The next moment, another knock sounded at the door, and the rest of the gang flooded inside. They gave the team the update.
“We have to find Rupert.” Mariella’s lips pulled downward in a frown. “We set a trap for the killer, but I never expected this psycho to grab Rupert. It’s almost like he got mad and just grabbed the easiest target to teach us a lesson.”
Duke’s jaw hardened at the thought. She wasn’t wrong.
“How are we going to find him?” Simmy asked, a line of worry stretching across her brow.
Matthew raised his hand, lifting a finger. “I’ll keep looking at footage.”
“I can ask more questions,” Mariella said. “See if anyone staying here saw anything.”
“I have a feeling that’s not going to lead us anywhere,” Andi murmured. “We need a better plan. Rupert’s life depends on it.”
Silence passed between them.
Just then, Ben’s eyes sharpened as if something clicked into place. “Wait. Rupert mentioned wearing a SafeStride tracker. I think he was serious about wanting everyone to wear one.”
Duke’s pulse kicked. “Can you pull location data on his device?”
“Yeah.” Ben straightened. “If it pings near Rupert, we might have a starting point.”
Duke nodded. “Show me.”
They moved quickly, the unspoken agreement settling between them as they crossed the hallway. Whatever suspicions lingered, this was actionable.
Ben unlocked his hotel room and went straight to his tablet, fingers flying as he pulled up the SafeStride interface. Duke stood behind him, waiting, while Andi hovered at his side.
Duke prayed they might find an answer before . . . before it was too late.
CHAPTER
SIXTY-THREE
Andi’s attentionwas locked on the tablet in Ben’s hands as he pulled up the SafeStride interface, his fingers moving with practiced ease.
“Here.” A blinking dot appeared on the screen.
Andi leaned closer, her breath catching as the map resolved into desert roads, sparse buildings, and a stretch of nothing that suddenly felt like everything.
“That’s him,” Ben said. “Or at least the tracker. That’s where it last pinged.”
For a split second, the weight of it hit her—the irony sharp enough to almost sting. One of their endorsement deals. One of Rupert’s carefully negotiated partnerships. A device they’d talked about in abstract terms and bullet points.
It might actually save Rupert’s life.
“Let’s go.” Andi’s voice sounded steadier than she felt.
The whole team moved fast and piled into one of the vans, Duke behind the wheel. Ben climbed in with them without a word. The engine roared to life, and a moment later they pulled out of the lot.
The vehicle hadn’t been cleaned since they were last inside. Energy drinks—mostly unopened—waited in the cup holder.
Andi remembered when those had been her biggest annoyance and problem on this trip.
Now one of the very endorsements that had irritated her might help them rescue Rupert. Not only that, but Ben had ended up an ally.
As they drove, Mariella was already on the phone, calling the local police. Andi caught fragments—coordinates, missing person, possible abduction.
Mariella’s expression shifted as she listened. “Okay. Yes. That’s right.” A pause. “Thank you.”
