Levels Of Exposure (Distortion Series Book 2) Page 20

  Lexie was in for a rough road and Jackson needed to do everything in his power to find Stephanie now. He knew that’s what Lexie would want him to do and he would not let her down.

  “Call me when you get anything off those surveillance tapes,” Jackson said, grabbing his keys.

  “Sure thing,” Teddy said, dropping down in the desk chair to continue filtering through the tapes they managed to get their hands on from the hospital. Since they were taken unofficially, Teddy had a lot of footage to sift through until he could find what they were looking for. Jackson wanted to know who was in the hospital.

  Jackson followed Dane and Nate and closed the door behind them.

  The address of the lake house was a solid forty minute drive from the hotel but Jackson’s mind was so full the time didn’t seem long enough. It was completely dark outside by the time they approached their destination, providing the perfect backdrop for what they intended to do.

  “What are you going to do about Black?” Nate asked, leaning up from the backseat. “We only have a week to get Evan out of there and then there’s the other issue?”

  “I’ll deal with it, Nate,” Jackson dismissed it. “Right now we have other concerns.”

  “What’s the other issue?” Dane turned to Jackson.

  “The issue should be focusing on finding Stephanie,” Jackson tried to dismiss the conversation.

  “Jacks,” Dane said impatiently.

  Jackson looked over at Dane, who already had a suspicious look on his face.

  “Black wants Jackson to work for him in exchange for not already killing Evan,” Nate answered before Jackson could say a word.

  “Jesus Christ, Nate, let me talk,” Jackson criticized, shaking his head.

  “And if you don’t?” Dane asked Jackson.

  “Then he’ll kill me.”

  “And not to mention the rest of us,” Nate added. “Slash will probably skin us alive.”

  “Fuck, Nate, enough already.” Jackson threw Nate a dirty look over his shoulder.

  Nate raised his hands in surrender. “It’s the truth. You know Black is gonna make it fucking hurt for all of us.”

  Jackson rubbed his hand over his unshaven face and sighed. “Black isn’t gonna do anything to anyone.” He picked up his phone to see the house was only a few minutes out as they pulled onto a dirt road.

  “I know you aren’t planning on working for Black, Jackson. So what’s your plan?” Dane asked after a minute of silence.

  “I’m gonna kill him,” Jackson answered truthfully.

  “At least you’re consistent.” Dane tilted his head.

  They all grew quiet as the road narrowed into a single lane. Jackson continued up the narrow path that drew in tightly around the car. Branches scratched and clawed at the windows as they passed. Fresh tire tracks on the road indicated that someone was either here or had been only just recently. When the drive widened, it opened onto the property in question. A large lake house sat serenely on the calm, evening water. The landscape was in need of care as the grass was overgrown and filled with weeds. The house was framed with a large porch that wrapped around the entire exterior and large windows covered the waterside of the structure. It looked more like a ghost than the beautiful property it should have been.

  There were no vehicles on the property and the interior was completely dark when Jackson pulled up to the house and killed the engine. “This place is creepy,” Dane said as he looked up at the old grey house.

  “You could say that,” Jackson agreed. “Let’s go.” Jackson opened his door and retrieved his gun. Dane and Nate did a quick assessment of the exterior of the property. Everything looked to be in order on the outside and looked over-run by nature. Nothing looked recently disturbed. Jackson ascended the front steps and walked across decking that protested every step. Dane and Nate were at his back, keeping a look out for anything suspicious. Jackson turned the knob on the front door to confirm it was locked before he pulled his gun from his pocket. He hit the glass of the door panel with the butt and reached in to unlatch the door.

  Once inside, Jackson pulled a flashlight from his pocket and shone it around the interior. The house was furnished and looked recently used, though the décor was very dated and looked to be original with the house.

  “I’ll look around upstairs,” Dane whispered as he headed toward the staircase off the living room. Jackson nodded and continued down the hallway off the kitchen. Everything seemed to be in order as he checked the rooms until he came to a door at the end of the hall that had a padlock on it. Jackson pulled on it to make sure it was secured before he looked at Nate.

  “I’ll go find something to open that,” Nate said before he headed back outside.

  “Check the trunk,” Jackson called after him.

  A few minutes later Dane walked down the hallway shaking his head. “There was nothing upstairs.”

  “We might have something,” Jackson rattled the lock. “Nate went to get something to open this up.”

  Nate returned with an axe slung over his shoulder. “I found this next to the wood shed. It’ll do the trick, I think.”

  Jackson and Dane backed away to give him the necessary room as he swung the axe and hit the mark. “You enjoyed that way too much,” Jackson commented as he pulled the destroyed lock from what was left of the mangled latch.

  Once the door was opened, Jackson raised his gun and started down the narrow steps. It was quiet and the air grew damp as they descended. A door at the bottom of the steps was latched but left unlocked as he turned the handle and pushed it open.

  A dim light was set aglow in the far corner of the room but it was enough to reveal what they were walking into. A bed sat against the wall what appeared to be restraints hanging off the headboard, the smell of death was everywhere. Jackson’s eyes were drawn to the cell constructed of iron bars in the far end of the room.

  A small figure lay on the cot pushed up against the wall. Jackson lowered his gun and entered the room with Dane and Nate close behind him.

  “Jesus,” Dane whispered under his breath.

  Jackson walked toward the cell as he tucked his gun in his pants. “Stephanie?” he called quietly. He watched her lift her head slightly. After a moment she sat up, holding the blanket against her shivering body.

  “Jackson? Is that you?” Her voice was rough and raw. It barely soundly like the same girl he remembered.

  “Yes,” Jackson grabbed the bars that made up the door and gave them a shake as he looked at the lock. “We need to get this open. Do you know where the key is?”

  Stephanie shook her head. “Where is he? He was coming back…”

  “Who? Masten?” Jackson asked.

  “I don’t know his name. He said he would be right back,” she whimpered.

  “We’re here now, Stephanie. He won’t hurt you anymore,” Jackson assured her.

  Jackson stopped moving when he heard a noise upstairs. He turned around and looked at Dane and Nate, who also heard the noise.

  “Stay here, Nate,” Jackson said as he pulled out his gun and headed toward the stairs. Dane was one step behind him as he made his way up the stairs as quietly as he could manage.

  “Who’s there?” a man yelled.

  When Jackson got to the top of the steps, he nudged the door open that had swung closed behind them. He barely had a chance to glance out into the hallway when a shot rang off, hitting the door from the direction of the kitchen.

  “Fuck,” Jackson said, ducking behind the door frame.

  “Come out!” the man yelled from down the hall. “Come the fuck out of there now, you little shit!”

  “I’m unarmed,” Jackson called out. “Please don’t shoot me.”

  Jackson listened to his footsteps as he approached. Dane pressed against the wall behind him as his steps drew near the door. Jackson watched the barrel of his gun come into view as the man tried to nudge the door open with his foot.

  Jackson grabbed for the gun and managed to g
et his hand around the barrel and wrench it from his hold as he shoved the door open. Jackson quickly gained the upper hand, swinging his weight around he positioned himself behind Masten and pulled the shotgun up against his neck. Masten struggled to breathe as Jackson held him immobile. Jackson’s height gave him the advantage and Masten couldn’t gain his footing as Jackson shoved him down the hall and then pushed him down on the floor.

  “Please don’t hurt me. I’m an important man. What do you want? I’ll give you anything.”

  Jackson brought the butt end of the gun down on his temple and Masten was knocked unconscious from the force.

  Dane came around behind him and aimed his gun at Masten’s head. “So this sick fuck is the Mayor of Belhaven, huh?”

  “Sure is,” Jackson spat, searching Masten’s body until he recovered a key that might work on the cell he was keeping Stephanie in. “If he moves, shoot him in the legs.”

  “Be happy to.” Dane smirked.

  Jackson’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out to see Teddy’s name light up the screen.

  “Yeah,” Jackson said, placing the phone against his shoulder.

  “Find the place?” Teddy asked curiously.

  “Yeah, here now, and we’re just making the Mayor more comfortable.”

  “Please tell me Stephanie’s there?” Teddy asked.

  “Yeah,” Jackson confirmed.

  “Good, I think Lexie needs the good news.”

  “Tell her we’re bringing her home. What about the tapes?”

  “He knew where the cameras were, Jacks. I don’t have a clear shot, but if I had to bet money on it, I’d say it’s Rosh.”

  “Fuck. I’ll call back soon once we get things settled here,” Jackson said, ending the conversation.

  Jackson met Nate on the stairs as he headed back down. Nate had his gun in hand and seemed overly jumpy. “Watch where you’re aiming that thing,” Jackson complained as he brushed past him. “You were supposed to stay with her.”

  “I know, but I thought you might need my help,” Nate added. He seemed very unsettled as he followed Jackson back downstairs hesitantly.

  Jackson was relieved when the key slid into the lock. Stephanie stood on the other side of the door, anxious to be free of the bars. Even in the dim light he could tell that she had lost substantial weight. When the door swung open with a loud creak, Stephanie threw herself into his arms. “Get me out of here,” she pleaded. “I need to get out.” She started to become frantic. Jackson wrapped his arm around her and held her close to his side. Her body shook violently as she clung to him.

  “This has been here for a long time. Some real bad shit has happened in this place, I can feel it.” Nate visibly got the chills as he looked around.

  Jackson picked up Stephanie and cradled her to his chest. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Let’s go,” Jackson replied tightly. They both wanted to get Stephanie out of here as quickly as possible. Jackson had been in a lot of bad situations and places in his life but this one topped them all. This place was tainted by an evil that snaked its way into your bones and gave you chills. Jackson could hear the whispers of malicious acts that had been committed behind these walls. It was something he would never be able to shake.

  Jackson carried Stephanie through the main room where Dane was still holding Masten at gun point. “He’s coming to,” Dane warned him.

  “Rose…” Masten mumbled. “Where are you taking her?” Masten tried to sit up but Dane kicked him back to the ground. “Don’t take my Rose.”

  Nate stalked over to Masten and aimed his gun at his head. He looked possessed by hatred that Jackson didn’t know Nate was capable of.

  “What are you doing, Nate?” Jackson asked with warning.

  “I’m gonna kill this sick motherfucker,” Nate seethed, his gun shaking in his hand. He stared down at Masten cowering on the floor. His appearance was far from the man who had such a high regard in the city of Belhaven as he squirmed on the floor and reeked of alcohol. This was the other side of him that hid in the shadows that they only just shone a light on. Unfortunately, Jackson had a feeling that while they managed to save Stephanie, it was not soon enough for others.

  “Back off, Nate. We’re not killing him,” Jackson demanded.

  Dane stepped closer to Nate. “This fucker is going to pay for what he did, slowly and painfully, I promise.” Dane placed his hand on Nate’s arm. “Put the gun down.”

  Stephanie buried her face in Jackson’s chest, terrified to see the man who had abducted her, and began to sob. Nate looked back at her and then finally submitted. He lowered his gun and stepped back. “You promise he’ll suffer?” Nate clenched his jaw as his wild eyes looked at Jackson.

  “I promise.”

  “What do we do now, Jacks?” Dane asked as he looked down his gun at Masten. The man began blubbering for his life, begging them to spare him as he offered money and promises. They all ignored his pleas. Dane kicked him back down when he tried to grab for Dane’s leg.

  “Tie him up. We’re gonna call this one in,” Jackson said as he stared down at Masten. “This fucker deserves to be exposed and we are not gonna let him off easy like his brother.”

  “You?…it was you who killed Seth?” Masten narrowed his eyes. He tried to push of the ground but Dane knocked him back down.

  “You won’t be so lucky, Masten,” Jackson responded as he turned to leave, knowing Stephanie needed to get out of this house and away from the man who terrorized her.

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-NINE

  Nate

  Masten cursed as Nate pulled the ropes tight. A satisfied smile curled the edges of Nate’s lips as he reveled in the enjoyment of causing Masten pain as he secured him without mercy to a chair he grabbed from the dining table. The man was practically frothing at the mouth as he continued to plead for them to let him go. “I will do anything,” Masten begged over and over again with promises of money and power.

  “Shut the fuck up,” Nate said as the pulled the last of the ties tight. Dane stood with his gun aimed at Masten’s head, not taking any chances until he was completely secure. Nate rounded the chair to get a look at his handy work. It would be impossible for Masten to get out of these ties.

  “Those are some serious boy scout knots,” Dane said with an appreciative frown.

  “Like I went to boy scouts.” Nate shook his head with a snort. Masten’s eyes widened as Nate wound up and swung his fist, connecting with the mayor’s nose. Nate could feel the snap of cartilage as pain rang up the length of his bones in satisfaction. “And done,” he said, shaking his fist.

  “What was that for?” Dane asked with a raised brow.

  “Just testing to see if everything was secure.” Nate wiped his hand on his pants. “I’m gonna go check on Jackson and the girl,” he said as he headed toward the door, anxious to get out of the house. Something about being in this house made him extremely unsettled. If sadness could take form it would be the shadow that swallowed this house.

  As soon as Nate pushed through the front door he could feel the weight lift from his shoulders and the temperature change was astonishing. He hadn’t realized he was so cold until he walked out into the humid air and his body welcomed the heat. His bones practically hurt from the chill.

  Stephanie was curled up in a blanket sitting in the backseat of the car as she stared at a bottle of water that her hands were wrapped around. She looked so small and broken and it pained him to see her in that condition. None of them knew what Masten had done to her but his imagination did not do him any favors. He had to keep his mind from wandering because he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from marching back in that house and emptying his gun into that man. When he had called Stephanie “Rose,” it set him off. Hearing that name was like a knife to the heart. His nerves had been frayed before but he had been so close to pulling the trigger.

  Another car was parked partially onto the lawn with its driver’s side door open. The headlights cast strange
shadows over the overgrown lawn. Nate looked down at his feet when he kicked something. He looked down to see a grocery bag with food items scattered across the porch.

  Jackson was on the phone with a man named Giles when he approached. When he saw Nate he nodded and walked away from the car so Stephanie could be spared further details that he needed to pass along. Nate walked up to her and leaned down next to her. “You don’t know me, but my name is Nate. I’m a friend of Jackson’s,” he offered quietly. “Let me know if I can do anything to make you more comfortable until paramedics get here.”

  She looked up at him and her sad eyes completely floored him. He wasn’t sure if she could speak even if she wanted to. She looked too haunted and exhausted from the trauma she endured. Nate noticed something on her neck.

  “Are you hurt?” He pointed toward a mark on her neck as it peeked out from under the blanket.

  She shook her head slightly and grabbed the blanket with a shaky hand to reveal a tattoo on her neck. “He…did it,” she whispered through a raw throat. “I don’t know.” A tear fell down her face.

  Nate stared at the tattoo and couldn’t breathe when it felt like he was hit in the chest. He knew what it was. He knew exactly what that was because he had looked at it every day for as long as he could remember. Nate dropped back on his hands and then scrambled to his feet as he ran toward the treeline. He barely made it before he emptied the contents of his stomach violently. His body kept insisting on heaving long after there was nothing left. He placed his shaky hands on his knees for support as he listened to the sound of sirens approach, growing louder and louder as he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to stop the flood of thoughts that assaulted him and made him want to throw up again despite the fact he had nothing left.

  “Nate,” Jackson called to him. “You okay, man?”

  Nate managed to nod his head and wipe his mouth with the back of his hand. The world felt off balance as he made his way back to the car. He felt almost drunk as he watched two police cars pull into the driveway, followed only a minute later by an ambulance. He stood watching as Jackson addressed and then directed the paramedics toward Stephanie.