“Good.” Owens dipped his salt-and-pepper bearded chin. “I’ll follow you in my car.”
“Or you could ride with me.”
He and the others slid their focus to Agent Price, who’d just weirdly offered to give Owens a ride. Coulter started to rush through introductions, but he never got the chance to finish.
“Uh, Agent Price, this is?—”
“Hello, Rafe.” His boss smiled. “It’s been a long time.”
“Yes it has.” Owens held out his hand, which Price took as soon as it was offered. “It’s good to see you again, Lena.”
“Wait, you two know each other?” Shadow’s gaze slid back and forth between Price and her father.
Price nodded. “Rafe and I go way back.”
“Lena and I met during a joint operation with MI-6 and the CIA,” Owens quickly explained.
Coulter wasn’t trying to be an ass, but they didn’t have time for this sort of thing. So he jumped in with a stern, “Think maybe you two can catch up on the road?Because there’s a plane I’d really like to catch, preferably before it takes off.”
Price pulled her keys from her pocket and looked to Rafe. “You can ride with me.”
“Only if your driving has improved.”
The rest of the group watched the odd interaction, but Coulter was already pushing his way out the door. He didn’t know what that was between his boss and Owens, nor did any part of him care. His sole focus was on finding Alex and bringing her back home. And he wouldn’t rest until she was back in his arms.
Hang on, sweetheart. We’re coming for you.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“They’re dead,” Agent Price confirmed with a somber nod.
Coulter felt like he was going to be sick. They’d gotten to the private air strip north of the city in record time, but they were still too late.
Crawford’s jet was gone. Alex was nowhere to be found, and the two agents Price had watching the plane were both dead. Each suffering from a single gunshot wound to their head.
Along with the lost agents, two additional bodies had been discovered. Both were identified as employees of the private air strip. Innocents who’d been caught in a monster’s deadly game.
“We need to figure out where that plane is headed,” Digger rumbled.
Bones chimed in from a few feet away. “I’m guessing they didn’t file a flight plan that would lead us straight to them.”
Apollo nodded. “And if they did file a plan, I doubt they’re stupid enough to stick with it.”
“I should call my wife.” Garrett looked Coulter’s way. “Alex is her sister. Avery deserves to know.”
Coulter nodded, a ball of emotions filling the base of his throat. He pushed it down with a painful swallow. “Tell her I’m?—”
What? That he was sorry? A lot of good those words were now.
“I will.” His brother gave one of his shoulders a tight squeeze. “It’s going to be okay, Colt. Wewillget Alex back.”
A jerky nod was the best response he could muster before Garrett pulled his phone out and walked away. While he broke the heartbreaking news to Alex’s sister, Coulter did his best to push away his overwhelming emotions and fear.
Think, dammit. Think! Where would he go?
“Crawford wouldn’t take her to his place in L.A.”
All eyes turned his way, but it was his boss who chose to speak up first.
