Page 63 of SEAL by Fate

“Not true. Jamison and Cowboy don’t hold anything against you.”

She nodded, but the feeling in her body didn’t disappear.

He kissed her cheek. “Remember, don’t let anyone through the gate. If you need me, I’ll be here. Okay?”

“Sure. Of course. I need to go to the post office to get my mail and I need to pick up my prescription. I also want to stop by Colette’s apartment. I know you said it was scoured, but I’d feel better. I’ll call a cab—”

“Don’t bother with a cab. I’ll leave you the keys to the SUV in the garage.”

“Gray…”

“Before you try and resist, I won’t take no for an answer. However, you can’t go alone to your sister’s place. It’s possible Phantom or one of his goons will be watching.”

She could see his point. “I promise I won’t go there alone, but will you go with me as soon as possible?”

“Yes.”

“Find my sister, Gray. Please.” She pleaded.

“We’ll find her. I know it’s hard, but after all the information you gave us, it’s only a matter of time. His apartment was cleared out and he was renting it under a different name, of course.”

“How does he get by with this?”

“He’s a professional criminal. He’s always one step ahead. However, he must feel his rope getting shorter.”

*

“This is her. This is the woman who was with Phantom.” Gray stared at the picture of the woman.

Cowboy tapped the picture. “From the bruising on her neck, he strangled her to death, then dumped her.”

Jamison leaned against the corner of Gray’s desk. “From what the detective said, she was there less than twenty-four hours and there were no prints.”

“Do they have a definite ID on her?” Gray leaned back into his chair.

“Her name is Natasha Reed, but she’s used at least a dozen pseudonyms. So, she is the woman who was the wedding planner too?” Cowboy asked.

“I’m sure she was, and the informant that led me to Whispering Mountain. Phantom had used her, and Stormy, and then when he was done with Natasha, he disposed of her. That doesn’t surprise me.” Gray felt a stab of anger. He realized how easily this could be Stormy lying dead in a dumpster. Once Phantom had used her up, he would have taken care of her too. There were still missing pieces, like whether Phantom had initiated a relationship with Stormy for his own personal leverage, or did he decide after they’d been dating that he would use her? No matter which way, it made him a low-down scumbag. This only put the need to catch him even higher on Gray’s priority list.

And where was Colette?

“Have they notified her family?” Gray asked.

Cowboy removed his hat, ran a hand through his hair, and replaced the Stetson. “The lady didn’t have family. She grew up in an orphanage, ran away at sixteen, and danced for money, then got a few roles in low budget films.”

Gray leaned in and scraped his palms down his face. “I’m getting sick of this piece of shit. Why can’t we just get the fucking break that we need?”

Jamison stood. “I’ve got work to do. You boys let me know if you find out anything else.”

A few minutes later, Abel said, “We would have had him if you didn’t screw up.”

Hearing the comment, Gray looked beyond Cowboy to the other man. He and Gray never did see eye to eye but had always been able to put aside their differences for the greater good. “What does that mean?”

Abel shrugged a broad shoulder and propped his feet on the corner of his desk. “How many times have we said that no woman gets in the way of catching a criminal? You’re not the only one who’s chased after Phantom for months now. You say it’s old, but if that’s so, then you should stay focused, Carlisle.”

“Are you just upset that you can’t find a woman who will tolerate you?”

“Yeah, right.” Abel chuckled. “Too bad I didn’t get to that mountain first.”

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