Page 34 of Todd
“There,” Todd murmured, adjusting the drone’s position for a closer examination. “Western boundary, approximately two hundred meters south of the main complex. The wash creates a natural blind spot, and that maintenance shed blocks direct camera coverage.”
Through his earpiece, he could hear the team members discussing angles and distances, their voices overlapping with the kind of tactical enthusiasm that meant they’d found something useful.
“Can you get closer?” Casper’s voice cut through the chatter. “We need to verify the camera coverage gap.”
Todd guided the drone lower, his pulse quickening as the machine approached the potential meeting zone. The maintenance shed was larger than it had appeared from altitude. It was big enough to provide substantial concealment for two people having a brief conversation. More importantly, the creek bed offered multiple approach routes that would keep anyone moving through the area below the sight lines of the perimeter cameras.
“Confirmed,” he said, satisfaction warming his voice. “There’s a dead zone here, approximately thirty meters wide. Someone could approach from the creek bed, meet at the shed, and withdraw without appearing on their surveillance system.”
The team’s excitement was palpable through the connection, but Todd’s attention was already shifting to other concerns. Thedrone’s cameras had captured evidence of recent vehicle activity in areas that should have been pristine desert, making his blood run cold.
“I’m seeing tire tracks,” he reported, his voice tight with new tension. “Multiple vehicles… recent. They lead away from the facility toward those hills to the north.”
The implications hung in the air like a weight. Vehicles leaving Serenity Dunes in directions that had nothing to do with guest transportation, heading into wilderness areas where bodies could disappear forever.
“Document everything,” Logan directed with grim authority. “We need a complete record of those tracks.”
Todd spent another twenty minutes guiding the drone through systematic documentation, his camera capturing tire patterns, direction of travel, and most disturbingly, what appeared to be disturbed earth in several locations miles from the spa. Someone had been working very hard to erase traces of their activities.
As the drone returned to his position and settled onto the ground, Todd felt the weight of discovery on his shoulders. They’d found a way for him and Sadie to meet safely, but they’d also uncovered evidence suggesting that Serenity Dunes’s operation could be beyond the facility.
The sun was setting behind the western mountains as Todd packed his equipment, painting the desert in shades of copper and gold that should have been beautiful. Instead, the dying light felt ominous, like the last moments before darkness claimed another victim.
Somewhere in that pristine facility, he knew Sadie was playing her role to perfection, surrounded by some who may have viewed wealthy guests as nothing more than test subjects and potential profit centers. The knowledge that he’d soon be able to meet with her face-to-face provided some comfort,but the drone footage had revealed threats that went beyond anything they’d anticipated.
As he hiked back toward his vehicle, Todd’s mind was already racing ahead to contingencies and extraction protocols. Because if his worst fears proved correct, getting Sadie out of Serenity Dunes alive might require more than careful planning.
18
Despite having all the information he could possibly need, Todd found himself adrift in the particular hell of the waiting game.
This was the kind of mission they all hated with a passion. Sitting in a bare minimum hotel room, staring at screens and phones, never quite knowing what to plan for or when the hammer might fall. The uncertainty was maddening. Knowing that Sadie was the one on the front lines, playing a role in potential danger while he sat safely miles away, twisted his gut into knots that had nothing to do with the questionable airline food he’d choked down earlier.
She’s out there alone, depending on me to be ready when she needs me.
The weight of that responsibility felt heavier than usual. This wasn’t just about protecting a teammate anymore…. this was about protecting the woman who’d haunted his thoughts and dreams, who’d made him question every careful boundary he’d built around his heart.
The hotel’s modest amenities included a printed list of the limited local restaurants. Mexican food, pizza, a coffee shop, noodles, and something optimistically called “grill.” Most offered delivery service, probably understanding that guests atthe Sonoran Desert Hotel weren’t necessarily looking for a dining experience so much as basic sustenance.
Todd ordered mechanically, choosing the first thing on the list without really caring what arrived. Food was fuel, nothing more, and right now his appetite was strangled by anxiety and anticipation.
The lukewarm pizza delivery arrived, but it tasted like cardboard. He forced himself to eat, knowing his body needed the calories, even if his mind was too preoccupied to appreciate flavors or textures.
By now, Sadie would be at dinner in the spa’s elegant dining room. In his mind, he could see her smile and pretend to be just another wealthy client seeking relaxation and rejuvenation, all while staying hyperaware of every face, every conversation, every detail that might matter to their mission.
God, she’s incredible.The thought hit him with surprising force, a wave of admiration and longing that made his chest tight.How did I ever convince myself I could stay away from her?
He assumed she’d contact him when she returned to her room for the night. Until then, he was trapped in this limbo of waiting.
Todd settled into the small desk chair, positioning himself so he could see both his computer screen and his phone simultaneously. The silence was broken only by the low hum of the air-conditioning unit working overtime against the heat.
The notification chime on his phone cut through the oppressive silence. Todd’s heart lurched against his ribs as he saw her name on the screen, that familiar combination of letters that had the power to derail his thoughts completely.
Good to have you close.
Five words. Five simple words that hit him with the force of a physical blow. His fingers trembled slightly as he read themagain, then a third time, dissecting each syllable like it contained the secrets of the universe.
Good to have you close.Not just “good” or “thanks for coming.” She’d said it was good to have him close. The word choice felt deliberate, intimate in a way that made his pulse race and his throat constrict with desperate hope.
