I proceeded to tell him the same story that I had told Vlad. There was no point in being closed lipped, any dirty cop would already know what was going on and so I only stood to gain by telling him. He listened while his face became darker and darker the longer I went on. I told him I needed someone to look for Lizzie while being discreet as well as giving us a heads up if whoever was orchestrating this was to send the cops after us although I doubted it would get that far.
"What do you say, would you be willing help?"
"Is that even a question? My mother most likely would have died without your interference. I'm all in sir, I got your back"
"Thank you Ramsey," I handed him a burner phone "Mine is the only number on this, send a text once per day at 8:00 just to check in and call with any updates at any time of day… And Ramsey, I won't forget this"
I left the bar with Vlad and looked up at Ivan on the rooftop across the street. He gave us a thumbs up and we went to the car and went back to the motel. Ramsey would tell me if anyone matching Lizzie's description was found, and Ivan and Dimitri were checking every hospital in and around Seattle.
Over the next few days we looked around the city, we found a man named Joe who was homeless, he was a fairly large man but looked slightly malnourished, he was dirty but didn't look high. His sign read that he was looking for work so I approached him. I would give him a fair wage and a place to live if he would work as a bodyguard protecting the house. The only stipulation was that the house had to be put in his name, his lips parted but he hesitated to say yes. After adding that I would buy him a car as well, he lips closed and his face became stern and suspicious and he just stared at me as if saying yes could be a death sentence, so I told him the truth: Listen, I know it isn't easy to trust someone you don't even know, who's willing to give you so much. It may even seem that I am some criminal asking you to do something illegal but I promise I am not. I am just a man who under circumstances outside of his own control has lost everything I love, my wife and child are missing and possibly even dead because of people who are after me for my money. Your name can give me a safe place to be while I look for my family so I implore you to help me, and I offer you my help in return, once all is said and done you can keep the house and the car.
My breath hitched as I spoke about Lizzie and I couldn't help but tear up as I practically begged the man to help me. I waited for his reply and stared into his eyes searching for the answer he would give me, but his face never changed, and it felt like an eternity before he finally answered: Okay… but I get the master bedroom.
I couldn't help but chuckle as the tears finally fell from my eyes and held out my hand which he took: Deal!
It had been a week, and we still hadn't heard anything. I gave Joe a budget but let him pick out the house he wanted, and he knew just the one. He picked the house that he lost to the bank during Covid when he lost his job, his wife had left him taking the kids and he ended up on the streets unable to get a job once things stabilized due to the sorry state he was in. I had Dimitri and Ivan bribe whoever they needed to get us in the house within the week and we settled in.
Weeks went by and I still hadn't heard anything about Lizzie No news is better than bad news. I also hadn't heard anything on the news about the break in or the, now dead, bald man which meant someone cleaned it all up. I started to think maybe Lizzie was right about Julia, If she wasn't guilty then why wouldn't she have gone to the police or the news to report me missing, or maybe she is innocent and did go to the cops but they silenced her. I couldnt think about any of that right now, all I could think about was finding Lizzie. I stayed away from Olie just in case they were watching, she still had treatment she needed and I didn't want to risk her health by taking her out of the hospital but after a few weeks I decided to send Joe to the hospital to at least check on her. I gave him all of the information and waited for his return.
Joe walked into the house and into the room we converted into a gym, his expression was confusing: What is it? Is Olie okay?
"I have good news and bad news for you"
"Tell me!"
"Lizzie is alive"
My heart just about leaped out of my chest; I was so happy to know she was okay I almost forgot that he wasn't done: The bad news is that she took Olie out of the hospital about a week ago.
"And? Did they say where she went?"
"They said they couldn't tell me because of doctor patient confidentiality, I tried to bribe them, but the nurse just about slapped me. What do you want to do now?"
My heart sank a little, but I still felt like I could breathe again knowing she hadn't been killed. I sat thinking for a few minutes and trying to process everything he had told me before finally saying: We will figure out who all is involved, and we'll make it safe for her to return. When the time is right I'll find a way reach her.