SEAL's RESOLVE - Rebecca Deel Page 0,83
I want to hear what Dad has to say and leave.”
“Wait for me to open your door.”
As he circled the SUV’s hood and helped her to the asphalt, Kristi prayed she didn’t regret her decision.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Rafe tucked Kristi against his left side, keeping his right hand free. He scanned the area for potential threats. Too many places for people to hide in the shadows. Although security cameras dotted the area, the lighting was too dim to suit him. “I don’t see a vehicle.” In fact, the target warehouse appeared deserted.
“Dad might have parked at one of the other of the warehouses and walked from there. Stewart Group owns ten warehouses in this industrial complex. They’re on this row and the next two rows.”
“We’re thirty minutes late. Is it possible your father left already?”
“Not without ranting at me over the phone for wasting his valuable time.” Kristi glanced around. “I’ve never been in the industrial complex at night. This is creepy.”
When they reached the door to the warehouse, Rafe twisted the knob. It turned easily under his hand.
“Dad must be inside. He’s careful to lock up when he leaves one of the warehouses at night. So are the warehouse managers.”
That might be true, but Rafe didn’t like this set up. Bakerhill wasn’t exactly a den of criminal activity, but leaving a warehouse door unlocked at night wasn’t safe. Although he wanted to check the warehouse alone, Rafe couldn’t leave Kristi in the dark without protection.
Standing to the side of the threshold, Rafe pushed open the door and listened. Silence. If someone waited inside to ambush them, he didn’t want to turn on the lights, and make himself and Kristi easy targets. With a dim light coming from the left side of the building, Rafe stepped into the warehouse and led Kristi away from the doorway.
In silence, he nudged Kristi toward the wall. Large boxes and wooden crates were stacked in an orderly fashion throughout the warehouse, creating aisles as far as he could see which wasn’t far enough to satisfy him. Rafe’s gut urged him to take Kristi away from this building. Although Alan Stewart had sent his daughter a text to meet him here, the building felt deserted. “Where are the offices?” he whispered.
“To the left. If we follow the perimeter of the building, we’ll reach the hall where the offices are located.”
Rafe hugged the wall as he led Kristi around the perimeter of the cavernous warehouse. Near the corner, he peered around the row of boxes toward the area where the offices were located. Dim light streamed from the hall.
He glanced at Kristi. “Don’t call out to your father. This doesn’t feel right.” When she nodded, Rafe started toward the hallway.
At the entrance to the hall, he peered around the corner. The deserted hallway should have reassured him that all was well. It didn’t. Rafe stepped into the hall and tugged Kristi after him. Three closed doors.
When they reached the first office, Rafe tried the knob. Locked. With a hand signal for Kristi to remain in place, Rafe grabbed his lockpicks, crouched in front of the knob, and went to work. In less than 30 seconds, he stepped to the side of the doorway, twisted, and shoved the door open. Nothing. After peering into the empty office, he glanced at Kristi and shook his head.
The second door’s knob turned easily under his hand. Nudging Kristi’s back to the wall to make sure she wasn’t in the line of fire, Rafe pushed open the door. No shots, but also no greeting from Stewart. He peeked into the office. Empty except for a desk, two chairs, and a table with a small coffee maker and cups.
After another head shake, Rafe led Kristi toward the last office. He twisted the knob and pushed open the door. The office light was on, but Stewart didn’t call out. Not good. Rafe didn’t want Kristi to walk in on her father injured or dead. He signaled for her to wait, then looked into the office.
No Stewart. Standard office furniture. Sitting on top of the desk was a brick of C-4 with multiple wires, a detonator, a cell phone, and a digital clock counting down to detonation.
Adrenaline flooded Rafe’s veins. He didn’t have time to deactivate the bomb. He grabbed Kristi’s hand. “Run!” She sprinted down the hall with him without asking questions.
In his head, the clocked ticked down. They wouldn’t be able to escape before the bomb exploded. Rafe’s goal was to put as much