie take the money and come home with your baby.”
It sounded so simple and in Lauren’s naïvety, it was. However, this wasn’t the UK, there would be guns in that lodge and a desperate man. It was, though, the only way. Gabriella slowly nodded her head.
Yet again we were back to waiting. Lauren bustled around organizing drinks and food. She made both Vivienne and Gabriella eat a little something. Alex flat refused and by the thunderous look he’d adopted since my call to Addison, Lauren, skirted around him.
When I saw Addison’s car pull closer to the house, Alex and I walked out without telling Gabriella and Lauren.
Addison didn’t attempt to get out of her car. “Alex, I’m so sorry. I have nothing to do with this, and I have no idea if he’s there at all, but I can’t sit back and not tell you about the lodge, just in case.”
He didn’t answer her, just stared with a jawclenched so tight. She looked to me. “This is the key and I’ve written the address and instructions there. It’s not easy to find, and, Mackenzie, he’ll see you coming if you arrive in a car.” She then reached over to the passenger seat for a map. “You can get to the cabin here,” she said, pointing to the map.
“Get out of the car, Addison,” Alex said, finally speaking.
I nodded to her and opened her door.
“I’m not sure,” she said, her voice shook, displaying her nerves.
“It’s fine, we need you to do one thing for us,” I said. She stepped out.
“Call him, tell him that you know I have the money he wants. You’re willing to bring it to him in exchange for the baby, but you want a cut,” Alex said.
“I…” She started.
“If you don’t, you’re not leaving here,” Alex said, snatching the keys from the ignition. “I don’t know that you’re not involved in this.”
“Mackenzie called me,” she said, looking between us.
“Which you knew he would,” Alex stated.
For a moment there was silence. “You put the phone on loudspeaker and you call him,” Alex reiterated.
She picked up phone and her hands shook. The arrogant Addison had been replaced by a nervous oneand I was confused. I wondered if Alex had been correct. She called.
“Daniel, what have you done?” she asked, adding a chuckle to her voice.
“Fuck off, Addison. I asked for your help and you laughed at me.”
“Listen, I’m sorry. I know Alex has the money you asked for,” she said.
“How?”
“Because Mackenzie asked me if I knew where you were,” she said.
“Are you with them?” he asked, and I wondered if he was high. Paranoia was a side effect where he was concerned.
“No, but I have a plan. I know Alex has the money because I saw him in town. The police are all over the place looking for you. I can bring the money to you and take the baby back, that way you won’t be involved.”
“I don’t trust you,” he said.
“Daniel, what do you think will happen when Alex and Mackenzie catch up with you? Because they will. You took a child, Daniel, a baby,” she said, lowering her voice.
