Chapter 9 #2
Zain nodded. “Sounds about right. It’s all wide-open grasslands and semi-deserts with few settlements, long distances between towns, and minimal policing — good for a remote a training camp or bunker. And the border regions allow smuggling routes.”
Greer stared at them. “You know all that? Off the top of your heads?”
Foster merely shrugged.
“Which means you’ve done multiple missions in both areas.
” She kept talking when they looked as if they might interrupt.
“I’m not asking for details, though, since the intel the DoD sent me is useless, I’d appreciate it if you four could go through your old mission logs.
Let me know if there were any ops that went sideways enough someone might come gunning for you. ”
“We’ll have a look.” Foster glanced at his buddies, again. “Are there any scenarios that don’t involve us?”
“Sure.” Greer grinned wryly. “Someone could be seriously pissed at me. I’ve green lit high asset retrieval missions to more places than I’d like to admit via those JSOC units, and not all of them were without casualties.
Or we’re simply dealing with an opportunistic psychopath, and it’s just a coincidence he started with Rhett. ”
“But you don’t think so.”
“Besides the fact I don’t believe in them, between the dog tags, the military-style attacks and the way the vics were posed, I—”
“Posed?” Foster stepped closer. “What do you mean, posed?”
Greer glanced at Chase, arching a brow.
Chase blew out a harsh breath. “Rhett had IV tubing wrapped around him reminiscent of a rescue harness. And Stacey had the same kind of tubing wrapped around her neck, just like the mannequin in the utility room.”
Foster’s eyes widened. “There was a mannequin?”
Chase crossed his arms. “I wasn’t sure how much Greer wanted me to say.”
“Or maybe you didn’t want us to conclude that you were this asshole’s ultimate target?”
Greer stepped between them. “Easy. All we know for sure is that these two crimes are likely linked, and I’ve got a ton of work to do if I’m going to catch whoever’s behind this.
You four focus on those missions. I’ve already got a call into my friend Nick Colter.
He’s agreed to dig through the old JSOC files — see if anything pops up that gives him serious pause.
But I think it’s safe to say, none of your crew goes anywhere alone. And that’s no longer a request.”
Foster turned to face her. “Which means you, too.”
“I’ll do my best.”
She twisted to tape the photos back on the board when the room swam for a moment, tilting beneath her feet. Chase grabbed her before she tripped into the wall, tugging her against his chest. Holding her tight as one hand slipped around her back, the other cupping her head.
Citrus and evergreen.
Just like in her Bronco that first night. The unmistakable aroma soothed her nerves. Quieted the voices she hadn’t been able to muzzle since they’d found Rhett.
Since everything had gone sideways.
He tsked, pulling her tighter when she thought about easing back. “When’s the last time you ate?”
She melted into his embrace, granting herself one moment before she finally pushed away, tucking some hair behind her ear. “This morning.”
Chase scoffed. “You mean that half-eaten bagel on your desk?”
“I ate…” She let the words fade when he motioned to the stale bagel peeking out from a piece of twisted brown paper.
“That’s what I thought.” He stared down at her, a hint of a genuine smile lifting his lips. “C’mon. We’ll head over to the café. Grab some soup or something before they close.”
She looked at him. “You’re not going to insist I go home? Sleep?”
“I know better. Though, we’ll have that discussion later. Food, first.”
A creak, followed by traffic noises in the distance. “Typical. Looks like we missed the good stuff.”
Greer chuckled as Jordan’s voice carried from the doorway, her amused tone impossible to miss. Greer glanced over her shoulder, putting a bit of space between her and Chase before shaking her head. “You’re late. I expected you both back ten minutes ago.”
Jordan shrugged. “Eli drives like an old man.”
Eli rolled his eyes. “Just because I didn’t tip the cruiser onto two wheels and manhandle it across some rickety old bridge doesn’t mean I drive slow.” Eli moved over to Bodie. “She’s nuts.”
“It wasn’t that old.” Jordan glanced at Kash, then back to her, and Greer knew there was more to the story.
Greer crossed her arms. “That’s not really why you were late, was it.”
Jordan shook her head. “We might have a problem. We stopped at the Lighthouse Café to get some coffee, and the owner, Josh Walton, came out and said that Anna Delgado didn’t show up for work today, and he’s concerned.”
Greer frowned. “Anna. She’s been working there about a year. Left an abusive relationship. Started fresh. Her ex is doing a dime in the state pen. Does she often blow off work?”
“Josh said she hasn’t missed a shift since she started.”
“When’s the last time anyone saw her?”
Jordan glanced at Eli, then back. “Not since she went off shift two days ago. We did a welfare check. No one home. No signs of a struggle, but there were a couple sets of footprints in the mud along the property line by some trees.”
“What kind of footprints?”
“Based on the tread, I’d say combat boot, size eleven. Had to be sometime after the rain ended early this morning.”
Eli stepped forward. “But that area is on the boundaries of a state park with lots of trails. It could have been a hiker or dog walker.”
Greer nodded. “Still, the timing’s questionable. Let’s—”
“Sheriff?” Shirley stuck her head around the corner. “Hate to interrupt, but I just got a call about a woman trapped on a cliff on the edge of Oswald Park. Description matches Anna Delgado. Normally, I’d just call Atticus, but in light of everything…”
“This caller leave a name?”
“Nothing. Said he was flying over in an ultralight. Couldn’t help, then the line went dead.”
“Damn.” She looked at Foster and the others. “What’s your take?”
Foster walked over to the map Greer had covering a large portion of one wall.
“Landscape’s a bit of a nightmare. Heavily forested with tons of blow down.
Chase and Kash can rappel, but trying to get a litter back up without it getting caught up on deadfall and branches would be nearly impossible.
Especially with the way the cliffs curl in on themselves.
Creates this giant funnel. Best bet would be to anchor everything from the top and pull her up.
Once she’s on solid ground, we can probably airlift her — transport her to Providence. ”
Chase nudged her. “You know we have to respond.”
“Of course, just… If you’re using Saylor as backup, send someone with her. And I’ll drive out — meet you along that fire road. If this is Anna, I’ll need a statement if she’s able. Some photos, just in case.”
“Not alone.”
“Chase…”
“Either you pick someone, or I’ll ride with you.” He stared her down. “With the way you drive, we’d probably get there around the same time anyway.”
“Fine.” Greer pointed at Eli. “Eli, you’re with me. Bodie. Jordan. Hold down the fort, and unless there’s a mass casualty event, you stick together on any incoming calls.”
Greer shoved Chase when he hovered too close. “All right. I’ll meet you guys there. Just be careful.”
Chase stared at Eli until the guy inhaled, then nodded. Greer looked between them, but Chase simply turned and walked out, Foster’s truck pulling out of the station lot a moment later.
She motioned to Eli. “What was that?”
Eli drew himself up. “Nothing.”
“I was in the bureau for twelve years. I can handle myself.”
“Of course. I’m just backup. Getting a lay of the land.”
She glared at him, then headed for the door, stopping when Shirley stepped in front of her — held out a protein bar.
The woman tapped her foot, waiting until Greer peeled back a corner — took a bite — before Shirley moved aside.
Looked at Eli as if she planned on quizzing him once they got back as to whether Greer had eaten all of it.
Greer chewed on the bar as she ran to her Bronco. She needed to get ahead of this asshole before he left another clue. Or worse, he decided it wasn’t worth drawing out and tried to take Chase’s entire team down in one epic event.