“We can’t do anything until the men return,” Leslie said. “Charlotte and her friends must’ve stumbled onto something.”
Elias came downstairs, holding his computer. “The plates showed up as stolen.”
Taking the ticket from her pocket, she held it out to Elias. “Does this seem fake?”
He examined it and shook his head. “It’s real. Someone in the police department must be involved.”
“Great,” she muttered under her breath. “Owen suspects the sheriff.”
“He’s my top suspect,” Elias agreed. “I’m going upstairs. Call me if you need anything.”
The three women waited for the team to return with Charlotte and her friends.
“Com check,”Owen said into the coms. He breathed deeply as he scanned the outer perimeter for anyone lurking around the building they surrounded.
“Alpha 2, checking in,” Gunny said.
“Alpha 3, in position,” Dillon replied.
“Alpha 1 breaching,” Cade informed them.
“Alpha 4 check,” Mason said, glancing at Owen.
The men surrounded the building and entered. Dogs barked as they searched one of the first buildings in the row, starting with building fifty. Owen knew they needed to find Charlotte and get her out of there.
“She’s on the second floor,” Dillon said. “I have eyes on her. No sign of her two friends. One unfriendly with a gun approaching her. From the back. I’m taking him down,” Dillon reported.
“Copy,” Owen said, waiting for his brother to handle it as they cleared each room from the middle offices.
“Two unfriendlies approaching the building from the rear,” Gunny warned them. “We’re on it.”
Owen turned the corner to find a man and woman cowering behind an old desk. Seeing him, they raised their hands, visibly terrified. Owen pressed a finger to his lips and pointed toward a door, where two masked men entered. Crouching down, he silently eased his way behind them. Mason did the same on the opposite side. As the two men approached the couple, Owen and Mason made their presence known.
“Put your hands on your head and turn around,” he ordered.
One froze, but one pulled a gun. Mason hit him with the stun gun, sending the man writhing to the floor.
“If you don’t want the same thing, I suggest you lower the weapon and turn slowly,” Owen seethed.
As the suspect dropped the weapon, Mason took him to the ground and zip-tied his hands behind his back.
“Who do you work for?” Owen growled.
The second suspect tightened his lips and glanced at the man on the ground.
“I won’t ask you again,” he threatened the man.
“You don’t know who you’re dealing with,” the second suspect said. “If I say anything, I’ll be signing my own death certificate.”
“By threatening my friends, you might have already done it,” Owen said as he rolled the suspect over to secure him.
“I have the package,” Dillon reported. “Dogs are getting closer. Heading to the rendezvous point.”
“Two suspects secured,” Owen reported. “Two packages located.”
“Suspects secured,” Gunny reported.
“We have one down. We’ll leave him here for his friends to find. Take the rest with us,” Owen said into the mic as he yanked their second suspect to his feet. “Everyone, fall back.”
