“Darkness does, though. There’s a hallway back here,” Wolf said.
“Shit,” I hissed, heading for the kitchen. “Keep your eyes peeled. She doesn’t get out of here tonight.”
I checked my watch. I’d already been gone for six fucking minutes. I cursed beneath my breath and shouldered my body into the swinging kitchen door. I damn near ran over one of the guys with a tray of champagne, but he did a damn fine job of diverting himself without spilling a drop.
“Sorry, what’s your name?” I asked.
He looked me up and down. “Raylen.”
I nodded. “Sorry for the intrusion. Good dodge.”
He snickered. “Thanks. You need anything?”
“Did you see a woman come back here at all?”
He shook his head. “No one’s allowed back here except workers and staff.”
“I know.”
“I’ll keep my eyes peeled, though?”
I patted him on the shoulder as I brushed past him. “You do that, thank you.”
“What’s she wearing?!”
I ignored her question as I threw open closets and looked for any sign of her. Long hairs that had been left behind while she booked it. Anything that had been knocked over and not cleaned up. I looked above my head at the grating system for the HVAC. The damned vents alone could’ve shielded her as she crawled through them. But none of the grates were hanging from their hinges.
“Backstage is clear,” Rocker said.
“So are the dressing rooms,” Wolf said.
“Locker?” I asked.
He grunted before his voice sounded. “Fucking hell, it’s like she disappeared. The bartender doesn’t even remember clocking a woman that looks like her.”
I turned back around toward the kitchen entrance into the ballroom. “This is what she does for a living, of course she’s good at it.”
“What now, boss?” Locker asked.
I checked my watch. Fucking hell, fifteen minutes had passed. “Lock down the venue.”
“On it,” Rocker said.
“Locker, take your rifle and get to the roof. If she leaves, plug her.”
“Oh, hell yeah,” he said.
“And Wolf?”
“What’s up?”
“The second one of these guys has eyes on her, you tail her ass. I don’t care whose car you gotta steal in order to make it happen. Once we find her, don’t let her out of your sight.”
He chuckled. “Perfect. I’ll head out to the parking lot and do some scoping.”
“Uh, sir?” someone asked.
I turned around and found a pimple-faced kid with an oversized chef’s hat on.
