Page 62 of Riding Danger

I used my temporary Salinger login details to get Cat into the system. “I’m guessing you’re looking at storage rentals in the area.”

“No.” Cat’s fingers flew across the screen. “Storage space is too small, I think. And visible. What we need is abandoned warehouses.”

Marina De Ferrier didn’t have many of those. In fact, the town was one of those sickeningly nice places that had low crime and even lower unemployment and homelessness.

“Oh.” Lilly narrowed her eyes and pulled out a map. Specifically, a map of the border close to Tijuana. She pointed to an area just inside Mexico, about half an hour from where we were. “There are a group of abandoned warehouses here. No one pays any attention to them. One of them was blown up about fifteen years ago. But this would be where I would look. I was taken there when I was kidnapped.” She looked around the room. “Looks like I’m going into the field.”

Since all of the Salingers had been away on a mission, and were struggling to make it home for Christmas, Lilly was the only operator available.

“Also.” She smiled. “Everyone with a badge, or a rank sit the fuck down, you cannot set foot in Mexico.”

Like fucking hell. “Try again, you can’t go in without backup and everyone here is disqualified.”

Cat and Holden exchanged a look before looking over at Owen. Owen raised brow and shook his head. “We’re all going. If we get caught, everyone pleads ignorance and follows my lead.”

He was far too cavalier about that. Still, I wasn’t about to argue. “Cat, can we get an aerial view of that area that Lilly just showed us?”

“Sure.” She pointed a remote to the screen and an aerial view and street view appeared side by side. “I can zoom in once we’ve narrowed down which building that bitch is in.”

The room raised a collective eyebrow at that. Cat was one of the sweetest women I knew. Swearing was not something that came naturally to her. Of course, she was also one of the very few women who’d trained as a SEAL. As far as I knew, there were only a few women who completed the training and almost all of them had been transferred to a ghost ops team like Holden. Not that either of them spoke about what they did.

Cat was part of a team who rescued Holden a few months earlier. I suspected the Prince of England was somehow part of that but none of them were talking. They were all badasses and I needed them to do the thing they were good at.

As they studied the building on the screen, Owen stepped closer. He pointed to one particular warehouse that was hidden among the rest. “That’s the one I would choose.”

“Why?” Holden stepped up to his brother.

“If the killer did any sort of research on his victims, he’d know Ryder’s connection to Salinger Security. We pick the best places, right. Which means we’d know to look there as well. They’d want a place we wouldn’t consider.” He tapped the screen. “That one.”

Within moments we were all standing in front of the armory. Holden let out a low whistle. “I’m guessing Salinger Security can keep Snow enterprises in business all by themselves.”

He was right. The sight was impressive. I wasn’t altogether certain whether Snow enterprises was the supplier. Then again what did I know? Each one of us took what we needed and strapped and holstered.

“We can take the helicopter.” Lilly smiled.

Helicopter? “I didn’t know you had a helicopter.”

“We use it for short trips.”

“Then why didn’t you suggest I take that when I wanted to go to L.A.”

“Because I knew Ryder was on his way home with the plane.”

My voice dropped and I lowered my head. “It would've been better if he stayed there. Safer at least.”

Holden pulled me closer and kissed the top of my head. “She would’ve got him some other time. You know that. And then you may not have had us to help.”

He was right. I held onto Holden. He’d been my friend since we lost our mothers all those years ago. Mine was a trafficking victim, his was a Navy nurse who had been treating the women who were rescued. Of course, the bomb that took out our mothers, happened to be the trigger that brought us all together.

Loud footsteps in the corridor had us all turning. Harry walked up to the armory and started pulling weapons and vests out. He was nearly fully armored by the time I found my tongue. “Dad, what are you doing?”

Harry frowned down at me. “I cannot believe you didn’t think to call me. I am a Special Forces Marine and I am going to rescue my future son-in-law. Provided he has the courage to fucking ask for your hand in marriage.”

“You know this is not the Middle Ages, right? He needs my permission not yours.”

“Whatever. We can argue about that when he is back safe.”

He was right. On all counts. Ryder and I were going to get married. We wanted Harry and Tess’ blessing. But mostly, we needed to get him back safely.

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