Chapter Twenty-Six
Drew struggled to pull together the thoughts that raced through his head. Russell was taking out his anger, not on Drew, but on Sam and people Sam cared about. Did he suspect something more between them? Russ could be jealous, he’d seen it more than once.
The few times he glanced at Sam, his face was a mask of anger, and no wonder. After all he’d done to protect Matt, Russ got right to him and did as much damage as he could. Another wave of guilt surged through him and he turned his head away. This was what Vex meant, about not taking advantage of Sam’s goodwill. It would be a matter of days, if not weeks, before they were in a safe enough position to reveal all the information they had. In that time, Russ could do a lot of damage. And it wasn’t Drew who’d be hurt the most.
He made up his mind as they passed the first road sign for the city. There was no way he was dragging Sam down any further into this with him. Not with the very real possibility that he could be hurt. Even worse would be someone he cared about getting hurt, because Sam would blame himself. Not Russ, not Drew. He’d carry it all on his own shoulders.
His plan was simple, all he needed was the chance to put it into action. Sam didn’t ask any questions when Drew pulled out his phone and told him he was sending a message to Diego.
When they pulled up outside Jed’s house, they both got out, but Drew waited by the car while Sam went inside, telling him he needed some fresh air. It was the truth, he was still shaky and nauseous. Pulling the envelope from the car, he took a pen and scrawled a message on it, then set it down on the passenger seat, closing the door and walking quickly away.
He didn’t look back, hoping against hope that Sam wouldn’t be back out too soon. No one called after him as he reached the end of the street and turned left, towards the cab idling by the footpath. When he’d told Sam he was contacting Diego, he had ordered the cab instead. As he climbed in, he didn’t let himself look back. This was his problem, and it was in his hands to ensure everyone stayed safe while Sam got justice for the people Russell had wronged.
“Where to?” the driver asked
“Head toward the city center.”
His heart was in his mouth as he made the phone call. A familiar voice answered, smooth and deep. “Hello?”
“Russ. It’s Drew. I want to meet.”
Sam got caught up briefly in the chaos of Jed’s home as his friend struggled to feed an excitable Toby, the toddler having decided that running around making airplane noises was more fun than eating lunch.
After helping corral Toby and get him strapped into his high chair, he borrowed the keys for the garage, getting the doors open and heading out to Drew and the car. The first thing he noticed was Drew’s absence, and he jogged back into the house through the front door in case he’d followed Sam inside.
“Have you seen Drew?”
“No. Didn’t you say he was outside?”
“He was. He’s not there now.”
Sam ran back out and checked the car. No Drew. But the evidence Diego had left them was still there. As was the backpack. He glanced up and down the street, spotting a neighbor mowing their lawn.
“Hey, did you see my friend? He was right over there next to the car.”
The man shook his head before adding. “I did see a man walk past a few minutes ago, going that way.” He gestured towards the end of the road.
Sam followed the road until he came to the junction, his eyes searching for Drew. The only person within eyesight was a woman in pink, jogging on the opposite side of the road. He waved at her and she stopped, pulling out her earphones cautiously.
“Did you see a man go by? Mid-twenties, five-foot nine, dark hair, blue-shirt.”
She shook her head. “Sorry. I saw an older gentleman about half a mile back. And a mailman.”
He thanked her and turned back. Jed was outside the house when he returned.
“Any sign of him?”
Sam shook his head. “I think I need to call it in.”
He braced one hand against the car as he pulled out his phone, catching sight of Diego’s package through the window as he did. Yanking open the door, he read the message scrawled awkwardly across the envelope.
‘Sam, I can’t let anyone else get hurt. I’m giving Russell what he wants. Me. Get the information to someone who can do some good with it. Drew.’
Jed stepped closer, crutches clicking on the ground, and read it over his shoulder.
“At least you know he left of his own volition.”
“He’s walking into the lion’s den, Jed. I don’t think he realizes he won’t get out of it again.”
“If you’re right, and this Russell is as dangerous as you think he is, then you can’t go it alone anymore, Sam. You need help.”
“You’re right, I do.” And he knew just where to get it.
His team, sans him, were on duty that day. Tom listened intently as Sam told him everything in as few words as possible. Well, almost everything. To give him the full picture, he had to explain Matt, too, tamping down on the feeling that somehow he was betraying his best friend.
Tom called the rest of the team into the room and gave them an even briefer version.
“Do you have his cell phone number?” Warren asked.
Sam called it out, adding. “He’s not answering it.”
“I’ll see if it made or received any calls recently and access the GPS, if it has any. We may be able to track where he’s going.”
Tom sent the rest of the team out and a heavy silence settled over the room. Sam was sitting at their oblong table where the team gathered for briefings and post-call debriefs. Tom didn’t sit, standing next to his chair, and leaning back against the edge of the table.
“I’m sorry, I know I’ve made a mess of things,” Sam offered, reading the frown of disapproval on Tom’s face.
“As far as I can see it, the only real mistake you made was not telling us sooner. We’re your team, Sam. And you’ve been dealing with all this alone. I’m not just talking about Drew. I’m talking about Matt and you trying to support him these past weeks and months. Who’s been supporting you? No one. Why? Because you didn’t trust us enough to come to us with this. I’m guessing maybe there’s a reason for that. And for why you’re putting your neck on the line for a guy you barely know. It’s more than the fact you know his brother.”
Tom bent down, making steady eye contact. The one thing Sam hadn’t come clean about seemed to be the one thing he was zeroing in on. Was he going to have to say it? Breaking eye contact, he stared down at his lap. Tom sighed, leaning forward, and resting a hand on his shoulder.
“People like who they like, Sam. They love who they love. Good choices, bad choices. We’re all just human. It doesn’t matter to me and it doesn’t affect you being on this team. Right now, we need to focus on finding Drew and getting him somewhere safe while we get these—” He leaned back, tapping the envelope Sam had brought. “—to someone who can use them.”
Sam looked up, reassured to be on less shaky ground. Having a mission, an objective, something he could do, was infinitely better than being trapped alone with his swirling emotions.
“I need your head in the game for this, Sam. Can you do that?”
“Of course.” He meant it. This was what his training was for. To be able to put aside personal feelings and emotions, to focus on a task and follow orders. Even months out of the army and he was every bit the soldier he’d been before he left.
There was a knock on the door and Nate, one of the dispatchers, stuck his head in. “Sam, there’s a call for you. Someone called Diego. He said it’s urgent.”
“Drew’s reclusive friend?” Tom asked. Sam nodded, taking the phone Nate held out to him.
“Put it on speaker,” Tom said.
Sam hesitated. “This guy doesn’t trust me already. I don’t want to antagonize him.”
“Then be straight with him, ask him first, tell him who I am.”
He held the phone up to his ear. “Diego?”
“Sam.”
“Listen, I’m here with my boss, Thomas Fielding. Can I put you on speaker? Drew’s gone and we’re trying to locate him.”
“Fine, but hurry up, I haven’t got all day.”
Sam pressed the button and set the phone down on the table between them.
“Diego, my name is Tom. Sam tells me Drew took off an hour ago. He thinks he went to find Russell. Can you shed any light on that?”
“That’s why I’m calling.” Diego sounded impatient, and in the background, Sam could hear the click of a keyboard. “Drew called Russell from his cell an hour ago. Russell gave him a time and an address where he would meet him.”
“How do you know—” Sam started to ask but Tom waved him off.
“Russell has call recording software on his phone. It’s not very sophisticated.” Diego didn’t say any more, but the inference was clear. Diego had access to it.
“The reason I’m calling is that I believe Drew is in more imminent danger than either of you realize.”
“What makes you say that?” Tom again, cool and collected.
“Russell boarded a plane to San Francisco this morning. There’s no way he could be meeting Drew at the address he gave him. Thus, you’d have to wonder who or what Drew is going to find there.”
“Russell is tying up loose ends.”
“That’s what it looks like. I’ve sent you the address and GPS coordinates. You’ll be hard-pressed to get there before Drew does. Try, won’t you? For both our sakes.”