The Cocky Thief

Chapter 33

"Please tell me you found them," said Jennifer over the comm.

Toni didn't move a muscle as she waited for Weston to respond. The old saying said no news was good news, but not now. Not in the middle of a job. If Weston wasn't going to tell them anything until they were all clear of the building, that meant he didn't want anyone's emotions to get them in trouble.

What had he seen in that basement? What didn't he want to tell them?

That was it. She wasn't going to sit in this van for one second longer and just hope someone gave her answers. Toni jumped away from the desk and shoved open the doors to the van, but by the time she had jumped out, the Boy Scout was there and pushed her back.

"Hold on," he said sternly.

"Let me go!" Toni tried to twist away, but Hart just held her tighter.

And then Weston appeared. The man always looked somber, but the look on his face was utterly devastating. "Your mom—" was all she heard before the voices in her head seemed to scream.

"No," she said as she once again tried to pull away from Hart, but he remained still. Not holding her any tighter or giving her any opportunity to leave. "Boy Scout, you need to let me go. I need to—"

He dispassionately stared down at her. No pity. No emotion at all. "You need to what? What are you running off to do?"

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. What was she going to do? She hadn't talked her way into anything for years. She couldn't fight worth a damn. The only thing she was good at was sitting in a deserted basement and causing trouble. This was her family at stake and there was nothing she could do.

"Toni?" said a soft voice in the distance.

Her head jerked around to see Melody limping toward them. Hart's grip on her suddenly loosened and Toni didn't waste a second before she ran to her sister. The hug was a mix of a body slam and an embrace. She wasn't sure who started crying, but they were both shuddering in each other's arms.

"I'm so happy you're okay," said Toni between breaths.

"I saw—" Melody took in a shaking breath. "I saw what they did to Mom."

"It's going to be okay," said Toni emptily. She had no idea whether it was true, but it was the only thing she could say at the moment. The only comfort she could offer.