Page 142 of Montana Manhunt

“Yeah, Murphy.”

“It’s Noah. I need help.”

“Talk to me.”

He summarized the events of the past hour, ending with, “Brent is defusing the second bomb as we speak. Grant and I are going after Violet.”

“What about Rayne?”

“Should go to the hospital under police escort any minute.”

“What do you need?”

“Activate Violet’s tracking tag.”

“Hold.”

Noah strapped on his vest, checked his weapon one more time, and added two more magazines. He focused on the familiar routine of gearing up for a mission instead of the paralyzing fear lurking at the edge of his mind.

“Noah, Violet pressed the emergency button on her watch. Tech support activated her tag and has been tracking her.”

“Has she communicated with them?”

“Negative. Coop says Hanson knocked her out. He’s been monitoring her and attempting to make contact. So far, no luck. I’ve taken over as your tech support. Coop will assist me. I’ll keep trying to connect with Violet. In the meantime, how can I help?”

“Send me the link to her tracking tag.”

A few clicks of the keys later, Zane said, “Done. Sent the link to you and Grant. Next?”

“Jeff Hanson has Violet.” Something the lawyer would pay for. “Find out where his father is.” Noah frowned. “And Rosalie Trevelyan.”

A pause. “You think Violet’s aunt may be involved in the deaths of these women?”

“I’m covering all my bases.”

“We’ll find them. Let me know when you’re ready to loop me into your comm systems.”

“Hold.” Noah reached into an inner pocket of his Go bag, grabbed the Fortress comm device and slipped it into his ear. Grant did the same. “We’re ready, Z.”

Both men tapped the devices. Seconds later, Zane's voice sounded through their earpieces. “Looped in,” he murmured.

Noah and his teammate slipped their Go bags over their shoulders and set off for the stairs. Minutes later, they drove from the hotel’s underground garage. “Where is she?” he asked Grant.

“Sixty miles from our present location.” Grant frowned. “Zane, send me a map of the area.”

“Copy that.”

Grant studied the map a moment, then said, “Violet’s in a forest.”

Noah scowled. Was she outside in the cold? He pressed the accelerator to the floor. “Hanson better not have left her outside in the elements.”

“Doubt it. If we’re right about him killing all those women, he won’t want to miss an opportunity to kill again.”

“Not helping me here.”

Grant shrugged. “Want me to lie?”

What Noah wanted was for Violet to be where she belonged, in his arms. Guilt sat heavy in his gut. He shouldn’t have left her side for an instant. If he’d stayed with Violet, Hanson would have had a more difficult time getting his hands on Violet. “Zane, anything yet from Violet?”

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