“You’re such an asshole sometimes.”
“Only sometimes? I’ll take that as a compliment.” My grin is wry and short-lived.
“I’ll drop it for now.” Charlie’s attention returns to the wall. “What happened after you lost contact with your protective detail?”
“I began investigating, but I needed help. I literally had nothing to go on. I had no clue where the Fords had gone after they left Rydeville, and it was obvious immediately I was out of my depth. I thought long and hard about asking Hunt and Daniels, but they were newly married, and I knew I’d be putting them in danger. Plus, I knew it would be unfair to ask Xavier to keep another secret from Abby, and I couldn’t do that to him, so I began recruiting my own team. Huss put me in touch with Ezra, and together we hired tech specialists to help with research and ex-military soldiers who would accompany me on missions. Later, we hired people on the ground in different jurisdictions once we began tracing their steps. Lawyers, soldiers, PIs, etcetera.”
“I’m seriously fucking impressed. I think your talents are wasted at Manning Motors.”
I shrug. “It helps to keep me sane. I need some normalcy in my life, or I’d give in to the dark and never lift my head into the light.”
He slowly bobs his head. “Yeah, I can relate.”
I move to the left, trailed by Charlie, to the start of the board and begin pointing out maps, flight paths, car rentals, and accommodation receipts. “We have retraced their steps, but it’s been painstakingly slow, and it’s taken years. They didn’t travel a direct route. They used a combination of private jets and cars and different fake names in every location.”
“I’m not surprised.” Charlie runs a hand across the back of his neck as he examines the information. “Ford was elite. Part of the inner circle and wealthy. He knew how to cover his tracks.”
ChapterTen
Drew
“I’ve cursed him for years for doing such an awesome job.”
“So, if I’m reading this right,” Charlie says, poking his finger at the first map. “They went from Boston to Memphis, stayed there a few days before moving to Nebraska. Had another pit stop and then drove to Boise, Idaho.”
“Then after another little sojourn in Idaho, they drove to Cali, and that’s where the trail ends.”
He arches a brow. “You think that’s where they stayed?”
I bob my head. “That is my best guess because the trail is dead after that. And it was just after I placed them entering northern Cali that I was ambushed and warned off.”
Abrupt silence greets my words. Charlie slowly turns to face me. “Want to say that again?” he asks in a lethally calm voice.
A chuckle escapes my lips without warning. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that look. Kinda makes me melancholy.”
Charlie blinks. “Who took you, and please tell me they’re resting in a shallow grave?”
“I wish.” I turn and stride toward the couch needing another whiskey.
Charlie follows, dropping down onto the couch while I fix us new drinks.
I sit beside him and hand him a glass.
“I received an anonymous text at Talia’s third birthday party.”
“I remember you leaving in a hurry and trying to stop you.” He glares at me. “Goddamn it, Drew! I wanted to come with, and you refused.”
“We’ve been over this,” I drawl, taking a drink. “I didn’t have much time to prepare, which is how the pricks managed to subdue me. There were four of them. All trained.”
“Elite?”
I shrug. “I don’t know, but from what I’ve learned since, I don’t think so. I think they were something else entirely.”
“VERO?”
I shake my head. “I don’t believe so though I could be wrong.”
“One call to Diesel would fix that.”
