by Casi McLean
“Thank you for the shower.” A towel snugly wrapped around her and another towel-drying her hair, Hanna stepped from the bathroom toward Harper. “Damien only allowed showers before jobs.” Her expression soured. “Can we go help my sister now?”
Harper reached for the dryer on her dresser. “You’ll never have to worry about that vile man again.” She offered the appliance to Hanna. “Here. It’s too cool out tonight to have damp hair.” Turning to grab the clothes from the bed, she continued. “We’ll leave as soon as you’re dressed. I ordered a team to gear-up while you showered. They’ll be waiting.”
“Thank you, Miss Drake. I’ll only be a minute.”
Opening the door, Harper gazed over her shoulder. “I’m not sure we should be taking you back to the boathouse, but I understand your need to help your sister. Once we rescue her, the team will go after your kidnapper.”
Hanna let out a heavy sigh. “But what about the others?”
“What others? Pinching her brow, Harper paused a beat. “How many girls did Damien abduct?”
The touch of color in Hanna’s cheeks drained to a pale white. “Twelve––in our stable. Girls and boys. But he has other stables.”
Harper gulped. Stables? Holy Hell. Damien wasn’t just a kidnapping psychopath. Hanna escaped a child trafficking ring.
Chapter Five
Sliding his binoculars into his utility belt, Wyatt opened the compound door, allowing Duke to rush forward. Excited about a second late-night walk, the dog bounced on his front paws several times before prancing down the path, spinning, then returning in a dash toward Wyatt. The ritual repeated several times as they made their way to the shoreline.
He smiled at Duke’s antics. “Let’s find Hanna’s canoe, buddy.” The pup took off as Wyatt’s thoughts shifted between Alyssa and Hanna before settling again on Harper. As much as he wanted her, he couldn’t chance having her too close. Though they’d worked together a few months now, she’d never seen his injuries. The visual of his two titanium legs cold against her skin as he attempted a hot and heavy hook-up doused every attempt he’d had since Afghanistan. Could he even physically make love to a woman now? The demons had destroyed his drive and shriveled his passion––until a few months ago. The moment he saw Harper, waiting at the gate as he disembarked his flight, a burning stream of hot lava had swirled into his groin as if she awakened a beast sleeping inside.
Yes, he wanted her, craved her touch, her scent, her body wrapped around his. If only he could have that closeness again. But he loved Harper far too much to subject her to his insanity or condemn her to a life caring for a war-rattled man.
In truth, Wyatt longed to return to his company…his brothers. During his tours, his life made sense. Odd as the thought sounded, he missed the constant adrenaline surge that fed him and his brothers during their nightly assignments.
Here in the states, the only time he’d felt sane was during the search for Alyssa’s killer. What kind of man would feel satisfaction under those circumstances? The need for adrenaline felt as addictive as any drug. It drove him to join the New Patriots. And he had to admit watching Harper from afar warmed his heart. But when she popped into the foreground, she stirred emotions he’d buried years earlier and now he struggled to find his footing.
An excited Duke yanked Wyatt’s arm, dragging him toward the river.
“Good boy.” He scratched behind the pup’s ear and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.. He truly loved this animal. If only he could tell Alyssa what a lifesaving gift she’d bestowed. Sometimes he felt Duke intuitively responded to his needs. More than a doting, loyal companion, the dog had an extraordinarily high understanding of human vocabulary and amazing situational awareness.
Admiring Duke as he stepped onto the beach, Wyatt glanced around until he spied the canoe Hanna hauled ashore. The vines she used to conceal the craft hid the boat from the shoreline. Hard to believe she had the where-with-all to cover her tracks. Though traumatized, she performed well under pressure. Note taken.
Rrrrrrrrrrrrr. The growl Duke let out was low and steady.
Wyatt snapped his head and gazed at the beach.
Duke stood at the water’s edge poised in his stance as if ready to pounce. Rrrrrrrrr.
Snatching the binoculars from his belt clip, Wyatt held them to his eyes then focused the lens’ on the riverbank around the old Aqueducts. He scanned the shoreline and the boat houses lining the Potomac under the Whitehurst Freeway. All three were closed in the off season.
Duke definitely noticed something unsettling, but was he staring at the water or the shoreline beyond?
Wyatt glanced at the dog then shifted the binoculars toward the direction of his stare, searching for anything that appeared off. Seeing nothing in the water, he searched farther along the riverbank.
What could have caught Duke’s attention like that? Activity, parked cars, lights?
Damn, Wyatt had no idea…a flash of movement was caught in the moon’s reflection on the water…He refocused to see the rear door of a black van opening. The vehicle had no windows…and no advertisements on the side of the truck. He held his gaze steady and watched for several long minutes. Another glint or reflection. Please God, let these clouds stay parted for a little while longer. He stared…why no lights? Clearly, the perpetrator of whatever was going down wanted the activity concealed.
He knelt next to Duke. “What do you see, boy?” His mindless whisper faded as Duke growled again.
Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
At the dog’s increasing volume, Wyatt reached around the animal’s neck and scratched. “It’s okay, buddy. I’m on this. But I should call Harper and give her a heads up.” Momentarily lowering the glasses, he reached into his back pocket for his phone. “Shit.” He scolded himself as he envisioned placing the phone on the dresser so he could attach his utility belt. “Idiot.”
Again, he drew the binoculars to his eyes and focused just in time to see a parade of children dressed in dark clothing––their hands cuffed, each to the child trailing directly behind––struggling as they piled into the back of the van. A knot twisted in his stomach. “Holy crap. What the hell is going on?” Counting eight, Wyatt knew he could have missed the first few.
A tall, dark figure closed the tailgate then rushed to the driver side door and slid inside before pulling out of the parking lot. The taillights flipped on as the vehicle disappeared into the night.
“Son-of-a-bitch.” Realizing what he just witnessed, Wyatt’s adrenalin rush tightened every muscle and his heart beat so hard he could hear his own pulse. He sprang into action. “Let’s go, Duke.” He rose and took off, sprinting down the path toward the bunker, this time ahead of his dog.
As he approached the compound, he slowed at the sight of a flashlight glow through the forest.
“Wyatt…”
Harper’s voice echoed through the silent night.
“Here.” He picked up his speed. “Thank God. We have to pull the team together now. You won’t believe what I just saw.”
“Already done.” Her eyes sparkled as she shined a beam of light over her face.
The bunker door flew open and the team filed outside, dressed in full gear.
“Go.” Harper waved a hand toward the parking lot. “We’ll be right behind you.”
A moment later, a female Wyatt barely recognized stepped outside. He gazed at her from toe to head.
Dressed in a pair of Nikes, blue jeans, and a dark tee-shirt with NCIS imprinted on the chest, Hanna looked quite beautiful. Her long blonde hair drawn into a ponytail, poked through the hole in the back of her black NCIS cap.
“Wow, Hanna.” He smiled. “You clean up well…but you can’t come with us, sweetie. A turn of events has changed the situation.” He knew how important taking part in Sarah’s rescue was to Hanna, but after what he saw happening across the river, he didn’t want to inject an inexperienced teen into the situation.
Her gaze lowered a moment, then she raised her he
ad and stared into Wyatt’s eyes. “I have to go with you.”
He furrowed his brows, realizing she found some inner strength he hated to douse. “No, honey. It’s too dangerous.”
“Pardon us a moment.” Harper drew close to Wyatt, yanked him several steps away then whispered. “What did you see?”
Leaning in close, he caught a whiff of her jasmine scent, and his mouth went dry. He swallowed hard to regain his composure. “Harper, Hanna’s kidnapping wasn’t random. She was abducted by some kind of trafficking ring, likely forcing children to perform sexual acts with predators for profit.”
“I know.”
“What do you mean you know?” He grimaced.
She glanced at Hanna then back to Wyatt. “She told me. And her sister is still there. We have to rescue her––rescue all twelve of them––before they discover Hanna escaped.”
“Twelve?” Wyatt tightened his jaw to hold back his anger. “What kind of sick bastards do that?”
Harper shook her head. “I can’t even imagine.” She paused a beat. “I think Hanna should go with us. She can show us the way and emotionally, she needs to help save her sister.”
He felt the heat warming his cheeks and he studied Harper. “We’re too late. I saw the son-of-a-bitch load a group of handcuffed kids into a black van then drive away.”
Harper gritted her teeth until her jaw rippled. “Damn. I swear, if that bastard killed Hanna’s sister, I’ll rip his balls off.”
“Kill her? Harper, the kids keep him in business. I can see him threatening them as a means of control. He might even kill one if she was of little use to make him money, but wouldn’t he think twice about killing a valuable asset?”
“Possibly. But” ––tilting her had to each side, she cracked her neck––“Why the hell would he lock up children and keep them barefoot and bruised? The man’s an abusive bastard. Maybe a sociopath and he told Hanna if either she or her sister escaped, he’d kill the one left behind. I won’t second-guess his ability to carry out his promise.”
Wyatt squeezed his hands into fists. “Okay…but Hanna stays in the car. If that SOB killed her sister, we can’t let that poor girl see what he left behind.” The vision of Hanna returning to find her sister’s lifeless body made his blood boil.
“Agreed.” Harper nodded. “The team has your gear. You can suit-up in the van. Let’s go.”
Chapter Six
Through the clearing clouds, the full moon cast an eerie glow across the boatyard. Shadows danced with the night breeze to the mystical music of creaking docks and soft splashes of waves lapping against the shoreline. But darkness lurked in the shadows, whispering beneath a distant hum of rushing cars whisking across Key Bridge and echoing under the Whitehurst Freeway.
A chill slithered down Harper’s back, and her stomach tightened as she motioned the team’s approach. Despite endless missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, she never got used to the adrenaline rush shooting through her at the onset of each operation. This mission held the same gut reaction.
She tapped her earbud. “I need eyes, Steel. What do you see?” She scanned the building, noting all entrances within view from her vantage point.
“Nothing, ma’am. No PIR motion detected and negative on the thermal sensor, no body heat visible in the structure. I’m not surprised, according to Staff Sergeant Rose, the perp already moved his stable of kids. If he left the girl, she’s dead. Any chance he set up trip wires to trigger an IED?”
Harper’s pulse escalated and she drew in a long breath to rein in her angst. “I doubt he had time to rig a bomb. Wyatt, can you––”
“On it.”
Damn. With any luck they’d find and empty building…but if Damien stuck to his word, he might have left Hanna’s sister strung-up in the boathouse. The thought sent a shiver down Harper’s arms and she tightened the grip on her gun.
After several long minutes, Wyatt’s voice finally rang through her earbud. “Clear.”
“Go, go, go.” Her command initiated the rest of the team.
Parker took the lead. “NCIS.” He shoved a foot against the door, and it flew open. Seconds later his voice rang through. “Clear.”
Vic secured the rear entrance. “Clear.”
“Clear,” Brewer added only moments later, announcing the status of the upper floor.
“Damn. Look for clues and bag anything you find. I don’t want this son-of-a-bitch to fly off the grid with those kids.” She turned toward their parked van near the Aqueduct to see Hanna standing in the shadows. Harper closed her eyes and released a puff of air. Her first instinct spat out a reprimand, but seeing the fear etched on the girl’s face, she walked forward and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “This is good news, sweetie. An empty building means your sister is alive.”
“She may be alive now…but Damien will make her wish she was dead.” Tears spilled onto her cheeks and she wiped them with the back of her arm.
“We’ll find her, Hanna.” A flush of heat stinging Harper’s cheeks, she placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Do you know where Damien might have taken your sister and the others?”
Hanna shook her head. “He’s always moving us to new places.”
“You’ve been with him for a while now, and your memory is our best chance of rescuing your friends. So, think hard.”
Squinting, Hanna dropped her gaze to the ground.
“I need you to go back to the van, while I round up the team.” Harper hitched her chin toward the vehicle. “When we get back to the bunker, I want to hear everything you know about Damien. Okay?”
Hanna nodded then turned and plodded toward the car.
Hearing a crackle behind her, Harper spun to see Wyatt approaching.
“God, I wish we could have at least extracted her sister before Damien took off.” He gazed at the young girl now leaning against the van.
“I know. I can’t imagine what Hanna’s been forced to endure, or how she survived for almost two years at the hands of that filthy bastard. Did you see any clue as to where Damien might have taken the other kids?”
“Not yet. Parker and Vic brushed for prints, Brewer sifted through the garbage, and Brad shot every angle then sent the layout to Rhodes and Steel, but this place is open to the public most of the year…I doubt we’ll come up with clean prints or traceable evidence.”
Nodding, Harper pursed her lips. “Doesn’t surprise me. The guy’s a pro.”
Wyatt gazed across the river. “Which means he travels light and clears the merchandise quickly and efficiently. My guess is he has a home base close by…hell, he might even be married, posing as a traveling salesman. What better cover?”
“Perhaps. Hanna said he constantly moves the stable. But I think you’re right. They didn’t go far. Washington DC’s demand for his commodity is one of the highest in the country. Unfortunately, self-gratifying sickos lurk in the shadows of power and money and the nation’s capital generates both.” She drew her hair into a ponytail and secured it with a band on her wrist. “Steel and Rhodes are trolling the dark web for leads.”
“Good call.” Wyatt gazed at the starlit sky. “We need to turn Hanna over to the Feds…and her parents should be contacted as soon as possible.” He lowered his gaze to meet Harper’s. “Damn, how can we tell her parents only one of their kids––”
“No.” Hanna rushed toward them. “Please, don’t call my mom and dad. Not yet. I can’t bear to face them.”
Harper took her hand. “Sweetie, I can’t imagine what your parents must have gone through since you disappeared, not even knowing if their daughter is alive. They deserve to know you’re okay.”
“I’m not okay. I may never be okay.” Again, tears streamed down her cheeks and glistened in the moonlight. “Please…what Damien made me do…no…I need to help my sister and the others before I talk to my parents.” She looked from one to the other. “For two years, I had no choices. Let me make this one choice for myself. I can help you get to Damien.”
; After raising an eyebrow, Harper leaned toward Wyatt.
“She is our only asset…and she went missing almost two years ago. I don’t think waiting a day or two until we rescue her sister would hurt. It’s not as if our operation is regulated.”
“There is that.” She placed a hand on Hanna’s shoulder. “Okay, honey. We’ll hold off contacting the authorities for now, but we’ll have to call them soon.”
“And my parents?” Her brows raised as she stared at Harper.
“And your parents. Now go hop into the van and wait for us.”
Hanna nodded then obeyed.
“I hope I don’t regret that decision.” Shrugging, Harper turned to Wyatt. “Speaking of sisters, Emily texted me a few hours ago. After giving me a quick update on AquaStar, she mentioned she’d tried to reach you with no success. Sounds like my calls aren’t the only ones you ignore.”
“I’m not ignoring my sister. I simply like to walk at night undisturbed to gather my thoughts.”
“Regardless, Emily said she needs you to call asap and to let you know Alyssa contacted her with a message for us.”
Wyatt’s jaw dropped and his eyes widened. “She saw Alyssa again?” After a moment of processing he added, “What message?”
“Alyssa said to take Hanna’s case and we’d understand why soon…and FYI, Emily’s message hit my phone right before you brought the girl to the bunker.”
“No shit?” He rubbed his scruffy beard. “Em hasn’t heard from Alyssa since…before the funeral. Why now?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you should call her.” Harper turned away and rolled her eyes. After promising herself she’d avoid sarcastic remarks, she wished she could take the comment back. Why couldn’t Wyatt simply talk to her regarding his abrupt departure? She pressed her teeth into her upper lip then faced him. “You can imagine my surprise when you introduced me to Hanna.”
“Right.” He glanced at the girl’s silhouette sitting in the van, then over his shoulder at the boathouse before his gaze met Harper’s. “This case runs deeper than what meets the eye.”