more he thought about Kane’s disappearance, the more he thought the hostage rescue had been a setup from the beginning. A way to get Kane south of the border. RCK had been tracking Peter Blair for years. A couple of times they’d almost gotten him, but he’d become much better at covering his tracks of late. They had no confirmed sightings—only rumors—and the only time they knew he’d moved anyone was after the fact.
He’d gotten so much better at being a criminal over time.
In fact, they had no recent intel, but everything aligned this week when they got an alert about seven girls who had been grabbed three weeks ago. They’d had the girls on their radar, hoping to find them before it was too late, and one had escaped. She’d gone right to a church, and the priest there was friends with the Sisters of Mercy. Everything made sense … except now, in hindsight, it was too easy.
Yes, they’d rescued the remaining girls. That was a win. But at what cost?
What if they had been the bait? There were people who would be happy to release a few girls—knowing they could get more whenever they wanted—if they could lure Kane Rogan into a trap.
“He’s here,” Ranger said, barely moving his lips.
Jack was suspicious, but Kane was still missing, and this was their single best lead.
Chapter Fifteen
Lucy understood Jack’s concerns, but she couldn’t hide in her house waiting for other people to find the truth about Mona Hill’s murder. The cops in charge thought Sean was guilty and they weren’t looking at anyone else.
By the time she stepped out of Sean’s office, Nate was already inside and Jesse was running down the stairs.
“Nate!” Jesse hugged him tightly. “I’m so glad you’re here. You’re going to help prove my dad didn’t do this, right?”
“Of course,” Nate said, though he was looking at Lucy.
Nate looked as worried as Jack had sounded.
Jesse stepped back. “You all want to talk and you don’t want me here.”
“That’s not it,” Lucy said. “We have to compare notes and decide our next step. Jess—I wish I could tell you not to worry. I hate this, and I’m doing everything I can to fix it.”
“I know. I—okay.” He patted his leg and Bandit, who was sitting next to Nate looking up at him adoringly, immediately went to Jesse’s side and followed him back upstairs.
“I’m going to wring that girl’s neck,” Lucy said as she watched Jesse leave. She didn’t have to explain that she was talking about Elise. Jesse had been through hell over the last two years and she hated that he was now scared about Sean’s fate.
Lucy made introductions to Garrett Lee. “He’s an investigator and attorney with the law firm who is representing Sean.”
She motioned for Aggie and Nate to sit down at the dining table. “Garrett, I need to be blunt with Nate right now. If you don’t want to be part of this, you need to leave.”
“I’m not leaving,” he said.
“You did your job—you were here for the warrant.”
“And are you going out tonight to track down that corrections officer?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll stay. I’ll help, as much as I can. Jack texted me not to let you out of the house. That I can’t do, but I can back you up.”
“Thank you.” She turned to Nate. “What happened at SAPD? Did they clear you?”
He scowled, shook his head. “The SAC himself reamed the chief of police and ultimately, I’m not being arrested, but I can’t leave the county and I’m suspended pending investigation.”
“Nate, I’m sorry,” Lucy said.
“I want these bastards,” he said. “Aggie has a theory.”
Lucy listened to Aggie’s analysis, and immediately when she mentioned the Saints, she said, “Elise befriended a girl, Marie Ynez. She was affiliated with the Saints.”
“I thought they were all but gone,” Nate said.
“They’re not organized,” Aggie said, “but they’re around. Brad has been watching former members, it’s been quiet, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t working for whoever will pay them. That’s what I think Mitts is—for hire.”
“And you know where this girl is?” Nate asked.
“Yes. I need to talk to her and to a corrections officer who spontaneously quit.”
Lucy told Nate and Aggie about Elise sneaking out of the prison, and about her nontraditional probation. “Elise didn’t leave just to get a tattoo and her hair done,” Lucy said. “And she returned because that’s part of some plan—the same plan that has Sean in jail and Brad missing and drugs planted in Nate’s car.”