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Chapter 17
Beckett
I can't believe the way my life has changed in two years. A wife, a baby and I'm officially a Bradford and dealing with the Bradford drama just like the rest of the family. Who'd have thought!
Matt was the one who convinced me to get my pilot license. He made a good point. The family is spreading out and there are times, too many if you ask me, that we have to go here or there because of the family.
Actually what he said was, "Beck, you want to be there for Georgia if she needs you. She isn't getting any younger and the time is going to come when that call for the family will happen."
I didn't want to think about that. I didn't even want to consider a time where Georgia wouldn't be around. But damn it, Matt made his point loud and clear. I don't want to be the one who isn't there for her.
So here we are, flying over Arizona trying to get to California in time to save Blake's ass. There was a time when I would have let him swing in the breeze by his balls. Not anymore. I guess I owe that to Georgia too.
She gave me the family I never had and always wanted. And because of her I have Aubrey and Chance. I owe Georgia everything. I won't let her down now.
"You're quiet!" Matt yells over the noise. "Want to take the stick?"
"Nah, just thinking," I found that flying gives me the peace to actually do that up here.
"He'll be fine. Blake can talk a nun out of the convent and have her ready to bang him in an hour. Lindsey won't take that long. He can handle her just like he handles his crazy fans. He'll be fine," Matt repeated himself and I realized he wasn't saying that for my benefit but for his own.
"You know he has a better chance than anyone else with Lindsey. He dealt with Courtney, remember? And that other chick ... What was her name?" I got Matt's mind on what Blake has beaten and won.
"Taylor ... Taylor Gifford. And yeah, he managed himself," Matt sounds worried still.
"All we can do is get there in time, Matt. Blake knows how to stall," I remind him. Blake is good at talking himself out of problems. This is just one more.
Before Matt could say anything else, my phone rang with Aubrey calling us with an update. At least this time we got some good news for a change.
"Georgia has Charlie in custody. She's turning him over to the state police. Beck, we think Markham has a judge on his side," Aubrey broke the news. Okay, maybe not all good news.
But it's not that surprising either. We knew Markham had to have more than just Charlie in his pocket to get away with everything he's done and kept Lindsey out of trouble. We just didn't know who.
"Ma will fix that. So will Wells, don't worry, baby. I bet you a hot night in the jacuzzi that Ma is working on it right now. They are finished this time. How are you and the baby doing?" I can't help but worry about them.
"We're good. I'll take you up on that jacuzzi night as soon as you get home. Quinn and Jim have the kids with them and Georgia at the Inn. They've got a disaster relief team started and people are coming in to help out. A lot of people have roof damage and flooding, it's a mess." Aubrey sounds as exhausted as I feel.
"We'll get everyone fixed up. The boys and I will get out there and get everyone taken care of. Any sign of Mia yet?" I hate to ask but I know it's what she's working on.
"It's a mess out here, Beck. I've never seen this much damage before. I don't even know where to start looking for her," Aubrey's voice got quiet as she didn't want anyone else to hear her. Cole, he's with them. She doesn't want him to hear her. "If she got swept away by the water ... "
Knowing exactly what she was thinking, I wish I wasn't thinking the same thing. But unfortunately it's the reality of people getting caught out in monster storms like this. It's not Mia's fault, or ours. The storm came in harder than predicted. It happens. And it sucks.
"I know. Be careful out there, Aubrey. Don't leave the guys. You stick close to them and keep the dogs with you," I wish I was there with her. I should be there but I've got to save my brother.
"I will. We'll find her, Beck," there was a long pause before Aubrey spoke again. "Beckett, you need to be careful too. Lindsey won't hesitate to kill both of you. She's crazy. Come back to me, Beck. I love you."
"I love you more," knowing she's exactly right about Lindsey, I plan on making sure I've got the cops with me. "I'll be home soon, baby. I promise."
Finishing the call, I look over at Matt and see the smirk on his face as he starts chuckling at me. "What?"
"I never thought I would see the day that you, not only became a true Bradford, but settled down with a woman like Aubrey," Matt said as he flew us into the clouds. "Family life looks good on you, brother. It's about damn time."
"Yeah, it is," I mutter, planning to keep my family happy and safe from the psychopath who has decided to wreak havoc in my life.
This fucking ends today.
Matt flew as fast as he could to get to L. A. We knew we were racing against the clock. Lindsey had a head start on us by a good twenty minutes. It was enough time for them to get away from us. We didn't have time to waste.
"We aren't going to make it," Matt muttered as he looked at his navigation. "They got a lead on us. Do we know where she would go?"
I don't think she's ever been out of Moss Bluff. Probably for a good reason. She won't know her way around much less the difference between Point Conception and Blake's house in the San Francisco hills. That could work to our advantage.
"She is in unfamiliar territory. She's going to rely on Blake to take her to safety," if Blake is using his head he's already thought about this.
Matt looked at me and shook his head. "He wouldn't take her to the compound. Emma and the kids are there. He wouldn't risk them."
He's right about that. But it's not the only property that the Bradford's own on the California coast. And since Lindsey has never been here, it's possible that he could change routes and take her to a different place.
"The vineyard? Or Blake's house in San Francisco? She wouldn't know the difference. She's never been here," I reminded him, knowing that Blake would keep Lindsey as far from the family as possible.
Matt thought for a moment, "Vivian and Alan are at the vineyard. He wouldn't go there. His place would be empty right now. That would be the ideal choice."
Quickly shifting gears, Matt made a call to the L.A. airport. "This is an emergency situation, I need to know if the Bradford Drake private plane has checked in with you."
We waited while the operator checked for us. We could get a lot done from the air if we knew that they had landed and were driving north. That was a four hour drive, we could cut that time by flying up the coast. If we could get ahead of them maybe we could beat them to the house and have the cops waiting for them.
"McConnell, the plane landed ten minutes ago. A limo was waiting to drive them to Point Conception," we were informed. Blake hadn't made any change in his plans.
"Damn it! Can you reach the driver?" Matt asked, hoping for a break.
"I can."
We breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, we might just get the break we need. "Perfect! Here's what I need you to do .... "
Mia
Darkness began to lighten as I blinked. The sun shined in my eyes and closed them tight against the harsh sun. Turning my head away from the light I tried to get my bearings. My head hurts. That's the worst of it.
Touching my head, I feel a matted muddy, bloody mess on my forehead. I hit my head. Not surprising given the circumstances. I wish I had an aspirin or something to stop the pain. That would be nice.
As I try to move I feel pokes and pins in my body. Everything hurts. I feel like I was beaten up by a blender and tossed in the trash. Arms, legs, even my torso feels like I'm covered with thorns. Deeply embedded thorns.
What happened to me?
I remember running. I ran, I think, for my life. Someone was chasing me. I was scared. I remember being so scared.
I remembered hearing someone laughing. A woman. She kept yelling at me. I don't remember what she said but she enjoyed it. The chase. She was having the time of her life chasing me. She was crazy.
I fell. I remember that and I lost everything I had on me. A phone, a map. I don't remember what else. I lost it all and I didn't care, I just knew I had to keep running. If I didn't run, I would die.
There was a huge storm. I didn't have a flashlight and couldn't see anything but I found a hiding place. I only got more wet when the water started running down the trail. I had never been so cold in my life. Cold, wet, and tired. So tired. I felt like a wet dog out here, hiding under this big bush trying to get out of the rain.
I got swept away by the water. I considered myself a decent swimmer before this incident. But after last night, I think I was more like a two year old trying to keep my head above water. I thought I was going to drown. I honestly didn't think I would make it through the night.
It was bad enough that the water had filled up the lower levels of the trail as fast as it did. The strong pull of the current was more than sufficient to drown me. But when night fell and everything was dark, I couldn't see anything. I didn't know where I was, where I was going and then to get flipped around in the water, pulled down, and thrashed this way and that, I'm lucky to be alive.
Somewhere in the middle of the thrashing, I found a large log that was floating along. I grabbed it and held on for my life. My arms and legs were wrapped tightly around that log, no matter how much it hurt, or how many scratches and bumps and bruises I got, I refused to let go. I think it saved my life.
When I saw the sun beginning to rise over the horizon, I thought maybe, just maybe, I would make it. If only I had a way to find help and tell them where I was. I don't even know where that is. Nothing looks familiar, but then I don't think anything would look familiar after that storm.
I'm so lost.
Crawling out of the bed of tree branches and logs I had made for myself, I stood up on wobbly legs and stretched. Everything hurts. My clothes are ripped, shredded in areas and covered with blood and mud. My legs are covered in blood, and burn with scratches all the way down my legs from the mud that has gotten into them. I hope they don't get infected.
I'm barely covered in some areas. I'm freezing cold. I don't know how this happened. I don't know what I was doing out here, I just want it to be over with. All I want is a hot bath, a warm bed, and sleep.
Someone can tell me who I am later.
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