John had led Sheldon and me out west. He had insisted we drive together, but I insisted harder that we drive separately, and when Sheldon attempted to drive herself, I put an end to that, too. If being near me unhinged her as much as I thought it did, then it would be exactly what I would do.
Lake, Quentin, and Jesse stayed behind. Quentin and Lake offered to pick up the search while Jesse kept watch on the house in Camden. Each of us attempted to convince Lake to stay behind knowing Keiran wouldn’t like her putting herself in danger, but her anger towards him made her pigheaded.
My anger towards my brother wouldn’t allow me to care.
“What is this?” I asked when we pulled up to a building that resembled a hospital. The sign we passed read Summit Rehabilitation for Cancer Survivors.
John hadn’t given much explanation for the reason for this trip across state. “Just trust me,” was all he bothered to give.
I didn’t trust anyone, least of all him.
A blast of cool air hit as soon as the automatic doors slid open, allowing entrance into the facility. Sheldon had managed to remain silent, but I could tell she was feeling as anxious as I was. We approached the large receptionist’s desk where three women who looked like nurses bustled around each other in some sort of harmonized frenzy.
“Good evening, Mr. Masters,” a nurse close to John’s age greeted. “I’m sure you are aware that visiting hours are almost over.”
“It’s nice to see you again, Suzy.” John’s monotonous greeting was as empty as his expression though his eyes seemed to bore into her. “This won’t take long,” he half-heartedly assured.
The nurse didn’t respond but, instead, pursed her lips in disapproval. I read the sign on the desk and realized that visiting hours weren’t over for another thirty minutes so what was her problem? When John moved away without another word, I decided it wasn’t important. His heavy footsteps led us down a long hallway. He took a quick right and came to a stop at the first door down the corridor.
Sheldon still had yet to say anything but continued to check her phone repeatedly.
Time was running out.
The chance of a victim of kidnapping being found alive or at all after the first twenty-four hours was slim. Kennedy had been missing for over a week now.
“Look, son, when I open this door, I want you to keep your cool.”
“Who the hell is in there, and what do they have to do with my daughter?”
John didn’t bother to answer. After giving me a stern look, which I ignored, he turned the knob and entered slowly. I stepped inside and looked around cautiously before my eyes settled on a figure that appeared to be sleeping.
Five seconds was all it took for me to realize who it was that I was seeing. He was hooked up to a machine with many wires running in and out of his body. His form was no longer as large as I remembered. Instead, he looked frail and weak.
A compassionate person would have seen a man who needed healing.
All I saw was an opportunity.
I didn’t realize I was charging until my father locked me in a chokehold. Sheldon stood in the corner appearing shocked and more than a little frightened. An accidental glance in the mirror next to the bed revealed just how savage and dangerous I must have appeared to her.
“Keep your head, son. He can’t hurt you.”
“But I can hurt him.”
What did this mean? Here lay Mitch, who barely looked able to walk much less kidnap or orchestrate a kidnapping.
“You’ve been keeping him here?” I roared. “You’re protecting this motherfucker?”
Sheldon’s gasp drew my gaze to her, but the sight of Mitch’s eyes open wide and staring at me stopped me.
“Oh, my God,” Sheldon cried. She bent over in half and used her arms to clutch at her stomach as she began to dry heave.
The primal desire to protect reared its misguided head, but I ignored my instincts and focused on the shit unraveling in front of me.
This situation had just graduated from bad to seriously fucked up. If Mitch didn’t have our daughter, then it could mean anyone with nothing to gain by keeping her alive was responsible.
The memory of the ransom note, even though it wasn’t much of one, was the only thing keeping me sane at this point. Kennedy had to still be alive. I just needed to figure out what the note meant.
“I’m not protecting him, but he is my brother. I didn’t have any other choice.”
“You always have a choice, John, or did you just forget he had my mother killed by his own son?”
“Believe me. I haven’t forgotten. I never forget. It’s all I can think about every minute of every day.”
“So how did you find him?”
“I didn’t. He came to me.”
“When?” I didn’t bother keeping the disgust from my voice. All the anger and hatred building quietly inside forced its way to the surface.
“About a year after you disappeared and Keiran left for college.”
“This is so fucked up.” I hadn’t realized I was pacing until I bumped into Sheldon. I peered down at her shivering form, but my heart was just as cold as my mood. “Move,” I barked down at her. Surprisingly, she moved without a word, but if looks could kill…
“Keenan, I need you to promise me one thing.”