by Kells, India
Chapter Seventeen
Mason thought he was about to burst with the gnawing fear churning in his gut, but when Emme’s phone started ringing, the entire team shifted in unison.
Emme immediately took the call—the conversation was brief and he saw her shoulders relax. “Thank you. Please, Mrs. Darwin, stay with your friend until members of our protective team arrive.” More silence in which Emme glanced at Mason. “No, we don’t have news of your granddaughter yet, but as soon as we have, you’ll be the first one to know.”
When his boss hung up, she encompassed the entire team. “Cleo’s grandmother is safe and will be staying with her friend until we arrive. I need at least three of you to go to Mesa now. Whatever threat Spears may have come up with for Cleo, it was false. Mrs. Darwin is alive and well, and we need to keep her that way.”
Mercy stepped forward. “I have a friend who owes me a favor. I should be able to have his plane ready in an hour, which will be better than a commercial flight.”
Shane stepped in. “Wolf and Caitlin will go with you. Go now and stay on guard until we get that son of a bitch and retrieve Cleo. I want you to get Mrs. Darwin to a safehouse if possible, outside Mesa preferably. Or even better, convince her to come here.”
And in an instant, Mercy, Caitlin, and Wolf were gone. With them dispatched, only six remained to search for Cleo.
Mason tried hard to get a grip on his impatience, but he knew they had to tread carefully and not leave any stone unturned. “We’ve checked the burner phone, and it’s a dead end.”
Everyone crowded closer, ready to offer their input and experience to find their friend. Malco was sitting at Cleo’s desk, typing away. From the moment she had disappeared, there wasn’t a nook or cranny of the agency they hadn’t checked and that included the computer system.
“Cleo disabled the security system. She did it from her computer here. I have the confirmation in front of me.”
Mason shook his head. “It’s proof she wasn’t taken. Spears coerced her to leave but how?”
Deep in thought, Malco sighed. “When someone is in a panic, the abductor can lie or make them believe something has happened when it hasn’t and the victim will believe it to be the truth. Until we find Cleo, I suggest we focus on where she is.”
“Anybody check on the cameras in the neighborhoods?”
James nodded. “Yeah, we could hack into a couple of them to the north and west, but nothing. We should have the others in a minute. That may give us an indication of the direction.”
Raking his fingers through his hair in frustration, Mason couldn’t believe the mess they were in. His brain tried to retrace his steps from the moment he’d last seen Cleo. “She was worried. I think this has taken more of a toll on her than she’s let on. She was quiet when I left her this morning, which is unlike her, but I thought it was everything that was going on. I was planning to talk to her when I got back.”
Malco stood. “Think back before that. You’ve been with her most of the time. Did something happen or did she say something? Was she acting strangely?”
Thinking was the last thing he wanted to do, but Malco had experience in kidnapping and hostage situations, so he got a grip on his emotions. “When she left the conference room, she said it was because she didn’t want to hear about the cult anymore. She asked if she could use my office while I was gone.”
As he was talking, he saw Nick frown and head to his office. Two minutes later he was back waving a piece of paper. “I think I have the address.”
Alex blinked. “What did you do? Summon the spirits of the building and ask them where Cleo had disappeared to?”
Nicholas rolled his eyes as he showed them the paper in his hand. “No, stupid. I went to check the obvious. Mason said Cleo had been in his office, but his computer hadn’t been turned on. If she’s been lured by Spears somewhere, he had to give her an address. Mason is a tidy kind of guy, and there’s only one notepad on his desk. The pen was out of place too, meaning she wrote something down, and with the amount of stress she was under, she pressed pretty hard on the paper, meaning that the sheet underneath caught it too.”
He showed the page where he had shadowed the bottom of it with a pencil, and there it was, Cleo’s pretty looped writing: 4 Grove Isle Dr
Mason opened his mouth to ask what that address was, but Malco was quicker and already sitting behind Cleo’s desk.
Mason started to pace as they waited for Malco to bring up the details and he tried his best not to punch a hole in the freshly painted wall. “Just tell me it’s not an airport, and I’ll be happy.”
Shane shook his head. “We found her IDs here, so unless they use fakes, she can’t fly.”
“It’s a marina and boat storage place.” Malco continued typing, and Mason felt a ball of ice form in the pit of his stomach. Disappearing by boat was even worse.
Mason ignored his fears for the woman he loved and welcomed the empty sensation in his chest, the ice flowing through his veins. He needed to be sharp and ruthless for the next part of the plan.
“Any of you know anything about that neighborhood?”
With the collective negative, Mason knew what to do. “Gear up. I know someone who can get me a satellite view. Once we know the setup, we can take the fucker down and have Cleo back home safe.”
* * *
It took way too long to get on-site, but Mason knew it couldn’t be helped. As the team took their positions, circling the building and gathering intel on possible occupants, the sun was setting over the city, a warm orange glow that was still too bright for an attack. They needed the cover of night to act on the plans he got from Travis.
His mind wanted to ask where Cleo was. If she was okay, but he refused to think of her as anything other than alive and well.
A figure came to lie beside him on the rooftop, and from the way he moved, he immediately recognized Travis.
“You didn’t think I would let you have all the fun, did you?”
If he was honest, he was glad to have his friend by his side, and without taking his eyes off the building below, he clapped him on the shoulder, before resuming his position.
“What’s the plan?”
Mason relayed Travis’ addition to Shane, Alex, James, and Nicholas who had eyes on the entrances of the main building. So far, none of them had reported any movement from inside.
“Without infrared, it’s impossible to know if they’re even in there.”
“That means those suckers need to make the first move, and if I was them, I would’ve already done it. Unless they’re waiting for nightfall.”
Mason hoped they used the second option, but the more time passed, the less sure he was there was anybody there to wait for. “Shane, we’re making a move now.”
His boss’ voice was calm on the other end of his earpiece. “Are you certain, Mason? There’s no way to know how many people are inside.”
“And we don’t know for sure Cleo’s life isn’t on the line as we speak.”
“All right, you take the lead, we’ll follow. Look alive team. It’s showtime.”
Mason started to move when Alex’s voice came on. “Wait, there’s movement, west entrance.”
Immediately, Mason and Travis ran to the other side of the rooftop to get a better vantage point. There was no need for more confirmation when he saw a flash of violet among the group of men. His body reacted and he was off the roof and down the stairs before he knew it, bursting onto the street at a run. When he finally reached the group, Nicholas and Alex had already blocked their route, and Shane covered them from the side.
Guns drawn, Mason and Travis blocked the back. “Spears, let her go, now!”
The group, consisting of three goons and Spears, that circled Cleo made him want to shoot them all between the eyes.
Cleo turned too, and his heart lurched when he saw her face. Pale and cold, there wasn’t anything there, as if she was empty, a walking shell of her former self.
Spears laug
hed, telling his followers to holster their weapons. From a distance, Mason saw civilians running, which meant the police would arrive soon. “Well, if it isn’t the boyfriend. How gentlemanly of you to come and see us off.”
Mason didn’t waver and stepped forward, his gun steadily on the man’s forehead. “I will certainly see you off. Be certain of it. Now, let Cleo go.”
Spears lifted his hands. “My dear boy, if Cleo wants to go with you, she’s a free woman.”
Not believing this, Mason gestured for her to come to him, but she stayed utterly immobile. “Baby, please come to me. Whatever that scumbag told you, it’s all lies.”
Something shone in her beautiful eyes before turning flat again. “It’s what we had between us that wasn’t real, Mason. Now, I’ve made my choice, and I’m going with Jeffrey. Family is more important than strangers.”
Even if he didn’t believe her words, they destroyed him nonetheless. Then she turned to Shane. “Sorry for putting you in a jamb, but I’m going now. I hope you find a replacement quickly.”
Shane shook his head. “Cleo, don’t do this.”
As her only answer, she turned to Spears and hooked her arm around his waist. Spears didn’t stop there and grabbed her jaw to make her kiss him.
Knowing her body as he did, her reaction was another hint she was far from compliant and being forced into this. Her words continued to ring in his head, and he shared a quick glance with Shane who frowned too. Was it a dismissal or a message?
When he finally released her, Spears’ glee was undeniable. “Now are you satisfied?”
It was a long shot, but he didn’t have a better idea. Mason holstered his gun and gestured the rest of the team to do the same. Spears and his men were about to leave, and Mason was running out of time. From a distance, he heard sirens. If he timed it right, the police could help save the day. “Wait. I promise to let Cleo go with you and I won’t try to see her again if she grants me one thing.”
Spears sneered. “This isn’t a negotiation.”
“No contact. I drop everything we have against you and yours. I’ll even tell my contact to erase your name from the government watch list. You know, the one mentions a cult in Arizona.”
That seemed to have grabbed his attention. “Whatever it is, there is no truth there.”
“And I’ll make sure that it stays that way.”
It was a standoff. Spears was assessing him like he was trying to see if he was lying. There wasn’t much time, as the sirens were getting louder and Spears’ followers were getting twitchy.
When he saw Spears step back, it was as if a door had slammed in his face, and panic engulfed Mason with surprising force, blanking his good sense, making him desperate. So he threw his last card, hoping to turn the tables in his favor. “Your grandmother is OK, Cleo. She’s safe.”
As soon as the words were out, it was as if the world had stopped turning. Everyone held their collective breaths. Mason could hear his heart beating hard in his chest, the very first sound, as he locked gazes with Cleo who looked stunned, scared, and lost. And so beautiful.
Everything slowed as the police appeared around the corner. In his peripheral vision, he saw Spears’ followers reach for their weapons, and knew they wouldn’t be the only ones and he started to run.
The group scattered, but Mason’s only target was Cleo who was running toward him.
One of the followers fired just as Cleo reached him, and Mason only had time to drop them both to the ground, shielding her with his body. He heard Shane screaming something about not letting Spears disappear.
He heard two shots fired, followed by footsteps and unknown voices, presumably the cops, ordering them to get to the ground.
As he was already there, he checked on Cleo huddled against his chest. “Baby, are you all right?”
Her beautiful face was scrunched up and stained in tears, and her eyes closed. She had fainted but at least she seemed unharmed. Mason called her name softly. “Cleo.” The commotion around them amplified. Mason heard barking behind him, but before he could react, he felt the sting of a needle in his thigh and then he was being pulled away.
Chapter Eighteen
“Where’s Mason?” Cleo turned to look all around her in the commotion. One minute she had been pinned beneath him, the next he was gone and a policeman was helping her to her feet.
“Who, Miss?” The young cop didn’t seem to know what she was talking about.
Cleo ignored him as she scanned the area looking for Mason. Police were everywhere, Shane was talking to a detective and the rest of the team seemed to have dispersed—probably looking for Spears and his gutless followers.
The last few hours had been torture, but nothing was as bad as seeing the fear and hurt on the face of the man she loved. She had never meant to hurt him, but what else could she do? Spears had threatened to kill the only relative that gave a shit about her. A woman who had risked it all to help keep her safe. How could Cleo walk away from that?
Her heart had practically ripped open when she saw him, her eyes never leaving him. Tucking it away in her mind so his strength and what they had shared would last her a lifetime in the hell she knew Spears would create for her.
Cleo had died inside at the thought of never seeing him again, of never having him hold her and make love to her, but at least he would be safe.
Then he’d uttered the words that had set her free from the evil lies. Her grandmother was safe. She’d known just looking at his face that he was telling the truth. Mason would never lie to her.
Her body rocked back as she felt a hand on her shoulder and she spun, hoping it was Mason, but she was disappointed and couldn’t hide it. “Travis! Have you seen Mason?”
He shook his head as he frowned. “No, last I saw he was diving on top of you to protect you from the gunfire.”
“He did, and then he was pulled away, and I can’t find him.”
Travis took her arm, his grip firm as if he was leading a child and steered her toward the back of an ambulance. She wasn’t sure if it was fatigue or lack of food, but she was feeling disconnected from the ruckus around her.
“Sit here and let the EMTs look at you and I’ll go and look for Mason.”
Cleo watched as Travis jogged over to Shane and Emme and spoke to them before he pointed in her direction and all three looked around them. A blanket was hung around her shoulders as an older male EMT dabbed at the cuts on her knees. She was in shock; she knew that. She felt like she was watching everything from afar. The only thing she felt was fear that Mason wasn’t there holding her.
Fear pitted and rolled in her gut like the poisonous snakes that had sat on her desk. Something was very wrong. Mason would not just leave her here; he would have stayed to make sure she was okay. There wasn’t a lot she was sure of right then, but she knew that. Ignoring the EMT’s protests she moved off the back of the ambulance and walked over to Shane, Emme, and Travis on leaden feet.
Emme immediately wrapped her in her arms. “Hey, sweetie.”
Cleo looked at her friend, and her eyes begged for answers, “Where is he?” She desperately wanted Emme to tell her he had been sent after Spears, but as she watched Emme close down her emotions and the sympathetic look crowd in, she knew.
“We don’t know, honey. Shane has the others out looking for Spears and Mason as we speak.”
Cleo felt the sob tear from her and Shane caught her as her legs went from under her. Strong arms held her as she cried, but they were not the arms she wanted. There was only one man she wanted to hold her for the rest of her life, and he was missing.
“Why don’t I take her home with me while you and your team stay and look for Mason?” She looked up suddenly, desperate to stay in case there was any news and her hands gripped Travis’s arms as she turned to him. “No, I have to stay in case he needs me.”
He held her firmly by her biceps and looked at her with a hard, unflinching gaze. “He needs you to be safe. Emme can keep you updated every step
of the way but Mason wouldn’t be happy if something happened to you while he wasn’t here.”
Cleo knew he was right, but it felt wrong to leave when Mason was missing. “Let me stay until the others check-in and then I’ll go with you, I promise.”
Travis looked annoyed but quickly hid it with a nod. “Fine.”
They didn’t have to wait long before she saw Cain, Nick, and the others walking toward them looking downcast. Her eyes searched for Mason, as she craned her neck to see him, but he wasn’t there. She moved forward, and King addressed Shane. “We lost Spears when he hit the highway. He had a van parked and waiting.”
“Mason?” Shane’s voice was clipped.
“Difficult to say. They were carrying something that could have been him, but it could have been one of his men who got hit too. As soon as we get back, we can have Alex go through the CCTV footage and see if we can narrow anything down.” King shot her a sympathetic look, and she wanted to scream at them all. She knew they were being kind, but she felt angry. Angry that this had happened to them, that Spears had found her and ruined her life.
“Let’s get you home. I’ll stay with you at Mason’s place if you prefer. That way you’re around his stuff, and if by some chance he manages to get home, you’re there and safe.”
Travis made sense, and Cleo nodded, suddenly feeling like her legs could no longer hold her up. She allowed him to start leading her away to his car but turned back to Emme. “You’ll keep me updated?”
Emme nodded. “Of course we will. As soon as we hear anything, I’ll call you.”
Cleo nodded and allowed Travis to help her into the car and buckle her in. He was an excellent friend to Mason and now her.
She let them into Mason’s apartment, the tiny hope that he may have come home, no matter how small was doused by the silence. Her heart fell as Travis stepped in behind her and followed silently as she walked to the couch and slumped down, feeling exhausted and cold.