30

 

Tom

 

Tom skidded to a stop in front of the shelter, his gut lurching when he spotted the squad cars and ambulances. He scrambled out and ran towards the shelter’s front door. Lopez spotted him and moved to block his path. Tom tried to push back, but they were ready for him. Lopez and Dorris grabbed his arms and propelled him backwards.

“What happened?” Tom demanded, struggling against his boss and friend. “What did they do to her?”

“We don’t know yet, Tom!” Lopez shouted.

Dorris lost her grip and Tom yanked away from Lopez, racing towards the house.

“Tom, wait!” Dorris yelled. “Tom, she’s not there!”

Tom stopped in his tracks. He eyed the ambulance. Had more than one gone out? Bile rising in his throat, he turned. “Is she hurt?”

“We don’t know, Tom. She’s missing.”

Tom shook his head, and a million horrible scenarios sped through his thoughts. Whirling on his boss, he shouted, angry and desperate. “Who took her? Was it Antonio? I told you he was involved, Lopez. I told you it wasn’t her dealing!”

“I see that, Tom.” Lopez said. “I don’t know what is going on here. The guys who took her, the shelter’s manager said they were South Side Boys.”

Tom remembered the informant’s description of the red dog tattoo. The South Side Boys and the Culebra gang hated each other. What was going on here?

“SSB are a black gang. They don’t do business with Culebra, and we never found any connection between Jason’s club and gangs.” Dorris said quietly. “W-we don’t know how they’re involved.”

Tom tried to hold in the panic. “What…what are we doing to find her?”

Lopez nodded towards the shelter. “We’re closing off the area, and we put the description and car information we got from the shelter’s manager out there. We’re going to find her, Tom. We’ll get her back.”

Dread crawled in his gut. If Antonio had her, she was already dead. Walking away, he went and sat in the front seat of his car. His soul ached.

Please, Lord. Please don’t take her from me.