Chapter 40
Sam reached another junction and spun around, trying to figure out where he was. He’d gone up an aisle, expecting to come out one way, only for the containers to be angled. It was like someone had put them all in a big cup and tipped them out onto the ground like pickup sticks.
He reached the edge. The area beyond the containers was empty. He touched his mic and tried Audra again. “Aud? Can you hear me?”
Silence met his question.
“Sam, where are you?” Max said.
“Beyond the containers. Near the fence.” He walked toward the chain link, head on a swivel.
“I see you,” Dean said.
A moment later, Max spoke. “Me too.”
Sam continued toward the fence.
“Man, that place was a maze.” Max caught up to him.
“Are we going back in?” Dean joined them. “Audra’s still inside, right? And Callahan?”
Sam stared at the empty lot beyond the compound. His gut told him something was very wrong.
“Sam?” Concern colored Dean’s voice.
“I’m not sure.” He turned to his right, walking down the fence line. Twenty yards down, he found a break in the fence. The chain link was cut and rested against the pole. He hooked his fingers through and tugged, rattling it against the hollow pipe. He glanced down. A tiny piece of dull metal caught his eye, and he crouched down.
“What did you find?” Max shifted closer.
Sam’s blood ran cold as he picked up what he saw. He held it out as he stood up. “Audra’s mic.”
Dean muttered a curse.
Sam yanked on the fence, pulling it back. “Come on. We need to get back to the van.”
The three of them slipped out and took off for the surveillance vehicle at a sprint. Jessica looked up with a soft squeak when Sam yanked the door open and hopped inside.
“Jesus, you scared me.”
“Sorry. I need every camera feed you can get me on the north and east sides of the property. Where’s Moran?”
She blinked.
“Now!” he barked.
She jumped.
Dean laid a hand on his shoulder. “Calm down. We’ll find her.”
Sam clenched his teeth, barely holding on to his temper. He didn’t want to calm down. He wanted to find Callahan and put his fist through the scumbucket’s face.
“Audra’s missing, and Callahan got away. We think they’re together.” Dean tipped his chin toward the monitors. “Can you please find any footage from those sides of the compound? And what’s the status of the raid?”
“Holy crap. Um, sure.” She spun around and started typing. “I’ll look to see if any of the businesses on that side have security cameras. There were supposed to be a couple units parked over there, but everyone was recalled to the warehouse for shots fired. Moran caught the Powells, but some of the other guests didn’t want to go quietly. Apparently, the weapons search at the door isn’t too thorough.”
“The Powells are in custody?”
She nodded.
“Where?”
“Moran scuttled them away to interrogate them a few minutes ago. They’re headed to FBI headquarters.”
Sam spun around. “Max, where’s the SUV?”
“Dude, they’re not going to let us in. We’re better off waking up the business owners on that side of the property and asking for their camera footage.”
With a growl, Sam thrust his hands through his hair, then turned to Dorset. “Can you get Moran on the phone?”
“I can try.” She reached for her cell and dialed his number.
Her eyes flicked toward him, the gray depths wary. He knew he should care that he’d scared her, but he didn’t. All he wanted were answers so he could find Audra.
“Sir—” She stopped, nodding. “I’m aware—” She paused again and looked up at Sam with wide eyes.
He could tell Moran was giving her the brush off. Reaching out, he plucked the phone from her fingers. “Audra’s gone.”
There was a short pause. “Brackley?”
“I need you to ask the Powells where Callahan might go. We know about the house up here, but he shares it with his brother. He won’t take her there. Is there anywhere else?”
“They’re not going to give up anything.”
“Put me on speaker.”
“That’s not wise.”
“Are you alone with them?”
“Yes, but?—”
“Then put me on fucking speaker!”
Rustling came over the line.
“There. You’re on speaker.”
“Listen to me, you sorry sacks of human waste. You will tell me what I want to know, or I swear on a stack of rifles I will hunt you down and make you bleed from a thousand tiny little cuts while you’re strapped naked to a drum of ammonium nitrate. I might even dip you in some salt—make those cuts burn like the fires of hell you’ll meet once I blast your asses there.” He paused for a moment to let that sink in. “Now, where did Callahan go?”
Silence came over the line. Sam clenched a fist. His voice dropped an octave. “Where? I won’t ask again.”
“You should probably tell him,” Moran said.
“He has a ranch,” Geoffrey said. He paused to clear his throat. “Outside of the city to the west; off of State Route 160. He bought it under a shell corporation to hide it from the feds.”
“What’s the full address?”
Geoffrey gave it to him.
“Good choice, Geoff.” Sam hung up.
Jessica took her phone back. “It’s always the quiet ones who are the scariest.”
“Don’t threaten the people I love.” Sam grabbed a pad of paper and a pen and wrote down the address before he forgot it. He ripped the page off, then wrote it again and handed it to her. “Here. Send help. Or not. I don’t care. I’m not leaving that ranch without Audra either way.” He looked at his friends. “Let’s go.”
Max spun on his heel and hopped out of the van, Dean right behind him. Sam jumped out and closed the doors.
“You didn’t stutter on any of that.” Dean patted him on the shoulder.
“Too much rage for the words to get stuck.” Sam rolled his shoulders, trying to dump some of the anger that had fueled his tirade. “Max, do you think we can get your SUV out of the mess up there?”
“Doesn’t hurt to try. And if not, maybe we can commandeer one of those fancy sports cars.”
Sam cracked a smile. “One of those is going to end up back home, isn’t it?”
“Maybe.”
“Not very kid friendly.” Dean looked at Max with a smirk.
“Would you guys stop with the kid stuff? Margot and I are just friends.”
“For now. Give it time.” Dean grinned as Max glowered.
They reached the main gate. Two state patrol officers stood guard. Max activated his mic. “Dorset, call the dogs off at the gate so I can get my car.”
The officer’s radio crackled to life.
“To the gate guards, please let the three men approaching you through. They’re UCs with us.” Her dry tone came through loud and clear. Sam was glad he hadn’t scarred her for life.
Frowning, the two men glanced up.
“She’s talking about us.” Dean waved and smiled.
The closest officer turned sideways and extended an arm, motioning them through.
“Do you see the car?” Sam looked around the crowded lot. It wasn’t just guest cars there now. Half a dozen state and federal cars were parked haphazardly on the asphalt lot.
“Yep.” Max stood on his toes and pointed. “Over there.”
“I’ll get the keys.” Dean jogged toward the valet station.
Sam and Max continued toward the SUV.
“You think you can maneuver us out of here?” Sam eyed the crush of vehicles.
Max crossed his arms and assessed the lot. “Yeah. I think so.”
Dean jogged up with the keys in his hand. “Let’s roll.”