Page 79 of Red Hunt

And he was right. I wasn’t thinking straight, and going off on my teammates wouldn’t help anything, and especially not Milli.

I nodded once, then turned around toward the entrance, and opened the door to the bathroom. I needed to think clearly.

We needed to find out where they were taking her. And we needed a plan to get her back. ASAP. But that wouldn’t happen with me not thinking straight.

I stuck my head under the tap, the cold water shocking but soothing, as well. It cleared my head enough to snap me back into operational mode—no feelings, just focus.

There was some commotion outside my door when I rubbed my hair, so I stepped outside with the towel still slung around my neck and in my hands.

Goofy was leaning against the wall talking to George and Lucas, while a terrified-looking Belinda was facing Peaches. Her back was toward me, but Peaches was towering over her, and I couldn’t remember ever seeing him so angry.

A surge of white-hot rage swept through me. She was the reason Milli had even been at that club.

“You.” I stabbed at the air between us with my finger.

Belinda turned around, squeezed her eyes shut, and put up her hand. “Don’t. We don’t have time for that now. As I told your dear colleague here”—she turned back to Peaches and slapped him on the chest—“I need access to a computer, right the fuck now.” Her last words were screamed at Peaches, whose face tightened until his eyes were slits and his lips nothing more than a white slash. Was Peaches really that angry at Belinda because of Milli, or was there more going on between them?

“What’s going on?” Carter stepped next to Peaches. His natural authority immediately demanded attention.

“I need access to a computer. I have a way to track Milli. So, if you superheroes would just get your ego in check and let me, we would already be on our way to bring her back.”

Carter stepped to the side and opened space for Belinda to reach Peaches’ laptop.

He looked at Peaches, then at me. “Boys, I need your head in the game.” His face and voice softened. “You can fall apart later. But now Milli needs you.” His hand clamped down on my shoulder, and he squeezed once. He knew what I was going through. It had been a little over a week since he’d thought he’d lost Edith forever. He understood.

I nodded.

Peaches turned around and looked over Belinda’s shoulder. “What the fuck?” was all that came from him. Over and over again.

I stepped behind Belinda, as well. She had established a VPN, then opened the TOR browser, and was about to log into a forum. The Greyhounds. I inhaled sharply. Holy fuck. Was Belinda part of the same group as Milli?

That’s why they were there. All the pieces fell into place while I read what Belinda was writing.

There were a lot of users online, all chatting over each other.

As soon as Belinda told them what had happened, they were all over it. Soon GPS coordinates appeared, and Peaches grabbed Carter’s notebook. Within twenty minutes, we had a plan of action and a tentative goal. Our best bet was an old motel on the highway leading eastward from Whitebrook.

Carter went back on comms to coordinate with Richard and Jeremy.

“Listen, guys. Sheriff’s Department and DEA are still engaged. So, it’s on us. Saddle up. Go-time in five.”

Peaches and Belinda packed all the computer equipment; Carter made sure everybody had comms. I would ride with George and Lucas, while Goofy, Carter, Peaches, and Belinda would man the other vehicle.

I just prayed we would find them in time and Milli would be safe.

52

MILLI

The van stopped, and adrenaline flooded my body. When the guys dismounted, my breathing stopped so I could listen to them moving around. But I was too scared to even move. Should I try to escape as soon as they opened the doors? Would I have a chance? Or was it better to bide my time, wait for an opportunity? I squeezed my eyes and gasped when the urge to breathe overwhelmed me.

A million scenarios flipped through my mind like a collage from all the action movies I’d ever watched. Not one image stayed long enough so I could determine if it would be good enough for an escape plan.

Then the door opened. All three of them were there. No escaping them.

Tall Guy grabbed my arm again and hauled me off the van. I squealed, but then clamped my lips shut. I would not be vulnerable. At least I wouldn’t show it.

“I’ll take a little time alone with her. You two can go,” he said to his two buddies as soon as we entered a tiny house at the edge of a forest. I had recognized we’d left the smooth roads some time ago, and I realized now that we’d followed a bumpy gravel road, which ended here—in the middle of nowhere, the smell of pine trees and moss and forest almost soothing. Did GPS even work in the middle of nowhere?

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