Cold Truth

by Susan Sleeman

  “Not even the clients in this class action suit.” Coop turned back to his search list, hoping to find a viable lead. He entered Young’s full name and scrolled down the list of results. Unlike Henry, Young was civic-minded and very active in the community. In fact, the city had dedicated a park to him.

  “Young Park is named after Vernon Young.” Coop surfed to the park’s website. “I’m not familiar with the park, and I doubt there would be a place where Kevin could be held in secret, but I’ll take a look at pictures of the place.”

  Coop opened photos on the website that included an aerial overview. The only buildings were an open pavilion, playground, and restrooms. Kevin was definitely not in this park.

  “I may have something,” Eryn said.

  Coop turned to find her pointing at her screen. He crossed over to her. Kiera joined them, but Coop tuned out the fact that she was standing an arm’s length away and kept his attention on Eryn’s screen. It displayed a street view map for downtown Cold Harbor.

  “An old building?” he asked.

  She nodded. “I searched property records and discovered this one is owned by the law firm. Their law offices were once located there, but they moved to the new development park outside of town a few years ago. It’s been vacant ever since.”

  “Could this be where Kevin is being held?” Excitement lifted Kiera’s voice.

  “In downtown.” Coop tried to find some of her excitement, but this was a long shot. “There’s a ton of traffic down there, bringing a great risk of getting caught. I would think his abductor would choose a more out-of-the-way place.”

  Kiera crossed her arms. “It’s still possible.”

  “Possible, yes, but…” He shut up. He didn’t want to be the one to burst her bubble.

  “I’ll search for images from inside the building and maybe we can identify something from the video background that I enhanced.” Eryn’s fingers flew over her keyboard, and they all waited for the images to open.

  The first few rows showed the building in the early days when it was vibrant and had the Henry and Young, Attorneys at Law sign in bronze letters on the front. Coop looked at the other pictures until he spotted an interior shot.

  “There.” He stabbed a finger on the photo. “Enlarge it.”

  Eryn clicked on the picture, and it filled the screen.

  Kiera gasped. “Look at the wall. Diamonds. The wallpaper matches the wall behind Kevin.” She grabbed Coop’s arm. “This is it. This is where Kevin is being held.”

  Coop could have agreed with her. Said something. Anything, but his brain had already moved ahead to the steps needed for the team to breach this building and rescue Kevin.

  Kiera couldn’t sit. Couldn’t stand. Could hardly breathe. She wanted to race out the door. Had tried it in fact, but Coop had stopped her. Forced her to breathe and calm down, and promise that she would hang tight until he gathered the team and they formulated a rescue plan.

  She’d done so, but when they’d brought up the video feed of Kevin and the screen was dark, she nearly fell to the floor. She managed to drop into a chair instead, and somehow, when the team had filtered into the room and settled in seats around the table, Gage standing at the head, she’d kept breathing. They’d been strategizing for an hour now, and she felt each minute of the clock ticking away as surely as she felt her heart beat.

  She couldn’t let go of the question of how long the screen had been dark. They still had nine hours. Surely Kevin’s abductor hadn’t killed him. Or not. She couldn’t trust such a lunatic to be true to his word. No, Kevin was alive. As his twin, she’d feel it otherwise. She would think positively and keep praying.

  “Got recon footage from Alex coming in,” Eryn announced.

  “Put it up on the screen,” Gage directed.

  The large TV on the wall came alive with an aerial view of downtown, courtesy of a drone operated by Alex. The camera hovered over the building, the view clouded from the dark night.

  “Can you zoom in, Eryn?” Coop stepped closer to the screen.

  Eryn enlarged the video.

  “Looks like a skylight or roof hatch.” Coop pointed at the screen. “Seems like our best entrance. We can rappel down to the second floor and head down the steps.”

  “No telling how that hatch or skylight is secured and what it will take to get it open,” Gage said. “Not until we see it up close. Might be too loud and we’re better off breaching the door.”

  “We’ll have to get eyes on it and go from there,” Coop replied, seeming anxious to be going.

  Kiera wanted Kevin rescued. Wanted it done now. But she also wanted it done right. Done safely. “You can’t risk his abductor hearing you. He could kill Kevin.”

  Coop locked gazes with her. “You’ll have to trust us on this. We’ve all successfully rescued our share of hostages, and we rarely have complete details. We make our best call then when we lay eyes on our target, if our plan doesn’t work, we punt.”

  “We can do this, Kiera,” Eryn added.

  “When we get on scene, we won’t take action if we believe Kevin’s life is at risk.”

  She sighed. “I don’t want you to do nothing either. We can’t leave him there.” She searched the faces in the room, pleading for help. “I can hardly stand this. I don’t...I’m...it’s too much.”

  “We’ve seen enough.” Coop nodded at his teammates. “Time to suit up.”

  No one questioned him, but they all quickly exited the room, and Coop hung back. The moment the door closed behind the team, he came over to her and pulled up a chair to face her. “It’ll be okay.”

  “You can’t promise that.”

  “I can promise if anyone can get your brother out of that building alive, it’s us.”

  “I know, but I…”

  “But you’re worried for him. I get that. I’ve seen the same concern by family members of others we’ve successfully rescued, and I know they would tell you to have faith and trust us.” He cupped the side of her face. “You know getting your brother back is more than a job for me, right? I care about you. That makes this personal for me, and I won’t let you down.”

  She leaned into his hand and suddenly felt very blessed. What had she done to deserve this man, this team giving of themselves like this with no payment from her? Sure, Oceanic was paying them but…

  “I need to get going.” He bent closer like he planned to kiss her. Instead, he took her hands and lifted her to her feet, drew her to his chest, and held her in his arms. Big, strong arms holding her tightly, but tenderly at the same time. She could visualize him entering that building. Rappelling down. Creeping down the stairs, silent, yet deadly. Taking out Kevin’s abductor. Untying her brother’s ropes. Freeing his wrists. His eyes and mouth.

  A smile found her lips at the thought. She wanted to be there to see it.

  She pushed back. “I’m going with you.”

  “That’s not possible.”

  “I need to go.”

  “Look.” Tenderness lingered in his tone. “I get that you want to be there the moment he’s freed, but having you there could jeopardize everything.”

  “How?”

  “We’re a team. We work in sync with each other and bringing you along will mess with that rhythm. We’d be worried about you and have to split our focus between you and the rescue. Means both could go sideways.”

  “I can wait in the car.”

  “I won’t leave you alone in the car. And that means I can’t go for Kevin.”

  “Someone else can wait with me.”

  “We each have a role, Kiera. Each need to be there. Like parts of a body. We all function together to make something perfect. One missing part puts a strain on the others.”

  “C’mon.” He took her hand. “I’ll drop you off with Hannah, and you can wait with her.”

  Kiera wanted to argue, but she got it. She didn’t like it, but she got it. She freed her hand to put on her coat and instantly missed touching Coop.

 
He shrugged into his jacket. Instead of stepping out the door, he took her hand securely in his, lifted it to his mouth, and pressed a soft kiss on her skin. He didn’t speak, just peered into her eyes, emotions flashing between them like an electrical current. He turned and opened the door, taking her along with him.

  She trusted this man. This big strong rescuer of the downtrodden. At least with her brother’s life. With what was happening between them was another story. One that would have to wait for her to examine until after he brought her brother safely home.

  15

  Kiera followed Gage into his house, but the warm, homey vibe that had felt welcoming in the past did nothing to comfort her tonight. She glanced into the family room and spotted a blazing fire in the hearth. Hannah was sitting in a chair nearby, a book in her hand. She took one look at her husband and hurried to the foyer.

  She stopped in front of him and looked up, her eyes tight with concern. “This is it, then. You’re going.”

  He nodded. “Coop thought it would be good for Kiera to wait with you.”

  “Of course.” She stepped to Kiera and wrapped an arm around her back. “We’ll make something warm to drink and gossip like a pair of hens about you all.”

  Gage chuckled, bent down, and kissed Hannah’s forehead.

  “Be safe,” she said.

  “Always,” he replied and turned to the door.

  Kiera expected Coop to rush out after him, but he stood watching her as if he didn’t know what to do.

  “I’ll wait for you in the kitchen.” Hannah squeezed Kiera’s arm and turned to leave.

  Coop took a step closer. “Keep your phone handy. I’ll call you the second we have Kevin in a safe location.”

  He started to leave, and she felt unsettled about him going. She grabbed his arm and stopped him, then rose on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. Surprise lit in his eyes, but he didn’t seem to let it throw him as he swept her into his arms and held her so tight she could barely breathe.

  She felt the armor plates in his vest. Thought about what he was about to do. To risk. For her. For Kevin.

  As fast as he’d pulled her close, he released her. “I’ll call.”

  He swiftly stepped outside and closed the door. Her heart went with him. She’d been worried about Kevin for days, but now she had to add fear for Coop, too. His teammates as well. She stood staring at the door. How long she didn’t know, but suddenly Hannah was next to her taking her arm.

  “Tea, coffee, or cocoa?” she asked.

  “Nothing. I don’t think I could drink a thing.”

  “I know how you feel.” She led Kiera to the kitchen. “Not about your brother, but about watching someone you care about walk out the door dressed in armor no man should have to wear. Ready to do battle with a foe who I know nothing about. And I don’t know if this is the one who will get lucky and best my man.”

  Hannah reached the large kitchen island and urged Kiera to sit on a stool.

  “But you seem so calm.” Kiera inhaled the sweet smell of freshly baked bread and took a seat.

  Hannah circled behind the island. “Outwardly, yes, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m anxious.”

  Kiera couldn’t even imagine feeling so raw on a regular basis. “How do you live with the fear all the time?”

  “First, it’s not all the time.” She took a canister and opened it to reveal tea bags. “Second, I’ve spent hours watching the team train. You can’t believe how they drill. Over and over. Scenario after scenario. Gage says they run drills he used to do as a SEAL or from Coop’s Ranger days. They’re so talented. So precise and exact. I have to trust in those skills. Trust in God. If I didn’t, I’d turn to mush.”

  She grabbed a teakettle from the stove, filled it with water, and started it heating on the large gas cook top. Back at the island, she leaned her elbows on the counter and made eye contact with Kiera. “I’m not surprised to see that you’re falling for Coop. He’s an amazing guy.”

  “Falling for him, no. I mean…I’m worried about everyone on the team.”

  “But not like the fear you have for him.”

  Kiera started to deny it again.

  Hannah held up her hands. “Hey, I get it. You don’t want to be falling for him. I was in a similar situation not too long ago. Gage and I dated way back when, then it ended. Not so well, I might add. When we reconnected, I have to admit I fought my attraction to him, but you know what?”

  “What?”

  “If it’s meant to be, it will, and nothing will stop you from falling in love with him.”

  “He doesn’t want that.”

  Hannah’s eyebrow went up. “You’ve talked about it?”

  “Not lately, but when we first met, he told me he didn’t want a relationship. Me falling for him would totally freak him out.”

  “Honestly, I can see that.” She planted her hands on the countertop. “Coop’s a private guy. I don’t have to tell you that, do I? He doesn’t talk about himself much. Or about his past, but I get the feeling something went wrong that’s made him wary of people. Or it might not be a specific thing. Just a result of years of being a Ranger and seeing horrors you and I can’t begin to imagine.”

  “Does Gage have issues with that?”

  “Sure, yeah. He doesn’t let it get to him most of the time, but when things go wrong on the job, it tears him up. Tears up the others on the team, too. Coop included, but he acts a bit more stoical than the others and hides it better.” She glanced at the stove then turned back. “Tell you what. Let’s make a pact. You find yourself in over your head with Coop, you come talk to me about it. Until then, I’ll promise not to badger you about how things are going.”

  Kiera was about to agree when she realized if the team succeeded in rescuing Kevin, she would be leaving the compound tonight. Leaving it, Hannah, and her family. The team. And Coop behind. And likely leaving a huge part of her heart with him.

  Coop tossed the grappling hook with a rope to catch on the concrete wall running the full perimeter of the building’s roof. He checked to be sure it held fast then started to climb. The pressure in his back gave him a moment of concern. He shouldn’t be the one climbing. Not with his bad back, but he would be the man to rescue Kevin, and no one was going to stop him.

  He reached the top and poked his head up, and ran his rifle over the area.

  “Clear,” he said into his comms unit.

  He hauled himself over the wall and silently dropped onto the rooftop. He took a knee, positioned his rifle, and scanned ahead, the night vision scope on his rifle clearly showing the area. He caught sight of his target location, the skylight or door, and confirmed he was alone and his way was clear.

  “Moving in on target,” he said into his comms unit.

  Rifle up, he started creeping across the flat tarred surface toward the object of his interest in the middle of the roof. When he got closer, it became clear he was looking at a hatch with a side lock. A lock he could easily snap with the bolt cutters in his bag. He dropped to his knees, let his rifle hang on the strap, and counted on Riley for protection while he retrieved the cutters.

  On overwatch, Riley stood with his sniper rifle on the rooftop of a taller building across the street. A former sniper, he could hit a mark unseen by the naked eye. More than once, he’d saved lives on the team by taking out a hostile.

  Coop snapped the lock, satisfaction filling him when it gave way. He wanted to rip the door open, but took the time to treat the hinges with a spray lubricant to cut down on noise. While it penetrated the hinges, he whispered in the mic for his comms unit, “Bravo One, clear for Bravo Two.”

  “Bravo Two on the move,” Jackson’s voice came through Coop’s earbud.

  He was at the base of the wall and would be joining Coop on the roof while Gage covered the front door. He’d have been the first man up on the roof, but his arm injury wouldn’t allow him to climb. Eryn covered a side door, and Alex the back door. It would be up to Coop and Jackson to free Kevi
n.

  Kevin. They didn’t even know if he was inside. And if so, where he was located. Meant Coop and Jackson had to be ultra quiet. Stealth with a capital S or risk Kevin’s life. No way Coop was going back to tell Kiera it was his fault that Kevin had been harmed. Maybe had died.

  Jackson joined Coop, the rope they’d climbed coiled around his shoulder.

  “Let’s get this open wide enough to get a camera in there.” Coop squatted, and with Jackson standing watch, Coop dug into his backpack to get the borescope with LCD video screen. He slid the camera end of the tube into the opening and moved it slowly down a narrow stairway.

  “Stairs,” he told Jackson whose training taught him not to take his eyes from his watch to look at the video. “It’s clear. Let’s move.”

  Coop pulled back on the camera and stowed it. He slowly lifted the steel door, praying the hinges wouldn’t make any noise. He got the door fully open with barely a groan. He retrieved his pack and gun, and headed down. Jackson followed, lowering the door behind him, eliminating all light. Coop stood in the complete darkness and listened.

  Silence.

  His steps led to a long hallway, and he could go either direction. A fifty-fifty chance of going the right way.

  He headed right. He didn’t know why, he just did. Rifle in his hands, he found his way by looking through the scope. Step by step he moved ahead. Down the narrow space. The wood floor creaked.

  He stopped and held up his hand to signal Jackson to halt, too. Coop listened. Heard nothing, saw nothing. Started off again. Swung into the first room on the right. Ran his rifle over the area.

  The room was empty, the walls painted—not papered. He backed out. Moved on. Followed the same procedure three more times. Turned around and checked the rest of the floor. He reached a landing that looked over the first floor.

  He ran his scope over the area. Found desks, chairs, and a reception desk. No movement, but there were copious places to hide, and he couldn’t be too careful.

  He signaled for Jackson to stay up top on overwatch, and Coop headed down the stairs. One foot in front of the other, he swung his rifle over the area with each step. He reached the bottom. Took another long look. No wallpaper, but a door in the back.