to regard Xavier, taking his measure. “I don’t know why the army is involved in this—whatever it is. All I’ve been told is that an officer has been abducted and you’re our best bet for getting her back. Personally, I take offense at that, but then it’s been some years since I left the 82nd Airborne. I recognize your beret and your insignia, Captain, but I don’t like being left out of the loop.”
The cop had been Airborne. That counted for something. Xavier decided to tread as lightly as possible while still making his point.
“I appreciate that, Sergeant. Truly, I do. Unfortunately, I don’t have time—and you don’t have clearance—to know the details of our mission here. All I can tell you is that it has to do with national security and the missing officer is working as a liaison with my unit. She’s been read into the mission and her life is in imminent danger. I intend to get her back with all possible haste. After that, maybe we’ll be able to talk more.”
Tomlinson stared him down, but Xavier sensed the man understood. Finally, the sergeant nodded, throwing a set of keys toward him. Xavier caught them, his reflexes sharp.
“Take the SUV. It’s loaded with standard SWAT gear. We’ll act in a support capacity, as ordered.”
Xavier spared a moment to thank the man, then heard his unit jogging up behind. He tossed the keys to Sam as he and Kauffman passed. Reno was still a few lengths behind but catching up fast. “We’re going to do recon. We’ll meet you back here at the station once we have a plan of action.”
“You do that,” Tomlinson shot back.
Getting rid of the locals had been easier than Xavier expected. It had helped to have a man like Tomlinson in charge. He’d been military. He’d know that a small spec ops team like Xavier’s would likely operate more efficiently without a parade of cops tagging along.
They parked the SUV around the corner from Dr. McCormick’s home. They were in a fairly middle-class area with small houses every quarter acre or so, in the less fashionable part of town. Xavier waved Sam, Reno and Kauffman to watch each side of the simple house in case the woman tried to flee out a window or through the backyard. Xavier took the direct approach, ringing her front doorbell.
An elfin face moved the curtain over the window in the door and peered out at him. Her eyes squinted a moment before she planted wire-framed glasses on her freckled nose. Her eyes widened as she took in his attire.
“Dr. McCormick? I’m Captain Beauvoir, U.S. Army. I need to speak with you about one of your former colleagues. Will you come with us?”
The woman looked startled but opened the door a crack. “Us?” she asked, looking around.
“My men are around back. We have a situation and we really need you to come with us.”
“You were afraid I’d try to run.” Knowing eyes tilted in his direction. “As you can see, I won’t. Where do you want to take me?”
She was cagey, this one, and much younger-looking than he’d expected. Her file said she was in her late thirties, but her pixie looks made her appear much younger. She was pretty in a sort of ethereal way.
“The police are letting us use some of their facilities since one of their officers has been abducted.”
She seemed upset at the news, but she was hard to read.
“Are you arresting me? You want to put me in a cell?”
“Only if you’re guilty of something, Doctor. Right now we need to pick your brain for anything you might know about your former colleague Dr. Sellars.”
Her brows swept downward in an angry frown. “I want nothing to do with that man.”
“That may be, but we know he’s been in contact with you.” Xavier sighed heavily. It didn’t look like she would come willingly, and time was wasting.
“Why don’t you signal your team and come inside?” She opened the door wide. “You can question me here and I’ll give you what little I have on Dr. Sellars. I never liked that man.”
That last bit was almost muttered under her breath, but Xavier heard it. She didn’t look happy, but from what he could tell, she was willing to help.
Xavier considered his options. They weren’t many and they weren’t good. He pursed his lips and gave a short whistle. That signal would bring his men in. One by one, they appeared from behind the house.
Dr. McCormick