Deadly Lies (Deadly #3)(57)

But then a low moan filled the air and he froze. No, not a moan. The slow grind of a door scraping over old wood. The front entrance to the warehouse… the door had opened.

He couldn’t see anyone, but someone was there and inviting him in. “Who’s there? Dammit, come out here! Bring Quinlan out!”

“Come in…” Was the taunt he got in return.

His jaw clenched, and he loped forward. If he had to, he’d kill every sonofabitch in there, but he was getting his son.

His hand closed around the old door handle, and he wrenched it all the way open. As soon as he stepped over the threshold, the scent of blood and bleach burned his nose.

Quinlan?

Please, son, be alive.


“What’s going on?” Max demanded. They were in the back of a government SUV, racing behind two other units toward Fairfax. “What do you mean, we’re going to one of Malone’s properties? Why?”

Sam glanced at him, knowing that she had to be careful. “We found the address on Veronica James’s computer.”

“Malone’s warehouse?” He shook his dark head. “That doesn’t make sense!”

“By all accounts, it’s an abandoned building. No other businesses close by. It seems like…” She wet her lips. “Like it might be the perfect place to keep someone locked up.” Or to dump a body.

Max’s eyes narrowed, and she knew that he understood the unspoken words. “Faster,” Max barked at Luke. “Can’t you drive this damn thing faster?”

They were already flying past the speed limit.

“We’re going in silent,” Luke said, and she knew that he was talking into his phone, giving orders to the locals on scene. “We’re not giving these bastards any warning.”

“Samantha.” Max’s fingers brushed hers.

She held his gaze.

“Is he alive?”

Her breath came on a slow rush. “We’ll know soon.”

“That last guy… Adam… they found him on his father’s property, too, didn’t they? That was where they dumped the body.”

She curled her fingers around his. She wanted to give him hope. “Quinlan could be alive.”

He squeezed her hand, but didn’t speak again. And neither did she—Sam didn’t like lying to him.


“Quinlan? Are you here?” The scent of blood was so strong, filling Frank’s nose and making bile rise in his throat. He fumbled and drew out his gun. The Feds had confiscated the Glock that he’d had earlier. But lucky for him, there’d been plenty of other guns waiting at home for him.

His feet shuffled forward. The warehouse was too damn dark. He should have leveled the place months ago. “Are you here?”

Frank’s right foot kicked something. Something big and soft. His breath heaved out. “Quinlan?” He slipped and fell to his knees. “Quinlan!”

A flash of light hit him right in the face. The bright light blinded him. “Not your boy, old man,” a hard, male voice rumbled from behind the light.

Frank lurched forward but froze when a gun barrel pressed against his forehead. No mistaking that, not even in this black pit.

“Wanna see him one more time?”

Frank was on his knees before the bastard holding the gun. His body shook, but he wouldn’t back down. “Let him go.”

“Shouldn’t have brought the FBI in.” That voice rumbled.

“Dad!” Quinlan’s scream had his heart slamming into his chest.

Still alive. Quinlan’s still alive.

Frank’s right hand was behind him, his fingers curled around the gun. The bastard hadn’t seen it yet. He’d have to move fast. “I-I want to see him.”

The barrel eased back. “And he wants to see you. One more time.”

The flashlight beam bounced. Frank lurched up. He didn’t take time to aim, just fired. Again. Again. Two fast booms. A scream.

The flashlight hit the ground. So did the bastard. “Fuck you,” Frank snarled and followed the sound of his son’s screams.


“You have to stay here.” Sam stared up at Max’s tense face. They were about fifty feet away from the warehouse, in the safe perimeter that the agents had just set up. “Stay with the uniforms until we come back.”

His eyes were on the building as he strained to see. “It’s so damn dark.” Why weren’t there any streetlights?

“Stay here.” Sam squeezed his hand. “And don’t give up.” She wanted to say more, to do more, but too many eyes were on them.

Sam turned and fell into line behind Luke and Ramirez. They’d be the first team in. They’d tried to leave her out, but hell no. She wasn’t being left out anymore.

Luke lowered his hand, giving the order to move. The officers behind them were silent as they waited. Tension filled the air, so thick it seemed to weigh her down.

The SSD had gotten a warrant. Fast. They’d tried to reach Malone for permission to go in, but he had been unavailable. More pills, according to Beth. He’d dosed up and gone down for the night.

When she got the signal, Sam’s feet seemed to fly over the gravel driveway. Her breath blew out in cold puffs of foggy air. Her heart thudded in her chest. Was this what it had been like for Monica and Luke? When she’d been taken and they’d been desperate to find her, had this icy fear filled them?