Touch of Red (Tracers #12)(82)

Brooke passed a sign for an upcoming juncture. They were nearing the interstate. The Audi slowed suddenly. Was it turning? Brooke tapped her brakes, struggling with what to do as the Audi pulled into a gas station.

She clutched the wheel. Should she follow or drive on? Were they checking for a tail?

Brooke drove past the gas station, which was busy with cars and pickups and a few long-haul rigs. She spotted the Audi as it glided up to a pump.

They were fueling up. At least, that’s what it looked like. Brooke kept the gas station in her rearview mirror as she moved through the intersection. After less than a mile, she made a U-turn and doubled back.

The Audi was still at the pump, the driver’s-side door open and a fuel hose attached to the tank. She took a deep breath and turned into the gas station. She stayed on the perimeter, edging around a large Suburban and curving around to park on the far side of the convenience store.

Brooke got out and scanned the area and quickly realized she had no idea what Joe Hurd looked like. She’d been in Mahoney’s courtroom, but she couldn’t remember his bailiff. She darted a glance inside the store, but she didn’t see Mahoney among the customers in line at the register.

Brooke stopped and peered around the corner of the building at the gas pumps. Still no driver inside the Audi. A man sat in the front passenger seat talking on the phone. Was it Mahoney? He wore a baseball cap, and Brooke couldn’t be sure.

“?’Scuse me.” A tall, heavyset man stepped past her, carrying a bag of ice on his shoulder.

On impulse, Brooke stayed at the man’s side, casually walking with him across the lot toward a pickup truck with oversize tires. He gave her an odd look, and she smiled and then ducked behind a van parked at the pump beside the Audi.

Brooke crept around the van, then glanced around the side.

Baseball Cap Guy was still on the phone. Suddenly the door opened, and he got out. He wasn’t Mahoney. The man was tall and barrel-chested, and his hair was black instead of silver. The baseball cap concealed part of his face, so she couldn’t get a good look at the rest of his features.

He glanced around the parking lot, then checked his watch and ended the call. His gaze zeroed in on the Audi’s trunk.

And Brooke knew. Cameron was in there. Alive or dead, he was in that trunk.

Another furtive glance around, and the man hurried into the convenience store.

Brooke’s heart pounded crazily as she studied the car, looking for any movement in the trunk. After glancing around, she made a decision. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans, then ducked low and scuttled toward the back of the Audi. Softly, she tapped on the trunk.

No response. She glanced at the store again, but no one was coming out.

She crept alongside the car and peered into the back window. Nothing in the backseat. She crept to the trunk and tapped again.

Thud.

Brooke’s heart skipped a beat. She ducked lower and tapped again, a rapid tap-tap-tap.

Another thud.

Adrenaline flooded her. He was in there! He was alive! She had to get help before— A burst of pain blinded her.





CHAPTER 25


“God damn it. Why aren’t they there yet?” Sean asked the dispatcher.

“They haven’t spotted the car. Right now both units are heading southbound on Highway 46.”

Sean ended the call and brought up a map on his phone, desperate for something to do as they sped across town and tried to catch up to Brooke.

“Where would they be going?” Sean looked at Jasper behind the wheel. “What’s their destination?”

“No idea.”

Sean zoomed out on the map. “Hays County, Seguin, Marshall County. That’s it! That’s where they’re going. Has to be.”

Sean dialed Callie, who answered right away. “Where are you?” he asked.

“I just left Delphi. Why?”

“Go back. Find Alex Lovell.”

“What? I’m on my way to the judge’s house to help with the search warrant.”

“Mahoney’s missing and so is his bailiff. We think they may have kidnapped Cameron Spence and are now heading southbound on Highway 46, in the direction of Marshall County.”

“Wait, what? Why would they—”

“We don’t know! We don’t even know if it’s them yet, but you need to find Alex and get her to pinpoint the location of that Marshall County computer network Mahoney was using to check his email. Maybe he’s got a second home there, or a buddy does or something. The bailiff’s name is Joe Hurd.”

“But—”

“Just do it and get back to me.” Sean lowered his voice. “We haven’t caught up to them yet. Brooke is tailing their car, and I’m going crazy here.”

Silence as Callie digested this news. “Okay, I’m on it.” She clicked off.

Jasper switched on his siren briefly as they shot through an intersection. “Think that’s where they’re going? Marshall County?”

“I don’t know.”

“Why would they go there?”

“I don’t know that either.”

Sean looked out the window as acid churned in his stomach. Why hadn’t their patrol units spotted the Audi yet? He picked up his phone to contact Brooke as a call crackled over the radio.