Page 10 of Freeing Hawk
Tiberius looked from me to Sasha as if trying to judge the situation. When he trotted off as though we were boring him, I figured that was his way of saying Sasha posed no threat and thus should be ignored.
I shook my head and escorted her into the open concept living space.
“I know it’s hot outside. Do you want something to drink?” I asked.
“Yes, please.” She removed her light coat and draped it over the back of her stool.
I tried not staring. There was something about her curves, carried off by her badge stuck to her belt and a gun in a holster that wrapped itself around her hips that allured me.
We said nothing else until I poured both of us some juice. Once I set it on the island in front of her, I sat beside her and swirled my stool to face her.
“All right, Ms. Bracken. How can I help?”
“My partner is missing.” She began. “I came here to visit some friends and when I landed back in Oklahoma, I got a phone call from his wife. No one knows where he is and the only real clue I have is this poster and footage of him boarding a plane to come here.”
She pulled it out, unfolded it and set it on the island. Sasha then used a pedicured nail to slide the poster in front of me.
When I looked down at it, I smiled.
“Engine-O-Con.” I told her. “Well, Amelia is right. My best friend runs this.”
“He does?”
“Yes. His name is Nikau Kora.” I explained. “He’s actually travelling right now, trying to scrounge up a few last-minute details. He should be back day after tomorrow.”
She groaned.
“What makes you think this has anything to do with EOC? Thousands of people have these.”
“He bought tickets, flight and everything.” She explained. “He’s taken the flight into California without telling his wife.”
“Men hide things all the time.” I pointed out. “We need more than that to tear Nik’s event apart.”
She tossed her hands up and rose to pace the kitchen.
“Did he book a hotel?” I asked.
“No.” Sasha bit the nail of her right index finger. “No hotel, no motels, no Air BnB, no friends in the area—nothing I could find. It’s like he got on the airplane andpoof,gone.”
“That’s weird, for sure.” I emptied my glass. “He hasn’t quite gotten to the convention since that isn’t due to start until this weekend. Usually, people don’t fly in this far ahead of time unless they have other plans. Maybe you should try tracking him off the plane. Someone must have seen him.”
“I’ve canvassed the airport, car rental places, bars, bookstores—even walked to the nearby hotels. The only clue I have, Mr. James…”
“Angel is fine.”
“Angel.” She blushed. “The only clue I have is this poster, footage of him going through the airport to board the plane and the intention of him going to the convention.”
“Maybe he slipped out of the airport without boarding?”
“Trust me.” Sasha sighed. “He got on that plane. Unless he found a way to walk through cement walls—he got on that plane.”
“Okay—what do you need?”
“I need to get into that venue the weekend of it.” She explained. “I would have gone in the old-fashioned way of buying a ticket but as you know it starts on the weekend so all the tickets are sold out.”
“Let me see what I can do.” I pulled out my cell and called Nikau on video chat.
For a moment nothing happened. When I tried a second time, Nikau’s face appeared on the screen. He smiled.
