Page 69 of Unloaded
“The vehicle is a total loss,” Atwood explains. “From Carter’s description it rolled over an embankment, flipping and hitting the ground several times before coming to rest right side up.
“The driver’s side door is hanging open, and there’s blood at the scene but not so much that he suspected the driver didn’tmake it. He said there are several sets of footprints in and around the van.
The person who called in said they also saw two dark colored vehicles on the side of the road. A man was carrying a woman to one of them, but they weren’t able to give a detailed description of the vehicles, or the man they saw with the woman.”
Just then, Kelvin bursts into the room with laptop in hand.
“I’ve found her!” All eyes turn toward him at his announcement. “She’s outside Winthrop’s estate, or at least she was an hour ago. There’s a delay in the cell phone towers updating this morning for some reason.”
“I don’t want to know how you’re accessing the cell towers,” Atwood states dryly. “Did you say Winthrop estate? As in Lawrence and Gladys Winthrop?”
“Yes, that’s the place,” Kelvin verifies. “Do you know them?”
“Personally? No,” Atwood replies, “but Lawrence Winthrop is suspected of having connections to organized crime. Is that why Rosco’s house was hit?”
Ah, Fuck!Atwood is too damn good at his job. I’m not sure him knowing all the details is a good idea, but it’s too late. He’s putting all the pieces together. When no one replies, he continues.
“Why would Rachel Miller, your employee, be outside his estate, Luke?” Atwood inquires, his tone no longer friendly, since no one has offered to give him an answer to his previous questions.
“It’s a complicated situation,” Luke begins but is interrupted when Kelvin’s laptop pings drawing our attention.
“Hot damn!” he exclaims. “My program has updated to real time. Her phone is pinging along the interstate.”
“Where?” I ask instantly. “Can you tell if it is moving?”
“Near Norfolk, and it appears to be stationary, but like I said earlier it’s updating slower than usual.” The brief hope I’d felt leaves me in a rush. Rachel no longer has her phone with her.
“No!” I bellow. This day just goes from bad to worse.
“What the hell?” Kelvin asks, giving a shocked expression. Bo quickly catches him up on what Det. Atwood had told us.
Fear, regret, and guilt overwhelm me.This is all my fault.If I’d only made it clear to her she meant something to me, she wouldn’t be out there, putting herself in danger. I’ve fucked up, but I refuse to let her suffer because of it.
“We need to speak to the witness,” I demand, finally pulling myself together enough to join the conversation. “They may know more than they think. We just need to ask the right questions.”
“I don’t have a name or number for the witness, but let me see what I can find out,” Atwood says reluctantly. “I’m going to end up owing people for the rest of my life with the favors I call in for you guys.”
“True,” Bo agrees, “but we owe you just as many favors, so it all evens out.”
“Yeah, right.” Atwood chuckles sarcastically. “I’ll be in touch.” The line goes dead.
I close my eyes to block out the world, for a moment, but it does no good. A body lying on a growing, dark red stain in the sand comes to mind, but instead of 1Lt. Montgomery’s sightless eyes staring back at me, they’re Rachel’s.
Her once beautiful eyes are no longer holding her light. She’s gone, and once again, it’s my fault. I can’t lose her when I’ve only just accepted that I need her. A hand on my shoulder pulls me from the hellish vision, causing me to jump.
“I promise we will find her,” Bo says firmly, holding my gaze “and bring her back to you.”
“You can’t promise that,” I say, hating how my voice cracks at the truth. “They have her, Bo. This is on me.”
“You can’t think that way or give up hope, Rosco,” Bo reminds me gently. “I know how you feel. I haven’t forgotten how Marley and Shelby ended up in the hands of the Brotherhood. That was onme, but none of you let me blame myself. And I won’t allow you to either. Wewillget her back, sooner rather than later.”
I nod, willing myself to believe his words and sending up a silent prayer for God to watch over her until I can hold her again. I haven’t been a praying man in the past, but if he will get Rachel and I through this, I swear I’ll be a better man.
“We still need to finish the call with Tiger,” Bo reminds me. “We need to gather intel and form a plan. Then we’ll need to get our go-bags. I don’t expect this is going to be a quick trip.” I nod because my brother is correct, but it doesn’t make waiting any easier.
“Yeah, I thought you guys had forgotten me,” Tiger calls from my back pocket where I’d tucked my phone as I’d made to leave. I pull it out and place it back on the table.
“Only for a couple of minutes,” I admit, “I’m sure you can understand. I need to get to my woman so spit out whatever it is that’s so important for you to keep calling.”
