Page 126 of Ravaged Soul
“So I hear.” He casts a hand over his ever-messy, raven hair. “Done pandering to the shrink now?”
“Remove the requirement to sit with that weirdo every week, and I’ll be at your beck and call, Director Knight. Until then, I just go where I’m told.”
Blaine surrenders me so I can shake Hudson’s big, scarred hand, though he grips it a little harder than necessary. The wayhe assesses me is far from cold and professional. He appears concerned.
“You good?”
“Peachy.” I shrug off his worry. “How’s the wife?”
Hudson grimaces. “She’s at the stage of pregnancy where she can’t stand the sight of us. We’re safer hiding here until she decides that she’s ready to see our faces again.”
“So… never, right?”
“Right.” He chuckles.
Looking over to Warner, I find him glaring at Blaine like he can scare him off with a mere frown alone. Clearly, the invitation to return hasn’t resolved their issues.
“Are they here?” I glance back at Hudson.
“Yeah, inside.” He hooks a thumb over his broad shoulder. “Are you ready for this?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
“We’ll cover the updates, but I understand they have some questions for you too. Keep your answers short and brief. Anything you’re uncomfortable with, you can leave.”
“Have they seen the photos?”
Lips pursed, Hudson nods.
“Fuck.” I attempt to roll my tense shoulders back. “Okay.”
“We’ve put out an international BOLO for Gracie Livingstone with updated images and information. The intelligence team places her somewhere in Eastern Europe, though we can’t be sure it isn’t a red herring.”
“How the hell did she end up there?”
“When she was purchased from Luis’s trafficking operation six years ago, she could’ve been sent anywhere across the globe. But Rayna and Fox are confident in their assessment of the evidence.”
Finding Warner’s worried eyes on me, I swallow roughly. He tries for a smile, but I can read him like a book. He’s tensetoo. We have no idea who purchased Gracie or what she’s been through since then.
Hudson looks over my shoulder to where Blaine lingers. “Madden.”
“Yeah?” He arches an ebony brow.
“Do you still have underground criminal contacts in Europe?”
“Are you asking me as a suspect or as a member of this team?” Blaine counters.
“The latter.”
“Then my answer would be yes. Though none involved in the human trafficking trade. That was my father’s forte, not mine.”
“Any help is better than nothing,” Hudson says dismissively.
Warner harrumphs at that. “Not his kind of help.”
“Put the word out.” Hudson ignores Warner to continue giving commands. “Spread Gracie’s name and face among them with a reward for any information leading to her location.”
“I can ask my crew to make contact.” Blaine’s tone is noticeably hesitant. “But it may not go down well with some of the families. Our reputation was damaged after Sabre’s investigation. They don’t trust us.”
