Page 63 of Raven's Curse
“Because it wasn’t part of Saylor’s board.”
Greer bit back any harsh response, reminded herself she wouldn’t get any information out of Bucky if she lost her cool. “Okay, let’s all take a breath. Why…”
A blast of static drowned her out, followed by intermittent chatter, too broken to distinguish any words.
Greer grabbed her radio. “This is Hudson. I missed that. Say, again.”
More crackling, more broken words until Bodie’s voice cleared for a second. “Atticus… attacked… missing.”
She stilled, heart lodged in her throat, a cold sweat breaking out across her skin. She glanced at Chase, then tried the radio. “Bodie? You’re still broken. Did you say Atticus was attacked? That he’s missing?”
Nothing, then a few choppy words. “Ambushed…”
“Shit.” She tamped down the rush of fear. The cold reality that if they lost one more… “Chase. Can you try the radio in the Bronco?”
Chase rushed out, boots hitting the metal stairs, then gravel crunching in the background. A distant chime followed by low murmurs.
Greer hooked Buck’s arm. “I need you to show me every photo of where you’ve seen the lights.”
Buck chewed at his bottom lip, then darted around the RV, tearing off pictures from various stashes before spreading them out on the table. “That’s all of them.”
“Any on your camera you haven’t developed yet?”
Buck frowned. “Maybe.”
Greer resisted the scream trying to claw free. “Can you check? It’s important.”
He muttered something under his breath, then grabbed his camera — started hitting one of the buttons. Chase reappeared at the door, brow furrowed, mouth pinched tight.
Greer took a step toward him. “Well?”
Chase visibly pushed down his shoulders, exhaled. “Transmission was still garbled, but it sounds like Atticus and one of the other pilots were ambushed while fueling the choppers. That there were flash bangs and tear gas. Travers, the other pilot, was taken to Providence, but there’s no sign of Atticus.”
“Damn it.” Greer turned back to the table. “These are all the places Buck’s seen the lights. Assuming this is our guy, maybe he’s taken Atticus back to one of these locations. An area the bastard hasn’t targeted yet.”
Chase nodded. “Which means we rule out the psychiatric building, the park next to the Lodge and anything close to the other two sites.”
He shuffled the images, pushing some to the side until only a couple of locations remained. He tapped the table. “This looks like a fire lookout tower or maybe a ranger cabin. The other… Is that some kind of facility?”
Greer turned to Buck. “Where did you take this?”
Buck leaned over. “From my boat. It’s down the coast a bit. By that cove Saylor and Zain were interested in.”
Greer slapped her thigh. “It’s that decommissioned water treatment plant. The county switched to lines from the north a good twenty years ago. As far as I know, it’s been vacant ever since.”
Chase groaned. “In other words, the perfect spot for a hideout.”
“He’s not there.”
Greer froze as Buck’s voice filled the room. She turned. “Say that again?”
Buck shrugged. “He’s not there.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I saw the lights at the old fire watchtower. That’s why I parked here. I thought he might come back.”
Chase crowded the man. “You saw the lights this morning?”
