Page 4 of Covert Obsession

The founder of SFI, who typically left her alone to run the agency, spoke a greeting to those in attendance. “Sorry, I couldn’t be there in person.”

Beatrice set down the pen. “I was just filling them in about Lydia and Ghost Fox. I haven’t handed out assignments yet.”

Since Emit had ties to the private organization, he gave them a brief background, as well as the details of the kidnapping. She flipped through photos on-screen to match what he was saying.

The specifics of the kidnapping were slim, the sources few. “This will require absolute and unequivocal discretion and secrecy,” Emit said. “Time is of the essence. Ghost Fox believes RING plans to interrogate Ms. Charmaine to gain intel concerning a joint operations mission between the UK and the US that targets their group. Members, often referred to as Ringers, are soldiers of fortune with no official public state sponsor and are classified, literally, as psychopaths. In the past, they’ve contracted with Russia, China, and North Korea to carry out assassinations, kidnappings, and bombings. As soon as they have the details they want, they’ll eliminate her.”

“They’re a nasty bunch,” Rory said. “They don’t negotiate.”

“They’re brutal and cunning,” Emit agreed. “Even if they keep her in isolation, negotiating her release or handing her back could endanger their plans. Remember, she’s a trained undercover agent; she’ll gather intel on them. They won’t risk releasing her and having her point authorities in their direction. Or her coming after them herself if they let her live.” He drew an audible breath. “Our primary goal is rescue. If that fails, our subject may have to be terminated.”

All eyes went to Trace. He’d been handed some of the toughest assignments SFI undertook. “Understood,” he said with no hesitation. They all knew the security and safety of the world often came down to these types of decisions. If an expert like Lydia fell into enemy hands the fallout could be devastating.

Emit left off the fact that she was a personal friend, along with the fact he, too, was an active member of Ghost Fox. Beatrice wasn’t sure if that was a strategic move or not. Knowing his connection to their subject would add a deeper layer of focus for her team, but it could also backfire if they became overly attached to a successful outcome because of him. Trained soldiers and experienced operatives were the tip of the intelligence arrow, but even they felt emotional ties to friends, family, and coworkers. Those could rob them of their edge and cause unnecessary stress that influenced tough decisions in the field.

Either way, it was Emit’s call. She kept quiet.

Parker reviewed the notes she’d been furiously typing on her tablet. “Where did the abduction take place?”

There was a pause from Emit, heavy with guilt, before he said, “On the drive to my ranch in Colorado.”

“You have a ranch?” Rory snorted. He believed he knew everything and hated surprises. While he prided himself on being tapped into the world like a human version of the internet, he’d already had two huge revelations in the span of a minute. “And I’m only finding this out now?”

“Your skills are unparalleled. This is no reflection on you. I’ve kept it off most everyone’s radar,” Emit told him. “To keep the members of Ghost Fox safe.” Another strained pause. “Obviously, I failed.”

“How did RING find out?” Parker asked.

“Unknown. They snatched her before she got to the compound. No one should’ve known she was here. Ghost Fox may have a mole.”

From his tone, he was taking it upon himself to handle that. She glanced at Cal, silent communication flowing between them as easily as always. He seemed to be able to read her mind, and dipped his chin in a near-invisible nod, telling her he would work with Emit to root out any traitors.

Moe lounged in his chair, staring at Lydia’s portrait on screen. “This was planned and executed with precision. They wouldn’t waste time transporting her far from the abduction site. If I’d done it, I’d have a spot picked out and prepped well before I snatched her.”

“Agreed,” Parker said. “We should start our investigation by creating a timeline that includes what the RING members were doing prior to the abduction.”

Beatrice also turned her attention to Lydia’s photo. “There are three reasons behind kidnappings. One is for money or power. Two, for intelligence, which is most likely what we have here. But there is a third.”

As if on cue, Cassandra, SFI’s staff attorney, burst into the room, her heels clicking on the tile floor. As always, she was immaculate from her hair to her Steve Madden stilettos. Her makeup was precise and her nails were painted in the latest style. She held out a thin folder to Beatrice. “I went through all of my channels, and there’s nothing that pops out at me. I even had Mick contact some of his less-than-legal friends. We came up with a clean slate.”

Mick was one of her operatives and Cassandra’s husband. The two made a good team. Beatrice accepted the folder, flipping it open and motioning to the chair on her right. Three pages. “This isn’t much to go on.”

Cassandra crossed her legs as she eased into the cushy leather seat. “She has no mortgage, car loan, or credit cards. She has a social media account that she occasionally posts to, but it’s never anything personal—no selfies or photos of friends or family. Which, by the way, she only has a few very distant relations scattered throughout the world. Nobody she’s close to. Both parents are deceased. She’s not involved in any groups, nor does she have any hobbies.”

“Are there any other operatives or assets we could talk to?”

“Her undercover missions are Eyes Only, so we couldn’t get a look at them. MI6 partnered her with a CIA agent in the early 1990s for several assignments, but along with everything else, the name of that agent, and details about those missions, are classified. We can’t get our hands on it.”

“A lone wolf,” Trace said.

“At least that’s what she wants us to believe.” Beatrice scanned the highlighted items on the three pages in the file. “Remember, we’re dealing with a highly-trained operative who has extensive experience in the field. When you live that kind of life for so long, you’re always watching your back and never giving anything away, even after retirement.”

Rory crackled his knuckles. “Give me an hour and I can hack into MI6’s database.”

“Absolutely not,” Emit said. “We don’t need more information about Lydia’s past. We need to focus on our present problem.”

“I still have mates across the pond,” Moe said. “I could tickle their brains, if you want.”

“No,” Parker said.

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