Page 66 of Devlin

Enock shrugged. “Didn’t say. Just that he took the backroad toward the village. Figured I’d check it out.”

Mia hesitated only a moment before nodding. “Alright, let’s go.” She turned and waved to Farid, pointing at Enock. Farid hurried over. “I’m going with Enock. He said one of our trucks has broken down. I’ll check the food.”

“Let me know if you need assistance,” Farid said before turning his attention back to the inventory. “If so, I’ll get another truck to you.”

Thanking Farid, she followed Enock and climbed into his Jeep. Dust kicked up behind them as they left the busy lot and turned onto the narrow, winding backroad. The deeper they went, the quieter everything became. The sounds of the warehouse faded, replaced by the rustling of trees and the occasional chirp of unseen birds. Mia felt the tightness in her shoulders relax.

But as they continued down a different lane, Mia adjusted her seat belt, unease settling in her gut. “Why’d the driver take this way? It’s not close to the village.”

Enock kept his eyes on the road as he shook his head. “I don’t know. New guy? Maybe didn’t know the main route was faster? Got lost?”

Mia exhaled, rolling her shoulders. Something didn’t sit right. She glanced at Enock, but his expression remained unreadable. They rounded a bend, and up ahead, a truck sat idle on the gravel shoulder. She breathed a sigh of relief at thesight. Then she realized no other trucks were around. “Shouldn’t someone from maintenance be here already?”

Enock slowed to a stop, shifting into park, not answering her question. Mia opened her door, stepping onto the uneven ground. The back of the semi was already open, its dark interior filled with crates before her.

“I’ll check it out,” she said, moving toward the truck. “If the temperature is too high, we’ll need to move fast to get the food onto another truck.”

Enock nodded. “I’ll talk to the driver.”

“Call Farid for another truck to come, just in case. And call to remind maintenance we need them.”

Mia stepped up to the back of the semi, her boots echoing against the metal ramp as she climbed inside. The air was thick, carrying the scent of produce and packaged goods. She swept her gaze over the cargo, checking for signs of temperature issues.

Then she heard a voice that sounded like Charlie. “No. There’s got to be another way!”

Mia froze, her pulse spiking. The voice came from outside, somewhere close. It was definitely his Australian accent. She turned sharply, not understanding what was happening.

Before she could react, something hard struck the side of her head. Pain exploded behind her eyes as she stumbled, the world tilting. Hands grabbed her. A rough, scratchy bag was yanked over her head, plunging her into darkness.

Panic surged. She fought, kicking out, twisting her body, but whoever held her was strong. Arms pinned her own, jerking them behind her back. A rope cinched around her wrists, cutting into her skin.

Charlie’s voice was muffled now, but she could still hear him desperately arguing. “You don’t have to do this!”

Mia sucked in a breath, trying to center herself. She wasn’t going down without a fight.

But as the world around her shifted—footsteps, the sound of the truck door slamming, the vibration of an engine coming to life—realization hit her. This was a setup, and she was right in the middle of it… along with Enock and Charlie and God knows who else. As the truck lurched forward, she lost her balance and fell. This time as her head hit the side of the truck, she crumpled to the floor unconscious.

27

Devlin, Cole, and Todd talked as the three finished breakfast. “Logan said we can all stay three more days, and then Cole and I’ll fly back,” Todd said. “You stay as long as you’re needed.”

“She’s thinking of coming back to the States.”

That pronouncement had both Cole and Todd staring wide-eyed at Devlin before erupting into grins. “Holy shit, man,” Todd enthused. “I would say that you move fast, but then this reunion was a decade in the making.”

Devlin chuckled ruefully and nodded. “Our breakup was on me and for all the wrong reasons. But, we’re looking back, realizing we’ve spent the time apart growing. Our meeting here wasn’t planned. We’re not knocking how it happened, just fucking glad it did happen.”

“Happy for you, bro.” Cole leaned back in his chair. “Who are you talking to today? I’m going to keep reviewing the video feeds from last night.”

Todd added, “I’m working with Casper and Sadie on a few more workers. Casper said he found out that Charlie had a minor criminal record in Australia before coming over here. Said his dad bailed him out several times for minor drug offenses, illegal gambling, and public intoxication. Nothing major until he stolesome money from an employer. It appears Charlie’s dad bailed him out every time but must have threatened him with his last brush with the law. Next thing, Charlie is here working in a refugee camp.”

Devlin’s eyes narrowed. “Shit. I was going to talk to Robert this morning, and I don’t want to wait. But Charlie will be next on my list.” He turned and watched Robert walk out of the dining hall. “Think I’ll hit that now.”

With that, the three men cleared their trays and headed outside. Robert was already out of sight, but Devlin headed straight to the logistic office in the admin building. As soon as he approached, he spied Robert at his desk, firing up his laptop. Robert looked up, and his lips pressed tightly together.

“I’d like to talk to you,” Devlin said, stepping inside the office.

Robert inhaled deeply, then waved his hand toward the chair in front of his desk. “Yeah?”

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