Page 32 of The Girl He Claimed

"Do you think he's reallyhere?" Paige asked. Paige could feel her heart beating faster as she andChristopher approached the abandoned apartment complex.

The idea that Adam Riker might beholed up here, that they might be about to catch him at long last, was almosttoo much to hope for.

The apartment building was in arundown part of town, the walls covered with graffiti, and a couple of windowsboarded up on the lowest floor. Currently, it was surrounded by police cars andFBI agents.

"I hope so," Christophersaid, pulling up in front of the building. "I want to end this. And Sauerseemed definite about the sighting."

Paige nodded, her eyes scanning thearea for any signs of movement. She had her hand on her gun, ready for anysudden danger.

As they approached, they were metby Agent Sauer, who had a worried look on his face.

"What's going on?"Christopher asked, his tone urgent.

"We received a tip that Rikerwas holed up here," Sauer replied. "But we haven't been able to findhim yet. There are no signs of movement from inside the building, but thatmight just mean that he's gone to ground."

Paige didn't know what to make ofthat. Was Adam in there or not?

"Did anyone see him enter thebuilding?" Christopher asked, his eyes scanning the area.

Sauer shook his head. "No, butwe have a team searching the surrounding area right now. We're hoping to findhim soon."

Paige felt a sense of urgencyrising within her. They had to catch Riker before he had a chance to escapeagain.

"I'm going in," she said,her voice firm. "If he's in there, we can't give him more time tothink."

Sauer looked doubtful. "That'sa job for a tactical team, Agent King. I called you and Marriott because thisis your case, not because I wanted you to go charging in after Riker."

The fact that Sauer was here at allsaid a lot about how seriously he was taking the situation. For the second timein just a couple of days, he was out in the field rather than behind a desk,running the department.

"With respect, sir,"Christopher said. "This is our case. If anyone's going into that buildingto take on Adam Riker, it should be Paige and me."

"I understand that you bothhave a personal stake in this," Sauer said, "but this still has to bedone properly. You can go in, but a tactical team will go with you, and theywill take point, not you."

It sounded like the best they weregoing to get. In truth, Paige was grateful for the backup. If Adam really wasin there, then he would be dangerous in the extreme. He would have nocompunction about killing her or Christopher, not now.

"Understood, sir," Paigesaid, nodding. "The tactical team takes point."

The leader of the tactical teamapproached. He was a man in his mid-thirties, heavily built, wearing a helmetand full tactical armor. He was carrying a submachine gun in a sling across hischest. He nodded to Paige and Christopher.

"Agents. I'm Agent Harris. Theplan here is simple. We'll go in the back while Agent Sauer and the others herecover the front. We'll sweep the apartment building floor by floor until wefind the suspect. Is there anything we need to know about him that will help usto catch him?"

Paige tried to think. "He'sclever. Adam has a knack for working out what other people's moves are going tobe and planning ahead to counter them."

Agent Harris snorted at that."Not so clever, if he's holed up here. It's a location we can containeasily. There's no way out for him. We'll take him down."

That troubled Paige a little,because why would Adam trap himself he couldn't get out of? He was too smartfor that.

She frowned as the implications ofthat sank in.

"There's something wronghere," she said.

"There's nothing wrong,"Sauer insisted. "We have Riker trapped, and now we're going to bring himin."

"That's just it, sir,"Paige said. "Why would Adam let himself be trapped like this? We shouldhold off until we know more."

Sauer shook his head. "Youwere the one saying that we can't wait any longer, Agent King. Even a man likeRiker can make a mistake. We have to take our chance now."

Paige could sense the tensionrising. They were all on edge, ready to act.

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