Page 55 of Knight's Fall

“Shit!” Sam hissed, but Wings stayed silent. He hated to think of Courtlyn suffering at the hands of a maniac, but he hated even more that he felt a twinge of relief at knowing that if this guy tortured his victims, then Courtlyn was alive. There was still time to find her.

“I’ve been deep diving into the dark web,” Kat joined in. “I’ve come across a lot of freaky stuff, a lot of sites that I believe are used to hired contract killers. It’s going to take me more time to sift through it all because the people who operate these sites are careful. I did find two communications that could be tied to two of the victims, but there’s nothing that suggests Courtlyn had a hit taken out on her. The Delta Team is searching, but there’s no evidence of anyone in her life that would have wanted her dead.”

“What about that waitress that was bullying her?” Jay asked.

“They found her,” Sydney answered. “She’s in a coma at Lenfield Medical Center. She’s been there a couple of days after being found on the side of the road about a mile from the hospital. Someone used her as a punching bag. There was no identification on her, so it took a couple of days for the hospital to record her real name. There’s one more thing.”

“Don’t leave us in suspense,” Wings snapped and earned a glare from Jay. “Sorry, Syd. Didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

“No worries. It’s Courtlyn’s landlord. A report came in today from the Winston Police Department. He was found murdered in his home. There were no signs of a struggle, and the cops didn’t even know it was murder until the coroner found a needle mark during the autopsy. They don’t have the lab results back, but whatever he was given mimicked a heart attack. Courtlyn’s house is one of a few rental properties he owned, and he also made an offer for the house where you found Courtlyn’s phone.”

“Got it. Thanks, Syd. Anything else?”

“Olivia called to check in. I asked her about Courtlyn’s landlord, and she said he was a hard-ass when it came to the rules for his rental properties. Like they weren’t allowed to make copies of the key or use nails to hang photos on the wall. Otherwise, she said she didn’t recall Courtlyn having a problem with him.”

The hardware store came into view, and Jay slowed his speed as they approached. “Thanks, Syd. We’re about to meet up with Judah, so we’ll keep you posted.”

“Okay. Be careful. BB should have coms for all of you, Judah included, so once you turn them on, we’ll be able to offer tech support from here.”

They didn’t have a chance to talk through the intel before they parked at the edge of the hardware store’s lot.

Judah Cavanaugh was an easy one to spot as he leaned against his pick-up. His trim, lanky form was deceptive as to the strength the Navy SEAL held from years of training and living off the grid in the mountains. His T-shirt hung loose on his frame, stretched across broad shoulders, and his jeans hung low on his hips, the hem bunching at the top of his brown hiking boots. His curly hair was longer than the last time they trained with him, the unruly locks styled by the winds and the heat. His jaw darkened with the shadow of two-day-old stubble. He straightened as they all filed out of the SUVs.

Judah didn’t bother with pleasantries. “Got somebody for you to talk to before I show you the place.”

“Who?” Wings demanded.

“The guy that owns this place. Willie Harrell. But only a couple of you need to talk to him, or he’ll freak out. He had a customer come in a few days ago to buy supplies. He fits the description of your guy except for the age. Willie says the guy was in his forties, but the prick who showed up at my cabin was sixty if he was a day.”

Cole was already walking to the entrance, tapping Sam’s arm as he passed by. “Sam and I are on it.”

“So you really think this guy is a contract killer? Doesn’t seem the type to me.”

“How would you know?” Zane ribbed. “Know a lot of assassins?”

Judah smirked. “You’d be surprised. This guy, though, is like that crotchety old guy that is so mean, kids dare each other to knock on his door and run just to harass him. Hell, I considered it after he told me to get lost so he could have the area to himself. He’s a nut case, but he is more like a grandpa than an assassin.”

“I think that’s a cover. He uses it to seem unassuming, so he can fly under the radar. Based on how far the murders date back, I’m guessing he's probably in his forties. The FBI thought there was a team, but I think it’s the same guy. We’ve looked through the cold cases, and they were businessmen, politicians, a housewife, and a reporter. No commonalities. He changes it up, so his crimes are hard to connect. He changes his appearance. Some reports say he doesn’t have an accent, and some say he does, but it’s from different origins. For all intents and purposes, he’s average. No one you would notice or be afraid of.”

Judah nodded at Jay’s assessment. “Average about covers this guy. He doesn’t do much either. I’ve seen him fishing a time or two. He’s only come for supplies once that I can figure. I checked with the different businesses while I was waiting for you guys. He keeps to himself and hasn’t had any visitors that I’ve noticed. There’s only one road through the mountains, and anybody would have to drive past my cabin to get to his.”

“Is there another way he could leave without being noticed?” Zane asked.

Judah shrugged. “From what little I’ve explored, it’s rough terrain. That’s why it’d be ideal for a wilderness facility. Someone with experience could navigate it, but this guy didn’t strike me as a survivalist type. He’s more like somebody’s grandpa. Sorry. The guy’s a pain in the ass, but I’m having a hard time picturing him as the assassin you’re looking for.”

“It’s him,” Wings said.

He couldn’t explain how he knew Malcolm was the one to kidnap Courtlyn, but his instincts were singing that it was true. He may not be the assassin, but he had Courtlyn. That was enough for his team to go after him with all they had.

Judah sobered as he studied Wings. “I hope we find your girl, but if this guy is a hired killer, I’m hoping she’s not with him.”

Wings understood what Judah didn’t say out loud. If Courtlyn was with the hired killer, they may be too late. She could already be dead.

“He tortures them first. For days.” Wings forced his words passed a clenched jaw, and the words left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Judah held his gaze. “Then I want in. Just tell me what I can do take down this son-of-a-bitch.”

“We’ll need you,” Jay said. “We need a plan to breach, and you know the terrain best.”

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