Page 7 of Enigma: The Final Chapter
Shit!I’ve been guarding Hugo’s secret for years, but if the FBI gains access to his personal records, I will no longer be able to guarantee his safety. He’d be once again defenseless to the wolves gunning for his blood.
Regan crosses her arms in front of her chest before turning her gaze to Alex. “Promise me your department will not access anything on Isaac’s servers today, and I’ll forgive you for exploiting me.”
Alex balks. “I didn’t exploit you, Regan.”
Tears glisten in Regan’s eyes, but she maintains a confident composure. As Alex’s narrowed gaze shifts between Regan and me, he runs his hand over his head, something he always seems to do when nervous. After several painful seconds, he drifts his eyes to Hunter. “Send the photo to the email address on the card.” He hands him an officially embossed FBI business card. “The FBI servers automatically upload all content on any devices plugged into their mainframe, so I’ll use my computer to access the image.”
Hunter snags the card out of his hand and fires up his laptop.
“Thank you,” Regan whispers faintly.
In the corner of my eye, I see Alex step closer to her. His face is hard-lined, but his eyes are shimmering with silent apologies. Regan shakes her head and paces to the other side of the room, her thighs shaking with every step. When she uses me as a protective shield between them, the twitch in Alex’s top lip amplifies before he storms around his desk to sit in a large leather chair.
“Done,” Hunter informs us, straying his eyes from his laptop to Alex.
My heart beats in an unnatural rhythm when I take in the time on the antique clock on the wall. Isabelle was taken nearly an hour ago. “We need to hurry before it’s too late.”
“Move.” Hunter nudges Alex in the shoulder. “Your two-finger typing is too fucking slow. We’ll be here all night at this rate.”
Alex snarls but moves out of the chair as requested. Hunter’s fingers wildly fly over the keyboard. His face is scrunched up, and his lips are pursed, but he's in his element. There's no better hacker or computer programmer in the world than the man seated in front of me.
Hunter’s eyes shoot to me. “You need to donate some money to the local police department so they can get this software installed.”
I smirk and nod. In my current state, I'd agree to anything.
Hunter’s eyes return to mine when my untraceable cell rings in my pocket. I flip open the screen and press my phone to my ear.
“Col is moving.” Tallis’s usually thick timbre is barely audible. “He requested for his driver to take him to a warehouse on the corner of Henter and Joyce at—”
“Harbortown.”
“Yes. I have to go.” He disconnects our call as a thick Italian accent sounds down the line.
I gesture with my head for Hunter to join me at the side of the room. He scoots past Alex and stands in front of me, scrubbing his thick beard.
“I know where he’s taken Isabelle.”
His brows scrunch. “Where?”
“The warehouse at Harbortown.” I don’t need to say any more. From the way his pupils widen, I know he understands.
“I’ll call in Roger and Peters.” He glances down at his watch. “I could get a few more guys there, but they're an hour away.”
“No men. He’ll kill Isabelle before they even step foot inside the warehouse,” I respond, fear heard in my voice. “Call Tallis and advise him it’s time to move. If he doesn’t answer, send some guys in and get him out.”
Hunter nods. Tallis is a man I put inside Col’s operation two years ago. That saying ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer’ was the premise for me putting Tallis undercover. I knew one day Col’s quest for revenge would inevitably happen. I just never figured I'd have someone significant in my life he could seek his vengeance on instead of me.
As Alex’s blue eyes flick between Regan, Hunter, and me, he yanks open the top drawer of his desk and removes his FBI-issued revolver and spare chamber. After snagging his jacket off the coat rack in his office, he moves to stand between Hunter and me. “Isabelle is still an FBI agent. We protect our own.” His tone indicates his statement isn’t up for discussion. “I know this man. I know how he operates. I’ve been working on his case since I was a rookie.”
“Then you know Col orchestrated this because he wants me, so if anyone but me enters that warehouse, he will kill Isabelle.”
The pain in my chest amplifies.
“I know that,” Alex interrupts. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t have backup waiting in the wings in case things don’t go according to plan.”
I stare into his eyes, contemplating a response. I’ve always been a man who takes care of myself. I have a dedicated team of security, but they're to ensure my staff and family are safe while keeping my empire away from the prying eyes of strangers, but this is different. Typically, I'm only protecting myself, whereas now, I also have Isabelle to protect.
Col never goes anywhere without his heavily-weaponed right-hand man, let alone the fact he may still have Isabelle’s two kidnappers to aid in seeking his revenge. I know Henry and his team have pledged their support, but by the time they make it here, it may be too late.
