Defenseless (Salvation, #5)(67)

“I don’t think you should go near her place. If she disappeared intentionally, they’re watching it. If she’s missing unintentionally, you won’t find anything. You run the risk of tipping them off.”

“You’re wrong. If it was unintentional, something will be off. If she did it deliberately then her place will look the way I left it. Either way, that’s the starting point. I hope the motherf*ckers are waiting for me. I welcome them.”

“Think, Mark. Think for once. Do you want anything to happen to her?”

“Don’t insult me.”

He sighs. “I’m not. I’m telling you that you have to think strategically. Not based on emotion. I know you love her, but that’s all the more reason to lock it down. What about contacting Charlie’s handler?”

“No!” I yell and almost veer off the road. “No way. I think she’s behind this.”

I fill Jackson in on all my concerns, and we discuss the possibilities. The thing is that we have no idea the mess she was involved in. For all I know, she’s been using us. We have no clue the depths of her deceit, or even if there is any. Blind trust truly leaves you in the dark.

Liam’s friend suggested I meet him at his office. He has some photos and other things he wants me to look at. I pull up to his office on the east side of DC. Definitely not what I pictured, but then again, neither is our office.

I open the door to the suite, and his receptionist walks me right back.

“Hi, Mark Dixon.” I extend my hand.

He gives me a firm handshake. “Glad you found the office okay. I’m Frank Baldwin. Sorry we’re meeting under these terms.”

I wonder if he knows something. “Have you found anything?” I get right to it. I’m already nine days behind the curve. I don’t want to panic, but I won’t pretend we’re not standing in quicksand, either. Charlie is a target.

“No, I wasn’t able to get into her house, either. I tried to pick the lock, but I should’ve known that was impossible.”

“Yeah, she has a fortress.”

“Look, someone was in her house the day you paid your visit. They left, and then she followed about twenty minutes later. I’ve tailed my share of people, but there was enough of an alarm going off that I think something is wrong. She had nothing on her, didn’t get in a car, and then she went to a very public place.” Frank shows me a few pictures of Charlie walking. I look closely at the one shot of her leaving her house. There’s a red car parked two spots down from the angle. “That car.” I point to it. “I’ve seen it. The license plate I mean. I’ve seen it before, and I remember it.”

The night of her mother’s party, there was a red car with the same plate. I swear I’ve seen it because it had my birthday as the plate number. It’s stupid and possibly nothing, but it’s the same make and model.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. Can you run it?”

“Of course.” He starts to type it in. “Okay, it comes back to a Mandi Milostan.”

Well isn’t that some shit. She was at the party and then at Charlie’s house that day. There’s only one person who might have clues as to Charlie’s location. Time to go see Priscilla.





I arrive at Charlie’s mother’s house. Unease is all I feel. One of two things will happen here: she either doesn’t know that Charlie has vanished and I’ll tell her, or she knows and I look like a love struck fool. Either way, I have to be ready for the fallout.

Here goes nothing.

“Mark, right?” Dominic opens the door as my hand reaches for the doorbell.

“Yeah.” I shake his hand as he smiles. “Good to see you, Dominic.”

“Call me, Dom. Charlie isn’t here.” He leans against the doorjamb. “If you’re looking for her. I haven’t heard from her in a few days.”

That’s not encouraging. “When was the last time you spoke to her?”

“We don’t talk often, as you can imagine. It’s more of a when she feels like letting me know things.” Dominic steps forward after looking over to the right. Something caught his eye. “Why don’t you come inside? I’m sure my mother would love to see you.”

I nod and step through the doorway.

“Mom!” he yells. “Charlie’s friend is here. I’m going to take him to the game room.”

“I’m not really in the mood to play video games today.” I laugh.

“Not really a video game guy. I’m more into playing pool,” he corrects. His finger goes over his lips and I get it now.

“I haven’t played in years, but we had a table at the base in Iraq that we played on after missions.”

“Charlie and I grew up playing.” Dominic talks as we head toward the basement. “My dad was the master, though. I don’t think any of us ever beat him.”

We get to a room downstairs and he flips a switch. The lights go on and sure enough, it’s a game room. A minute later Priscilla joins us.

“Mark, it’s lovely seeing you again.” She smiles and walks toward me. Her hands take mine and she pulls me so we’re cheek to cheek. She lowers her voice to whisper in my ear, “Give him a minute before you talk.”