Page 50 of Strike Fast

Tess lowered her hands and faced the door, her heart sinking.Oh, Reid.Her eyes stung at the thought of Autumn so scared and alone with a monster from Ruiz’s crew. “How the hell did one of Ruiz’s guys find Autumn, and how did he get Reid’s cell number?”

“Good questions,” Zaid said, his voice flat, hard. The door buzzed and he pulled it open. “The agency and FBI are looking into it now.”

If Ruiz or anyone else from the cartel had that much info on Reid, then it stood to reason they’d found more about the other team members. “What about you guys?” She slipped past Zaid as he held the door open for her.

“We’re not sure yet. Analysts are trying to figure out how bad the breach is,” Zaid said.

She followed them to the elevator and stepped inside, feeling tiny sandwiched between the two big men, especially Kai. “I can’t even imagine what he’s going through right now,” she said quietly.

“I know,” Zaid said with a shake of his head as they rode up to Reid’s floor. “It’s gotta be hell, because I know how sick the rest of us feel. She’s a sweet little girl and we just want her found safe.”

If one of Ruiz’s men had taken Autumn, then the chances of that happening were practically nil. They knew it as well as she did, but none of them would admit it because they all wanted to cling to the hope that Autumn still had a chance.

Tess swallowed and frantically tried to think of what she could say or do to help Reid right now. There couldn’t be anything so agonizing as the pain of a parent losing a child.

Her insides grabbed tight when the elevator stopped and the doors slid open. She followed the others down the carpeted hallway to Reid’s door, their steps hushed by the carpet. Zaid tried the doorbell and they all waited for a minute.

Apparently too impatient to try the bell again, Kai reached over his buddy’s shoulder and pounded a big fist on the door. Tess cringed at the level of noise at this time of the morning, but Reid’s neighbors would just have to understand given the circumstances.

When Reid still didn’t answer, Tess got really worried.

Kai pounded again, harder this time, the door vibrating against the frame. “Prentiss. Open up,” he called out, his deep voice echoing up and down the hallway in the thick silence.

Someone a few units down yanked their door open to glare at them. Kai and Zaid ignored the man, so Tess pulled her agency ID out of her back pocket and flashed it toward him. The man quickly disappeared back into his unit and shut the door.

When she faced the others once more, Kai’s dark eyebrows were drawn into an imposing scowl. He made an irritated sound in the back of his throat and pulled his fist back to begin pounding again, but Zaid held up a hand to stop him and tried a different approach.

“Come on, buddy, open the door,” he called out.

Still nothing. Fear trickled through Tess. It was Sunday, May nineteenth. The anniversary of Reid finding Jason hanging in the bathroom. Given that Autumn had just been kidnapped by ruthless cartel members, would he… She shook the thought away. No. No, he wouldn’t. Couldn’t.

“Reid,” Zaid said with tried patience.

Finally, a familiar drawl came from inside. “Not up for company right now, boys.”

Tess closed her eyes in silent thanks and let out a deep breath.Thank God he’s okay.But was it her imagination, or had his voice sounded a little slurred? Tess glanced at the others in question, and the two men exchanged a meaningful, worried glance, their faces turning grim.

“You know what?” Kai finally threatened. “Either you open this door, or I’ll break the goddamn thing in—”

Zaid held up a hand and cut Kai off. “We’ve got Tess out here with us. She flew in to see you.”

They all waited in tense silence for a response, Tess holding her breath. Ten seconds later, footsteps sounded from inside. The lock turned, and the door opened.

Reid stood there in the opening in jeans and a rumpled T-shirt, his face haggard.

“Hey, brother,” Zaid said quietly.

Reid didn’t answer. His bloodshot, red-rimmed eyes went right to Tess. Their gazes locked for an instant, then his face crumpled and he shoved past his teammates to reach for her.

Tess’s heart almost exploded when he dragged her close and crushed her to his chest, holding her so tight she couldn’t breathe. She started to wind her arms around him, but stopped as a terrible suspicion hit her.

Oh, no…Had he been drinking? She didn’t smell it on him, but his disheveled state and the look Zaid and Kai had just shared worried her. “Reid,” she breathed, unsure what else to say. Of course he was gutted, but he wouldn’t hit the bottle now, would he? She flattened her hands on his broad back and sought Kai and Zaid’s gazes over the top of his shoulder.

Reid made a strangled sound and tightened his hold, his face buried in the side of her neck. “I don’t know what the hell to do,” he moaned.

“Let’s get you back inside,” she said to him.

“I’ll get some coffee going,” Kai said, stepping past them into the apartment.

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