Page 87 of Keeping Penny

“And Colvin?” Penny asked, needing to know the man would no longer be a threat to her or anyone she loved.

“Taken care of.”

“I need more, Tex,” she told him hotly.

“He’s on his way to federal prison. And I’m not supposed to say this, but fuck it, I’m saying it anyway. I know a guy who knows people. Not my friend from Colorado, but another one. A retired Navy SEAL who likes to pretend he’s a simple beach bum living in Hawaii with his wife. But the man has contacts, men and women on the wrong side of the law, and he knows how to make deals. He’s calling in a marker with someone who has people on the inside. Bad men who’ll do just about anything for a few luxuries they wouldn’t otherwise get while behind bars. Colvin won’t live long enough to hurt anyone else. I give you my word on that.”

Penny didn’t like the person she was at that moment. Someone who actually wished for the death of another human being. But she was a flawed human herself. And Colvin Jackson had hurt her and Bowie for too long. He’d sold her daughter like she was a piece of trash. Fuck him. Karma was a bitch, and she’d always take her chunk of flesh, given enough time.

Penny couldn’t be upset that Colvin’s time was up.

“Okay,” she said.

“Okay,” Tex echoed. “I’ll keep you informed. Let you know when the FBI will be making their move. When they find them.”

He’d said when, not if. It would have to be enough. “Thank you.”

“Not doing this for thanks,” Tex drawled.

“Tough. You’re getting them anyway.”

“You’re welcome,” he said quietly. “I’ll be in touch.”

Penny hung up, not sure whether she felt better or not. It was a relief that Colvin wouldn’t be a threat to her or anyone else, but that knowledge didn’t make her daughter magically reappear. Or Pyro.

She couldn’t think about what they were going through. What Pyro might be doing to keep Bowie safe. Because she knew without a doubt that he would die if it meant protecting her daughter.

And as much as the thought of Pyro willing to sacrifice himself for Bowie filled her with unbelievable gratitude, it was also soul-crushing. Pyro was her other half. She’d been through hell and finding him was a miracle. He made her happy, she trusted him with her whole heart. The odds of two foster kids finding each other and clicking as fast and as completely as they had were extremely low.

She’d just found Pyro. She couldn’t lose him already.

Penny had resumed her pacing, and she had no idea how long she’d been wearing a hole in her carpet when her cell rang once more. Looking at the screen, she saw it was almost five-thirty in the morning.

Surprised that another day was dawning, and feeling sick because with every tick of the clock meant time was running out to find Pyro and Bowie alive, Penny swallowed hard.

She didn’t recognize the number on the display, but it was a local area code. She didn’t want to answer it, afraid it was one of the detectives telling her that they’d found a body. But it was also possible it was someone from the FBI calling, telling her where to go to pick up her daughter. Letting her know they’d found her safe and sound.

Clicking on the green button, Penny took a deep breath and answered.

“Hello?”

“Mommy?”

Penny’s knees buckled and she collapsed to the floor. The sound of Bowie’s voice on the other end of the line was almost unbelievable. But she’d recognize her daughter anywhere.

“Bowie?! Oh my God, where are you? Are you okay?!”

“I’m okay. I don’t know, but Kylo-Pyro said to call you as soon as I found someone with a phone. He’s hurt, Mommy! The bad men are coming!”

Penny panicked. Leaping to her feet, she burst through her bedroom door and rushed into the living area of the apartment.

Edge was in the kitchen, holding a cup of coffee and staring off into space. He looked like she felt. Like hell.

At her abrupt entrance, he slammed the cup on the counter and stalked toward her.

“Bowie’s on the phone!” she exclaimed.

She heard the other women sleeping in the room stirring, but she only had eyes for Edge.