Pitched by Ella Goode
Chapter Twenty-One
Colt
“Your brother’s at the fence.”Mick nudges my arm.
I glance up from the printouts of my last inning’s strike zone and spot Tucker leaning against the metal wiring, a worried expression on his face. My stomach does a dive when I realize he’s alone. Something must’ve happened to GG. Did someone say something rude to her in the stands? Or did she overhear something? Some of the parents can be real assholes. Booker’s dad who hires strippers every time we win a big tournament is also a loudmouth who likes to give running commentary on every player and every play. He’s known to be outspoken and borderline rude. We all have learned to shut it out—well, all but maybe Booker, but that’s because he has to go home and hear it.
I hand Mick the printouts. “Be right back.” When I reach Tuck, I ask. “Where’s GG? I haven’t seen her in the stands for a couple of innings.”
Tuck huffs out a deep breath. “I don’t know, man. She went to the bathroom and didn’t come out. I think she might be sick or something. Should I call someone?”
I whistle for our trainer, who trots over immediately. “What’s up, Colt?”
“Ellie, GG’s not feeling well. She’s in the women’s bathroom. Can you help her out?”
She hesitates since technically she’s not supposed to leave the team. “Please.” I press my hands together in a pleading gesture, and Ellie relents.
“I guess it’s no different than if I had to use the bathroom. Don’t get injured while I’m gone.”
“I won’t even leave the dugout,” I promise.
Ellie sprints off, and I turn to Tuck. “Did you call her?”
“Duh, of course.”
My phone’s in the locker room since we have a no phone rule during the games. “My phone’s in my locker. She shares her location with me.”
“Locker code the same as always?”
It’s his and Mom’s birthdays. “Yeah.”
Ethan flies out into center, and I have to take the mound again. I can barely see the home plate and the hitters are a blur to me. Mick could be making signals with his toes for all I know. Somehow I make it through the inning, telling myself the faster I get through these batters, the sooner this damn game will be over. I throw eight pitches, resulting in a strike-out and two pop flies. I’ve had dumps take longer than the inning, but I’m nearly blind with worry as I stumble back to the dugout. I barely feel the backslaps or hear the cheers. The only thing I can focus on is that my brother is racing down the hill from the locker room. I grip the fence and will him to move faster.
“Her phone’s at her grandma’s address. I called, but they said she wasn’t there. They thought she was with me. Bro, they’re worried.”
“Where’s Ellie?”
“She went inside because GG wasn’t in the bathroom. Ellie thought maybe she went to use the restrooms in the school.”
“This place is too damned big.” I grip the fencing harder, not caring the metal is biting into my fingers. “Call the police.”
“What?”
“Call the police and tell them that a teenager has been abducted. Send out—” My mind goes blank.
“An Amber alert,” Mick supplies quietly. I turn to see the catcher at my shoulder. Behind him, the other players are standing looking concerned.
“Guys, I—”
Booker slaps his fist into his palm. “Let’s fucking go.”
The fog in my head dissipates. Yeah. I can’t stay here. I’ve got to find GG. The cult has taken her. They want her money. I know it. My throat’s dry, my heart’s racing, but my mind is clear. I have one thought: Get GG.
“Stay here and play the game. Logan can relieve me.”
“Hell, no. We’re a team. You go, we go,” declares Booker. “Dean will drive. Tommy, you’ve got the police scanner on your phone, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then you’re our intel.” Booker grabs my shoulder. “You ride shotgun and try not to lose your cool until we find her.”
A calm has settled over me. “Yeah, no problem.” When I find her, I’m going to take this baseball bat and cave someone’s head in, but I’m going to do it with a cool head.
We take off, leaving our coaches yelling, “What the hell are you all doing?” and, “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
“We’re forfeiting,” Tommy screams.
We pile into Dean’s SUV, which he starts before all the doors are even closed. “Where to?”
“The cult she came from is about four hours northwest.”
“Cult?” Dean’s eyebrows shoot up.
“It’s a long story.”
“We’ve got time.” Dean guns the engine. While he drives, I give a brief rundown of GG’s past, including the insurance money. Shocked silence descends in the SUV until Tommy shouts, “I got something on the police scanner!” He leans forward and shoves the tablet in my face. “Listen. Someone spotted a van swerving erratically on highway 65 heading west toward Hemmingway. The citizen thought they saw a girl at the window yelling for help.”
“Highway 65? That’s parallel to us. Take a left here.” Booker taps Dean’s shoulder. Dean takes a hard left. Tires squeal and bodies crash into each other as the SUV careens around the corner.
I don’t say a word, just grip the bat between my legs tighter.
“Why’d that car not stop them?”
“They said the van was going too fast and they didn’t want to get a ticket.” Tommy makes a face. “We’ll find them, don’t worry.”
I don’t know if he says it to console me or himself. I don’t need his words, though. I know we’ll find her. I know it because I won’t stop looking until I do—no matter how long it takes me, no matter how many things I have to sacrifice. I love baseball, but I love GG more. I’ll find her, and I’ll make everyone who hurt her pay. I grip the neck of the bat even tighter.
