registered to BZ Systems. They’re Abrams’ closest competitor. Headquartered in Lynchburg, Virginia. I’m sending the address and all properties owned by BZ. I’ll keep digging on my end. Has Myles checked in?”
“Yeah, he and Kevin are with Abe and Wolf.”
“So you got something?” Tex surmised.
“Possibly. Since I couldn’t trace the call, I isolated the background. Jake brakes and gunfire. I sent the recording to Abe and he thinks he knows where Delilah is. Or at least the vicinity. Apparently, there’s a gun club off a highway in Dulzura. Nothing but desert and ranches. They’re about fifty minutes out.”
“Long shot,” Tex noted.
“Yep. But it’s all we got and when Abe says he thinks he knows, that long shot significantly shortens. Owen’s going over the area now and pulling land records. It’d be helpful if we had more boots on the ground canvassing but with an assassin in town, Phantom and his team are sticking close to their women.”
“Copy that. I’ll be in touch.”
“Later.”
“Big Island,” Zane grunted.
“Come again?”
“That’s where they’re at. The last traffic cam we have is 66 in Front Royal. 66 hooks up with 81 and 81 is a direct route to Big Island. Nothing around this property but forest dotted with a few homesteads and a Baptist church. This is where they’re at.”
Garrett found the address and pulled it up on the map. Big Island, Virginia, was four hours away. If Zane was wrong that would be a four-hour mistake Gabe and Evette might not live through.
“I’m taking Cooper. Owen stays on Delilah unless you need to pull him. Red Team is coming in and Gold will be on standby. Send out whoever you need to.”
“Zane—”
“I feel it in my gut, Garrett. They’re in Big Island. BZ is after intel Gabe doesn’t have to give. Evette is with him.”
Garrett’s stomach roiled at the idea of Evette being used as a tool to get Gabe to talk. They’d already been gone hours and in that time anything could’ve happened. Gabe would never recover if Evette were tortured in front of him.
Shit, Goddamn.
“I suggest you make that four-hour drive in three and prepare for a mess if Gabe gets out before you get there.”
For the first time since Gabe and Evette had been taken Zane smiled. It was not full of humor, it was satanic and evil.
“Would expect nothing less.”
Zane left and Garrett went back to watching the grainy security footage from a traffic camera.
Gabe’s limp body was tossed in the back of the 4Runner followed by Evette’s. Drugged and out cold.
He watched it two more times then started to work on the rest of the addresses Tex sent.
Chapter 25
My eyes were closed.
They’d been closed for so long and so tightly my temples were throbbing.
I wasn’t watching but that didn’t mean I couldn’t hear.
Every blow, every exhale.
Fists hitting flesh.
Groans of exertions.
I’d promised Gabe I wouldn’t watch. Though seeing him try to break free, thrashing and yanking on the chain above his head until blood was flowing down his forearms from his mangled wrists I would’ve promised him anything. That was my fault. I should’ve agreed the first time he asked. Instead, I pushed it until Gabe snapped.
I wanted to beg for the man to stop. The words clogged my throat and burned when I swallowed them down. Gabe wanted me silent and invisible, but promise or not, I could take no more. I couldn’t sit there while the man I loved got beaten to death.
Then the pounding stopped but I kept my eyes closed. This was unfortunate because I didn’t see the slap coming. It was such a shock I cried out in pain. My natural instinct to cover my face was waylaid by the rope around my wrists.
“Don’t,” Gabe croaked.
It was the first word he’d said since the beating began. There had been a lot of shouting, however, it came from the man who’d taken us. Over and over he demanded to know where Delilah was. Gabe didn’t answer and neither had I. But that didn’t stop him from asking.
“You have until tomorrow. If you don’t wise up you’re both dead.”
I heard footsteps, then saw a pair of black boots stop in front of me. The tips of his boots touched the tips of my sneakers. And for some asinine reason I thought how grateful I was I hadn’t opted for the cute sandals Ivy had bought me.