Page 85 of High Intensity

Grant Vallard.

Except he doesn’t look anything like the suave, debonair businessman those images depicted. This man looks disheveled and his face is a mask of grief. Not what I expected.

“Please, Ms. Lederman, I need your help. Agent Kramer gave me your address.”

Stephanie? A rush of fear something might have happened to Hayley has me open the door a crack. Whatever reservations I had disappear when the man in front of me bends over, his hands on his knees as he blows out an audible sigh of relief.

“Oh thank God, you’re home. My name is Grant Vallard and I need your help. My niece is missing.”

Alarm has me throw open the door.

“Missing? What do you mean, missing?”

His eyes are red-rimmed like he hasn’t slept in days when he looks at me.

“She wasn’t there. They don’t know where she is.”

I’m about to question him in more detail when the barking of dogs announces Wolff’s return. As soon as he comes in the back door, his attention is aimed this way, his eyes locked on the man in front of me.

“What is going on here?” he inquires sharply as he makes his way through the house.

He crowds in behind me and anchors me to him with a protective arm around my midsection.

“Hayley is missing,” I quickly clarify before Wolff starts growling or something. “This is Grant Vallard, her uncle.”

“I know who he is. What the fuck happened?”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out. When I left her last night, she was sleeping in her bed.”

“Agent Kramer said she went to check on her but she wasn’t there,” Vallard volunteers.

“What time was that?”

“Four fifteen this morning,” the second man states.

I’ve been so focused on Vallard, I barely paid attention to the other guy, until now. I’m guessing he’s in his forties, maybe former military with short-clipped, dark hair with a little hint of silver, and the physique of a bouncer, from what I can detect under the heavy parka.

“Four fifteen?” I echo, quickly calculating she’s been missing over four hours already.

“And who are you?” Wolff barks from behind me at Vallard’s friend.

I give him a little nudge with my shoulder.

“Jeff is with me. He’s my private security detail,” Vallard answers Wolff before dropping his eyes to me. “They’ve been searching for her, and when I suggested they call you since you found her once before, whoever that special agent in charge is said they didn’t need help. Agent Kramer slipped me your address, so I came here to beg for your help. I’ll pay you. Please…help me find my niece. She’s all I have left.”

“Of course,” I find myself responding, worried sick for Hayley.

The next moment I’m pulled inside by Wolff, who kicks the door shut. I immediately twist out of his hold.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Stopping you from jumping in with both feet.”

Fueled by anger and disbelief, I get up in his face.

“In case you missed it, Hayley is missing.”

He puts his hands on my shoulders and holds on tight when I try to shake him off.

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