Page 27 of Master Cordell

“Alpha three to one—I only see one male suspect. Brown hair, about five eleven, hundred eight pounds. Looks like he’s holding a nine millimeter semi-auto. This door’s not locked but there’s something keeping me from opening it.”

“Alpha four, same here.”

“Alpha two, ditto. The window to the office is shut tight. I can’t get in without making a shit-ton of noise.”

Damn it.That meant there was only one way in and out.

“Tiff and Serenity are sitting on the floor by Reed’s chopper,” Dante continued. “Both have their mouths gagged and hands tied behind their backs. They look okay, but there’s a body on the ground not far from them, facedown and not moving—I think it’s Kairo, but I can’t be sure from this angle.”

As he listened to more reports, Cordell’s hands clenched the steering wheel so tightly, the blood drained from his fingers.Hold it together, Roberts.

After driving through the main gates, he steered the vehicle toward the last hangar and parked almost in front of it, staying out of his sniper’s line of sight. The opening between the big bay doors was only five feet wide. It wasn’t enough that someone could haul one of the birds out of there, but according to Jake, he could get a shot if Cordell managed to draw the suspect out into the open.

Eyeing the shadows beyond the open doors, he climbed out of his truck. The area was surprisingly quiet—no one was taking off or landing or preparing for flight. He didn’t spot anyone around, but then again, it was just after six p.m. The tours that flew out from the other side of the heliport were done for the day, and so were most of the mechanics and others who worked there. A few vehicles by the control tower and next to one of the hangars told him there were still people there, just not in view. It was still light out, the sun shining bright in the west, but that wasn’t helpful, since it made what was happening inside hangar ten nearly impossible to see.

Taking a step closer to the opening in the bay doors, he raised his voice. “All right. I’m here. Let Tiffany go.” He didn’t add Serenity and Kairo to that order. The suspect didn’t know he was aware they were in there, and whatever small advantage it might give him, Cordell would take it.

Movement in the shadows caught his attention, but it was Tiffany’s yelp of pain that nearly had him storming the building.

“Shut up, bitch!” the unknown suspect barked.

Now on her feet, Tiffany was pushed forward toward the open doorway. While she winced, and her cheeks were tear stained, he couldn’t distinguish any outward physical injuries. Pure relief at seeing her coursed through his system a split second before he noticed the bastard standing behind her, using her as a shield. Recognition kicked in. “John Wiley.”

Chapter18

The methed-up dirtbag still looked the same as the last time Cordell had seen him—the mirror image of his twin brother. Tall and skinny with scraggly hair. He’d removed the long-sleeve shirt Ty had described, and the tee he was now wearing showed off the tattoos covering his arms. With his hat pushed back on his head, his damn earlobe gauges that were all the rage were now visible. Cordell had testified at Joe Wiley’s murder trial after he’d killed his pregnant girlfriend about four years ago. Once found guilty, Joe had been sentenced to twenty-five years to life—seemed like the latter was the ultimate punishment. Cordell was a little surprised no one from LVPD or the Clark County DA’s office had notified him of the man’s death, since it was his testimony that had sealed Joe’s fate. However, he doubted he would’ve suspected John’s involvement in everything that’d happened at the resort before actually seeing him.

“Very good. Nice to see you remember me.” Wiley gestured with the semiautomatic in his hand. “Now, lift up your shirt and turn around.”

Cordell had expected this. Instead of bringing a gun that would be difficult to hide, he had a knife that was built into his belt buckle. He’d anticipated being searched and losing any gun, which would’ve pissed off Wiley. Cordell hadn’t wanted to risk the asshole shooting Tiffany out of principal that his instructions hadn’t been followed. If he’d truly come alone, it might have been a different story.

Lifting up his shirt, he slowly spun around in a full circle. Then, before Wiley could make another demand, Cordell showed him that there were no weapons attached to his ankles. “All right. I’m here, unarmed. Your beef is with me—let Tiffany go.” He didn’t add Serenity and Kairo to that statement, since if he was alone, he wouldn’t know they were in there.

“You don’t call the shots here, old man. Now get in here.”

Crap. He moved a few steps closer, mentally calculating the straight line of sight Jake needed for the sniper shot. “So, what happened to your brother?”

The other man’s eyes flared in anger, and he tightened the grip he had on a handful of Tiffany’s hair. She let out an involuntary cry, but her trusting gaze remained on Cordell. He stared back for a moment, trying to communicate that he wasn’t going to let anything else happen to her.

“He got shivved in prison thanks to you, asshole.”

He took another few steps toward the left bay door, hoping to cause Wiley to move closer to the other side of the opening. But that didn’t happen.

“Sorry to hear that,” Cordell said with sympathy when he was feeling anything but. “That had nothing to do with me though. And it definitely had nothing to do with Tiffany, so why don’t you just let her go.”

“Stop telling me what to do!” He waved the gun around as spittle shot from his sneer. “You’re not in charge here!”

“Okay, you’re right. Calm down.”

“Draw him out more,” Jake whispered in Cordell’s earwig. Unfortunately, that didn’t look like it would happen.

“Get in here! Now! Or I’ll put a bullet in her shoulder.”

Shit.The look on the jackass’s face said he’d do it too.

Cordell took the last few steps into the hangar, slowly enough that his eyes could easily adjust to the dimmer interior. His gaze flittered around. It was definitely Kairo facedown on the concrete floor. There was a small amount of blood on the neck of his shirt and in his hair. Cordell hoped that meant the man hadn’t been shot but, instead, knocked out by a blow to the back of his head. He silently counted to three and was relieved to see Kairo’s back rise and fall—he was still breathing. One less thing to worry about.

Behind Tiffany and Wiley, Serenity was furtively moving around as if she were trying to get out of her restraints. Cordell kept her in his peripheral vision, not wanting to draw Wiley’s attention to her. During their one and only flight they’d taken with the female pilot, they’d learned she’d served eight years with the Marines and saw combat during that time. Whatever she was planning to do to get them out of this mess, Cordell was willing to let her try it. If anything, she’d cause a distraction and give him and the others a chance to take Wiley down.

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