Chapter 18
|
I didn't waste any time. The moment I had Marcus Thorne's name, I walked into my private study, locked the door, and dialed Detective Vance’s direct cell phone number. Vance had been a crucial ally in dismantling the corruption that had threatened Amy and me years ago, and he was one of the few men in law enforcement I trusted with my life.
"Vance," the gruff, familiar voice answered on the second ring.
"Detective, it's Connor," I said, leaning against the edge of my heavy oak desk. "I need a massive favor. I need everything you can pull on a Nashville developer named Marcus Thorne."
The line was dead silent for a long, heavy moment.
"Connor, you are supposed to be running a peaceful sanctuary," Vance finally sighed, his tone deadly serious. "Marcus Thorne is not a man you want anywhere near your property. He's been the target of two federal investigations, both of which mysteriously fell apart when key witnesses vanished. He is incredibly dangerous."
"He is also currently hunting his wife and five-year-old son, who are both sitting in my secure wing," I replied coldly. "We caught a black, plate-less SUV running surveillance on our county road this morning. Thorne knows she headed south."
Vance cursed softly under his breath. "If Thorne knows she went to Franklin, he will find the sanctuary. It's not a secret facility, Connor. You have public records, charity filings, and construction permits."
"I know," I agreed. "That's why I need to know exactly how he operates. Does he use local enforcers? Private security? How far will he go to retrieve her?"
"He doesn't use street thugs," Vance warned. "He uses highly paid, ex-military contractors. Men who know how to bypass alarm systems and make people disappear quietly. I can't send a marked cruiser to sit outside your gates; Thorne has moles in the county dispatch. If I officially log a protective detail for your address, Thorne will know exactly where she is."
"I don't want a marked cruiser," I stated firmly, looking out the window at the peaceful, sunlit yard where Frederick was playing safely. "I have my own security team. But I need you to quietly run financial forensics on his known shell companies. If he's going to attack my home, I need to know how to destroy his empire."
"I'll loop in David," Vance said, referring to his brother, who handled high-level financial law. "We will start digging into Thorne's offshore accounts. But Connor, listen to me very carefully. Do not underestimate this man. Lock down your perimeter. Treat this like an active siege."
May you like
"The perimeter is locked," I promised. "Let me know what you find."
I hung up the phone, the serene peace of the Tennessee summer feeling suddenly fragile. I walked out of the study, entirely prepared to turn my beautiful home into a fortress to protect the women inside it.
