“It won’t,” Christopher said, and he put every ounce of conviction he had into those two words. He needed her to believe it. Needed her to hold onto that hope. “We’ll get them back. Both of them. Safe.”
“Christopher?” Holly’s voice came from behind them. “Sorry to interrupt.”
He turned to see Holly standing close to them. Her eyes were as frantic and filled with worry as everyone else’s, but there was something specific in her expression. A particular concern that Christopher recognized immediately.
She glanced back toward the dining room, where Gabe was once again questioning Jane about every detail of what had happened on the beach. Jane had refused to go to the hospital despite the paramedics’ strong recommendations. She sat at the table with a bandage on her head, looking almost as guilty and miserable as Isabella did.
“You’re worried about Gabe,” Christopher said softly. He knew Holly well enough to read her like a book after all these years. “I am too,” he added. “But his daughter has been kidnapped, Holly. I honestly feel sorry for Todd right now.”
“That’s the problem,” Holly said, her voice dropping to barely above a whisper. “I’m not only afraid he’s going to do something stupid when he finds that man, but...” Her eyes went to where Gabe was standing, and Christopher followed her gaze.
Gabe was clearly favoring his injured leg now. The medical boot was still on, but Christopher could see the strain in his friend’s posture. The way he shifted his weight. The tightness around his eyes that spoke of pain he was ignoring through sheer force of will.
“I think he’s reinjured his leg on the beach,” Holly finished, her eyes imploring Christopher to understand. “And I don’t think he should be going after Todd. Not like this.”
Christopher felt the weight of what she was asking settle on his shoulders. She was right, of course. Gabe, in his current state, would be a liability in any kind of confrontation. Gabe would, of course, push through the pain, push past his physical limitations, and potentially get himself or someone else hurt.
But telling Gabe Bennett that he couldn’t go after his own daughter? That would be like telling the sun not to rise.
“I agree,” Christopher said, managing a reassuring smile even though he felt anything but reassured about what he was going to have to do. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”
Holly’s relief was visible. “Thank you.” She stepped forward and kissed his cheek, then turned to Isabella. “Why don’t you come with me and let’s leave Christopherto plot?”
Isabella seemed reluctant to leave, her eyes clinging to Christopher like he was the only solid thing in a world that had suddenly become terrifyingly unstable. But she nodded.
Before she could turn away, Christopher acted without thinking. He stepped forward, leaned in, and kissed her. It wasn’t long. It wasn’t inappropriate given the circumstances. But it was real. A promise in it. A vow that he would make this right.
Holly, despite the terrible situation, smiled slightly and turned away to give them a moment of privacy. She understood what was growing between them.
“I’ll get them back,” Christopher said quietly, his forehead resting against Isabella’s for just a moment. “And Todd will go to prison for this.”
Isabella looked stunned by the kiss, her eyes wide and shining with tears. She nodded, unable to find words, and let Holly lead her back into the dining room.
Christopher waited until they were out of sight, then pulled up his contacts and found the number he needed. A guy who’d moved into private security after leaving the service, the kind of security work that involved satellite tracking and electronic surveillance that existed in legal gray areas.
The kind of person who could track a phone without warrants or paperwork slowing things down.
The call connected after two rings. “White? Long time, brother.What’s going on?” The voice was jovial, familiar. “You finally calling to take me up on that fishing trip?”
“Not today, I’m afraid. I need you to track a phone for me,” Christopher said without preamble. “It’s an emergency.”
The tone shifted immediately. “What kind of emergency?”
“Gabe Bennett’s daughter has been kidnapped,” Christopher said, his voice flat and hard. “Along with another twelve-year-old girl. The man who took them is the biological father of the other girl. He’s trying to extort the mother. We have maybe twenty-four hours before he does something we can’t come back from.”
There was a moment of shocked silence. “Gabe Bennett? The Gabe Bennett? That man’s a legend. He saved my cousin’s unit in Fallujah.” The voice had gone completely serious now. “Everyone loves that man. He’s helped everyone out at one time or another. He’s a hero.”
Christopher felt some of the tension ease from his shoulders. This was why he’d called this particular contact. Because Gabe Bennett had that effect on people. Had touched so many lives, saved so many soldiers, earned so much respect that favors would be called in without hesitation.
“Give me the number,” his contact said.
Christopher read off Todd’s phone number from the information Charlie had compiled. “I need real-time location. And I need it now.”
“On it. Give me a few minutes…” his contact said.
Christopher could hear typing in the background, the clicking of keys as his contact worked whatever technical magic was required. The seconds stretched out, each one feeling like an hour.
“Got it,” the voice said. “He’s at a storage facility on Route 1. A place called SecureStore. Unit 247.” A pause. “And Christopher? I’m sending you a tracking link. You’ll be able to see his movements in real time. I’ll keep monitoring on my end, too. If this jerk moves, I’ll let you know immediately.”
