Page 154 of Waiting For A Girl Like You
Annabeth flipped the phone around to show an elderly woman and Bruce standing together at what looked like a barbeque. “Bruce grew up in Seligman. It didn’t click until I saw the map because it’s in Missouri, right over the Arkansas border. I found his mom’s social media account with no problem.”
“I’ve already checked that,” Rowan said. “I’ve checked every relative of every person connected to Sinclair.”
“But did you check his mother’s great-aunt’s hairdresser’s page? The one who comes to their family parties and is tagged in a few photos?” Annabeth shrieked and dropped her phone on the table. “CeCe!”
Will dove for the phone and, checking the screen, went pale. “We were right.”
Rowan rushed over to see what Will was looking at, and right there, mixed in with photos of casserole recipes and cats, was a photo of Cecilia Miller snuggled up next to Michael Sinclair. The pair smiled at the camera, happy and carefree with Bruce beside them. The caption read,Bruce taking his friends Mike and Cecilia to see property for their forever home. #lakelife.
“It’s always the most random people in your life that will give away your most private details.” Will tossed the phone back at Annabeth. “Annabeth, keep digging. Rowan, see if you can find any other satellite to give us a more up-to-date lay of the land.”
He was already in one, and while Liam’s tracker map showed nothing but forest surrounding him, the new satellite feed revealed a different story. “Bingo.”
Everyone froze as he merged the satellite with Liam’s tracker dot, a collective gasp filling the room. Nestled in the burnt oranges of the Ozarks, just off Hoot Owl Hollow, was a structure. It wasn’t in the older aerial snapshots, and held two entrance roads. A main one cutting through a thick forest before ending at what looked like a gate, and then a side road that traveled closer to the water and rear of the property where Liam was currently located.
Haven House.
Smaller.
Hidden.
A near perfect replica.
“Will, call Anderson,” Bernie’s voice shook as they realized the full scope of what they were seeing. People. Dozens of people were moving around the property. A full army against Liam. An army with a terrorist at its helm. “Will?”
Will shook his head, his gaze locked on the dot representing their son. “We need to get up there.”
Unbeknownst to anyone else, Rowan was already keeping an eye on the teams Anderson and Klausen dispatched from Little Rock. They were taking their time and not yet close.
“Holden is about forty minutes from reaching Liam.” Rowan switched the screen and pinged the plane carrying Holden and some of Anderson’s men. Carter had wanted to go with them, but was still feeling the effects of the sedative. “At least, that’s what I’m calculating based on where he is in the air, car retrieval, and the eighteen-minute drive.”
“It’ll take us a little more than two hours to fly there.” Ben was already going for the door. “Will, let's get in the air now.”
The two men were gone before anyone could get a word out, and Bernie collapsed into a chair, her mouth moving as she whispered to herself. “Two hours, and then driving time is approximately an hour total without a variation in traffic patterns.” She met Rowan’s gaze. “They’re too far away.”
Keeping his phone on speaker to help calm Bernie, Rowan called Holden and relayed what they knew. “And now Liam’s not answering his phone.”
“Can you send me a feed of the satellite?” Holden asked.
“Yeah, I can.”
Sending him what he had, they watched together as Liam’s indicator dot moved onto the property. “He’s not answering because he’s not waiting for backup,” Holden said after a long pause. “But one thing is for sure.”
“What?”
“They know he’s there.”
Chapter 36
“Did I ever tell you what that body of water is called?” Michael pointed to the deep, almost black lake in the distance. “They call that Hoot Owl Hollow. Isn’t that silly?”
Walking with her mother in the chilly early morning air, Madison flapped her arms. “Hoot. Hoot.”
Jamison’s foot slipped on the wet leaves scattered across the ground, and she held on to Emily as they followed behind Michael, Claudia, and Madison. Her legs ached, her head throbbed, and she hadn’t slept. Not really. Not with Michael beside her.
He never touched her. Not once. Rolling to his side, he dozed on and off, waking a handful of times throughout the night with gasping breaths and clenched fists. In the gray morning light, stripped of adrenaline, Jamison could see the weariness now, as if Michael were pushing himself to function.
Claudia looked just as bad as Michael, but for another reason. Her high cheekbones were more sunken than usual, and her tall frame was noticeably thinner. She clutched Madison’s hand tightly, fighting tears while they walked.
