Deadly Silence (Blood Brothers #1)(96)

CHAPTER


35


Ryker hacked into Sheriff Cobb’s files at work without a qualm, while Denver tried to track Zara’s cell phone and Heath worked on satellite imagery through the storm. They’d moved their computers into the central room to all work around the same table and coordinate their efforts.

“What about the Copper Killer case?” Ryker asked, his shoulder still aching. “Heath, you can go. We’ll cover this.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Heath’s head jerked up. “Zara and Greg are family . . .my first priority. I’ll help the FBI out after we’re all safe.”

Ryker’s throat closed, and he nodded. Family. Yeah. He held on to that fact to keep himself from panicking and blowing up the entire building. He’d sent Grams to stay with a friend far away from the offices, just in case another attack was coming. “Dr. Madison won’t kill Zara. She won’t.” He kept the words going in his head like a mantra.

Heath set his tablet down. “Madison won’t kill Zara because she’ll want to study her and get into her head, figure out what kind of woman you would love. Plus, if Madison’s main goal is to recapture all of us, either for herself or for Sheriff Cobb, she must know Zara is great bait for you. Logic dictates that Zara is fine for the time being.”

Some of the heat in Ryker’s chest cooled. He’d gotten worked up and lost his temper more in the last week than he had in years, and that had to stop. “She wants to study Greg, so he’s safe. If he doesn’t do something stupid.”

Heath rubbed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“The kid is trained, but he might try to spring Zara, and she isn’t trained.” Greg could get shot.

Heath nodded. “She would’ve told Greg about the phone, so he knows we’re tracking them. Greg will hold tight.”

Ryker tried to calm his racing heart. He’d done a shitty job of protecting them, and he hoped to hell he’d be able to apologize.

“Isn’t your fault,” Heath said, not looking up from his tablet.

Ryker nodded, his head and heart filled with Zara and Greg. They had to be all right. What if Madison decided she wanted only Greg and not Ryker and his brothers? Would Zara be safe then or unnecessary?

“Stop running scenarios through your mind.” Heath looked up again, concern sharpening his voice. “Get back to the computer and get to work.”

Ryker gave him a look, then faced his computer to rip through Sheriff Cobb’s life to see if Isobel Madison had made appearances after the boys home burned down. He worked for about thirty minutes before taking his notes out to the table. “Cobb has purchased tons of land, in different states, including the thirty acres that used to hold the boys home.”

“What about Cobb and Madison?” Heath asked.

Ryker flipped through his notes. “I’m not sure if they ever met up again, but Cobb took several vacations through the years that don’t seem like him. Spas and faraway getaways.” His phone dinged, and he drew back. “What the fuck?”

Running into his office, he checked the alarm on his computer, looking up just as Heath came into the room. “There’s an alert on the safe house. Another one.”

Heath’s brow furrowed. “Why? I mean, Dr. Madison just took Greg. Why would she infiltrate the house?”

Ryker shook his head. “I don’t know. Gut says it isn’t her.” But who it was, he had no clue. He yanked his gun from a desk drawer and tucked it at his waist. “I’ll go check it out.” He was already running through the office and almost to the door.

“Stop,” Heath bellowed. “You need backup, and you were just shot. Your shoulder has to be burning.”

“It’s fine.” Ryker turned. “You’re a million times better on the computer than I am. I need you on the image satellites and Denver on the phone tracking. Somebody has to check out the safe house, just in case, and it’s me. Maybe it’ll be a lead to Zara.” He didn’t wait for his brother to argue, launching back into a run.

Within seconds, he’d pulled the truck out of the garage and onto the mostly empty roads, trying to ignore the pain. The freezing snow battered the truck, and visibility sucked, even though it was midday.

He reached the block before the safe house, his heart thrumming, his head clouded with thoughts of Zara in danger. Taking several deep breaths, he parked and then ran through the storm. The cold slammed through him, finally bringing clarity. Good. He needed to be focused.

Even so, as he silently crept into the backyard and into the house, he had trouble concentrating. So he closed his eyes and listened. One heartbeat. Okay. Just one. He could handle the intruder. The beat was calm and steady . . .and somewhat faint. The person had to be at the other end of the house.

He moved with stealth, crossing the kitchen and entering the living room.

A punch caught him unaware, exploding agony across his jaw. The force threw him across the living room and into a cheap card table, which splintered into pieces. He fell, rolled, and jumped up at the guy, who was supposed to be in the back room.

Had he managed to subdue his heartbeat? Who the hell was he? His attacker was his size, fit, and wearing a ski mask. He moved gracefully, light on his feet and no doubt well trained.

One solid punch to the gut, and the guy grunted, before swinging again for Ryker’s head.