Page 94 of His Deadly Lies

We discuss strategy on our drive back to the house, the footage in tow on a zip drive given over by the security guards, Rafel and the others in the basement already alerted to our arrival. And only after Edward read every single one of them the riot act. Isabella and Ricardo are pressed together in the back seat, making themselves more comfortable than they have a right to be.

“Finding out where she’s been taken is going to be the hardest part,” Ricardo pipes up.

“Hopefully, the hospital footage will give us a place to start,” I manage through gritted teeth. “If we know who it is who took her, we’ll be able to track them. I’m sure of it.”

“The warehouse?” Edward asks from behind the wheel. “Do you think they would have taken her there?”

I shake my head before replying, “I think the warehouse was only used for storage. These people are not very smart.” I cut him a sideways look. “To steal from you in the first place. Hell of a way to get someone's attention.”

“A better way to end up underground,” Edward replies. “Do you truly believe they are after my business? To hurt me? Or does this somehow center solely around my daughter?”

It’s hard for him to ask and impossible for me to answer. “I don’t know.”

Edward taps his fingers on his leg, his knuckles arthritic and swollen. I’ve never noticed it before. “You fooled us all. With your little ruse.” He catches Ricardo’s attention from the rearview mirror. “As though our close proximity these last few days wouldn't give me a hint.”

Ricardo leans forward. “I’m surprised you’re not madder than you are in that regard.”

“Extenuating circumstances.” Edward sounds sure. “It seems to me that we all assumed what you wanted us to assume, so any hurt feelings are on me. We ran with it.” The look in his eyes says there may very well be repercussions down the line, but it’s all put aside for now.

For however long.

“They certainly did pull one over on you, Daddy,” Isabella chimes in happily.

The only one of us in any way chipper, and I spare a glance at her. She winks at me. Awfully cocky to have such a high level of faith in me. Or perhaps only in her father.

“Smart move, though, I suppose,” Edward begrudgingly admits. “To act like a bodyguard to gather more intel. Quite smart. Never attempt it again, and I may very well have to renegotiate the terms of our merger.”

“Seems to me that my uncle has switched from intel gathering to Mia gathering,” Ricardo says.

Isabella smacks him in the chest. “That is not funny! It’s not the right time for jokes.”

Once we’re back at the compound, I head down to the basement with Balestra on my heels. The moment the elevator doors open, I call out for Rafel, who limps over as quickly as possible with the help of a cane.

Does he have a spare?

“Here is footage from the hospital.” I hand off the zip drive to him. “See if you can run plates of nearby vehicles or get whatever you can from the man on the screen.”

Rafel nods once. “I’m on it.”

And the kicker is, if anyone is going to find what we need, it’s him.

“Anything,” I call after him. “I’ll take it as a lead and hunt it down while you’re looking.” I’m going to get my fiancee back if it’s the last thing I do. And heaven help whoever tries to stand in my way.

26

MIA

Waking up tied to a chair with a headache from hell isn’t my idea of a dream vacation.

It’s more like a trip through Dante’s inferno with all the devils at my back. Every inch of my skin hurts, and my temples pulse, my teeth throbbing along with them. I run my tongue along my teeth, and although they feel stupidly fuzzy, nothing is broken.

Why would they be broken?

Groggy, I test the ropes around my wrists and ankles for any give and find none.

Son of a bitch. The scene trickles back to me in bits and pieces. Ricardo’s refusal to bring me to Carter, the walk, the kidnap.

Someone fucking kidnapped me.

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