Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 144571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
Please let her tracker work.
Ian’s head shook. “I tried and the software says it’s offline. So it’s Huisman. I find it very interesting that Ben Parker is in town and Huisman shows up.”
“Ian, Ben is at Top with Kenzie right now,” Charlotte pointed out. “He has no idea, and neither does Kenzie.” She looked to Cooper. “We decided to leave her out for the time being. I’m worried she’ll give herself away, and I don’t know how we explain to Parker that the girl he’s on a date with got kidnapped. While she’s sitting there with him. But the rest of the team is on the way. Tris is already looking into private airfields around the area. I want to see the security tapes.”
He’d already thought about that. When Landon had finished making his calls, Cooper had ordered him to go into the security office and pull everything they had. It wouldn’t show what happened inside, but they had cameras covering all around the building and in the parking lot. “Landon is doing that right now.”
“Yeah, I’ll be having a talk with him,” Big Tag said grimly.
Cooper’s hands were trembling. He forced them to stop. Cool. Calm. He needed to stay that way. “Don’t be hard on him. Devi’s been acting up lately. She ditched him, and he came after her. He was too late. I think we have to bet she took Devi as a way to draw Zach out. Huisman wants the bombmaker, after all.”
“Then why take Kala?” Charlotte asked, her face pale.
“Because Huisman wants to hurt me,” Big Tag said with grim surety. “I’ve already got word into Drake that his super-psychologist was a plant. Between Zach and now Lena, we’ve got some real problems with the Agency’s vetting process. I have to wonder where the hell Huisman found her and how much he paid her.”
His mom had said something he hadn’t truly understood. “Mom said Lena is someone’s daughter. Do you know a guy named Nelson?” What was the first name? “Evan, maybe.”
For the first time in his life, he watched Ian Taggart’s jaw drop. “Eli fucking Nelson? He didn’t have kids. He wasn’t married.”
“And I blew up the boat he was on. Technically, he blew it up himself. He didn’t know I’d transferred the bomb to his ship,” Charlotte explained.
Ian ran a hand over his sandy hair, a look of complete shock on his face. “He said it to Kala. The sins of your father will be visited upon you. He’s been planning this for a fucking decade. He found Lena, brought her in, placed her where she could work her way close to the target. Us.”
“I knew she was up to something. I think she’s been using those so-called therapy sessions against Kala.” Charlotte paced. “She’s been trying to isolate her so she could do exactly this.”
“And when it didn’t work, she used Devi and Eve to get Kala to comply,” Cooper explained. “That’s what my mom said.”
“You should go to the hospital and be with your dad,” Charlotte offered.
Big Tag’s head shook. “He’s not going anywhere except to work. He’s not going to be able to do or think about anything else right now. I called Hunter. He’s on his way. And Vivi’s trying to find a flight from London. Sean and Grace are on their way, too. Alex is going to have support.”
A huge relief. In so many ways. Not only realizing his dad wasn’t alone, but that Big Tag knew his heart. “I’m on this team. I won’t lose it the way I did last time. She would be pissed if I did, and she already makes fun of me, so I’m going in stoic this time.”
“See that you do.” Big Tag reached for his wife’s hand, drawing her close. “We’re going to find her.”
Charlotte wrapped her arms around her husband and held on.
The door came open, and Tristan strode through. He already had his laptop in hand. He looked like he’d come from the gym, dressed in sweats and a T-shirt. “Aidan dropped me off. He’s heading to the hospital but wants you to know he’ll come along if we figure out where they are. Or Carys. He wants a doctor there.”
“We’ll take Aidan. His specialty is…” Cooper had to take a long breath. “Trauma. God, hasn’t she had enough damn trauma? At least I think he’ll keep Devi halfway healthy because Zach won’t come in otherwise, but he’ll torture Kala. Again.”
Tris moved in, giving him a big hug. “It’s going to be okay. She’s the toughest woman I know. And you should understand that I’ve already put the word out to Zach. There are some places I know he used to frequent on the Internet. I have to hope he still checks those addresses.”
“We can’t count on him,” Cooper said, stepping back, but he was in control again. “The last time I saw him he was… Well, the last time Kala saw him he was walking through the Rocky Mountains. I was kind of drugged.”