Auctioned Mates Revenge
Chapter 88

Glenda's

POV

I tried to fight, but the man who snatched me was fast and much stronger than me. I don't know how far away he took me, but I couldn't get a sound out around the hand he'd pressed against my mouth. Finally, he set me down. "Glenda, what are you doing here?"

I recognized the voice and looked at him. It was Frank, my mother's brother. He looked no different than he had years ago. My eyes burned with relief and hope. He was alive? Were there other members of my family alive too then? Alyssa growled and seemed wary. Something's wrong.

"Uncle Frank!" I hugged him, crying into his shoulder, "I thought you were dead... How did you get here?"

"That's not important. What are you doing here?"

His words struck me as off. Why wouldn't that be important? Didn't he know what had happened to Fluorite? Alyssa growled, We should go back to Matt.

"-"

"Glenda!" Matt called from nearby. "Glenda, where are you?"

I pulled Frank's arm toward Matt's voice, "Come on. I-"

Something cold pressed against my side, jabbing into a bruise that hadn't healed yet.

"Don't move, Glenda. I have no interest in killing you."

Alyssa growled, We have to do something.

My heart raced, "Uncle Frank?"

I couldn't believe this. What was happening? Maybe it was just a misunderstanding.

"There's no reason to be wary. Matt-"

"Come quietly, Glenda. Jay's already pissed me off enough and I don't have time to play games." He scoffed, "Dealing with one Wallber is bad enough."

One Wallber? Did he mean Ben?

"You... were in on it?"

"Your mother was so f*****g secretive about the recipes. She would have been alive if she'd just cooperated. We could have been rolling in cash and finally left that backwater town." He scoffed, "She never dreamed big enough and your father had her wrapped around his little finger. But you're smarter than her, aren't you? Sidled up with Mordecai and Matt Wallber is better than she ever managed to do."

"How could you talk about her like that? She was your sister."

He laughed, "Blood isn't as thick as money."

He grabbed my shoulder and I thought back on Tzipporah's lessons. I just had to wait for the right opportunity. He'd let his guard down for just a moment and I'd strike. He didn't want to kill me. He wasn't planning to kill me. He needed me for the same reason Jay had needed me: he thought I knew the recipes.

"Glenda!" Matt called.

Frank dragged me along, further away from the warehouses towards a jeep. I kept quiet, feeling the muzzle of the gun against my side. He shoved me towards it and froze as Matt walked around the side of it, eyes flashing and shoulders tense. "Release her," Matt growled, "And maybe I won't kill you."

Frank stiffened and dragged me closer, "Not if I shoot her fir-"

I stomped on his foot and aimed my fist back into his face. His nose cracked with a loud sound as he cried out.

He stumbled back and I turned and kicked him in the chest, knocking him over. He scrambled for the gun and I kicked him in his bad leg. He howled in agony as I continued to stomp on it. He'd always had a bad leg from some old accident. I remembered helping him ice it and bringing him medication for it for years.

The gun went flying away as I kicked him again.

Matt came up behind me and pulled me away. Mordecai came over and dragged Frank to his feet.

He froze as Mordecai grinned at him, "I think you've realized what a mistake you've made. Right? If you'd like to prolong your life, why don't you start with what you know?"

"Glenda, you wouldn't let him kill me, would you?" Frank turned his gaze on me. "You know I wouldn't hurt you. I'm your uncle. Think of-"

"I killed Jay," I said. His eyes widened. "And blood isn't as thick as money."

Mordecai laughed, "Well, you heard her. Care to start talking?"

"I don't-"

Mordecai punched him in the gut. He crumpled to the ground. Mordecai pressed his foot into his leg, "Let me be clear. I'm the nicer option. Matt is liable to kill you without hesitation." "Alright!" He cried, "Please just-my leg."

"Give me a reason to stop."

"It was all Jay's idea and..."

I didn't want to hear any of it. I turned away and Matt led me toward his car while Mordecai interrogated Frank. I sat in the car with him, staring out of the window. "Do you want to talk?"

"I don't want him to die easily."

Matt took my hand and squeezed, "He won't."

Mordecai climbed into the back seat, bright-eyed, "You are one lucky little lady."

Frank had been very forthcoming with directions, plans, and everything else Mordecai had asked for, though he didn't say in what state he'd left him in.

Mordecai directed us to Jay's house past the warehouses.

We're close to Angelia! Alyssa screamed. She's in this city. That way!

Matt turned the wheel in the direction Alyssa was directing me. Maybe Mordecai had gotten the information from Frank. I opened the window trying to get a scent from the wind and hoping that Alyssa could direct me. We're getting closer.

Matt pulled up at a large house.

Here. She's here!

I opened the door and jumped out of the car.

"Glenda!" They called out as ran towards the front door where a Warhammer Guard officer was standing.

"Let me in!" He opened the door without a fuss and I could smell Angelia's scent mingled with several others I recognized. Was it Armina? Zoe? There were so many, but I couldn't think about them any further.

"Angelia?" I called running through the house, opening every door. "Angelia, where are you?"

No one replied. The guards seemed startled by me running through the house.

"Miss, there is no one here, We've checked all of the rooms and the basement."

"What about the attic? A crawlspace?"

The woman shook her head, "We haven't found one."

My heart was hammering. Was this a joke? Had I finally lost my mind?

Then, I heard a soft whimpering sound. It turned, and the woman turned towards a grate nearby. The woman held up her hand and gestured at the grate and then to another guard. He trained a gun on the grate. His partner trained her gun on it and the three of them approached. She tapped the wall around it as I heard Matt and Frank entering the house.

It didn't sound hollow, but there was no mistaking the sound.

"If there is someone there, say something. Make any sort of noise."

The whimpering went quiet. The guard turned back to me and I went past her, kneeling in front of the gate.

"Can you hear me? It's me, Glenda. Is anyone there? Angelia? Armina? Zoe?"

I kept calling names hoping someone would answer me. Someone had to answer me.

Another soft whimper came, "... enda?"

I pulled back, I had to get down there however I was supposed to. If the wall was solid, there had to be another entrance somewhere.

The guard opened the grate, but the area was empty inside. "It's the air conditioner..."

"They have to be in the attic," another guard said looking up. "There wasn't a latch anywhere or a staircase."

Was there a bookshelf or something? Alyssa growled and turned.

The office.

Of course, why didn't I think of that? Jay's house in Fluorite had a secret room in his office. He kept candy and games in there as far as I knew, but it was likely that he also kept the plans for his betrayal there.

I headed down the hallway searching for an office-like room when I reached it. There was a tall bookshelf of perfectly ordered books except for four. One of them said Helen, another said Adam. The other two had pictures of little flowers on them.

I moved the books around until they were back in the right places and the bookshelf slid aside revealing a dark staircase. I rushed down the staircase, ignoring the protests of the guards and Matt behind me. I could smell Angelia. I could almost feel her. After all this time, I couldn't wait another moment.

"Angelia!"