Chapter Six
Cal sat at his desk, scrolling through the latest updates on his laptop. The smell of coffee lingered in the air, mixing with the faint spice of the breakfast tacos they’d just finished. Across the room, Alena sat curled on the sofa, her own laptop balanced on her knees, eyes fixed on the screen.
She’d showered earlier while he’d thrown the tacos together, and the sound of her moving around in his cabin had kept him aware of every second. Now she looked focused, all business, but his thoughts refused to stay neat and compartmentalized.
He rubbed at the back of his neck, fatigue dragging on him. He hadn’t slept worth a damn. The investigation had kept him wired, every detail turning over in his mind like a puzzle he couldn’t quite solve. And then there was Alena.
Three years of marriage, a bond forged in sweat and fire, then fractured.
Before the split, they’d been inseparable, except when his combat rescue unit pulled him away.
Last night, knowing she was just across the hall in his cabin, had left him restless.
He couldn’t shut it off. Couldn’t stop remembering.
He pushed his empty coffee mug aside and forced his attention back to the report glowing on his screen.
Alena looked up from her screen. “Did you see Isla’s latest email?”
Cal nodded. “Yeah. More footage of Dexter’s escape.
They tracked him on cam feed nearly every mile until he ditched the stolen car.
” He tapped his keyboard and pulled the video into view.
“But none of it takes him anywhere near Melissa’s place.
Just the opposite. Every step of that trail runs toward Arneson. ”
He leaned back in his chair, the doubt pressing harder. “That doesn’t prove Melissa faked her abduction. He could’ve backtracked, gone to her house later, or used a backroad without cameras. But with everything we learned about her stirring up trouble for him… it makes me wonder.”
Alena closed her laptop a little and studied him. “I’ve been thinking the same. And her call bothers me. If she’s really being held, why hasn’t Dexter reached out with demands? He’s not the type to sit quiet.”
His jaw tightened. “No, he isn’t.” The silence stretched, filled with the weight of questions they didn’t yet have answers for.
Cal drummed his fingers against the desk. “Only reasons I can think of for Dexter staying quiet are bad ones. Either he doesn’t have Melissa, or he does and something’s already happened to her.”
Alena shook her head. “Or he’s biding his time. Maybe waiting for the right moment to make his move.”
Before Cal could answer, both their phones buzzed at once. He reached for his and saw Noah’s name. It was barely eight, so it was no doubt important. He opened the text and read aloud.
“The EMTs said Arneson’s injuries could’ve been self-inflicted. Possibly,” he emphasized.
Alena let out a sharp breath. “Figures.”
Cal scanned the rest of the text. “Raines didn’t get anything useful out of Arneson during yesterday’s interview. But he’s talking to Kara today. He’s had one of his deputies tailing her, hoping she leads them straight to Dexter.”
“That might be our best shot right now,” Alena said.
He nodded slowly, though unease lingered in his gut. Nothing about this mess felt straightforward.
Cal’s phone buzzed again. He glanced at the screen, and Alena caught the flicker in his expression.
“Another update?” she asked.
He hesitated, thumb hovering over the phone. “No. It’s from Mason.”
Alena frowned lightly. “Mason?”
Cal rubbed the back of his neck. “He’s the kid I mentor. Thirteen. It’s through a group called Next Step, kind of like a program for kids who need an extra hand. I thought about adoption once, still haven’t ruled it out. But with my hours, I figured this was a way to test the waters.”
Alena’s features softened. “I didn’t know you were doing that.”
Cal looked down at the message. “He’s just confirming we’re on for Saturday, same as always. We usually hang out then.” He typed a quick reply, confirming it. Five days away. By then, maybe they’d have Dexter in custody and this nightmare behind them.
The thought twisted in his gut. He didn’t want Mason anywhere near the danger that seemed to follow him. He pulled up Noah’s contact and fired off another text, short and to the point: I need you to put a guard on someone. And Cal gave Noah the kid’s surname and address.
Cal had kept his involvement with the boy quiet, but if Dexter ever caught wind of it, Mason could be a target. And Cal wasn’t about to let that happen.
Noah’s reply came quick. I’ll send someone to watch Mason right away. Do you want the guard visible or out of sight?
Cal stared at the screen for a moment, weighing it. If Dexter had even the faintest idea Mason existed, he wouldn’t hesitate to use the boy to get to him. Cal’s jaw clenched. Visible was better. Maybe it would make Dexter think twice.
“Visible,” he typed back. That’ll keep him safer.
Another ping. Got it. I’ll handle it.
Cal blew out a breath, then thumbed over to Mason’s contact.
He typed carefully. Hey, bud. Just so you know, someone will be keeping an eye on you for a bit.
It’s nothing to worry about, just a precaution.
Think of it like an extra coach on the sidelines.
You don’t need to change anything you’re doing.
He stared at the words a second longer before hitting send. Then he cursed under his breath. He should’ve thought of this sooner. He should’ve protected Mason the second Dexter’s name hit the news.
Cal set his phone face down on the desk, trying to shove back the knot of guilt that had lodged in his chest. When he glanced at Alena, she was watching him, her expression unreadable.
“I didn’t know you were mentoring,” she said softly. “That’s… really good, Cal.”
He gave a half shrug. “It’s something. But I know what it is for you too. A reminder.” His voice roughened. “Of the kids we don’t and can’t have.”
For a moment, silence hung heavy between them. Then she nodded. “You’re right. It is. But I’ve thought about adoption, too.”
He straightened a little, surprised. “You have?”
“I even started the paperwork once.” She gave a small, wry smile. “Then I realized what that would mean. A child needs you there, not halfway around the world chasing down a fugitive. Too many hours away.”
Cal frowned, wanting to argue but knowing she was right.
She drew in a breath. “I did talk to Noah, though. About maybe moving into a support role for a while. Crossfire’s always looking for trainers, and I’ve got the credentials for that.”
He studied her, the idea settling in his mind.
He could picture her leading new recruits, sharp and steady, drilling them with the same focus she brought to every mission.
It would suit her. But the thought of her stepping away from the field made something stir in his chest he wasn’t ready to name.
Cal’s phone buzzed, the screen flashing Dispatch. He answered on the first ring.
“Dispatch,” the voice said. “Call coming through for you.”
“Patch it,” Cal said.
A beat later, another voice filled his ear. Smooth, cocky, unforgettable. And someone he instantly recognized.
“Cal,” Dexter drawled.
The jolt hit him hard, and he saw some of the color drain from Alena’s face. Cal yanked the phone from his ear to put it on speaker so Alena could hear and at the same time hit the trace function, praying Isla could grab the signal.
“Bet you’ve been thinking about me,” Dexter’s voice drawled through the line. “Maybe even worried about me.” He gave a short laugh. “You want to know why I broke out? Kara hired somebody to kill me.”
Cal’s jaw tightened. He didn’t believe it, but he couldn’t dismiss it either. “That’s one hell of a story.”
A metallic bang echoed in the background, like a door slamming against concrete. Cal’s focus sharpened. He logged it away.
“From what Kara said, you two are in love,” Cal threw out there.
“Fuck no,” Dexter spat out. “She’s batshit, and when I told her that, she paid off an inmate to try to shank me. The bitch. I had to get the hell out of there or she would have kept trying.”
Cal had no idea if any of this was true, and he didn’t especially care. “You killed someone during your escape,” he pointed out.
“Yeah, that. I didn’t mean for that to happen,” Dexter went on a heartbeat later. His tone changed. Less cocky now. “I was fighting for my life. I was—”
“That doesn’t square with the message you left on camera,” Cal interrupted. “You said Alena and I were dead meat.”
Dexter gave a low chuckle. “I want you dead, sure. That’s a given after what happened. But at the moment you’re not in my sights. I’m just trying to survive. Trying not to get my ass shot off. And trying to figure out how the fucking hell to get out of this situation alive.”
Again, Cal had his doubts as to what Dexter was saying. It was possible the man had all the help in the world. Enough help to allow him to disappear.
But Cal rethought that.
Why call him if the goal was to evade and escape? What kind of sick game was Dexter playing now?
“Then who does have Alena and me in their sights?” Cal snapped. “Because someone went after David, and Melissa is missing.”
“Don’t know shit about Melissa. But as for who tried for David, yeah, that was Bryce Keller,” Dexter was quick to say. “That’s the hired gun working for Kara. That’s who you should be looking for, not me.”
The line went dead before Cal could say another word.
He stabbed the redial button, but the call didn’t go through. Straight to nowhere. He swore under his breath and tossed the phone on the desk.
Alena was already at her laptop, fingers flying. “I’ll run Bryce Keller,” she said.
Cal picked the phone back up and punched in Raines’s number. The sheriff answered on the second ring.
“Dexter just contacted me,” Cal said without preamble. “He called through dispatch.”
“What’d he want?” Raines’s voice was sharp.
“I’m not sure,” Cal admitted. “He claims Kara’s trying to kill him. He also gave me the name of the person he says that Kara hired. Bryce Keller.”
There was a beat of silence on the other end. “Never heard of him,” Raines said finally.
Cal glanced at Alena, who was still focused on the laptop screen. His phone buzzed with a new text. Isla. No trace. Couldn’t get a lock.
He clenched his jaw. “Damn it,” he muttered.
“What is it?” Raines asked.
“Isla couldn’t trace the call,” Cal let him know. “But I heard something in the background. Metal on concrete, maybe a heavy door or gate slamming shut.”
Raines exhaled. “Could be anywhere. I’ll dig into Keller and see what I find. Keep me updated if your end turns up anything.”
“Will do,” Cal said, then ended the call.
While Alena kept working the run on Keller, Cal opened the recording app and pulled up Dexter’s call.
He slid on his headset, then played it back, pausing and replaying the section where the noise came through.
The metallic crash echoed again in his ears.
He frowned, trying to pin it down. Maybe a heavy industrial door.
Maybe some kind of construction equipment.
His gut tightened. Arneson owned a construction company.
He pulled the headset off and looked at Alena. “I think that sound we heard on Dexter’s call might be something you’d hear on a construction site. We need to check Arneson’s company.”
She met his gaze, then gave a sharp nod. “Agreed.” She snapped her laptop shut and tucked it under her arm.
They geared up quickly, checking weapons and comms before heading outside. The heat hit them as soon as they stepped out of the cabin, the air already heavy and sticky with the promise of a brutal day.
Cal slid behind the wheel while Alena climbed in on the passenger side, her laptop balanced on her knees. He punched the company’s address into the GPS. Forty-five minutes out. Too long, but it was the lead they had.
He put the SUV in gear and pulled onto the road, his focus narrowing to the hunt.
The miles ticked by, the SUV humming steadily on the highway. Alena kept her eyes on the laptop screen, scrolling through the file she’d pulled up. “Bryce Keller. Forty-two. Dishonorable discharge from the Army. He’s got a long record after that—assault, weapons charges, a stint for armed robbery.”
Cal tightened his grip on the wheel. “How the hell does a guy like that cross paths with a trust fund heiress like Kara?”
Alena shook her head, still searching. “I don’t see a connection. Different worlds. Nothing’s linking them, at least not on paper.”
“So maybe Dexter’s lying,” Cal said, jaw tight. “Maybe he’s trying to get back at Keller for some reason and decided to paint a target on him.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time he twisted the truth,” Alena muttered.
“Text Noah,” Cal said. “Have him talk to the prison officials. See if there’s any truth to what Dexter said about Kara trying to kill him.”
She was already tapping out the message, her fingers moving fast. Cal kept his eyes on the road, the hot air shimmering on the horizon, his mind grinding through the pieces they didn’t yet have.
Alena had her phone in hand, halfway through typing the message to Noah, when Cal’s phone rang. The screen flashed Dispatch again. His pulse kicked hard. Dexter.
He hit accept. “Cal Granger.”
A woman’s voice came through, breathless and frantic. “Cal? It’s me. Melissa.”
Alena’s head jerked up, eyes wide. Cal leaned forward in his seat, heart hammering. “Melissa, where are you?”
“I don’t have much time,” she said, her words tumbling out fast. The line crackled, her voice breaking with panic. “I’ve escaped, and he’s coming after me. Please, Cal. I need your help right now.”