“Just heading past Coolup,” Dobby reported as Ethan finally got past the caravan.
That was the halfway point.“You haven’t seen him?”
“No.”
Shit.Maybe he’d turned off.“Mila, where are we?Check what roads are between us and Coolup.”They’d only been past one road and a couple of farm entrances since he’d lost sight of the Porsche.
“There’s one,” Heath chimed in over the phone.
So two possible options.
He passed a sign telling him he was five kilometres from Coolup and then spotted the road Heath had mentioned.He pulled over.“Stopping at the road.”He pulled out his phone to see where it went.“Any chance Johann reached the town before you did?”He might have turned there and be hiding in the streets until they passed.
“Unlikely.He would have had to pass the same vehicles you struggled to pass,” Noah said.
Their black four-wheel drive pulled in behind him and Dobby jumped out, running to the passenger side to check on Mila.
“I know where they are!”Rhys yelled, getting out of the car.
Ethan strode over to him.“Where?”
“Johann’s company has a development near here.The road you drove past will take you straight there.”
It was their best option.
“Heath, there’s a drone in the back,” Noah called from behind the wheel.“Get it out.”
Dobby and Mila joined them.“Rhys, Heath, go in Ethan’s car.Mila will come with us.”
Ethan nodded as a plan formed.If they had a drone, they could survey the development and ascertain if Johann was there.
If he wasn’t… it wasn’t an option Ethan wanted to think about.“Connor, search for alternatives.Anyone got a sat phone?”
They all shook their heads, but Dobby passed him an ear comm they’d used last night.“Let’s go.”
In moments they were driving at speed towards the turn off.Ethan called Josh, while Heath set up the drone in the back.
“What the hell happened?”Josh demanded.
“Johann took Chelsea at the nursery.We think he’s taken her to the development on…” He glanced at Rhys.
“Timbertop Road.”
He repeated the information.“Did you get Darren?”
“Yeah, the Pinjarra police picked up an irate Darren from the nursery,” Josh said.“We’re on our way.Does Johann have any weapons?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t go in until we get there.I’ve contacted our hostage negotiator.”
Ethan wasn’t waiting.Not with Chelsea in danger.“Can’t guarantee that.”He turned onto the road and accelerated again.
When Josh didn’t reply, he glanced at his phone.No signal.“We’ve lost mobiles.”
“Ear comms are still good,” Connor reported.
Good.
