Chapter 23

Cooper walked onto the docks. He knew there was a row of warehouses just a little ways past the docks and he figured one of them had to be labeled fifteen. He walked a little ways and didn't stop until he got to the warehouse that had the number fifteen stamped on the door. When he walked in the warehouse he found Maxie sitting in a chair with her hands tied behind her back. He walked over to her and started to undo the knotted rope.

"You got the text message," Maxie said relief washing over her.

"Yeah I got it," Cooper said looking briefly at Maxie before going back to untie the rope.

He almost had the rope untied when he heard the familiar voice from the night before.

"I would stop that if I was you,"

Back at Kelly's Chasity and Spencer were sitting at a table waiting for Kristina.

"Okay what's wrong?" Spencer asked after a long silence.

Chasity gave him a confused look even though she knew what she was talking about.

"Nothing's wrong, why?"

Spencer didn't say anything he just gave her his "Yeah right" look.

Chasity rolled her eyes.

"Don't do that,"

"Don't do what?" Spencer asked innocently.

"Give me the "Yeah right" look like you do when you think I'm fibbing,"

"I do not have a "Yeah right" look,"

Chasity gave a sarcastic laugh.

"Yes you do,"

"What are you two arguing about now?" Kristina asked when she sat down at the table

"We don't argue, we bicker," Spencer clarified.

Kristina and Chasity just exchanged glances.

"But really, tell us what's wrong," Spencer said turning serious.

Chasity sigh if she had learned one thing about Spencer over spring break he was understanding but very insistent when he knew something was really wrong and you needed to talk about it.

"I'm worried about Cooper, he went off to play hero to Maxie because someone kidnapped her," Chasity said leaving out the fact Craig was the one that kidnapped Maxie.

"He just went to find her by himself?" Kristina asked.

Chasity nodded.

"After he left I called the PCPD so he wouldn't be doing it by himself,"

"Does he know who took her?" Spencer asked.

Chasity hesitated, she didn't want to lie to her friends but she didn't want to get Cooper in trouble either.

"Chas its okay you can tell us, we won't tell anybody," Spencer said gently.

Chasity sighed and began to explain.

Cooper turned around to face Craig who was aiming his gun.

"I told you to leave Maxie out of this," Cooper said slowly pulling out the gun he used for his security job at Metro Court.

"Yes you did, but I did say I might kidnap Maxie to get my point across,"

Maxie let her eyes dance between Cooper and Craig until they finally landed on Cooper as she continued to untie the already loosened rope. She must not have been paying full attention to the conversation because the next think she knew Craig was talking to her.

"We've been having a lot of fun, haven't we Maxie?"

Maxie's only reply was a cold stare identical to the one she'd given him earlier.

"Well I see you're still not wanting to cooperate," Craig said shaking his head.

"You can do whatever you want with me but don't get Maxie anymore involved in this than she already is," Cooper said his eyes still on Craig but he glanced in Maxie's direction.

"Well now that you offer it can be arranged," Craig said aiming his gun at Cooper.

Before Maxie could really process what was going on she heard two shots go off and she wasn't sure who was hurt. She just hoped it wasn't Cooper.