Defending Bridget - P.J. Fiala Page 0,22

the lot of her range, she smiled and sighed when the parking lot was empty. Pulling up to the backdoor, she looked around to make sure no one was around. She shook her head and told herself to stop being so paranoid.

Jumping from her vehicle, she had her keys ready, quickly walked to the backdoor and stepped inside. Closing it and locking it behind her, she disarmed the alarm, walked to her office, just a few steps from the backdoor, and flipped the lights on. She hurried to her desk, pulled her laptop case from under it, and slid her laptop inside as well as the cord and mouse. Zipping it up, she remembered to bring her paper file with all the phone numbers of the new clients. She hadn't had time to enter their names into the computer, something she could likely do while on the plane. Tucking the file into the front of her laptop bag, she tossed it over her right shoulder, then took the strap of her range bag and pulled it up onto her left shoulder.

Feeling as though she had all she needed, she walked to the backdoor, turned off the lights and quickly exited the building, turning the key in the lock and walking to her vehicle in record time.

Opening the backdoor, she dropped her range bag on the floor behind the driver's seat, then lay her laptop on the backseat. Turning to get into the driver's seat, something sharp and hot hit her in the side of the neck. Turning her head, a man she'd never seen before stepped in front of her with a sinister look on his face. He didn't say anything. Soon, too soon, her body went limp and her eyes closed.

16

The plane had barely touched down when Axel unbuckled his seatbelt and moved to stand.

"You won't be able to get off until we stop, and the door opens for us. May as well sit. There's nothing we can do until we get there."

His heart hammered in his chest; his mood was black as the night. To say he was on edge was the understatement of the century.

Josh leaned forward and lay his arms on the table.

"Look, let's go over this again. Bridget owns a gun range. She went down to grab her laptop and her range bag. She told her mom she'd only be a few minutes. She lives about a mile away, so it should only have taken about 15 minutes, tops. When she didn't come back in a half hour, mom tried calling her. No answer. Mom tried again, no answer. Then she called the local PD, many of whom are friends of Bridget’s. They showed up on the scene and found Bridget's vehicle with her laptop on the backseat and range bag on the floor behind the driver’s seat. No sign of a struggle. No Bridget."

"Yeah."

"So, when we get there, we have to check out the range. Someone was there. There have to be tire tracks, footprints, something to help us figure out what happened that there'd been no struggle. She is an expert markswoman. If she'd have had the time, she'd have pulled and shot. Mom said she was carrying. She always carried."

His breathing was choppy just listening to Josh. This was not good. He inhaled and held his breath, counting to ten, then let it out slowly.

Once he'd released the air from his lungs he said, "They snuck up on her. Surprised her. Even so, she'd have fought unless they threatened her mom or this Aidyn. Or, she could have been drugged. Chloroformed. Or bashed on the head."

"There you go. Get your head in the game. What else?"

"She'd already been inside to get the laptop and range bag, so they were likely waiting for her. It's unlikely that she'd have gotten out of her car if someone had been there when she pulled in, so they were watching from somewhere nearby. Down the road perhaps. Over a hill. Won't know until we get there and see the lay of the land."

"Right."

The plane finally stopped, and Axel stood up. Josh grabbed the go bag and handed Axel his comm unit.

"Here are your earpieces. Once we get there, we'll want to waste no time."

Axel took the wireless earpieces. The hatch opened and he thought he'd just about leap out of his skin. He made it to the front of the plane in two strides surprising Gavin at the front of the plane.

"I'll be in touch as