Dusk (Dangerous Web #1) - Aleatha Romig Page 0,3

who were now unreachable—I refused to use the term missing—Araneae and Lorna, were in the kitchen.

“You’ve searched the house and grounds?” I asked again.

“Yes, sir.” He stared into the camera. “It seems like it was a fast snatch. Mrs. Sparrow and Mrs. Murray were the most easily accessible. The kidnappers didn’t search for the other two women.”

My teeth ached as I clenched tighter.

“I’ve double- and triple-checked,” Garrett continued. “No one came on the property via automobile. All the access roads are locked and gated.”

“How about by horse?” Mason asked. “They could come from any direction on horseback.”

Horseback was a common mode of transportation as well as off-road vehicles. Mason’s property covered over ten thousand acres, complete with mountains and valleys. It was quite the increase from his original property. If he had his way, he’d acquire more to keep it from being turned into anything other than its natural beauty.

“There are hoofprints,” Garrett said, “but sir, you have a corral. We can’t differentiate your horses’ prints from someone else’s.”

Sparrow turned to me. “Trackers? Why aren’t they broadcasting?”

The signals we could isolate were either coming from the tower in Chicago or the main house at the ranch. “Garrett,” I said, “Mrs. Murray’s and Mrs. Sparrow’s purses and shoes. Did they take them with them?”

“I haven’t inspected their private rooms other than to know they aren’t there. I don’t know what was taken with them.”

“They were wearing shoes at least,” Sparrow said, referring to the trackers all of the ladies knew were contained in their shoes and purses. It wasn’t an overt mode of control. It was what we all said, for their safety. “They should be able to be isolated.”

I shook my head. “If they were wearing them, the only way to stop the transmission would be to destroy their shoes or block the transmission.”

“That’s not easy to do,” Mason added. “Only a container lined in a special polymer could do that.” Mason stood and ran his fingers through his long hair. His colorful bicep bulged beneath his sleeve as my brother-in-law worked to contain his anger. He faced me. “I know we’re all stressed out, but I need to access my security system. It’s fucking insane that there are parts still off-line.”

I turned to the screen. “The ladies are groggy. What does the doctor think caused it?”

“She couldn’t say. She did take blood and saliva samples to do a toxicology screen.”

“Go through all the food and drink, find out what they consumed,” Sparrow said.

“Mrs. Pierce has already begun,” Garrett said. “If it’s all right with you, for now I would feel better staying close to Mrs. Kelly and Mrs. Pierce. No one will get near them.”

We all nodded.

“Please let us know when you land,” Garrett said. “I know the ladies are anxious for your arrival.”

“Yes,” Patrick replied. “Stay in the home office. It’s secure.”

The office in the original home was secure too, but that’s another long story.

The screen went black as Garrett disconnected.

The entire room exhaled.

The four of us had been together for nearly two decades, meeting on our way to basic training. In a nutshell, that time spent together in training and our tours of duty solidified our bond. Once we had satisfied our military obligations, we all came back to the States, and with the help of the GI bill and Sterling Sparrow, we went to college, completing our degrees while pursuing and perfecting our knowledge and skills in preparation for the next step.

We spearheaded the coup to take over the Sparrow outfit.

Sterling Sparrow’s father, Allister Sparrow, had been in charge for too long. When it came to his son, Allister wore blinders, underestimating both Sterling and his chosen ring of advisors—us.

On a cold winter’s night, Allister Sparrow met his demise, falling from a construction-site beam, a tragic accident. Or so it appeared. As luck, providence, or maybe karma would have it, his fall came after Sterling Sparrow secured his father’s golden ring, the one with the family crest, as well as his father’s empire.

From that day forward, Sterling Sparrow reigned in his rightful position as the kingpin of Chicago. At the time, the dynasty was shared with another outfit. It was an agreement Allister had made when the four of us were children.

Over three years ago, the other kingpin was exposed for his role in human trafficking, and Sparrow became the sole ruler of the third-largest city in the United States.

Every day since has been a challenge to maintain that status.

There was no doubt that whatever was