* * *
Lying in bed, Ian stared at his ceiling, wondering what had happened. The closer they got to her home, the more closed off she became. Cassie sat stiffly in the car with her arms wrapped around her waist to protect herself.
“I would like to take you out again.” Ian leaned in to kiss her, his lips brushing against hers. When her silky lips touched his, he felt her attraction.
Before he could deepen the kiss, Cassie pulled her seat belt free. “Thank you for a nice evening, Ian. I’m sorry. I have a lot on my plate right now. Besides, I’m not the kind of woman men like you get involved with.”
Before he could get out of the car to open her door, she fled. Within moments, she locked herself inside her home.
What did she mean, men like me?He could still taste the hint of caramel and vanilla on his lips. She was running. From what? From him? She was keeping secrets. There was more than the tragic loss of her family.
New mission—what happened to her?How can I fix this?He never gave up on anything he wanted. He wanted Cassie.
* * *
Cassie slid down the wall inside her front door. “What have I done?” Her words came out in a teary gasp. “You like him.”
Dragging herself to her feet, she performed her nighttime ritual. Assured every door and window were locked, and every closet and spare room were empty, she closed her bedroom door, turned on the bathroom light, and crawled into bed. Sleep didn’t come. Finally, at four, she threw on a sweatsuit and sneakers. She hoped a jog would settle her down.
The blond man in the BMW parked four houses from her home, sank in the seat, unseen, when she jogged by.
Chapter Four
Wednesday, just before dawn, Ian paced in front of the multiple wall-mounted interactive screens watching Kieran and his tactical team moving in to rescue eight-year-old Susie Tanner.
Three days earlier, the FBI failed in an attempt to meet a ransom demand. When Tate “Dictionary” Webster, operations manager of Chase Security DC, did the threat assessment, it was decided the skill and expertise necessary to bring her home would best be served by a team from the Eagle’s Talon.
Chase Group, a global conglomerate Ian co-owned with Kieran, specialized in venture capital investments under the heading of Chase Ventures. Also, under the Chase Group umbrella was Chase Security, a major private protection contractor serving the security needs of corporations in the US and abroad. With branches in San Diego, Colorado, New York, DC, and London, it provided security system risk of breach assessment and personal security for high-value US citizen targets around the world. Chase Security was very particular in accepting clients. The ability to pay was never included in part of the selection process. The cases were assessed for their need and who the client was.
The company’s technology department included CCTV monitoring, access control, and perimeter protection. Its thirty-five thousand employees worldwide netted a six-billion-dollar annual return.
Eagle’s Talon was buried deep within Chase Security, its personnel all former special operators, who were required to maintain skills and fitness as though still enlisted. Domestically, their assignments included high-risk extrication, anything involving children, and assisting local law enforcement if requested. Internationally, its services were rendered in the name of national security for things the US government could not be officially connected to. “Professionalism and discretion” were the company’s motto.
It only took Chase Group technicians one day to discover Susie’s whereabouts. In the command center, the live rescue attempt appeared in front of Ian on the center screen. “Com check.” He counted the clicks.
The eight rescuers spent the next seven minutes in radio silence, jamming the power, securing the perimeter and, entering the home. In the process, seven men and women were taken into custody. Inside the six thousand-square-foot home, the team met very little resistance. Two women and two more guards were subdued and secured with gags and zip ties.
Fanning out, they started to clear the house to search for Susie. During a room-by-room sweep, Kieran entered a large bedroom darkened by blackout curtains. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small figure dart under the bed.
“Susie? We’re here to take you home.” There was no response.
Pulling off his balaclava, he dropped to the floor and turned on his flashlight. When he shimmied under the bed, the beam of light focused on two sunken, frightened, saucer-shaped brown eyes.
“Susie, my name is Kieran. I’m here to bring you to Mommy and Daddy.” His voice was gentle. The little girl curled tightly in a ball and tried to back away.
She crawled toward him. The second she was in reach; he scooped the shaking child into his arms. After he wrapped her in a blanket, he picked the padlock attached to a cuff on her ankle and released her. “Package secure.”
As the rising sun gave them a better view of her, Kieran covered her eyes to block out the bright light and performed a quick once-over. Dark circles hid beneath them; bruises discolored each wrist and ankle; needle marks dotted her upper arms, and her chapped lips were tinged blue. Every muscle in her chest and belly strained with each breath. Ian’s heart sank watching things unfold on Kieran’s body cam.
Stationed just over a quarter mile away, medical transport was en route. As Martin and Kieran crested the bottom of the home’s brick steps, two large reinforced Navigators pulled up. The physician assistant, former Air Force pararescueman and Eagle’s Talon medic, Tucker “Friar” Hanlon, jumped out, and Martin moved to ride shotgun.
“Susie, we need to get you checked out, make sure you’re okay. Sally is going to get checked out too.” Tucker examined the doll. “Darlin’, can you tell me if anything hurts?”
She whimpered and cried, but there were no tears. “My tummy hurts.”
Tucker placed a small oxygen mask on her face. “This will make it easier to breathe.” Steamy spray filled her lungs.
She saw the needle in Tucker’s hand and climbed into Kieran’s arms. “No!”
