going to take this with me and get photos of each page over to my tech guru to see what he can put together with the information inside. In the meantime, I don't think either of you is going to like what I'm about to ask you to do. If I thought there was any other way to proceed, I'd take it, but we're running out of options."
Hannah may not have known the man at all, but she could see regret in his eyes as he continued. "We need to get inside that warehouse, Hannah. We've talked to several employees and haven't been able to find anyone who knows anything about what is going on. You're our best chance."
Dylan was back on his feet, this time up in Lukus's face. "Are you nuts? You want to send Hannah inside that house of pain? Alone?"
She was shaking at the thought of even seeing Jake again, let alone going inside his lair, where she would once again be at his mercy. "You can have the journal. Use it, but that's all I can do. You can't ask me to see him again," she pleaded.
Before Lukus could reply, her cell phone was ringing inside her purse on the kitchen counter. It was Mia's ringtone. She was about to let it roll to voicemail until the memory of Jake leaving the shop with Lucy flooded back to her. "Damn. I need to get that."
She crossed to her purse and answered the call. "Hey Mia." A pang of regret hit her as she realized she was going to be leaving her life behind, including her friendship with Mia. Then her regret took a back seat as Mia cried through the phone.
"Lucy is in so much trouble, Hannah!"
With dread, she asked the question she already suspected the answer to. "What has he done?"
"I'm forwarding the video to you now. God, I hate to even ask you this, but he says he's going to hurt her if you don't give him back something you have of his. Please tell me you know what he's talking about and can give it to him?" Mia begged.
Hannah closed her eyes as she felt the blood pounding through her veins. Her ears were ringing and she looked down at her smartphone as it dinged the arrival of the video. Sensing something was happening, Lukus and Dylan crowded around behind her to look down at her phone.
The screen was filled with the sight of a crying Lucy, looking terrified. Davenport was smart. He couldn't be seen or heard, but his message still came through loud and clear through a hysterically sobbing Lucy. Her mascara had run, her hair was messed up. Only the straps of her bra were visible, indicating she had been partially stripped. Through her tears, they caught her message.
"Mia... you have to talk to Hannah. I'm not sure where I am, but I know this. If Hannah doesn't give back what she stole, I'm going to pay the price." Lucy glanced to one side, hesitating as if she were looking at Jake for instructions before continuing. "She only has a few hours. If she doesn't call her boss tonight, we are all going to be in a lot of trouble. Please, Mia. Talk to her. Convince her to do the right thing."
The video ended abruptly.
"Damn him. Once again, he was careful. She doesn't mention his name. She doesn't give specifics of location," Lukus said.
Mia was crying. "I know she's a pain, but she's my sister. I'd never ask you—"
Hannah cut her off. "It's okay, Mia. I understand. I've gotta go." She pressed 'end' on the call before her friend could hear her crying. It hurt that Mia was choosing her sister's safety over her own.
Just once, it would have been nice to be first on someone's priority list.
That was when she looked up to see Dylan was back on his feet, starting to pile items he thought she might want to take near her purse on the counter. Lukus, on the other hand, sat in the seat next to her and just stared at her, letting her mull over the video they'd just seen.
She pressed him for answers. "What is he doing to women in the warehouse?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Not really, but I think if you want me to go inside, I have the right to know."
Dylan stopped to stare at them. "You are not going inside there, Hannah. I'm not going to let you. There has