Page 76 of Lethal Abduction

Thailand.But the contract Turbo mentioned came out of Colombia, I’m sure of it. And by now, she could be anywhere between here and both of those countries.

If she’s still alive at all.

Cold horror trickles down my spine. I push it away.

That way lies madness.

“You must have a contact in Thailand.” It’s only Luke’s presence that’s stopping me making this interrogation a hell of a lot more physical.

Turbo shakes his head slowly. “Like I said, it was all done through message.”

“But you think that’s where they’ve taken Abby?” Luke presses. “Have they sent girls there before?”

Turbo shakes his head. “As to that, I really couldn’t say. But the tire tracks out of the camp led south, toward Perth. I asked around a bit, tried to find out if anyone in the city knewanything, but nobody had seen them. That means they’re not in the brothels down there, or working any of the poles in town. Perth’s a small place. If they were there, I’d know about it. So if I took a guess... yeah. Yeah, Thailand is probably where I’d start.”

His eyes touch mine then slide away. “I do have something else. I—well, I dunno why I took it.” He fishes around in his pocket and comes up holding a narrow, multicolored woven band.

I stare at the friendship bracelet, pain and longing gripping me so fiercely I can barely breathe.

Abby, laughing in the sun with Darya and Masha at the mountain finca.

Abby, patiently showing Masha how to plait the threads together. “You tie it, myshka... Now we are friends forever, see?”

“I found it when I went back to the mining camp.” Turbo lies the frayed band carefully down on the arm of my chair. “I remembered that girl of yours wearing it. I figured she dropped it on purpose, to leave a trail, you know?” He turns his beer uncomfortably. “I thought someone might come asking questions one day.” His eyes touch mine then slide away. “Or maybe I just hoped they would.”

I stare down at the bracelet, my heart thudding slowly.

“I hope you find her,” Turbo says quietly. “I hope you find all the girls they took. It’s not right, what they’re doing.”

I barely manage a civil goodbye.I’m still clutching the woven band when we hit the dirt road that leads to the highway. We’re approaching the main road when Luke finally speaks.

“So—Thailand, then?”

I turn the band over in my hand, rubbing the frayedthreads, imagining they still retain some semblance of Abby’s golden warmth.

“Sometimes the best way to find someone is to go backward,” I say slowly.

He gives me a sideways glance. “Didn’t we just do that?”

“I’m thinking further back.” I stare at the upcoming T-intersection. “The more we know about Abby’s past, the better chance we have of finding her now. There’s a lot she never told me.” I frown as we slow at the highway. “I checked the map, and if we drive through the night, we should make Leetham by dawn. Maybe Abby’s parents will be able to fill in some of the gaps.”

“Oh, Christ.” Luke starts to laugh. “Ready to meet the in-laws, mate?”

Since the roadnorth is long, straight, and without any need for directions, I take the wheel while Luke gets some shut-eye. He has the enviable ability of being able to fall instantly asleep, no matter where he is or what’s going on. “Special forces superpower,” he once told me, with that laid-back Australian grin that suggests nothing is ever really a problem.

I wish I had his confidence.

Especially now.

Ridiculous as it is for a grown man, I’m nervous as hell about meeting Abby’s parents. What am I supposed to say?

Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Chalmers. Nice to meet you. I’m the guy your daughter ran away from. Oh, and by the way, I’m also a member of the Russian mafia, with more kills under my belt than hot dinners.

Meeting parents has never really been one of the roles I play. And Abby never once suggested it. In fact, I got thedistinct, rather uncomfortable feeling she was actively opposed to the idea.

I never pushed it. Her family was one of the topics we danced around, like my allegiance to Roman and exactly why she was put into prison in Colombia.

Or maybe I just didn’t want to hear her say the hard part out loud.

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