Page 97 of Protecting Bianca

“Unless it wasn’t a message, but a distraction.”

“Go on.”

“Someone wanted me away from the office and away from Towers and they knew the only way for that to happen was to have me follow Bianca instead. They used her to lure me away from Towers.”

“But why kill her then?”

“I don’t think she’s dead.”

“Jager…” Will said slowly, patiently. “I know you don’t want to believe it—”

“I don’t. But it also doesn’t make any sense. We’ve got to get back there.”

“It’s still too hot to look around inside.”

“I don’t think she’s there. What if she’s in another container? We didn’t check all of them. She could still be inside one of them.”

The thought of her cold, scared, and alone pushed me up from the ground.

“I’ll stay here with Jake and Tagert,” said Christian. “If there’s a chance that Bianca’s still alive, you’ve got to find her.”

I nearly sobbed at the hope in Christian’s voice because I felt it again, too. Until there was proof she was gone, I would not give up looking for her.

As we took the elevator down, another thought popped into my head. “What if she’s not in a container at all? What if she was under our noses the whole time?”

“Where?”

I dialed Khan’s number, and he answered immediately. “Jager? Did you find Towers?”

“Yes, and he’s alive.”

“That’s good.”

“Are you still at the pier?”

“Yes. Why?”

“I think Bianca is still alive, and she’s there.”

“Do you think she’s in one of the containers?”

“Maybe, but I think there’s a possibility she may be closer than that. It would have been unlikely to place her inside a second container so far from the one that exploded. Walsh wouldn’t have had enough time, I don’t think.”

“Where do you think he put her?”

“Have you checked the trunk of the car? Towers was drugged. Maybe Bianca was too, and that’s why we didn’t hear her if she was unconscious back there.”

“Shit. Ok. Give me a minute. Chaudhary!” Khan shouted. “Get the damn keys from Walsh. We need to open this trunk now!”

I could hear some rustling and men shouting in the background. Perhaps more police had arrived or a bomb squad. I didn’t want to imagine anyone from the coroner’s office there.

Then, after a few minutes, there was silence. “Holy shit,” someone said. I think it was Chaudhary.

“Khan, what is it? Did you find something?” I swallowed. “Is it Bianca?” I whispered.

“Holy fuck. She’s here! She’s fucking here!” Khan, who was always so professional, let out a litany of profanity, and then, “Arrest the son of a bitch and call off any search for those supposed carjackers. We’ve got the bastard.”

At this, I crumbled inside Will’s truck and dropped the phone in my lap.

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