A Cold Dark Promise (Cold Justice #8.5)(11)

“Looking back, he arranged the trip for me very quickly and never imagined I’d bolt from such a loving husband.” Her eyes sharpened. “Who is the guy in the photograph and why are you asking? Is he involved with Ahmed? Did you see Taylor? Is she okay?” The words ran together as panic overtook her.

“I saw Taylor.”

Jane stopped talking, and her eyes got huge. Her hand clenched and unclenched. “How did she look? Did she look happy? How tall is she?”

Alex pressed his lips together and gave her an approximation of the girl’s height. Jane’s face turned anguished at all the years that represented.

“Her father was telling her off for sneaking off the boat and playing with the local kids without permission.”

Jane blanched. “Did he hit her?”

Alex shook his head. “I didn’t see him raise his hand to her. I did see him shake her. I don’t know for sure what happened when they went inside.”

Her eyes darted around the room without seeing it. “I never saw him hit anyone else. Only me. I have held onto that hope ever since the day he took her.” She stared off into space for a moment, then her mind seemed to snap back into place and she pointed at the image of Vladimir Ranch on the screen. “Who is this man? What does he have to do with Ahmed?” she asked again.

Alex pressed his lips together. “I don’t know yet.”

She eyed him like she knew he was lying. “What was security like?”

“Minimal.”

“Are you going back tonight?” She looked so hopeful Alex wanted to lie to her.

“No. Not tonight. I want to do more recon. First, I need some sleep.” He needed to talk to Frazer.

She blinked and seemed to become aware she was in his bedroom. She backed away. “Sorry. I’ll leave you alone.”

All the years they’d worked together and they’d never really trusted one another. They’d both been trapped doing something they hated and had hoarded their secret pain. He was no longer that person. He didn’t want to dislike her anymore.

“What made you do it? Work for The Gateway Project?” he asked quietly, so Reilly wouldn’t accidentally overhear them.

She gave a shuddering breath and whispered back. “They told me they’d bring her home to me. Taylor. They said that if I gave them three years of my life they’d make sure Taylor came home and Ahmed wouldn’t be able to find me. Ever. I was three months away from that when…”

When it had all crashed down around their heads.

“There was no guarantee they’d have kept their promise,” Alex said gently. “You know that, right?”

She nodded slowly. “Yes. But some hope was better than none.”

There was always hope. Always. Even when things looked horrifically bleak. He gave her a soft smile. “We’ll get her back.”

She swallowed hard as if choking down a sob and walked swiftly away.

Reilly appeared in the doorway.

“Any problems today?” Alex asked.

Reilly shook his head. “You really gonna get the kid back?”

“I’m gonna try. Just keep Jane occupied, okay? It’s not going to be as straightforward as I’d hoped. Certain unforeseen things have come up.”

Reilly cocked a brow. “Things?”

“Individuals. Dangerous individuals.”

“Is the child in danger?” Reilly asked quietly.

“I don’t believe so, but I can’t afford for Jane to get involved in this. She’s a wildcard. Keep her contained, even if you have to chain her to the bed.”

Something flickered across Reilly’s features and then was gone. “Roger that. I’ll keep her out of trouble.”

Alex just hoped he could do the same.





Chapter Six





“Where the hell are you?” Frazer asked testily.

“You mean on a lazy Saturday morning?” Alex answered casually. It was already evening in the south of France, of course. He’d made a decision and needed Frazer’s help. If Jane found out, she’d gut him, and he wasn’t sure he’d blame her.

The audible equivalent of an eye roll came down the line. “I was going to organize a few drinks tonight. Figured that was part of my best man duties.”

Alex laughed. “You going to try and get me drunk?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Frazer mocked. “But there is a bar at the academy.”

Alex and Frazer both had too many enemies and too many trust issues to get hammered in a bar anywhere except maybe the FBI’s National Academy. No way in hell would either of them get drunk there.

“No strippers?” Truthfully Alex hadn’t even thought about a bachelor party. It seemed too normal for a man like him.

Frazer grunted. “Rooney would kill me. So would Izzy.”

“So would I.” Strippers held little appeal when you were in love with a smart, beautiful woman. “I should have organized a trip down to Haley’s private island for the weekend,” Alex said. The men who’d attacked Patrick Killion and Audrey Lockhart had been removed and repatriated months ago. Haley still didn’t know exactly what had happened, but she had asked about the bullet holes in the front door. Alex was glad they’d never breached the main house. Haley would have strung him up by his balls if it had been damaged.