But as I move away from the table, my gut tightens and that nagging suspicion in the back of my mind starts to move toward the forefront.
It’s that instinct I developed in the Rangers when the shit was about to hit the fan.
I hustle toward the main doors where two of our armed security team members stand. “Have either of you seen Astrid come through?”
They shake their heads.
The team lead dips his head closer so I can hear him better over the music coming from the live band. “No, sir, but we just moved onto this rotation about ten minutes ago, so it’s possible she went outside before we came.”
Shit.
I glance at my watch.
The shift change was ten minutes ago. Essential to make sure the men stay alert and on their toes, but also an opportune time for someone to slip in or out.
Why would she, though?
I push past them out into the warm evening air. The smell of honeysuckle and magnolias fills it as I step out toward the security team standing a few feet away. “Have either of you seen Astrid?”
They shake their heads, brows furrowing.
The larger of the two men instantly begins scanning the area immediately outside the door. “No, why?”
“I can’t find her. No one inside has seen her for a while. I’m wondering if she slipped out to get some fresh air.”
One of them points to the back of the building. “Is it possible she went into the garden?”
I nod. “Maybe…”
And it’s possible one of the many other teams might have escorted her and stayed with her.
Since every Hawke is under strict orders not to ever be alone, no one would have allowed her to wander off alone. And she wouldn’t have ignored the order. Not Astrid.
She’s the rule follower, the sweet, kind Hawke, who always looks for any way she can to assist anyone else, who dedicates her life to tutoring employees at the various businesses to try to help them achieve their ultimate dreams.
What she is not is a rule breaker.
That knowledge helps relieve a little of the tension in my chest, but until I have eyes on her, I can’t be confident she’s safe.
I jog toward the corner of the building and turn, almost slamming into two more of our security officers who are out on patrol.
“Mr. Newhart…”
“Have either of you seen Astrid?”
The taller of the two motions absently behind him. “She was just out here getting some air not that long ago.”
“When?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know, maybe twenty minutes ago. A member of the security team was with her.”
A member…
Not two.
My hackles immediately rise. “What do you mean?”
After the realization that McDonald had someone on the inside who got him access to Gabe’s car to plant the bomb, we created the new team and ensured no team member would ever work alone. That way, everyone always has at least one set of eyes on them, monitoring what they’re doing.
