2. Lori
2
Lori
Where is he? My tracker’s beeping—he’s close. The signal drew me down a snow-covered road, the trees flanking me like silent sentinels. Then I spotted it: the black SUV, parked at an angle just off the side of the road. My heart thudded in my chest as I pulled over a little farther back, positioning my car for a quick escape if things went south. The icy air seemed to seep into the cabin, even with the heat blasting. This story could be the biggest of my career.
What a brilliant idea—secretly shadowing them as they worked. A former Army Special Forces officer turned rescuer-protector-hero? It was the kind of tale people devour. The public loves their heroes, and Gage Sparrow could be the crown jewel of my portfolio.
I still couldn’t believe he hadn’t found the tracker and microphone I’d slipped into his bag at the restaurant a couple of weeks ago. Gage was sharp, no doubt about it, but I was sharper. Landing in Alaska before they did felt like fate. Watching them pick up their rental car at the airport had been surreal, like a scene straight out of one of those spy thrillers Dad used to watch. Every head turned as they walked by.
But snow? Driving in snow was a different story. My hands gripped the steering wheel tighter, and I winced as the tires slid slightly over the icy road. Years of navigating deserts, jumping from base to base, had never prepared me for this. The endless white landscape stretched ahead, broken only by the dark silhouettes of pines. What would I do if I skidded off the road? Would they even find me out here? My breath fogged the windshield as I exhaled shakily.
My mind drifted, pulling me back overseas. The images came unbidden, like flashbacks in an old war film—bodies torn apart by explosions, blood staining the sand, young soldiers clutching their fallen brothers. I’d been there, watching from the sidelines as I fixed radios and tracking devices. Too poor for college and too tired of my dad’s rules, I’d joined the Army when he insisted it was the best path.
“The Army will pay for college,” he’d said. He hadn’t counted on the war breaking out, or that I’d be shipped overseas before I even had a chance to think about school. My dad begged me to go AWOL, terrified I wouldn’t survive. But I made it back. I kept my promise.
Those years felt like a lifetime ago. I’d been the invisible one in the background, tinkering with gear while Special Forces teams planned their missions. Hood up, head down. Invisible in their world. Now, here I was, tracking one of them.
Life changed after the Army. I became a journalist, moved back home when Dad got cancer, and helped him through recovery. I hadn’t thought about those Special Forces guys in years—until I saw them at a Mexican restaurant.
Gage had been there. My heart had soared, seeing him again. Gage Sparrow, the untouchable, larger-than-life figure who had haunted my daydreams, and when the sun went down, he haunted my night dreams during those long days overseas. When I spotted his duffel bag, it felt like fate. The tracker and mic were almost undetectable, small enough to fit in the palm of my hand. I told myself it wasn’t intrusive—I wasn’t interested in his personal life, just his location.
When I overheard him mention Alaska, I hesitated. But Dad, always the adventurer, had said, “Go for it. You might just stumble onto the story of a lifetime.” And now, here I was.
The beep from my tracker pulled me back to the present. My stomach twisted as I spotted movement up ahead—a man. My breath caught as I realized he was holding something. Then I saw it. He hit Gage over the head and dragged him toward a house partially hidden by the trees.
My stomach plummeted. Should I intervene? Call the police? Both?
Fingers trembling, I fumbled for my phone and dialed 911. After giving them the location and reporting the assault, I crept closer to the side of the house. My heart pounded so loudly I thought it might give me away. Inside, I heard shouting. The guy was ranting about beating and kidnapping his ex-wife and her family. My chest tightened. Were Jessica and her family still alive?
Once I was sure the police were on their way, I retreated to my rental car. My boots crunched in the snow as I moved, every sound amplified by the icy silence of the Alaskan wilderness. Back at the car, I slid behind the wheel and drove off, adrenaline coursing through me.
At the airport, I sat in the corner of a small, overheated café, replaying everything in my mind. Following Gage had always felt like a personal quest, a connection to a world I’d left behind. But now, it felt like something bigger.
My phone buzzed, the sharp sound jarring me. It was my sister, Sam. I hesitated, knowing I was about to get an earful, but finally picked up.
“Hello.”
“Lori, where the hell are you?” Sam’s voice was sharp, laced with anger and concern. “Dad told me you followed them to Alaska. Get home right now before something happens to you. Damn, I thought you outgrew this adventurous streak after the Army.”
“Sam, relax,” I said, forcing a calm I didn’t feel. “I’m sitting at the airport. Nothing is going to happen to me. Haven’t I told you before that I’m the older sister? I’m the one who does the lecturing, not you. I’m fine. I’ll be home soon.”
I glanced out the window at the endless stretch of snow-covered tarmac. Fine. Sure. If Gage survived, and if the police didn’t find me poking around, maybe I’d be fine. But my gut told me this was far from over.
“Dad said after Alaska, you’re planning to follow them to Greece. What’s going on with you? What if they find out you’re tailing them? I think you should just come straight home.”
Samantha’s voice carried a mix of worry and exasperation, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “Samantha, stop worrying about me. You’ve got two kids and a husband to take care of.” But then I heard it—a faint sniffle on the other end of the line. My stomach tightened. “What’s wrong? Is Dad sick?”
“No,” she said, her voice trembling. “I just… I thought I’d do something different for myself and decided to follow Dean. He’s been acting strange lately. Then I saw him kissing another woman inside a restaurant.”
I gripped the phone tighter, a flash of anger surging through me. “That bastard. Did you confront him?”
“No,” she admitted softly. “I went to see Dad instead, and he told me where you were. What should I do?”
“I’m going to tell you exactly what to do, so listen carefully,” I said, my tone firm. “Pack your clothes and the kids’ things. Get everything you need and go to Dad’s house. When that asshole asks what’s going on, send him a picture of him kissing that woman. I know you took one—you’re always taking pictures.”
She let out a shaky breath. “What if he tries to take the kids from me?”
“Sam, go see Nathan. Tell him you want to file for full custody. Show him the photo. And for God’s sake, don’t forgive Dean this time. He’s been cheating on you for years. You’re going to divorce him. Don’t even talk to him.”
“I want to divorce him,” she admitted, her voice breaking. “I don’t even care that he’s seeing someone. I’ve had enough. It’s just… taking care of the kids alone is such a big job.”
I softened my tone, trying to reassure her. “What are you talking about? You’re already doing it alone. Dean doesn’t take the girls anywhere. Does he ever stay with them while you take time for yourself? No, he doesn’t! He doesn’t do anything with just him and the girls. This is your chance to have a happy life. Leave that bastard. Take next week off and stay at my place on the beach.”
The line went quiet for a moment, and then I heard her sniffle again. “Yes, that’s what I’ll do. I’m so glad I called you, Lori. Go to Greece and follow that handsome Gage Sparrow.”
I froze, caught off guard. “How do you know I’m following Gage Sparrow?”
“I remember you telling me about him when you left the service,” she said with a light laugh. “I was always jealous of you—you had the guts to do what you wanted, and I married that dickhead right out of high school. I love you, Lori.”
Her words hit me with a mix of warmth and guilt. “I love you too, Sammy.” I glanced across the airport lounge, spotting the unmistakable figure of Gage Sparrow and his team. My heart raced. “Hang on, here they are. I’ll take a photo and send it to you. I’ll pretend I missed my plane and see if I can hitch a ride with them.”
Raising my phone, I snapped a quick photo, zooming in on Gage’s sharp features and the confident set of his shoulders. I sent the image to Sam, who replied instantly with an emoji of a face fanning itself. I couldn’t help but laugh under my breath.
Stretching in my seat, I let out a loud, theatrical groan. Showtime. “I can’t believe I missed my plane!” I said dramatically, making sure my voice carried. “My friend is getting married in Greece, and I promised I’d be there. What do I do?”
The man sitting next to me—a rugged guy with a scruffy beard and kind eyes—looked up from his tablet, clearly amused. If he’d overheard my entire conversation with Sam, he didn’t let on.
“You should find someone with a private plane and see if you can buy a seat,” he suggested, his lips twitching into a faint smile.
“Really? Do people actually have private planes that fly that far?” I asked, tilting my head in feigned innocence. My tone was light and playful, but inside, my nerves were a storm. Gage and his team weren’t going to know what hit them.