Greyson (The K9 Files) - Dale Mayer Page 0,34

said. “Guys like this, they’re very determined.”

“But you knew, and that’s why you went out hunting him.”

“And lost him and finally backtracked him here again,” he said grimly. “But that’s why I know it couldn’t have been too long ago.”

Badger called again. “Satellite has picked him up about four miles from the house.”

“Which direction?” Greyson asked, giving his own location.

“Take a right, stay on this two blocks up, then take a left.”

Another voice came over the line. “This is Stone,” he said. “I’m part of Levi’s security company. Badger contacted us because we have a fully running satellite system. I understand we’ve got a missing boy.”

“Yes,” Greyson said, “and, hey, Stone. I did two tours with you about nine years ago.”

“I remember,” he said. “We got this, buddy. Just keep following instructions,” he said. “I’ve got you on satellite now too.”

“How far ahead are they?”

“You’re closing the gap a little bit. Once you hit that freeway, you’ll have to start funneling through the traffic and picking up some speed.”

“I think the on-ramp is coming up,” Greyson said.

“Change lanes to the right and take the next right, and you’ll be on the freeway then.”

Greyson quickly followed instructions, knowing that Jessica was silent and locked into a tiny ball in the front seat beside him, almost crippled by the circumstances. Which was totally understandable, given her son was being driven farther and farther away from her.

“How far ahead is he?” Greyson asked Stone.

“Too far for you to see. Try to pick up any opening you can. You need to make up at least two miles on him.”

With that, Greyson returned to his training and immediately wove through the traffic, going faster, picking up a few feet at a time when passing each vehicle.

“Okay, you’ve cut the distance in half,” Stone said in approval. “Keep going. We need to gain about that much distance again, and then you should be within a few vehicle lengths.”

Focusing, Greyson quickly maneuvered through the traffic, honking his horn as he swept in, taking chances he wouldn’t normally take but needing to under the circumstances. And very quickly he pulled ever closer.

“There’s an off-ramp,” Stone said. “Coming up on your right. The vehicle is crossing four lanes of traffic to get there.”

“That’s a sudden decision then,” Greyson said.

“He is already in the second lane on the right,” Stone added.

“I can make it into the right lane,” Greyson said. “Let me know if he takes the off-ramp.”

“He’s off,” Stone said.

“Next right?”

“Yes.”

Suddenly the exit was right here, and he took it at full speed, only braking as he headed into the corner, pulling around, whipping forward with a speed that he could see was bothering Jessica. But he was in full control. There was nothing quite like the driving training he’d been put through. He knew how to handle any vehicle. He could even fly a plane if he had to. Helicopters? Well, that was a whole different story.

“The vehicle is four ahead of you now,” Stone said.

Greyson hit the gas and passed the next vehicle. “Three then?”

“Three.”

And soon it was two.

“So he’s the second car in front of you right now.”

Greyson leaned forward, looking through the windshield. “Wish we had better lighting,” he said. “I can’t believe how dark it is still.”

“You got a heavy cloud cover,” Stone said. “It’s causing us some troubles too.”

Greyson quickly passed the next vehicle and came up on the passenger side of the car. He looked over at her. “Is that your car?” he asked.

She looked at him, looked at the car beside them, and gasped. “Oh, my God. Yes. See? That’s the car seat in the back.” She leaned forward and tried to look.

“Don’t bother,” he said. “The car seat is empty.”

She gasped and sank back against her seat. “What does that mean?” she said, her hands trembling.

“What it probably means,” he said, “is that Danny is asleep in the front seat, all buckled in with blankets. The kidnapper probably didn’t want to take the time to figure out the car seat.”

She shook her head. “It’s not like Danny to sleep this long. He should be waking up.”

“We won’t deal with that right now,” he said. “What I need to do is get this guy to slow down.”

They were running neck and neck, but the other guy didn’t appear to even be watching what Greyson was doing. He eased back slightly and tucked in behind him.

“What are you doing?” she cried out. “You just caught up to him.”

“We don’t want to put