Page 47 of SEAL's Secret

“We need to figure out where he took her,” Aaron said. “She didn’t willingly go with him, but from all accounts, he went straight from the airport to her open house. Does he have a hotel room somewhere? Even if we started calling hotels, he could’ve made the reservation under an alias.”

Hudson’s gaze hardened. “No. There’d be too many people around. She’d scream or fight. Cry out for help. He’s not going to take her to a hotel.”

Wyatt eyed the time, his gaze sharp “Where would he want to take her? They were already alone in that house, but it stands to reason he assumed the owners would return or that someone would come looking for Layton there.”

“Which we did,” Hudson growled. “And it was too damn late.”

“Not too late,” Wyatt countered. “We’ll find her, but we all know the first several hours are crucial. They’re likely still on the island. Tony Harris moved her to a second location, but it might not be long before he moves her again. Let’s consider all possibilities.”

Emersyn came into the kitchen where the men had gathered, looking pale. She pressed up against Aaron, who immediately pulled her into his embrace. “Any updates?” she asked.

Hudson filled her in on the little they knew.

“He had to take her somewhere. Can’t the police track the plates on the vehicle?” Her voice shook as she clung more tightly to Aaron. “There are so many secluded little parks and beaches here. What if nobody saw them?”

Hudson thought that over, shaking his head. “This guy just got here. He stole a car. I don’t think he’s in his right mind to go off the beaten path.”

“I don’t know,” Aaron argued. “It’s easy enough to pull up Google Maps.”

“But how would he know which areas are secluded? The beaches in Waikiki are jam-packed with locals and tourists alike.” Hudson began pacing the kitchen, feeling worked up. “Where’s Caroline?” he suddenly asked, glancing over at Emersyn.

“Asleep. I told her Layton was still working,” Emersyn said helplessly, tears filling her eyes.

Hudson nodded in relief. It was best that the little girl knew nothing about what was happening. “Do you think Layton had her work things with her? Like maybe brochures for other homes? The open house had a pile of papers scattered on the floor, but I know she has materials for other properties. If he discovered a vacant house that she has access to….”

“Oh my God,” Emersyn said, her voice grave. “I know where they are.”

“What?” Hudson’s voice was sharp. Deadly.

“That secluded home on the other side of the island—the one where I looked up the name of the potential homebuyer. He liked the property because it was private, and she did have brochures for it. If Tony Harris needed somewhere to take her, he didn’t need to look further than Layton’s own listings.”

“Holy shit,” Wyatt said, his eyes widening. “That makes sense. She could’ve had brochures in her purse or vehicle. All Harris had to do was glance through them and pick where to go.”

Hudson felt his stomach churning again, but this time it was in anticipation. They had a lead. It might not be much, but at the moment, it was all they had to go on. “Do you know the address?” he asked urgently.

“No. It’s online though. Pull up Layton’s website.”

Hudson swiped the screen on his phone, scrolling through her home listings. “Harris wouldn’t even have needed her brochures. If he looked up Layton to find out where she’d be today, he had his choice of vacant homes to take her. They’re all listed right here. That fucker could’ve been plotting this for weeks.”

Hudson’s hands landed on his pockets, knowing they were empty. “I need to swing by my house. Gear up. And then we’re getting back my girl.”

Chapter 28

Layton trembled as Tony Harris marched her through the house. She knew where the home office was, having just shown the property recently, but of course, she didn’t actually live here. He was quickly about to figure that out.

Her head still throbbed from where he’d hit her, but her fight-or-flight response was kicking in. She needed to run. Get away from him. Leave the area as fast as possible.

Hadn’t Aaron once said that it was hard to shoot at a moving target? This guy wasn’t some Special Forces trained sniper. He had a handgun. If she got away from close range, it wouldn’t matter as much if he took a shot. She hoped.

Layton tried to recall the exact layout of the property. A front door. Another off the kitchen that led to the garage. There were windows in the master bedroom above the garage roof. She could exit through those if absolutely necessary, but she might not be able to open them in time. The salty ocean air had eroded the metal tracks and made them stick more than she’d like. They’d noticed it at her showing the other day. The quickest exit was through a door, and he was blocking the one they’d just come through.

If she somehow did get back out the patio doors, she’d have to run straight for the forest. She could hide in there for some time, but she knew he wouldn’t stop looking for her.

His gaze swept left and right as they moved into the living room. “Where’s the bag?” Harris bit out.

“Um—”

He grabbed her arm, squeezing tightly. “Let’s not play games, Ms. O’Connell.”

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