Page 40 of Watch Over Me

"What time did they turn it off?" Ryan asked.

"In Lavon's case, almost as soon as he got one. Corner did it at seven-oh-two, this morning," Jasmine told him. "Why?"

"He spends an entire weekend with the tracker on, day and night, and suddenly he turns it off at seven in the morning on a Monday?" Ryan shrugged. "That's no proof, of course, but it's at least suspicious."

"I doubt Corner's the one to actually do the dirty work," James said. "He's a coward. Besides, Eddie's not a field agent, but I'm pretty sure he could take the guy. Which means twopeople or someone else completely."

"He could still be there with them, though, to question Eddie or something," Ryan pointed out. "Maybe talk him into helping them."

"But why Eddie?" Kalei asked. "Did they consider him an easy target out of your group or do they want something from him?"

"Computer skills?" Martinez suggested. "But what for?"

"Maybe to make sure that their project would pass muster? Who knows?" Ryan glanced at James briefly. "They could also use him as leverage, if they're getting desperate."

Kalei frowned. "For us?"

"No." James needed to lean back against the wall as the realization hit him. "His brother."

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Eddie tried not to panic in the back of the van as the car quickly pulled away from the curb and sped ahead. While at first he made an honest effort to keep up with every turn, he was sure he'd lost at least one, because he was simultaneously straining to listen in on the hushed conversation the two men were having in the front seat.

Which meant they could be anywhere, really.

Keep calm, he told himself for about the thousandth time, but since he'd been fucking kidnapped in broad daylight from right outside his home, he needed that repetition. Otherwise, he would start freaking out in seriously counterproductive ways and that was the last thing he needed.

Eddie didn't recognize either of the two voices, but it was obvious who'd orchestrated this whole thing. Eddie didn't know why, though. Had they somehow found out he'd been in that storage room and overheard them? Did they want to silence him?

That made his heart double its pace and he had to fight hard to stave off the panic that threatened to overwhelm him again.

If they simply wanted to kill him, there were easier ways than kidnapping him first, right?

Right?

Besides, they weren't stupid enough to believe he hadn't told anyone, were they? And sure, without first-hand witness the case was weaker, but not lost. And it definitely didn't stop anyone from uncovering the truth about the project being a scam.

Blackmail could do that, though, he realized. They coulduse him to blackmail Robert, if they realized he wasn't going to get them what they wanted.

That would be a truly desperate play, but maybe they needed one at this point. Maybe the idea of all that money slipping away was enough to risk being charged with kidnapping and extortion.

The van finally stopped and he held his breath, waiting. When a few seconds later the door opened and the taller guy told him to get out, Eddie exhaled, swallowing hard against the gag.

Not dead yet.

He stumbled but caught himself, which was more difficult with his hands tied than he'd ever thought.

After the darkness of the van, he blinked a few times before he could take in his surroundings.

They were in an industrial building of some kind, a big space, open in every direction, but with only two doors visible, on the opposite walls and almost equally far from where Eddie was standing.

That ruled out running. He would never make it outside.

The space seemed abandoned, which meant they were probably somewhere in the outskirts of the city, although not too far. Their ride hadn't been that long and they'd made at least a few loops, if his sense of directions hadn't failed him completely.

He hoped that the signal here was good, at least, so that the people at the office could track him through his watch.

As it was, he couldn't do anything but wait for them to save him—and hope that they'd get here fast. Who knew how long these guys would keep him here, or in what condition.

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