Sliding into Home - The Bradford Series Book Two

Chapter 28

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Chapter 28

Aiden

"When did you see her last?" Matt questioned me.

I thought she was right behind me. I saw Hunter and that guy arguing. The only thing I could see was him hurting her. We rushed through the crowd, Riley was right behind me.

"Aiden! You're wasting time! Answer him!" Hunter shook me hard by the shoulders.

"She was right behind me." I muttered, my stomach twisted in pain. "I can't lose her."

"You haven't lost her yet Aiden. She's not alone anymore. She's a Bradford, or will be soon enough. No one is going to hurt her again." Grandma squeezed my hand nodding to Matt to get things moving. "Chelsea, deal with press, sugar. Tell them everything. I want Adam's face on every news outlet, every business news update, every entertainment channel, every sports network. I want to make sure he can never show his face again. Lance, get on that phone with the judge. We have a plea to make. I've got a plethora of information to share."

Everyone joined in the search for Riley. Grandma immediately started delegating the family to areas to search. Matt is on the phone with the police, Chelsea is talking to our anxious press who are itching for a story. They've got one as Chelsea gives them the story of the year per Grandma's orders.

She's giving Dad up. All of it. Grandma told Chelsea to tell them everything he's done with not one worry about the fallout. Adam Bradford is being served up on a platter. Stuffed, cooked and ready for the press to devour.

Grandma was clear with her instructions. "Tell them all of it. The affairs, the lies, stealing from the company and the family. I want everyone to know that he killed Riley's father, that he hurt his own family with no regard. I want Adam disgraced! He won't be able to get away this time. I'm going to hang that boy up by his balls for the vultures to tear him apart!"

I've never seen Grandma this upset. I've seen her mad. I've seen her cold blooded with business dealings. I've watched her dismiss rude comments, and I've seen her calmly tell some of the worst people to go to hell but this isn't like anything I've ever seen before. She's vicious, venomous even.

Dad will never recover from this.

Without argument the family followed her orders and scattered to begin the search. No one bothered to remind her that today we were grieving for Mads. No one stopped to ask if the rest of the plans were still on the schedule. One of our own is in trouble. Riley is one of us, mine, so we will work together to find her.

Grandma and Lance are on the phone with the judge. They will make sure Dad won't get away with anything again. I can't seem to figure out how I feel about this mess. I'm grieving over Mads. I'm angry at my Dad. And I'm scared that something has happened to Riley. I can't seem to get my head straight. I can't lose her.

What did Riley do that was so wrong that my father would have such a vendetta against her?

Sawyer and I were tasked with searching the beach just a short walk from the field. Normally this place is home to us. How many times did we BBQ right here on Fourth of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day? Every summer this was our hang out from sun up to well after sundown. From surfing in water to late night bonfires, we lived and breathed our youth here. We know this beach like the back of our hand.

"There's a couple caves over there. We should check them out." Sawyer points to the cliffs in the distance. "Remember that summer you were trying to hook up with that Italian chick? Sally? Sarah?"

"Sophie. And yeah, I remember her." She was my first. You don't forget your first. Fourteen years old, full of hormones and anxious to get my hands on an older woman. Sophie seemed so sophisticated and worldly at the tender age of sixteen. I haven't thought of her in years.