"What? How?"
"She was up half the night cross-referencing data on the laptop with info on the house, van and driver. The coordinates of the house Tag and Young found were the key, and once she identified them in the data, she was able to backtrace the other nine locations. We verified they are all residential homes in remote areas, just like the one Tag found, so we're pretty sure we have our targets."
"Great. What's the plan?"
"If we're going to hit all ten holding sites at once, we'll need help. I'm pushing back the conference call to thirteen hundred so I cancall in some favors. If we get the necessary backup, we can go in tonight."
"Understood."
"Also, we've got the driver."
"Did he give up any intel?"
"No. I'll brief you and the others during the call."
"Okay. Talk to you at one."
Disconnecting the call, Cade wondered if he should wake Tristan to tell him, but because there was nothing either of them could do right now, he ultimately decided to let him sleep.
For the sake of all the victims and their families, including the sleeping man across the room, he was glad the rescue would be soon. But the sensation burning his chest and crushing his lungs reminded him they were one step closer to the conclusion of this case — and the day Tristan would vanish from his life.
Chapter 16: Risk
Tristan
Tristan rolled over in the empty bed, blinking sleepy eyes at the small alarm clock and noting it was almost eleven o'clock. It took a few seconds for his sluggish brain to kick into gear, and panic spiked as he realized he had missed the conference call.
"Shit," he cursed, scrambling out of bed and toward the living area. He only managed a couple of steps before skidding to a halt in front of a barefoot, shirtless Cade doing pushups, the tattooed muscles of his back flexing and rippling with exertion.
"What happened? With the call?" he rushed to ask.
"It's been pushed back to one o'clock."
"Why?"
Cade finished his workout and got to his feet, grabbing his shirt from the back of the sofa and sliding it on.
"Hamm called earlier. Annabeth found the other nine holding sites."
Tristan digested the information and its implications. "So we can get my sister now?"
"Hopefully, but Hamm wants to hit all ten targets at once, and we don't have the manpower, so he's calling in some favors."
"When?" Tristan asked, hope bubbling in his chest.
"Tonight, I hope."
The word 'tonight' rattled around in Tristan's brain, and he nodded several times as he tried to process it, to convince himselfthat after twelve long, horrific days, he would have Natalie back within a matter of hours.
"Tonight," he mumbled, running a hand over his face.
"She's going to be okay, Tris. Just a little while longer." Cade's earnest expression and reassuring words banished his lingering doubt, and he finally let himself believe the end was in sight.
"Okay, wow. That's great. Amazing. Thank you, Cade."
"Thank Annabeth. She's the one who found them."
One side of Tristan's mouth tilted up. "I will."
