Page 50 of Clara's Secure Hideaway

He captured her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles as Owen stepped inside with a woman in a well-pressed black suit behind him.

Owen opted to sit across from Clara. “How you holding up?”

“Not well.”

He dipped his chin, mouth pressed in a firm line, then motioned toward the woman. “This is Special Agent Tinsdale from the FBI. She’s here regarding the crimes we found on Mitch’s computer.”

Clara closed her eyes for a beat, and when she opened them again, agony shone through. “This has to be a nightmare.”

Agent Tinsdale stayed on her feet and clutched a manilla file folder in her hands. Her dark hair was pulled into a low ponytail and empathy managed to slip through the firm lines of her face. “I can’t say I understand how you’re feeling, but I do know that we are using all our resources to locate your ex-husband and your children.”

Her statement set Heath on edge. The FBI would only be using their resources to find Davey and Avery if they thought they were connected with the case they’d come here to investigate. As much as he wanted to keep any disturbing thoughts away from Clara, he had to know the details of the FBI’s involvement. “What kind of danger do you think the children are in right now?”

“It’s hard to tell,” Agent Tinsdale said, pinning him with her deadpan stare. “What I do know is we’ve dealt with a sex trafficking ring in this area before.”

Clara gasped. “Oh my god. You don’t think Mitch would do that to his own children, do you? How would he even get involved with something so horrible? I know I tried my hardest to ignore him, but I have to believe I would have noticed if he was doing something so despicable.”

The agent set the file on the table and flipped it open. She slid out a mugshot of a man with long, red hair and a matching beard. “In my experience, people are very good at hiding their dirty deeds. There’s no exact type to look for in these situations, I wish there was. However, I believe I’ve figured out how your ex got involved in this particular crime ring. This is Ryan Pierce. We believe Ryan and Mitch crossed paths after Mitch’s first arrest last year.”

Heath grabbed the photo and studied the beady eyes and angry sneer. “You think Mitch met him while he was serving time?”

“I do. He was one of the leaders of the crime ring we shut down a few years back. They were using the old campground—which is now Crossroads Mountain Retreat—as a place to hide girls. Once we arrested the leaders, the rest of the rats scattered. We’d hoped that was the end of things, but a few months back we learned otherwise. We believe Ryan Pierce is pulling stings from behind bars, and Mitch is one of those strings.”

“You’re insinuating that you believe Mitch isn’t just a pervert who downloaded incriminating videos on his computer but someone on the inside,” Heath said.

“The information on the flash drive you and Clara found told us exactly how involved Mitch is,” Owen said.

“I think I’m going to be sick.” Clara covered her mouth with one hand while the other clung to Heath. “Why would he do this? I mean, he’s never been a great guy. I know that more than anyone. But how could he veer down such an ugly path?”

“My guess,” Agent Tinsdale said. “He bonded with Ryan Pierce who exploited that friendship. I understand Mitch lost his job as a teacher and was struggling financially after that. I’m sure he was pissed at the world as well as unsure how he’d make a living when he got out of prison. Pierce is a professional criminal. He knows what to look for and what buttons to push. Mitch was an easy target.”

“And now he has my babies and could possibly throw them into this disgusting world.”

“He also left behind a key piece of evidence,” Agent Tisdale said. “With a location.”

Heath sat straighter. “You know where he is? Why the hell are we all just sitting around talking?”

“Hold on.” Owen lifted a palm to stop Heath from flying up and jumping into action. “The FBI has been digging into this for months and had zeroed in on probable locations where these children are being held. What was on that flash drive coincides with one of the locations the FBI has been scouting.”

“Could the kids be there?” Clara asked, her voice no more than a whisper.

“We’re going to find out,” Owen said. “We’re putting together a team. We’ll be heading that way within the hour.”

Clara jumped to her feet then hissed out a breath as she gripped the edge of the table. “Go now! If Davey and Avery are in that house, I don’t want them there a minute longer than they have to be. Hell, ifanychild is trapped in some house of horrors, they need rescued immediately.”

“We want this to happen as quickly as you do, but we have to smart about it,” Agent Tisdale said. “We can’t rush in first and think later. That could not only put the officers at risk, but also any potential children we may find. Trust me, I’ve headed up these types of rescue missions numerous times. We will do it the right way, and we will get anyone we find out safely.”

“I’m going with you,” Clara said, steel in her voice.

Heath rested a hand on her elbow and tried to guide her back down to her chair.

She refused to budge.

“Clara, you need to let the FBI and the deputies do their jobs. Exposing yourself to harm won’t do anyone any good,” Heath said.

She stared daggers at him and shrugged off his hand. “If my babies are there, they’ll need their mother.”

He wanted to argue, to assure her that Owen and the rest of the men and women assigned to this task was up for the job. But he knew her. Knew that nothing would keep her away if there was even a chance the children were in this place.

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