Page 117 of After All The Wreckage
I logged into Dad’s site on my phone, grateful I’d spent enough time snooping around to know exactly where to look for his on-site security cameras. My pulse increased. Even knowing the layout of his system, it took longer than I wanted to drill down to this specific address and the correct cameras.
Finally, I had the right ones at the ready. I pocketed some of my tools and slipped my Glock into my waistband at the back. Leaving the Jeep and keeping to the shadows beyond the streetlights, I slipped past the chain-link fence. Then, I carefully stepped in time with the cameras as I flipped them off and on again.
Just as I reached the box truck, the men emerged from the building, and I rolled underneath the truck. They were talking in Spanish. Laughter filled the air as they stepped into the back.The truck moved above me as they grabbed more cargo. As their voices faded away, I spun out, pulled myself up onto the dock, and flattened my body against the side of the warehouse next to the entrance.
I used the cameras on my phone to identify where the men were, and when their backs were turned, I swiped off the video feed, eased around the doorway, and edged back into the darkness behind crates piled up on the warehouse floor. I’d barely ducked down before they were heading back into the mist and rain to grab more boxes.
Above the main floor of the warehouse, a metal grate walkway led around what looked like a set of offices. The blinds and doors were shut, but light peeked through them. At the back of the building, another set of stairs led underground. Everything about it fit with the description of where Monte had been held.
Was Demi here?
Was this where Monte’s vision came to life?
The Glock at my back suddenly felt hot and heavy.
The door to the offices opened, and West stepped out onto the landing, removing any doubt that I was in the right place.
He spoke to the men in Spanish, and once again, I was grateful I’d stuck with it through college in order to give me a leg up on my FBI application.
“Everyone clear out,” West told them.
The men looked up at him, brows furrowing. One of the men tilted his head and said, “We were told to stand guard.”
“And now I’m telling you to leave. We won’t need anyone here after today.”
The men looked uncertain, but then did as they were told, heading out onto the loading dock. The noise as the metal door hit the concrete sent shivers along my spine. Was one of themen who’d left the one who’d killed Walden? Or the one who’d ordered my mom’s death?
They were the right size to have been the men in masks who’d kidnapped Monte. They might even have pulled the trigger that killed the CEO, but I wasn’t sure any of them were the type to hack into a bunch of computers.
Then again, maybe I was doing exactly what everyone did to me, judging a person by their appearance. But in this case, I just didn’t see the Lovatos’ golden computer genius hauling boxes around.
Behind West, Dunn appeared in the office doorway, carefully shutting the door behind him. The two men started arguing, but their voices were too low for me to hear what they were saying. I had to get closer. I eased my way through the boxes, keeping low and to the shadows and taking a wide route so I’d stay hidden.
As I neared, Dunn pushed his hands through his hair, ruining his perfectly coifed locks, clearly upset. He raised his voice, and it carried over the warehouse, bouncing around the cavernous space. “We need her! She’s gotten us this far!”
“I can’t trust your decisions anymore, Roland. I told you not to let the kid go, and you went behind my back and did it anyway.”
“She was freaking out. She knew her son was here. I had to calm her down.”
West’s response to Dunn’s claim was too quiet for me to hear even though I’d finally made it to the far wall. To get beneath them, I’d have to cross a small area with nothing to hide behind. I’d be exposed for a moment, and once I reached the stairs, it wouldn’t be much better. The landing they were on was made of metal grates. I’d be clearly visible if they looked down, but I didn’t have much of a choice.
I waited until Dunn started to turn back toward the office before I moved. I sped along the space as West caught thecongressman’s arm, halting him. I’d just ducked under the stairs and pressed my back against the wall when West said, “You don’t have a choice, Roland. It isn’t just the little girl who’s suspicious now. Sutton is as well. We need to make sure nothing ties us to this.”
“Then get rid ofthem. But Ineedher.”
Above me, the office door swung open for the third time, and another person joined them. A pair of purple Prada heels stopped next to their polished black loafers. I recognized those shoes. My mind scrabbled to place them, twisting to try to make out the woman’s face around the tablet she was holding. But all I could see were tailored slacks and a silk white button-down.
“We have a problem,” she said. And at the sound of her voice, everything clicked.
My palms turned sweaty and my body shook. How much had Dad known? How much had he been involved? West said he was now suspicious. Did that mean he wasn’t on the wrong side? God… I wanted that to be true more than I’d ever thought possible.
“What’s he doing here?” West demanded, looking at the computer screen she was showing him.
“Does it matter why? If he’s here, Rory is too.”
My name on her lips caused me to squeeze back against the wall. Was it my dad? Had it been his headlights that had followed me out of Cherry Bay in his Jaguar? Low to the ground, it made sense.
“Get Demi. We’ll take this down by the river and toss all three bodies in,” West said.
