Page 27 of The Perfect Kiss
“Any thoughts on how long they’ve been gone?” I asked, looking for a timeline to determine if Crosby brought Delilah here or if only Salko and Gwen were here.
“Four, maybe five days.” Stone explained. “The water level in the tub shows that many days of evaporation.”
Stone was a pro and knew exactly what to look for. Still, it wasn’t to say that Crosby wouldn’t bring Delilah here eventually. The only way to find out for sure was to keep an eye out on this place. The problem was, I couldn’t spare any of my men to sit and watch the warehouse. While trying to figure out what to do, Mitch and Tyler came through the door.
“Wow! This place rocks,” Tyler blurted while standing behind Mitch.
Shaking my head, I looked over to Mitch. “Did you two find anything on the third floor?”
Mitch moved away from Tyler and walked over to where Stone, Axe, and I were standing. “The third floor appears to be the heart of Salko’s operation. There’s all kinds of surveillance equipment and high-tech computers. There is even a locked cage with a butt load of guns and assault weapons to equip an army.”
The only words I heard were operation and surveillance. It was enough to give me an idea. “Is there anything down there that we can use against Crosby? Even though he isn’t here now, I can’t take the chance that he won’t show up. I want eyes on this place 24/7.
“Absolutely,” Mitch replied. “With all of us working together, we can have this place wired with cameras in no time.”
∞
It took us a little over an hour to get Salko’s place wired with cameras. We were on our way to the SUV when my phone began to vibrate in my pocket. “Patton, tell me you have Crosby and Delilah in custody?”
“Afraid not, Davian. Zach and Marcus caught up with Hugo Elliott and forced him to pull over. It wasn’t him in the sedan. It was an innocent bystander that they used to pull off their plan. The sedan belonged to him. Hugo must have switched the plates back when he was in the alley. When I ran them, they belonged to the registered owner driving the car. He works at the shop connected to the alley. I don’t know how they did it, but they had to have help. They had to have known when he went to work and when he got off.”
We were missing something. Elliott and Delilah had to have left that alley at some point. Maybe the innocent bystander was a decoy, so they could leave the alley unnoticed. “I need to take another look at that street cam. One way or another, Elliott and Delilah left that alley. We need to find them.”
I slammed my fist against the roof of the SUV. If it hadn’t been for the padding in the headliner, I might have done some real damage to my hand. I was beyond pissed. Whenever I thought we finally had McCall, there was only another disappointment. I needed to stay positive. I shut everything out and closed my eyes, and filled my lungs with air. Blowing out the air I held in, I opened my eyes to four sets of eyes staring at me. “I’m good, guys. Let’s get back to the warehouse.”
Nothing was said while Axe drove back to the warehouse. I was thankful for the silence because it gave me a chance to think. Running through everything that happened the past three days in my head, I realized maybe I was looking at this all wrong. Instead of focusing on McCall, maybe I should be focusing on his associates. He and Salko were brothers. If I had to make a bet, I would bet that they knew the same people.
Reyna was coming down the stairs when Ax pulled inside the warehouse, and just like that, my shit day turned golden. She ran to the other side of the SUV and met me at the front passenger door. Her arms were around my waist as soon as my feet hit the concrete. The smell of berries and coconut filled my senses as I buried my nose in her hair. It was absolute heaven.
“I’m so glad you’re back. I was worried something would happen to you,” Her voice was muffled as she buried her head in my chest.
“I’m right here, princess.”
I held her against me as we headed to the computer room. Patton was busy at his computer, looking more frustrated than ever. It could only mean one thing. He wasn’t able to retrieve the street cam footage from the alley. So, when he looked over to Reyna and me and shook his head back and forth, I didn’t need to ask what he found. The answer would be nothing, and my assumption would be right.
Taking a seat next to him, I pulled Reyna onto my lap. I felt Patton’s frustration. It was only moments ago that I was in his position. Nevertheless, I wasn’t about to give up hope. There had to be another way to confirm that Hugo and Delilah left the alley. “What was the name of the owner of the sedan?” I blurted, knowing he might just be the person who could help us.
Patton hit a few keys and brought up the guy's information. “His name is Bob Engel. Why?”
“Because most businesses have some sort of security system in place, and just maybe the shop does too,” I said, hoping it would bring Patton some comfort.
“I’ll get on it. Thanks, Davian.”
~23~
Reyna
It was late by the time Davian and I left the computer room. Patton was still working hard trying to access the street cams. I didn’t understand how he did it. It was like he had vampire blood and never slept. When I woke to the time I went to bed, Patton never stopped pounding his fingers against his keyboard. He was like the Energizer Bunny.
By the time I brushed my teeth and removed my make-up, Davian had already pulled back the covers and slipped into bed. He was working on his laptop, which he rested on his exposed thighs. The sight of him in only his boxers made me want something besides sleep. In nothing but my lacy panties and one of his soft t-shirts, I strolled to the end of the bed. Like a cat on the prowl, I crawled onto the bed and between his long muscular legs. Davian’s eyes left his computer, and a sexy grin covered his face.
He was aware of my intention, and without hesitation, he pushed the lid to his laptop down and placed it on the floor. I was on my back in an instant with him towering over me. “You’re a very naughty girl, princess,” he whispered jokingly as he leaned in and placed a kiss on my neck.
Playing along with his game, I asked seductively, “Are you going to punish me?”
“I’m going to do something much better.”
Davian’s lips were on mine, and it was right where I wanted them to be. I opened my mouth, inviting him in. Moving my head to one side, Davian lowered his mouth down my neck, tempting my desire for him. He began licking a path downward, leaving behind a trail of goosebumps.
