Page 95 of August

“I’m not waiting for the fucking drone.” August didn’t hide his impatience as he slipped on the gloves Rami had handed him and Toth so they wouldn’t leave fingerprints behind. He was incapable of discussion right now.

“Be smart,” Toth said admonishingly, as he slid out of the back seat. A second later, the hatch opened and he pulled out the drone.

“This is bullshit. I’m going in.” He tucked his earbud into place and got out. “Let me know what you find.”

“Ghost will be here any minute,” Rami reminded him.

He didn’t give a fuck. Wouldn’t even acknowledge that statement because with or without Ghost, with or without the drone footage, he was going into the goddamn house.

He moved briskly down the long-ass alleyway. They’d looped around the front of the house first for a quick scope of the area. Two SUVs were parked in the driveway, and considering how shady the neighborhood was, the expensive vehicles were a damn good indication they’d found the right place.

The sky was dark. Even the moon was shielded by clouds, and if August hadn’t committed the location of the house to memory, he might’ve had a hard time finding the house form the back. But the chain-link fence came into view and he tightened his grip on his AR-15.

Breaking into a jog, he hustled to the side of the garage and crouched, scanning the property. A light shone from behind the drawn living-room blinds. A shadow moved inside, but only one from what he could see.

The other light inside came from the window next to the living room. This one looked weird—something solid blocked the glass, and there was a rectangle of illumination around it.

His skin tingled. That had to be where they were keeping her.

Unlatching the gate, he slipped inside the yard. The long grass swayed in the breeze and brushed against his ankles. He moved carefully, scanning the place as he went. The basement windows were dark. She had to be on the main floor. Question was, how many men were guarding her?

Rami’s curt voice met August’s eardrum. “Ghost is here. We’re on the move.”

“I’m going in.” August kept his voice low as he inched closer to the bedroom window. His forearms clenched as he shouldered up to the house. The window was about five feet off the ground, which was the perfect height for him to glance into.

He didn’t hear voices, just something that sounded like furniture being moved. August turned his head an inch so his ear was almost touching the glass. Fucking stupid cardboard prevented him from seeing inside and gauging where Gigi was, if she was there at all.

“I need a visual,” August said quietly into the mic.

“I can see you outside.” Toth’s hushed voice came through the speaker. “Two people are in the room. One near the window by you and one a few feet away. There’s another person in the living room, on the phone, maybe.”

August grunted in response. He didn’t dare speak again knowing someone was so close. For all he knew, inches separated him from Gigi. He couldn’t just shoot through the fucking window without knowing for sure who was on the other side.

The drone could reveal only so much. Toth was able to see heat spots and movement within buildings. Otherwise, unless the threat was outside, he couldn’t give specifics.

August’s mind whirled with possibilities. He’d have to get into the house. It was the only option. There was no other way to see inside the room. Which meant he’d kill whoever was in the living room then go for the bedroom.

Breaking away from the outside wall, he skirted toward the deck, which was only about a foot off the ground.

“Going in through the back,” he announced to his team.

“Ghost should be at the front of the house in a minute or so,” Rami said.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Toth yelled.

“What?” August hissed as he reached for the back door. He placed his hand on the knob, but instinct made him pause before turning it.

“Dog!” Toth shouted, jostling August’s ear canal.

Grrrr

Ah fuck.

CHAPTER 29

Sitting in the chair beneath the window, Gigi was too numb to scream, her senses too dull to cry or beg. Her survival instinct was buried deep in her gut, but for the life of her she couldn’t dig it out.

Not when the cool plastic beneath her was almost as cold as her grave would be. Not when the light of the camera was as bright as the gates of Heaven promised to be.

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