Chapter Eleven
“They haven’t moved from the house since they got home from the hospital,” Bonner complained in an irritating whine. “And last time I drove by, there were two other cars in the driveway. How the fuck are we supposed to snatch her if she’s never alone? Kill everyone else?”
He and McFadden were in the living room of their suite. Next to him the laptop was open, its screen displaying the program tracking the little GPS on Arsenault’s car. McFadden was sitting at the conference table, unpacking the box of goodies Olberman had shipped to him.
“That’s a very unsophisticated and dangerous suggestion,” he told the other man. He was forced to dig deep for some forbearance. He didn’t know which annoyed him more, the fact they were not closer to grabbing the Cahill woman or Bonner’s insistent complaining. “She’s just been through an ordeal. From everything the boss sent us on psychic healing and the aftermath, it makes sense Arsenault would stick to her like glue. And her friends are probably just checking up on her.”
“Olberman’s been on our ass,” Bonner pointed out. “He must call you ten times a day.”
“This is important business to him,” McFadden pointed out, looking at the piece of electronics he’d just taken out of the box. “He’s got a lot riding on it. And a lot of people waiting. But he also knows we have to pick the right time for this.”
“What does he plan to do with this broad when he gets her, anyway? Rent her out?”
McFadden stared at the other man. He hadn’t mentioned anything of his boss’s plan for Summer Cahill. But obviously Bonner had been thinking about this a lot while they waited. And waited. And waited.
“That’s none of your business.” He kept his voice carefully controlled. “You only have to worry about doing what you’re told, so you can keep getting paid.”
Bonner hitched himself up in the armchair. “I’ve been thinking. If Olberman’s shelling out half a mil just to get the real goods on this girl, he’s set to make billions by renting her out to people who need her. We ought to be able to cut ourselves a slice of that pie.”
McFadden set the piece of gear he was holding carefully on the table and looked at Fred Bonner.
“You’ve been working for Kurt Olberman for a long time. He pays you well.”
“But—”
Reid held up his hand. “But nothing. Face it. You’re not smart enough to earn the kind of money you do without this job. Be grateful for what you’ve got.”
“Damn it.” Bonner smacked his hand on his knee. “Surely he could spare us a little cut of everything he’s gonna rake in. Can’t you even ask him?”
Reid thought if Olberman didn’t kill Bonner, he might do it himself.
“Do the job right, and you might get a nice fat bonus. Keep bitching about it, and you won’t be around for your next meal.” And maybe he wouldn’t be anyway once he outlived his usefulness. McFadden was getting damn sick and tired of the man. He just couldn’t allow him to fuck up this gig.
“What’s all that stuff you’ve got?”
“Electronic gear the big man sent so we can bypass Summer Cahill’s security system if we need to.”
“You mean if we need to get into the house? What about the guy with her?”
“Sooner or later he’s going to leave her alone, even if it’s just for a quick run to the store. We need to be ready.”
Bonner scratched his head. “From what Olberman said about the agency this guy is with, he’s sure to have installed a high-end system. What makes you think we can get through it?”
McFadden allowed himself a smile. “The system hasn’t been invented yet that the boss can’t figure a way around. Don’t get your shorts in a bunch. If we have to go in for her, it will be smooth as glass.” He looked at his watch. “Isn’t it about time for you to make a run past their house, anyway? See what’s going on?”
Bonner heaved himself reluctantly from his chair. “How come you don’t have to do the night runs?”
Reid ground his teeth. “Because I do the daylight runs, which, in case you missed it, are a lot more dangerous. More chance of discovery. Would you rather change?”
“No. I’ll do it. Shit, I hope we snatch the broad soon and get this done.”
“Meanwhile,” Reid pointed out in a voice edged with sarcasm, “you’re living on Olberman’s dime in a high-rent hotel and eating top-of-the-line food. If you have to do a little driving and sit on your fat ass to earn your salary, I’m sure you can put up with it.”
He ignored the venomous look Bonner shot at him as the man headed for the door.
Summer stretched out on the couch, half sitting, her head against Troy’s chest, her hands cradling her glass of wine. A baseball game was playing on the television screen, but the sound was muted. They were enjoying the silence and the warmth of each other’s bodies after a long, stressful day. She hadn’t really been up for company, but Faith sounded so concerned about her, so she’d agreed. . Troy’s fingers sifted through her hair, brushing her scalp with a gentle rhythm that eased the residual tension in her body.
She still had a hard time believing there was more danger out there waiting for her, something so intense that Troy refused to leave her side. Where on earth could it be coming from? And what happened when he was satisfied she was safe again? He couldn’t just back out of missions forever. She didn’t even want to think about him leaving.
This connection between them had exploded without warning, and she was still trying to wrap her brain around it.
“I can smell your brain burning, sugar,” he teased. “Heavy thoughts?”
“Maybe.” She wet her lower lip. “Just thinking about . . . stuff.”
His hand stilled for a moment. “Yeah? What kind of stuff?”
“Oh, you know. This and that.”
He chuckled. “I think I need you to be a little more specific than that.”
She managed a sip of wine without spilling any. “I keep going over and over in my head what you said about some kind of danger still out there waiting for me. I can’t imagine what it could be.”
He caressed her cheek with his knuckles, skimming her face from cheekbone to jaw. “I didn’t mean to get you upset. And I could be totally wrong. Seeing demons where there aren’t any. But my gut tells me there’s still some kind of unfinished business.”
“But the stalker has been caught, and the media frenzy has died down. Nothing leaked out about my visit to Clark Hauser. Are you sure it isn’t just residual feelings from the past couple of weeks?”
He shrugged. “Maybe.” He tilted his head enough to brush a kiss across her forehead. “Or maybe it’s just an excuse to stay around here. Would that be so bad?”
“Of course not.” She nibbled her lower lip. The “special connection” phrase still rattled around in her brain. She wanted to ask him about it, but she didn’t want to push if she was getting the wrong idea. Still, he’d expressed feelings for her when they made love, and she didn’t think he was the kind of person to say things he didn’t mean. She just didn’t know how far he wanted to carry this.
“Okay, spit it out, sugar. What’s got you so tied up in a knot?”
“I know you passed on the rescue mission in Canada, and you assured me they didn’t need you.” She shifted slightly so she could take another sip of her wine. “But you can’t just hang around here indefinitely. Other missions will come up where they need you. What happens then?”
“You mean what happens with us?” He took her wineglass and placed it on the coffee table, then turned her in his arms. “I haven’t really wanted to push you, Summer. You’ve been through a real ordeal, capping it off with your session at the hospital. But when I said I wanted things for us, I meant it. And not just for now. Forever.”
Her heart gave a funny little skip. “Are you sure? You’ve seen the kind of baggage I come with.”
He cupped her cheek and looked directly into her eyes. His own had deepened to the color of rich roasted coffee. “I don’t toss the word ‘love’ around lightly, Summer. I think it’s something to be said only when it’s absolutely right. I know it’s what I feel for you.”
Her heart did that funny little stumble again, and she felt almost giddy.
“I . . .” She stopped. She’d never said this to another man, but it just felt so right with Troy. “I love you, too. I just didn’t want to—”
“Read something into my words that isn’t there? Summer, I say what I mean and mean what I say. And what I’m saying is I love you. I didn’t want to come at you with it too soon and scare you away, but let me assure you it’s the real deal. Two days, two weeks, two months—it’s all the same. I don’t need more time to know how I feel. Things might have happened fast, but that doesn’t mean we’re not solid.”
He lowered his mouth to hers, his lips pressing firmly against hers. When his tongue brushed lightly against the closed seam, she opened for him at once, and he swept into her mouth.
And there it was, that electricity. The chemistry. The erotic sizzle that burned through her body. Yet it was so much more than that. She felt it clear through her soul. Troy’s fingers raked her hair back from her face, and he tilted his lips to give himself better access. He licked every inch inside her mouth, running his tongue across her teeth and her gums, thrusting deep in her throat. By the time he lifted his head, she could barely think straight.
“Does that answer your questions, sugar?” His eyes burned with desire. “This isn’t just a physical itch I need to scratch. You’re worth so much more than that. I want to spend my life with you.”
“I want that, too.” She couldn’t tear her eyes away from his.
“Honey, some people are together for two years and never feel what I feel for you. What we feel for each other.” He showered light kisses along her neck to the hollow of her throat. “You need to understand that life for me often moves at warp speed. You’re right. I could be tapped next week for a mission that needs my particular skills. I’d be gone with no real idea of when I’d be back. It could be two days or two months. Can you live with that kind of routine?”
She smiled at him. “I’ve watched Faith do it for a long time. Mia and the other wives handle it. I’m a lot stronger than people give me credit for, so there’s no reason I can’t fit right in. Besides.” She touched her fingers to his stubbled cheek. “For the first time in my life, I actually belong someplace. All the Phoenix wives have psychic gifts and connections to their husbands. For once, I’m not the odd man out.”
He kissed her forehead. “I’d say this is made for you.”
She laid her head against his shoulder. “Emotions are a difficult thing for me,” she told him. “My psychic abilities and the resultant notoriety have made me suspicious of people. I don’t always trust their motives. But I trusted you the minute I met you.”
“We have time to work out whatever details we need,” he went on, “but as soon as the team is back from Canada, I’d like for us to get married.” He frowned. “Do you think your family will give us a problem?”
Summer laughed. “You mean because they think I’m a nutcase, and now I’m about to marry a man I’ve known for less than a month?”
“Not funny,” he told her. “Summer, I want this to be a good thing all around. Maybe we should back it up a little if you think it will be a problem.”
She wound her arms around his neck and pressed herself against him, her heart thudding against her ribs. “The only problem would be if you changed your mind. I never thought I would find someone like you, Troy. Something like this.” She swallowed a laugh. “You just leave my family to me.”
His kiss was gentle this time, a light touching of lips. An affirmation of emotion. His big hands massaged her back, gently kneading her muscles. She loved the slightly rough calluses on his hands and the strength of his lean fingers. The residual strain from the day, from the situation, from everything, eased slowly away under the rhythmic motion on her shoulders and neck.
He took his time as his hands coasted over her body, outlining her curves. She closed her eyes, leaning into him, the hard muscled wall of his chest solid and secure. A delicious warmth spread through her, along with a lassitude that washed away the tension of the day. Troy seemed to know exactly where to touch her and how.
Without her realizing it, the atmosphere shifted. One minute they were lying there, both of them finally relaxed, Troy soothing her with his clever touch. The next, desire burned hot and bright inside her, a desire so fierce and overwhelming it was almost painful.
He slid his mouth from her lips to her cheek, inhaling the scent of her skin before moving on to lick the spot behind her ear where his touch always sent shivers skating down her spine. Half lying against him, she could feel the swell of his cock beneath her hip and pushed herself against it. It flexed beneath the denim in response to her touch.
“See what you do to me?” His voice was husky.
“Mmm.” She turned her head to look at him through half-lowered lids. “You should see what you do to me.”
“My pleasure. Always.”
Although she had never been forward with men for a lot of reasons, she’d never been shy and retiring, either. Just wary. But with Troy she’d somehow been open from the beginning. Saying and doing things without feeling restrained.
With agonizing slowness, he eased her sweater over her head, tossing it to the side. His lips were warm as they coasted over the upper swell of her breasts, followed by a leisurely swipe of his tongue. Her hardened nipples pressed against the thin silk of her bra, aching for the hot wetness of his mouth. When he finally closed his lips over one of them, she moaned with satisfaction. Somehow, it was more erotic to her with that flimsy barrier between them.
Her hands came up to clutch his head, gripping his hair as he moved his mouth to her other breast. Her other nipple. When he bit down gently on it, she cried out with pleasure. Troy’s big hands caged her ribs, lifting her to his mouth as he nibbled and sucked, tormenting her pebbled tips while blood raced in her veins and her liquid soaked the crotch of her panties.
If she had a sane thought at all, it was that a month ago sex held little or no interest for her, based on past experience. Now, one touch from Troy Arsenault and she went up in flames.
At last he released the clasp on her bra, slid the straps down her arms, and dropped the garment next to her sweater. Palming her breasts, he proceeded to skate his tongue over every inch of their surface with slow, agonizing licks. Summer squeezed her thighs together as the pulse in her womb vibrated through her body.
She held his head firmly against her while she squirmed on his lap, the thickness of his erection practically burning itself into her through their clothes. Desperately she tugged on his shirt, yanking it from his jeans and trying to pull it over his head.
He lifted his mouth from her body long enough to yank it off himself, then groaned as her hands found his nipples through the soft hair on his chest. She scraped her fingernails over them, loving the sound that rumbled up from his throat when she touched him.
She heard the zipper slide down on her jeans, then his hands lifting her enough to slide them and her panties off. There was something so erotic about lying there naked except for her shoes, with Troy still almost fully dressed. She started to sit up and reach for his jeans, but he pushed her gently back into the couch, arranging her to his satisfaction.
Kneeling between her thighs, he lifted one leg to drape over the back of the couch with the other trailing on the floor. He bent forward and blew a puff of warm air over the curls covering her mound. Summer’s breathing quickened with anticipation, her body crying out for his touch. With the first deliberate lick of his tongue along the length of her slit, every nerve in her body fired.
He hummed in appreciation, the sound vibrating through her slick channel and echoing everywhere inside her. She tried to lift her hips to him, silently begging him for more, but he seemed determined to take his time. He licked every inch of her with long, unhurried caresses, the stubble of his beard a sensuous abrasion on the soft skin of her inner thighs.
When she tried to clasp his head with her thighs, he murmured, “Uh-uh,” without even lifting his head. He shifted slightly so his broad shoulders kept her legs as wide apart as possible, his tongue still tracing its erogenous path along the sensitive flesh of her sex. When his teeth closed lightly over the throbbing nub of her clit, her hips bucked. Troy rested his forearm across her hips to hold her firmly in place while he slowly drove her crazy.
God, he’d never get enough of her taste. So sweet and delicious, like ripe juicy fruit with a hint of tartness. He could get drunk on it. Easily. And her scent. Strawberries and woman mixed in a completely tantalizing fragrance. Sliding two fingers into her soaked channel, he wiggled them and rubbed them against the sensitive skin until he found her G-spot. When he curled his fingers to rake the tips against it, the sounds she made turned him on more than he already was.
His cock was hard enough to break off if he bumped into a wall, and he had to exert every bit of control to keep from thrusting into her right that moment. But he enjoyed bringing her to climax with his hands and mouth almost as much. Watching her body as her release built, seeing the flush of sexual heat on her soft skin, was something he’d never tire of. Never in his life had he found himself addicted so quickly and so thoroughly to a woman.
Of course, he’d never met a woman before Summer Cahill who he knew in an instant was the other half of himself.
Working his fingers in a steady rhythm, he clamped his lips over her clit again and sucked hard. And just like that she exploded, her juices flowing into his mouth like water from a well. His arm pinned her to the couch while her hips jerked and twisted and tremors shook her body.
“Don’t move, baby.” He rose and brushed his mouth over hers. “Stay just like this.”
He shucked his jeans and boxers, pausing long enough to reach into a back pocket for the condom he’d stuck in there earlier. With his constant need for Summer and the heat that detonated between them whenever they were alone, he figured it never hurt to be prepared.
He stood next to the couch, tearing open the foil wrapping, but when he would have rolled it onto his begging cock, Summer reached out a slim hand and plucked the latex from his fingers.
“Let me,” she whispered.
At the touch of her slim fingers on his aching dick, Troy clenched his fists and dug his nails into his palms to maintain some semblance of control. Waiting for her to sheathe him was pure torture, but the hungry look on her face made him stretch for every vestige of control. She rolled it on with excruciating slowness, her eyes never leaving his face.
At last he was suited up, and not a moment too soon. Taking one of the throw pillows on the couch, he slid it beneath her ass, lifting her up to him. Gripping his cock with the fingers of one hand, he nudged the head at her opening, letting her juices drench him. He moved slowly, pulling back a little, then edged forward, sliding incrementally into her welcoming flesh. It was nearly unendurable.
He was acutely aware of her beneath him and around him. Something between them had shifted into overdrive today, a blending of spirit as well as body. He wanted her, wanted all of her, wanted to drive her up with him to that wonderful peak. Again.
Then with one swift, hard push he drove into her, seating himself completely. Her legs came around him automatically, wrapping around his hips, her heels digging into the small of his back.
Troy closed his eyes and drew in a long breath, her inner muscles gripping him like a tight, wet fist. Every time he entered her, it was like entering heaven. The sense of rightness, of belonging, surged through him along with a hunger for her that he didn’t think he’d ever be able to satisfy.
He moved slowly and rhythmically, rubbing her inner walls, one hand sliding between them to play with her sensitive clit. With a steady, measured pace, he drove her up again, feeling her body come to life once more as she responded to his movements. Those exciting little sounds of pleasure that he’d come to love burst from her mouth as she dug her heels into him with more force.
And that quickly, she was teetering on the edge with him, her body crying for release.
“Look at me,” he demanded, his voice harsh with lust. “I want you to look in my eyes when you come.”
She widened her gaze, her mouth slightly open and her small tongue peeping out. Her hands clutched his shoulders, nails digging into his skin.
“Now,” she begged. “Please, now.”
Troy hammered into her once, twice, as she spasmed around him. When her liquid flooded, he let himself go and came like a maniac. He was sure rockets had gone off in his head and his body would never recover from the intense force of the orgasm.
He lowered his head, waiting for his heart to stop racing and his lungs to take in air again. Summer had loosened the grip of her legs around him, and her body, only seconds before drawn as taut as a bowstring, was now softened and relaxed. The pulse still beat heavily at the hollow of her throat, and her skin shone with the fine glistening of perspiration.
“I think we have to be careful not to kill ourselves,” he grinned when he could speak again.
“I hope not.” She drew in a long breath, then let it out slowly. “I’m enjoying it too much.”
He dusted soft kisses across her face before pressing lightly against her mouth. “I love you, Summer. Don’t ever doubt it.”
“I think you’ve convinced me.” She wound her arms around his neck. “But I have a feeling you’re going to have to carry me to bed.”
He laughed. “I’ll do my best.”
“Gayle?”
Gayle Hauser turned from the window where she was staring down at the parking lot. It still made her heart catch with happiness to see Clark sitting up in bed, most of the IVs and machinery gone, and taking some nourishment by mouth.
“Yes, sweetheart? Do you need something?”
“Come back and sit by me,” he urged, pointing to the chair she’d been using.
She hurried over to the bed and took one of his hands in hers. “I can’t believe you’re actually getting well,” she told him, repeating it for possibly the thousandth time.
“Me either. Although I don’t remember much that happened after the ambulance came and got me.”
“I’m not surprised.” She linked her fingers with his. “You were unconscious by the time they got you to the emergency room and didn’t wake up for days.”
“The doctor said it was a bad lung infection. They couldn’t seem to find the right medication for it.”
Gayle nodded, trying not to remember those days on end when she’d sat beside her husband’s unconscious body, praying for help.
“That’s right. Dr. Robinson said once in a great while it happens, a new strain of bug that resists all the antibiotics and everything else they can throw at it.”
“So tell me again about this young woman who came here.” He rubbed his forehead. “I don’t remember you telling me who she is and how she came here to see me.”
Gayle smiled. She’d told him the story several times already, but the medications he was still receiving sometimes made his mind fuzzy.
“She’s a spiritual healer. I know, I know.” She shook her head when he frowned. “You don’t believe in things like that, and usually I don’t, either. But Clark, I’ll believe anything after what she did.” She leaned over to brush a kiss on his cheek. “The doctors had just about given up on you when a man told me about her.”
“What man?” Confusion clouded his eyes. “Someone we know?”
“No, it wasn’t. Don’t you remember I told you about the phone call? There’s some very wealthy man who finds people in real need and helps them. He told me about her.”
“Mysterious man? Do we know his name?”
She shook her head. “No. He likes to remain anonymous. But he somehow heard about you, gave me this woman’s phone number, and she came and healed you. It’s a real miracle.”
He shifted in bed. “We’ll need another miracle to pay the bill at this hospital.”
“Oh, but that’s the best part of it.” She brushed his hair back from his forehead. “Along with sending us this young woman, he gave us enough money to take care of everything.”
Clark was silent for a moment. She knew that once again he was processing the information.
“I can’t imagine a stranger just handing over that kind of money for no reason. There has to be a catch.”
“There’s just one. We can’t tell anyone about it. Not one person. Nothing about any of it.”
He gripped her hand. “Doesn’t that make you suspicious? It sounds like he has something to hide.”
“I’m just going to give thanks that he chose us and not worry about it. You’re getting well, and we’ll be out of debt. Let’s just look at it that way.”
Clark’s eyes fluttered closed as if the conversation tired him. Gayle knew it was slow going, regaining his strength. She’d meant what she said about being thankful. Still, the image of that strange man almost threatening her if she told anyone about this wouldn’t leave her mind. And that little feeling of unease that plagued her since the beginning just wouldn’t go away.
“I hope you don’t mind,” Summer said, “but I really need to spend a block of time on my computer today. I’ve barely been keeping up with things while all the madness was going on. Besides, that work helps me keep myself centered.”
Troy carried the rest of their breakfast plates to the counter so she could load them in the dishwasher.
“I wondered about that. Anything I can do to help?”
She grinned at him. “I don’t know. How are you at designing websites?”
“I’m much better at this.”
He cupped her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. Summer wrapped her fingers around his wrists to hold him in place, drinking him in, wanting to prolong the kiss as much as possible. She was instantly drunk with the pleasure of him. This connection between them continued to grow and strengthen, so even his slightest touch awoke her physically and emotionally.
When he lifted his mouth from hers, she leaned into his body, loving the hard wall of his chest and the taut, sculpted muscles.
“I could stay like this all day,” she said in a low voice. “Tell me I have to go to work.”
“You have to go to work,” he parroted.
Summer laughed. “That didn’t sound very convincing.”
“How about this.” He put his mouth next to her ear, his warm breath fanning her flesh. “If you go to work like a good girl, when you finish, I might take you upstairs and give you a reward.”
She pushed away, smiling up at him. “And that’s supposed to make me concentrate?”
“Maybe it will inspire you artistically. Are you doing any erotic websites?”
“I might have to after all this.” She wiped the sink with a sponge and dried her hands on a paper towel. “I need three solid, uninterrupted hours. Can you find something to occupy yourself during that time, or will you be bored out of your skull?”
“You need to get your work done. How about if I take a quick run to the grocery store? I checked out your supplies this morning, and you’re a little thin in a few places.”
“Like red meat?” she teased.
“Like almost everything. Don’t you ever cook for yourself?”
She shrugged. “What’s the point? I just dirty a lot of pans when all I have to do is nuke something in the microwave. Besides, the only thing I do really well is a salad or a baked potato. Cooking’s never been my strong suit.”
Troy tucked an errant strand of hair behind one ear. “I think we need to reorder our food priorities from now on. How about if we make a deal? When I’m home, I’ll do the cooking, and you get mess duty.”
“Home.” Summer looked up into his dark eyes. “I love the sound of that word, especially when you say it.”
“Me too.” His face sobered. “Just so you know, home can be wherever you want it. Here or Maryland. Or both.”
She wrinkled her forehead. “Both?”
“Uh-huh. I know how much you love this house, so I’d never ask you to give it up. But sometimes I have to be on the East Coast, so it makes sense to keep my condo there.”
“That seems like a lot of money to spend. I’d really be willing to relocate if you need to. I can work anywhere as long as I have an Internet connection.”
“Money’s not a problem, sugar.” He rubbed his thumb across her lower lip. “In the next couple of days, I need to show you how financially secure we are. And I’d never ask you to leave this house. Besides, I really like it. And both Dan and Mark keep homes here.”
She took a small step backward. “Troy, I don’t need your money. I want you to know that. I make a damn good living at what I do.”
“Whoa. Wait a minute. We’ll set things up however you’re comfortable with it. Your business needs to be separate, for sure. But I’m not saying you need my money. I’m saying since we’re going to be married there’s no more you and me, there’s just us. Together.”
“Married.” She tried out the sound of it, then broke into a grin. “Married. Wow.”
“Not changing your mind, are you?”
“Not for a second. But I really will need your money if I don’t tend to my clients.”
“Okay. Give me a list of things you especially like, and I’ll fill in the rest. I can amuse myself for a couple of hours at the store.”
“A man who enjoys grocery shopping? I should lock you up in a glass case.”
He pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “Before I go, I want to check with Andy again and see how things are going in Canada.”
“When you spoke to Dan last night, they were getting ready to leave from the airfield in Maryland, right?”
“Yes. Kat D’Antoni’s remote viewing skills have really helped them pinpoint the location. And nobody does stealth better than Phoenix. Andy called while you were showering to let me know they were almost at their destination. So far no snags.”
“Let me know, please?”
“You bet.” He patted her ass. “Now get busy, woman. Stop lazing around.”
Summer knew Troy was putting on a good face for her, but the worry for his partners and for the victim lurked darkly in his eyes. She knew from Faith’s stories that they’d never lost anyone on any mission, but there could always be a first time.
She had just pulled up her newest graphics program when he stuck his head back into the den. “Summer?”
“Yes?”
He walked into the room and placed a small handgun on her desk. She stared at it, not touching it.
“It won’t bite,” he told her. “I promise. It’s not hard to use. No trigger to cock or slide to rack. Just point and shoot.”
“And who am I supposed to shoot with this?” Her eyes were still glued to the weapon. “I’ve never shot a gun before.”
Troy leaned against the desk and lifted one of her hands. Carefully, he placed the gun in her palm and closed her fingers over it. “See how lightweight it is? It comes with a book called Guns for Dummies. Go ahead. Just feel its weight.”
Obediently she hefted it, once, then placed it gingerly back on the desk. “Okay. You’re leaving me a gun while you just go to the grocery store because?”
“Because my gut instinct keeps telling me something’s still wrong. Don’t open the door for anyone while I’m gone, but if someone somehow breaks in, shoot first and ask questions later.”
“All right. Just don’t be gone too long.”
“I’m resetting the security system on my way out,” he reminded her.
“Okay already. Just go and come back. I don’t like it when you’re not here.”
How easily she’d gotten used to him being around.
As Troy headed for the garage, she settled at her desk and booted up her computer, telling herself he was just being over cautious. She looked at the little gun next to her as if it might explode, wondering what she’d do if she really had to use it.
Reid McFadden was checking over the contents of his briefcase, when his cell phone rang. He checked the screen.
Olberman.
“Yes, sir?”
“How are things coming along on your end? Any activity around the Cahill woman’s house?”
“None,” Reid told him. “But we’re set up to do this thing today.”
“You followed my suggestions?”
Of course, I did. Suggestions, hell. Orders are more like it.
“Yes. Just as you said. We’re set to go today.”
“I trust you, Reid,” Olberman told him. “You’ve been with me a long time. But the in-depth report I got on this Phoenix Agency tells me these are no ordinary men. They were the best in their military units, and they have skills most men haven’t even thought of yet. I’m considering sending in a special team to help you with this.”
McFadden’s hand tightened on the phone. “If I thought we needed that, I’d definitely let you know. But really, boss, we’re good. We set the charge last night. Now we just have to pick the time to set it off.”
“We may just get one bite of the apple,” Olberman warned, “so be sure not to screw it up. I don’t want to scare her into hiding. It would be time-consuming and expensive to have to hunt her down.”
“I won’t let you down,” McFadden promised, grinding his teeth.
He depressed the End Call button and stared at the little instrument. He wanted to smash it on the floor in his irritation, but he took a deep breath and brought himself under control. He’d worked for Olberman for too many years not to know how the man’s mind worked. He could do this job. And bring the prize home.
A glance at the screen on the laptop showed the little dot on the GPS tracker moving, a sign that told him Troy Arsenault’s car was no longer stationery. He wondered where the two people were off to now when his cell phone rang. The readout showed Fred Bonner’s name.
“Yeah?”
“Reid, Arsenault’s gone out, and she’s alone in the house. I just don’t know how long he’ll be away and if we should make our move now or not.”
“No. The system’s sure to be on with him out of the house.” McFadden pulled on his jacket and lifted the small laptop, stashing it in his briefcase. “I’m on my way there. I’ll call you when I’m a block from where you are. By then I’ll know where Arsenault is and how long he might be staying. I wish we didn’t have to do this during daylight, but I guarantee you that all alarms are set when they go to bed at night. We’ll have one shot at this, and we can’t bungle it.”
“You don’t have to remind me,” Bonner growled. “I know what the situation is.”
“Everything else is set. Now it’s just a matter of timing.”
Reid had spent a great deal of time in conversation with Kurt Olberman once Summer’s bona fides had been confirmed. Based on the newest info on the Phoenix Agency, they all agreed Summer’s house would be like a fortress. A normal snatch and grab operation wouldn’t work here. They’d worked out what they hoped was the best plan, but it depended on split-second timing.
He nearly laughed when Arsenault’s car came to a stop and the location popped up. A grocery store, for God’s sake. Well, he supposed everyone had to eat. Too bad Summer Cahill wasn’t the one out getting food. His task would be a lot easier.
“He’s shopping for food,” he told Bonner. “Can you believe it?”
“Maybe we can get her to come to the door,” the other man suggested.
“Highly doubtful. We have to stick to the original plan. But this may work to our advantage.”
“How so?” Bonner asked.
“Because it’s iffy whether the system’s on when they’re both in the house. But if he’s shopping, he’ll have to turn the system off long enough to carry in the groceries. He’ll pull into the garage and enter the house from there. So for a very few minutes we have a window of opportunity.”
“Okay. So we just wait until he gets home, right?”
“Yes. You sure you know what to do?”
“Fuck, Reid. We’ve gone through it enough times.”
“Okay, then. Just double-checking,” Reid soothed. “Now we wait.”
Last night, or more like at two in the morning, they’d packed some C-4 against a ground-level transformer at the end of the block. Having studied the neighborhood for days while the media was having its feeding frenzy, they knew what hours lights would be out and when they’d have little chance of discovery. They had done this kind of thing many times before, so they were prepared, quick, and efficient. A throwaway phone, now sitting beside Reid in his car, controlled the little remote timer embedded in the explosive.
Staying alert and undiscovered was a big part of this job. This wasn’t the kind of neighborhood where a strange car could hang around for long, but they also couldn’t be too far away. He checked on Bonner every fifteen minutes and kept himself alert by working a puzzle. Finally, the dot on the computer began to move again.
He called Bonner. “He’s heading back. It’s about a ten-minute drive from there to here. Park on the street behind their house. I’ll leave my car a few blocks away and catch up to you. Get ready.”
He made it to Bonner’s car with a few minutes to spare. He’d jogged from his vehicle, just someone out for a run on a pleasant afternoon if anyone saw him. After the deed he didn’t care. There was no way to identify them.
Opening the passenger door, he slid in next to Bonner. They were both dressed in black jeans and high-neck sweaters. Their hands were covered in thick black latex gloves, and they had caps to pull down over their heads.
“He’ll be pulling in right about now. Yup.” He pointed across the driver’s seat. “There he is now. Get ready.”
The two men exited the vehicle, Reid with the throwaway phone in his hand. Counting down from ten, his eyes focused on Summer Cahill’s house, he pushed the button. The explosion was loud, echoing through the neighborhood. Some of the residents, at least those at home, ran out in the street to see what happened. As they raced across the open yards, they saw Troy Arsenault bolt from his front door.
In seconds, they were at the back door. Reid smashed the glass and reached in to turn the deadbolts so he could shove the door open all the way.
“Troy?” They heard Summer’s voice. “What’s going on? What did you find out?”
They had reached the hallway when Summer came from the room she’d been in, holding a small gun.
“Jesus,” Bonner whispered. “She’s armed.”
“We have to do it now,” Reid said.
Summer spotted them as they closed in on her.
“Troy,” she called again. Then to the men, “I’ll shoot.”
But before she could pull the trigger, Reid yanked a small dart gun out of his pocked, aimed it, and the tranq dart hit her in the neck. She collapsed almost at once. He threw her over his shoulder, and they raced out the back door and across the lawn. He didn’t stop until they reached Bonner’s rental car. Tossing Summer in the trunk, they took off down the street. The entire process had taken less than two minutes.
“Get to my car,” he ordered Bonner. “Hurry. Then follow me.”
They drove the two cars to the hotel’s underground parking. Making sure no one could see them, Reid pulled Summer’s unconscious body from the trunk and transferred it to his vehicle. Then he called Olberman. “I have her,” he told his boss.
“Outstanding. I’ve had the plane on standby for the past three days. You know how to get to the airfield?”
“Yes.”
“Then get a move on.”
He disconnected the call and turned to Bonner. “You know what to do now?”
“How many times do you plan to ask me?” the other man snarled.
“Then get to it.”
Reid pulled carefully out of the garage and blended into the stream of traffic. Bonner would check both of them out and call to have the rental cars picked up. Then he’d take a cab to the airport and get on a commercial flight. Reid would board one of Olberman’s private jets with Summer Cahill. By the time the woman woke up, they’d be well on their way to Colorado.
Troy wanted to kill someone. Preferably with his bare hands. Summer was gone, and the broken back door was mute evidence that someone had taken her. He didn’t remember ever feeling such terror in his life. Trying to control his fear and rage, he did a meticulous sweep of the house and yard, looking for something, anything, that could give him a clue. He even checked with the immediate neighbors, but no one had seen anything. Like him, they’d all been distracted by the explosion.
Yeah, that fucking explosion. A transformer at the end of the block had blown, knocking out the power in the area. He realized now it had been calculated to draw him out of the house. Whoever did this had counted on him not taking the time to reset the security system, since he wasn’t actually leaving. And like a stupid ass, that’s just what had happened.
To make everything worse, his partners were all in Canada on a high-priority rescue mission. His first thought was to call Mia and Faith, but there wasn’t much they could do at the moment. He needed to have his shit together first. Get some facts in order. Figure out how this happened.
Scrolling through his cell directory, he found the numbers for two men they used locally when the need arose. They had both helped with the media mob recently, and he trusted them.
“I’ll pick up Paul and we’ll be there in fifteen,” Larry Drake told him. “We’ll do whatever we have to, but we’ll get her back.”
While he waited, Troy downloaded the pictures from the four cameras to the laptop. They had backup batteries installed so even if and when power was lost they could still function for two hours. The security system also had backup, but whoever this was had timed everything so even if the alarm was on and reset, they’d be in and out slick as an eel.
He had just finished the download and was starting to go through the shots when the front doorbell rang. Larry had made good time, and he did indeed have Paul Randolph with him.
“Give us the short version,” Larry said, “and tell us where you want us to start.”
He gave them what he knew, which was damn little.
“I should have been smart enough to figure out this was a setup,” he raged. “How likely is it a transformer will blow? That hardly ever happens these days.”
“Okay.” Larry spoke as calmly and evenly as he could. “Paul, go see what the deal is about the transformer. I’ll go through the pictures with Troy.”
Troy carried the laptop into the kitchen and set it on the table.
“That’s where they came in.” He pointed at the back door. “They didn’t use too much finesse.”
Larry had his cell phone out, and he was already punching numbers. “I don’t know if they’re holding her here in town or taking her somewhere else,” he said, “but they can’t go anywhere commercial. I’ll pull up a list of private airfields in the area and get Paul to start making calls as soon as he gets back. Meanwhile, let’s look at the shots from the cameras.”
It was a tedious business. The cameras were programmed to take shots every fifteen minutes. Troy had been about ready to dismantle them. Now he was glad he hadn’t. They started with that moment and worked back.
“There.” Troy touched his finger to the screen. “Here you can see me run out of the house. And here, the rear cameras catch two men racing across the backyard from the street behind us. Damn, they fixed it so you can’t see their faces.”
“I’ll tell you,” Larry said, “this was the work of pros. Look how fast they got in and out, taking Summer with them.”
“She had a gun,” Troy said. “I left it with her when I went to the store, just in case.”
“Was she any good with it?”
“I don’t think she’s ever fired one before, but it was a simple point and shoot. I’m guessing she hesitated just long enough for them to tranq her. She’d never go with them unless she was unconscious.”
“They had to have scouted the area,” Larry pointed out, “so let’s go backward one shot at a time. The cameras caught every car going by. We can see which ones showed up the most often, find out who owns them and cross off the ones who live on this street.”
“I have another idea.” Troy called up the email program. “I’m sending this to our operations base in Maryland. We’ve got a computer that does everything but build a home for you, and the man who runs it can out-geek anyone in the world. I still want to go through these pictures myself, because there might be something we can spot with the naked eye.”
The front door closed and Paul appeared in the kitchen.
“I checked with all the immediate neighbors, and nobody saw a thing,” he reported. “Even the people behind you. They all ran out to check on the big bang and figure out why they had no electricity.”
“They counted on it,” Paul said.
“Yeah,” Troy growled, “and I reacted without thinking. Damn it to hell anyway.”
The cold ball of fear in his stomach was growing and spreading, tempered only slightly by the rage he was struggling to control. Losing Summer when he’d just found her might well kill him. He had never before wished for his partners as much as he did now. Larry and Paul were good, but the Phoenix men were the best of the best.
“Okay.” Larry focused on the computer screen. “Let’s check these pictures, very carefully. See what pops up.”
Troy pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “I’m calling our operations base to check in with Andy, our computer geek.”
“You want it yesterday as usual, right?” Andy asked when he answered the phone. “I’m just starting the analysis run right now. I’ve set it up with several parameters so we can filter out extraneous traffic.”
“That traffic might be what we’re looking for,” Troy objected.
“Hey, you trust my skills, right?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Call me the minute you get something. Anything.” he paused. “Any word on what’s happening in Canada?”
“Not yet. But wait, hold on a sec. That’s Dan on one of the other lines.”
Troy did his best to curb his impatience while he waited, but it was damn hard.
“It’s done. They’re on the way back. I’m going to patch you directly into Dan in the helo, okay?”
“Thanks.”
In seconds, Dan’s deep voice came over the line.
“We’re dropping our rescue package at the field in Maryland,” he said. “We’ll refuel and be on the way. I’ll have Andy send me everything he ships to you, so we can go over it on the way.”
“Let me know as soon as you get here, please.”
“Of course. And Troy?”
“Yeah?”
“We’ll get her back. Safe. That’s a promise.”
Troy couldn’t utter a word over the lump in his throat, so he just disconnected. The five men were closer than brothers. Whatever it took, they’d find Summer. Alive. He had to believe that.
The first thing Summer realized when she opened her eyes was the fact that she had no idea where she was. The second thing was that wherever she was, the place had a hum vibrating through it. And the next thing was that she had a headache that didn’t want to quit.
She closed her eyes, then forced them open again and sluggishly pushed herself to a sitting position.
“Have a nice nap?”
The harsh male voice came from her left. She eased her glance sideways to a man in a sport coat and slacks, sitting in what looked like a leather captain’s chair. His face was devoid of all expression. Who was he, and why was he here with her? Where was here, anyway?
Little by little, she took in her surroundings. She was on a plane, a private one judging by the size and interior. Someone had spent a lot of money on this luxurious plane cabin. The interior looked like someone’s living room, with captain’s chairs for seats and the oversize couch on which she was sitting. Tables extended from the walls for the chairs, and at one end of the cabin she saw what looked like a very fancy galley. There were other things that her brain was too disoriented to identify.
Apparently she’d been sleeping on the couch, but how had she gotten to it? What did this man have to do with everything?
She tried to focus again, but a dull headache was playing havoc with her brain cells. Her mouth was also extremely dry, which made swallowing hard. She rubbed her temples, trying to ease the throbbing.
“Feeling a little fuzzy, miss?” The man rose from his chair. “Let me get you some water. The sedative unfortunately has some uncomfortable aftereffects.”
Sedative? What sedative? She desperately wished her brain would kick into gear.
“Here.” The man, who had taken a bottle of water from a small under-the-counter fridge in the galley, twisted the cap off and handed her the drink. He stood watching her for a moment before taking his seat again.
She took the bottle and drank gratefully, the cool liquid soothing her dry tissues. It seemed to help clear her brain a little, too.
“Who are you?” she demanded. “And how did I get here? Where are you taking me?”
His short laugh was more of a bark. “You don’t remember anything?”
Summer frowned, holding the cold bottle to her aching forehead. She vaguely remembered working at her computer. Then there’d been a big explosion outside and she’d lost all power. Troy had run out the front door to find out what happened, but first he’d given her a gun . . .
The gun! Yes! Fuzzy pictures floated in and out of her mind. The back door crashing open. Two men dressed all in black. She remembered pointing the gun at them and then . . . Nothing!
“What did you do to me?” She glared at the stranger. “And why?”
“My name isn’t important. All you need to know is I work for a very powerful, wealthy man who needs your services.”
As her head cleared more questions bombarded her. “My services? Is he ill? Or is it someone in his family? Why didn’t he just call me?”
“He’ll answer all your questions as soon as we reach our destination.”
Summer took another long swallow of her water, trying to pull herself together. She wished she could think more clearly. She stared at the stranger again. There was nothing remarkable about him. He was the kind of man who could easily blend into the environment with his dark hair, slightly olive skin, and expressionless face. His clothes were just as innocuous—a dark-brown sport jacket with tan slacks and a white shirt.
“You still didn’t tell me your name,” she pushed.
“Go ahead, tell her.” A man’s voice, very sharp, coming from the end of the cabin opposite what she assumed was the cockpit. His clothing was just as bland, only in tones of gray and black, but his voice had an edgy nasal tone. When the first man said nothing, he went on. “He’s Reid, and I’m Fred.” His short laugh had no humor to it. “Aren’t you glad to meet us?”
“Knock it off,” Reid said.
“What’s the difference? She won’t be able to tell anyone.”
A knot of fear twisted itself inside her stomach. “What is he talking about?” She looked at Reid, who seemed to be in charge. “I want to know exactly what’s going on here.”
“I told you. You’ll find out soon enough.”
“Where are you taking me?” she demanded. As her brain cleared, her strength returned. “And why didn’t this man—whoever he is—just call me like everyone else does?”
But neither man answered her. Reid picked up his tablet from the table attached to his seat and began scrolling through it. The other one, Fred, sat in one of the other chairs, holding a mug of coffee.
“I want answers.” Anger surged inside her. Who did these men think they were? “You can’t just kidnap me like this. There are people who’ll be looking for me.”
And soon, I hope.
Reid’s smile held no humor. “They can look all they want, but it won’t do them any good.”
As quickly as the anger had surged through her, that fast, fear knotted into a hard ball at the pit of her stomach. She twisted her fingers together in her lap.
“I demand you take me back. Right now.”
The two men looked at each other. Fred gave his nasty laugh again.
“You can forget that. And we’re through answering questions.” He checked his watch. “They will all be answered shortly anyway.”
No matter how many questions she asked, neither of the men answered her. Fred occupied himself watching something on a private screen, while Reid continued to work with his tablet. Finally, frustrated, she sat back on the couch and tried to figure out what to do. Unfortunately, nothing took root in her addled brain. The men continued to ignore her, and she did her best to tamp down the fear spreading through her. She had to believe that Troy would find her. He and Phoenix had the ability to do anything. Now she needed them to use those resources for her.
She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, trying to force herself to relax.
“Better not go to sleep.” Reid’s voice broke the silence. “You need to buckle your seat belt. We’ll be landing in a few minutes.”
Summer felt around on the couch until she found the two parts of the seat belt retracted into the cushions behind her. She locked them together, then folded her hands in her lap. Taking several slow breaths, she forced a calm she really didn’t feel. But she knew she’d need every one of her wits about her if she was ever going to figure out what was going on here and find a way to get out of it.
The landing was so smooth she barely felt it, and she wondered exactly what kind of plane she was in. When the aircraft had come to a stop and the whine of the engines ceased, the two men rose from their chairs.
She had no idea where they were or where they were going, but the fear she was battling rushed back again with sickening force.
Troy! Hurry! I need you.
Troy couldn’t stop pacing in Summer’s kitchen. Larry and Frank had been thanked for their help. Now the five Phoenix partners were assembled at the large kitchen table, the air filled with the tension radiating from them. This was a priority situation for all of them. It involved one of their own. Each was focused on his specific task. The atmosphere was the same every time they prepared for a mission, but for Troy this one was personal. He had an idea now how Faith had felt, waiting for the team to pluck Mark from a terrorist camp in the Peruvian jungle.
They had all thought the danger was past when the stalker was caught. He and Summer could make plans for their life together. Now she was gone, and he felt as if someone had shoved a knife into his heart. He knew if anyone could find Summer and rescue her safely it would be these men, his partners. It didn’t make the waiting any easier or lessen his dread at all.
Dan and Mark had their laptops open, reviewing yet again, frame by frame, the video they’d downloaded from the exterior cameras, analyzing the traffic and frequency of various vehicles to see if any of them had a pattern. Andy was still analyzing the material he’d already received and running traffic probabilities.
Rick was checking private airports within a hundred-mile radius.
“They had to get her out of here somehow,” he told Troy. “It’s a safe bet they didn’t hang around San Antonio with her. That means a private jet somewhere, one that waited for them and took off within the last couple of hours.”
Mike D’Antoni had hacked into Summer’s computer for the records she kept on her patients, easily breaking her password code. Although she never charged for any of her sessions, she meticulously recorded everything from the initial phone call to the final results. There were even notes from people she had turned down, and those were the ones he looked at first. There could be someone out there so desperate they’d resort to kidnapping her to force her to help them. All these people had been checked during the search for the stalker, but now he came at them from a different angle. As he added his notes to each record, he emailed it to Andy, who was running the names through the Dragon.
Kat, Dan’s wife, had shown up with him, in the hope that her remote viewing skills could help them. She’d been the turning point in rescuing her sister and others from a Mexican drug lord. Now she sat in near-darkness in Summer’s office, a photo of Summer on the desk in front of her, as she tried to summon up images that would help them pinpoint a location.
Troy had given her a big hug. “Thanks for coming to help,” he told her in a tight voice.
“We’ll find her and get her back,” she told him with quiet assurance. “That’s a promise.”
“I don’t know how long we can keep this from her family,” he said now, pouring himself yet another mug of coffee. “Her parents almost never call after they know she’s done a healing session. Both of them, especially her mother, are dead set against her gift and try to talk her out of using it.” He took a swallow of the bitter brew. “But her brother calls her once a week. We’ve got maybe two days before we hear from him. What do I tell him?”
His emotions had never been in such turmoil. Anger, fear, desperation, dread, and a few things he couldn’t identify whirled around in his system like a poisonous cocktail. For the first time in longer than he could remember, he felt a situation spinning out of control. He wanted to do something, but he couldn’t make himself concentrate long enough to be of any use.
“Got something,” Dan called.
Everyone stopped what they were doing. Troy nearly spilled his coffee in his haste to see what Dan had found.
“Look.” He pointed at the image on the screen.
Four sets of pictures were grouped together, each in one quadrant of the screen.
“You think these have something to do with Summer’s disappearance?” Troy asked, afraid to even hope they’d found something. “Why them? What made them stand out?
“A lot of things.” Dan glanced at his tablet, where he’d taken notes. “These cars showed up at least a couple of times every day during the media frenzy. But after everyone was gone, they kept driving by. This house is almost at the end of the block, so I sent these to Andy to compare with what he’s got. He can enlarge the license plates and run them. Make sure they aren’t homeowners. I just sent him the file. As fast as he is, I should hear from him pretty quickly.”
“Jesus.” Troy raked his fingers through his hair. “I thought we were being so diligent here. How did my antennae not pick this up?”
“Because we were focused on something else,” Mark reminded him. “And once we caught the stalker, we let down our guard. Our bad, but we didn’t think Summer was still in danger.”
“I smell mercenaries,” Rick put in. “The C-4. The explosion. And the way those two guys executed the snatch and grab in under two minutes. They’ve had military training. I’m even guessing Special Forces.”
Troy blew out a breath of frustration. “I just can’t figure out a connection between mercs and any of Summer’s patients. Maybe I need to personally contact some of them. Starting with the most recent.”
“That’s an excellent idea,” Rick agreed. “Maybe you’ll pick up a strange vibe or two.”
“That’s why I want to start with the Hausers. I got an itchy feeling when we were in the hospital room with them.” Troy rubbed the back of his neck. “I can’t tell you why. They are two of the most innocuous people you’d ever meet. But there was just something off. About her, especially.”
“Want me to come along? See if I pick up anything, too?”
“What about the airports?”
“Andy’s got what I could find. He’ll need the Dragon to get us a list of private plane activity in the last twenty-four hours. They had to bring the plane in, park it, and be ready to take off at any moment. So let’s do this together.”
“Thanks. I’m sure not thinking as straight as I should right now. And I could use someone to keep me from blowing up at the Hausers if I smell something wrong.”
Troy knew his nerves were too close to the edge right now. His judgment could be clouded, or he could blow up at someone unnecessarily. Anyway, he’d be glad to have Rick along. The man had been a rock in some extreme situations and also had an uncanny ability to read people.
He was staring at the pictures again when his cell phone rang. He looked at the readout. Mia Romeo. He frowned, wondering why she’d be calling him and not her husband.
“Mia?”
“I tried calling Dan but he’s on his cell, I guess. I need to tell you something.”
Troy clutched the phone. Mia had precognitive abilities that had given them clues in the past. The problem was they didn’t always show up in a discernible form and sometimes took a team effort to interpret.
“Go ahead. I’m listening.”
“I was working in my office, trying to finish research on a project for a museum when I sort of zoned out. You know. Like I do sometimes?”
“I know. Get to the point, okay?” He let out a breath. “Sorry, Mia. I’m just a little tense here.”
“No problem. I understand. So here it is. I had what I call a waking dream. Everything else blacked out, and an image of a bird flew across my field of vision.”
Troy’s eyebrows lifted. “A bird? Any special kind?”
“I think it was a falcon. I used to know someone who raised them.”
“A falcon,” Troy repeated.
“Yes. And it had a small O painted on its body.”
“Jesus, Mia.” He rubbed his chin. “That’s totally weird.”
“I know. I’m just passing it along for you to share.”
“Of course, we’ve had weirder things to work with,” he reminded her. “I’ll let everyone know, so if we come across anything that remotely resembles a bird or looks like the letter O we can try to analyze it. See where it fits.”
“See what everyone makes of it. Sorry I couldn’t give you more.”
“No, no, don’t worry. I’m sure this means something. We just have to figure out what. Thanks, Mia.”
“If anything else pops into my brain, I’ll call.”
Dan ended his call with Andy. “Was that my wife?”
Troy nodded and relayed the information from Mia.
Dan rubbed his forehead. “Everything she’s given us before has always been a real clue, but what the hell does a falcon have to do with this?”
“What did Andy have to say?” Mark wanted to know.
“He was about to shoot the same list to us.” Dan looked at the notes on his tablet. His mouth twisted in a wry grin. “Except, of course, he not only discovered that they’re all rental cars but also gave me the names of the agencies and who rented them. I’m sending the info to everyone’s phone.”
“Mike, anything on any of the other patients that you’ve found?” Troy asked.
“I wish.” Mike pointed at the list on the screen of the laptop he was working at. “She keeps very good notes, but I haven’t run across anything that sticks out at me. I’ll keep at it. Keep feeding it to Andy. And let us know what you find out with the Hausers.”
“Will do. Meanwhile I’ll see if Kat can come up with anything based on what little we’ve got.
“And I’ll be command central here,” Dan told him. His eyes met Troy’s. “We’ll get her back. Soon, and in one piece. It’s what we do.”
Troy couldn’t say anything, his throat had closed so tightly with emotion. He just picked up his keys and headed out of the house with Rick, Mark close behind them.