Outrage (Faith McMann Trilogy Book 2) Page 8

  “I’m so sorry,” she told Colton, her hand on his shoulder.

  “It’s not your fault,” he said, his shoulders slumped forward. “The only people at fault are the nameless bastards who decided to enter your house and take Lara and Hudson in the first place.” He looked at Dad. “They have to pay for what they’ve done to our family. We can’t let them get away with this.”

  The phone rang. Mom picked up the call after two rings. “Yes. OK,” she said. “We’ll be here.”

  Mom walked into the living room. “Detective Yuhasz needs to talk to us. He said it’s important. He’s on his way now.”

  FIFTEEN

  Faith was standing outside when Detective Yuhasz arrived at her parents’ house in Loomis. Jana and Beast had arrived separately two minutes earlier and were inside.

  She’d already spent the morning with the detective. He wouldn’t have come all this way if it wasn’t important. The thought made her nervous. If he’d located Lara or Hudson, he would have told Mom on the phone. Instead he’d felt the need to drive the forty minutes from Auburn to talk to all of them together.

  He parked his car, climbed out, and walked her way. Six feet tall and broad-shouldered, he kept his silver hair cropped short. His jaw was bristly today. He looked worn-out. She and Detective Yuhasz didn’t always see eye to eye, but she had a newfound respect for the man. People had high expectations when it came to the police force, herself included. But they were only human, and sometimes there was only so much they could do when it came to protecting the citizens in their communities.

  “Everyone else is in the house waiting,” she told him.

  He nodded, his expression grim, which made her all the more nervous.

  He followed her inside. Mom, Dad, Colton, Jana, and Beast were seated in the living room.

  Miranda had gone upstairs to the guest room. Although Detective Yuhasz had seen Miranda before, he had yet to question Faith about who she was or why she was there. It was best if he didn’t know, since protocol might force him to question her and possibly have her processed through children’s services, as Miranda feared. Faith didn’t have the time or patience for bureaucracy. And, besides, she knew Miranda would run away before she would be taken into foster care.

  Mom jumped to her feet the moment the detective walked inside. “You must be chilly. I’ll get you some tea.”

  Detective Yuhasz waved her off. “I’m fine.”

  “It’s no bother.” Mom went to the kitchen and set about filling the teakettle and putting it on the stove. When Mom was nervous, she tended to flit around and try to find ways to keep busy.

  Dad gestured for the detective to take a seat.

  As soon as he did, Faith said, “We’re all here. What’s going on?”

  “I received a call from authorities in Mendocino County and learned that a few days ago there were reports of shots fired within the national forest,” Detective Yuhasz began. “Officers in the region have been going door-to-door. During their questioning,” he went on, “they discovered that Nicholas Quintero, one of the top wanted drug lords in the country, has been spotted in the area.” He took a breath. “Needless to say, a response team was sent out to canvass the woods. Late yesterday, a group of heavily armed team members found and raided a marijuana-growing operation. Quintero, it turned out, was using child laborers to trim and care for the marijuana.”

  “And you wouldn’t be telling us this,” Faith said, “unless there was reason to believe Hudson was one of the children. Is that right?”

  Mom stood nearby, her hands entwined in front of her, the tea forgotten.

  Without answering Faith’s question, Yuhasz continued. “So far they’ve been able to verify that somewhere between three and four dozen boys were being forced to work for Quintero. Twelve of those boys had been brought to the area in the past month. According to one of the men arrested, five boys escaped the premises only a few days ago and have been missing since that time.”

  Faith sat up taller. “What about the other boys? The boys they found? Do we know if—”

  Yuhasz shook his head. “Hudson was not among the children found.”

  “How do you know?”

  “The Mendocino police had taken a couple of group pictures of the boys at the time of the raid. Hudson was not in the photograph. Detective O’Sullivan scanned a recent photograph of Hudson and sent it to the sheriff’s office.”

  He rubbed his prickly head.

  Faith leaned forward and waited for him to continue.

  “More than a few of the boys rescued,” Yuhasz said as he looked at Faith, “recognized Hudson as one of the boys who escaped.”

  She smiled. “This is huge!”

  He nodded.

  She felt suddenly breathless. Her son was alive. Faith looked at her father. “Hudson is alive. We have to find him.”

  “Let’s hear the rest of what the detective has to say. Then we’ll talk.”

  “So what now?” Jana asked impatiently, both hands splayed against her pregnant belly.

  “Search parties are out there looking now,” Yuhasz went on. “But officials in charge have warned they believe at least two of the men in charge of the marijuana operation are also out in the woods, and these men are armed and dangerous.”

  Everyone remained silent until Dad looked at Yuhasz and said, “Anything else?”

  “That pretty much sums it up.”

  “I need to help in the search for Hudson,” Dad said. “That’s all there is to it.”

  Colton nodded. “I’m going, too.”

  Yuhasz released a ponderous breath. “I had a feeling this would be your response, which is why I called the sheriff’s office. They said there’s not much they can do to stop you, but if you do decide to go, you’ll need to check in with them and fill out some paperwork. The sheriff also said you should be aware that the people living in the neighborhoods bordering the forest are nervous. They’ve been trapped in their homes for days now, and most, if not all, have guns loaded and ready to shoot first and ask questions later.”

  “So no stopping to ask for directions,” Colton said. “Got it.”

  Yuhasz frowned. “As you get higher into the mountains, you’ll have to keep your eye out for black bears and mountain lions and, of course, any other predators out there.”

  “From the sound of it,” Colton said, “wildlife is the least of our worries.”

  “If Hudson has been in the woods for two nights already,” Faith asked, her pulse still racing, “what are his chances of survival?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t think anyone knows the answer to that, Faith. There are so many variables, you know, possible obstacles to consider.”

  “Like what?”

  “Besides wild animals and dangerous criminals?” Colton asked.

  She nodded.

  “Hypothermia, dehydration, and exhaustion, for starters,” Colton said flatly.

  “The good news,” Beast chimed in, “is that Hudson could live on the inner bark of some trees and eat bugs if he had to. From what your dad has told me about Hudson, the boy has spent a good amount of time in the woods, and he’s been taught the basic survival skills.”

  She knew what Beast was trying to do, and she appreciated it. She’d known him for such a short time, and yet he was a true friend and solid as a rock.

  “He’s only nine years old,” Mom said, her voice quivering.

  “Most forests are dotted with cabins,” Yuhasz told her. “There are plenty of hardships for those boys out there, but there’s hope.”

  After Yuhasz left, Beast volunteered to go with Colton and Dad in search of Hudson, but Dad pulled him aside and asked him to keep an eye on Faith and the rest of the women, reminding him that Jana’s husband, Steve, wouldn’t be released from the hospital until the next day and would be on crutches.

  Faith hated the idea of being left behind, but she needed to continue her search for Lara. And, as Colton had pointed out, she would only slow them down. She�
�d been running in the mornings and practicing at the shooting range, but she wasn’t a trained hunter like her brother and father, and she couldn’t remember the last time she’d hiked over rough terrain.

  Although Beast had told them Rage was busy with Little Vinnie at home, she showed up around ten with detailed maps of the Mendocino forest. Since receiving a call from Beast to let her know what was going on, she’d spent some time doing her own research before she headed over. She had highlighted paths she and Little Vinnie believed might be the shortest route through the forest.

  They all brainstormed, throwing out possibilities of things that could go wrong. They talked about the ground being wet, which could make it difficult to detect footsteps if the thugs were hiding out.

  As Dad collected his fatigues, heavy vest, and sidearms, everyone else gathered any and all gear they believed the men might need during their trek through the forest.

  Everyone tossed in opinions as they worked. They talked about contaminated water, cold temperatures, and wild animals. Dad showed them his handheld filter and chemical tablets that would purify water. For every problem, he had a solution.

  “Judging by the maps I saw, the woods are thick with brush,” Rage said. “Someone could be hiding out, and you won’t be able to see them. And Little Vinnie mentioned all the mud you’ll have to deal with.”

  “How do you know so much about surviving in the woods?” Dad asked Rage.

  “These days all you need is an hour on the Internet to learn a little about most things.” She shrugged. “If I were going, I’d probably make sure to keep my eyes and ears open and always be ready for the unexpected.”

  Dad chuckled. “Maybe I should take you with me instead of Colton.”

  “It’s probably the best idea I’ve heard so far,” Rage said, “but Beast and Little Vinnie wouldn’t know what to do without me around to harass them all day.”

  Beast nodded, agreeing with her assessment.

  By the time everyone in the room put in their two cents, and after they plotted and planned for the worst, it was midnight. Yuhasz had called to give them the name of the commander with whom Colton and Dad would have to check in to ensure they weren’t mistaken for the criminals hiding in the area. Chances were there wouldn’t be any phone service after they set off. If that were the case, Colton and Dad would use the two-way radios to communicate if they lost track of each other in the forest.

  Faith didn’t like how quiet her brother had become. She went to him now, talked to him while he organized and packed his gear. “I know you’re upset with Bri, but I don’t want you to set out in search of Hudson if you don’t have a clear head. Beast is willing to go in your place. He’s a good man, and he won’t let Dad down.”

  “Faith. Stop. I’m fine. I only wish Bri had waited until I returned home. Other than that, I understand why she had to go. I miss my girls. And the truth is, for the first time since Lara and Hudson were taken, I’ve realized I don’t have a clue as to what you’re going through. Because I can’t imagine what I would do or who I would become if I were standing in your shoes.” He put a finger on Faith’s chin and lifted her head so she had no choice but to look at him. “I’m going to find Hudson, and I’m going to bring him back home to his mother. Do you hear me?”

  Her eyes welled. “Thank you.”

  SIXTEEN

  Hudson tossed the last of the wood scraps into the wood-burning stove and then stood and listened. For the first time in what felt like forever, it was quiet. No thunder or lightning. No rain drumming against the rooftop.

  No raspy death rattle coming from the bottom bunk.

  Joey was awake. His first words were, “Where are we?”

  Hudson had been feeding him mashed beans. Even watered down to a soupy mixture it hadn’t been easy getting him to swallow between fits of coughing. Throughout their first night inside the cabin, Hudson wasn’t sure if Joey would make it. But at the moment, Joey actually had some color, which gave him hope that the boy might live.

  “After you passed out in the woods,” Hudson explained, “I went to gather wood and found a cabin. It’s kept us out of the rain and wind. How are you feeling?”

  “Like death.”

  Joey’s voice was hoarse from coughing so much.

  Hudson brought him the pan of water from atop the woodstove. “Thirsty?”

  It took him a minute, but Joey managed to push himself upward until his back was against the cabin wall. He took the pan and drank, then wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “You saved my life.”

  “I did what anyone would do.”

  “Nobody I know would have bothered to drag me through the woods. How old are you?”

  “Nine.” He noticed the way Joey was looking at him. As if he didn’t believe him. “I’ve always been big for my age. Every year one parent or another petitions for my birth certificate when I play football with their sons.”

  One corner of Joey’s mouth turned up. “We’re opposites,” he said. “I’m the runt of the family.”

  “Where are you from?”

  “Los Angeles.”

  Although they had been rooming together for a few weeks now, they had never talked about personal stuff before. “How did you end up here?”

  “My parents were . . . are field-workers. They sold me and my brothers to those assholes we ran from when I was seven.”

  Hudson didn’t know what to say, so he kept quiet.

  “How did you get dragged into this shit hole of a place?” Joey asked.

  “Three men came into my house, attacked my parents, and then took my sister and me.”

  “Where is she?”

  Hudson shook his head. “I have no idea. The last time I saw her, she was crying and struggling to get away.” He swallowed, didn’t like thinking about what might have happened to her.

  “If I get out of this alive,” Joey said, “I’m going to kill every single man who ever touched me. And then I’m going to find a way back to LA to pay my mother and father a visit.”

  Joey’s nostrils flared as he described what he would say and possibly do to his parents if and when he ever saw them again. The anger and resentment he saw in Joey’s eyes caused chills to crawl up the back of Hudson’s neck. Joey might be small, but Hudson had seen him in action when he fought the older boy, Denver, for a half loaf of bread. The men in charge had thought it was amusing and let them go at it for a good fifteen minutes. They finally had to pull Joey off the other boy, leaving Denver bruised and bleeding.

  It took some doing, but Joey sat up and then inhaled before pushing himself to his feet. He reeked of his own stench. “Is there a bathroom in this place?”

  “Outside,” Hudson said. “Behind the cabin. It’s not much, but it does the job. There’s also an old barrel filled with water to wash yourself.” Hudson looked out the window. “It’s cold out there, but it’s not raining. Do you need help walking?”

  Joey waved a hand through the air. “I’m wobbly, but I’ll get there.”

  “I’ll get a fire going and then open the last can of beans and fry up some fish.”

  Joey gestured toward the fish in the sink. “You caught those with your bare hands?”

  “It just takes patience, and having a spear helps, too,” Hudson said, pointing to the long, thin piece of wood leaning by the door. One end had been whittled down to a sharp point.

  “Clever. Glad I followed you instead of Denver,” Joey said.

  “Here—take this with you.” Hudson handed Joey the ax. “If the door to the outhouse gets stuck, you’re going to need this.”

  After Joey left the cabin, Hudson made quick work of using dry leaves to clean up Joey’s mattress, dirty and damp from fever and urine. He tossed the leaves outside and then went back to the bed and turned the mattress over. He gulped the last of the water and then headed down the hill to the creek to gather more. On his way back up the now-familiar trail, he collected wood for kindling.

  Joey was still inside the outhouse when he
returned.

  Figuring it would take him a while to get cleaned up, Hudson made a fire and then started cleaning the last two fish. Grandpa would be proud, he thought. As soon as Joey got his strength back, they needed to get off the mountain before the next storm swept in. He had no idea how far away they were from the men who had held them captive, but it made sense that they would have found him and Joey by now if they’d been looking.

  He opened the door to toss the fish bones outside and found himself looking into the beady eyes of one of the men he’d just been thinking about. Every muscle in his body froze.

  Derek had found them after all.

  With a pistol pointed at Hudson’s chest, he said, “You stupid boy. And here I’d thought you were the smart one in your little group. You never should have run.”

  It took Hudson a second to calm himself and think of what to do. Without looking away from the man, Hudson slowly reached for the spear leaning against the wall only inches away.

  Derek looked into the cabin and said, “Where’s our little friend Joey?”

  “I’m right here.”

  The ax landed on the top of Derek’s head with a sickening thud. Blood spurted in every direction.

  Joey stepped aside as Derek fell backward like a newly sawed tree.

  Hudson thought he might be sick as he watched blood gush from the man’s head. His hands clutched his middle as if that might stop him from losing his last meal.

  “There,” Joey said. “We’re even. You saved my life, and I saved yours.”

  Hudson couldn’t take his eyes off the dead man now stretched out on the soggy ground in front of him. Derek’s eyes were wide-open, his mouth agape.

  Joey followed Hudson’s gaze. “Never seen a dead man before, I take it.”

  Hudson thought of Sean, one of the boys who had escaped only to be shot in the back, but he didn’t say anything. He just stood there and watched Joey kneel down and yank the ax from Derek’s skull. Joey struggled to remove his backpack. Derek was a good-size man, and he was deadweight. When Joey tried to push the body to one side, he was suddenly overcome with a coughing attack.