Ruthless, A Broken Souls Story, Part 6

Chapter 6. Running

"Anders escaped!" 
Martin felt his stomach churn as she repeated herself, trying to make him understand the gravity of the matter. Snapping out of his reserve, he asked, "When?"
"This morning. Martin, he could be anywhere. Why haven't the police notified me?"
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out. Do you still have Detective Collins' phone number?"
Elana wiped the tears away as she handed him her phone, asking, "Do you want to talk with him?"
"Yes," Martin said while searching through her directory. "Here it is." Putting the phone on speakerphone, they waited for Brad to answer. 
"Elana, I guess you heard the news. I owe you an apology."
Before she could respond, Martin growled, "You most definitely do, but we will forget about your mistakes so long as you provide us with the information that we need to keep her safe."
"Ah, Martin. Yes. Thank you. Would you like to meet me at the station, or shall I drive out to meet you both?"
Elana spoke up, saying, "Detective Collins, meet us at the office in an hour. It's best to stick to our daily routines, is it not?"
In the background, they could hear the detective speaking with someone else in muffled tones, and they were becoming annoyed with his behavior, but when he spoke again, they were surprised by his response. 
"Don't leave your place. I'll be over in ten with several officers. We'll need to discuss security for you and Martin's family. I'll explain my concerns when I arrive."
After getting off the phone with Brad, Martin could barely calm Elana down. She was normally a pillar of strength and the anchor in the storm, but not when it came to Anders. Not after the hell he put everyone through, especially Elana. 
Anders was Martin's best friend growing up, and he thought they would grow old together, telling stories to their grandkids about all of the crazy things they did. Somehow, through the years, Anders changed. By the time he was arrested, he was a shell of the man he used to be. 
Elana sank down on the couch, asking, "Martin, what if he comes for us?"
Sitting beside her, he pulled her into his embrace and held her. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "He won't." 
"How can you say that?"
"Because he knows the cops will track him down. He won't try to reach you. Not now." 
Standing up, he suggested, "Let me call my father to boost the security at the mansion, and we'll stay there until this is over."
Frowning, Elana looked like a scared child, all curled up on the couch. Finally, she asked, "Well, how will they keep us safe there? It's so large."
Rolling his eyes, he ignored her question and said, "Hi, Dad. Have you heard the news?"
"Yes, are you with Elana now? How's she doing?" Looking over at her, Martin replied, "She's scared. I'd like to stay at the house with her, and some added security until this is over."
Lord Stanely said, "Yes, of course. Your mother will be thrilled to have the company, even if it is under these strained circumstances."
"Once the police leave, we'll drive over. I guess that we'll both need to work from the house for the next few days."
"Yes, that's fine. On another note, have you spoken with your brother?"
Martin pulled the phone away from his ear and gave Elana a strange look before answering, "No. I don't think he'll call me anytime soon. Why?"
"Well, I'm worried about him. He isn't answering his phone, and it's going directly to voicemail."
Martin didn't care if his brother jumped off a cliff, but for his father's sake, he suggested, "Why don't you give Pippa a call? Have her reach out. I know that he always answers her calls."
"OK, will do. I'll head down the hall and see if she knows anything."
There was a knock on the door, and Elana jumped up, but Martin held out his hand and shook his head, whispering, "Stay here." Then he added, "Dad, I think the detectives have arrived. I'll call you later."
Looking through the side window, he verified that it was Detective Collins before opening the door and asking, "How the hell are you going to keep her safe?"
"We are going to catch the bastard, that's how?"