“Carly!”
No answer.
“Carlyle, where are you?”
Her beeping laptop sent him bolting into her office. He typed in her password. Kathy Internado was beyond Fredericksburg, heading south on I-95. George Internado was traveling down Pennsylvania Avenue in the vicinity of Carly’s old office.
He read her note and his blood ran cold. Carly was walking straight into a trap.
After parking around the corner, Carly hurried down the street. Evenings in this part of town were quiet, especially on Friday nights. She inserted her spare in the lock and opened the door. As she entered, someone shoved her inside and shut the door.
Shrieking, she fell to the floor.
“Shut the fuck up or I’ll slice your throat.”
Adrenaline streaked through her, while her heart climbed to a frenetic pace. The familiar voice turned fear into sheer terror.
Before she could get up, he threw a burlap bag over her head, plunging her into darkness. Within seconds, he tied her hands behind her back and yanked her up, then hurried down the hall and pushed her into a hard chair. The break room. He hog-tied her wrists to her ankles.
Afraid she’d pass out, she tried calming breaths.
“You and I are going to have a little chat, missy. If you scream, you die. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
He removed the scratchy burlap and she gasped.
Wearing the toupee and fake facial hair, George Internado dragged over a metal chair, spun it around, and sat.
“What do you want?” she asked. His eerie smile made her want to vomit, but she swallowed down the hysteria and glared into his evil, wicked eyes.
He leaned forward. “Your last breath.”
Oh, God. Her mind raced, her heart thumped in her ears. In an attempt to stall, she asked, “Is this a robbery? There’s nothing of value here and I don’t even—”
He smacked her face and tiny yellow stars swarmed in front of her. “You’re a stupid, stupid girl to think you could outsmart me.”
This time, she said nothing, her stinging cheek a painful reminder of who was in control. Behind the chair, she fiddled with the rope, but every tug yanked at her ankles. She was trapped. Perspiration dotted her brow.
“I met your grandfather several months ago,” Internado began. “He was a spry old man. Well, he was until he took a terrible tumble down some very hard stairs.” Internado’s rough laugh was sandpaper on her soul. She continued tugging at the rope, desperate to get to Internado and claw his eyes out for what he’d done to her beloved grandfather.
“No point in trying to escape. I’m a rope expert.” He stroked her cheek with the back of his finger and she gagged from his touch. “If we’d met at a different time, in a different place, we could have had some real wild fun together, you and me.” He sighed. “But I digress.”
“Do you know my sister?” She braced for another slap, but none came.
“I met her a few days ago after a dutiful clerk at my office told me a young lady had been snooping around about me. He gave me this address, which led me to Cassandra. What a blabbermouth. She even told me you had her spare office key.”
“You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?”
“That sounds harsh, even to my ears. Let’s say I’m going to silence you. You know too much about Rose Aurora.” He leaned close. “Are you familiar with breath play, Carly?”
Maverick had been on hundreds of missions, but none mattered more than this one. Every second counted.
He grabbed his go-bag and ran into the parking lot. Once behind the wheel of the Suburban, he punched the gas and plowed through the gate, sending metal clanging in every direction. One of the pieces clung to the front grill as he peeled onto the street.
Slowing for a red light, he threw the thermal and night vision goggles around his neck, then looked both ways and blew through the intersection. His heart beat hard and fast in his chest, his mind raced. Did Carly have her Glock? Would she go in or wait outside? Please don’t go into that building. Despite wanting to remain hopeful, he feared the worst. That primal fear spurred him forward. He would do whatever necessary to stop Internado from hurting her.
He screeched to a halt a half-block from the office and grabbed his gun before charging down the street. He’d honed his skills, worked his ass off for years to ensure safe and successful hostage rescue missions. Tonight, those skills would be put to the ultimate test. And he would not fail the love of his life. Failure is not an option.
