Page 73 of Clear Blue Sky

“Hello?” Marcus set his phone on the table in front of her, as if to taunt her. “Nelson? Is that you?”

“Where’s Brandi?” Nelson’s voice hit her ears like a warm blanket.

She twisted and moaned, trying to make noise, but it wasn’t enough.

“She’s a little tied up right now.” Marcus smiled. “But she’s fine.”

“If you hurt her, I will kill you.”

“I doubt that.” Marcus eased onto one of the chairs. “You have a beautiful home.”

“You broke into my house. I should call the cops.”

“That would be agravemistake.” Marcus rolled his fingers on the table.

It grated on Brandi’s already shot nerves.

“I would appreciate a face-to-face conversation. Perhaps we could clear up a few things.”

“I’ll be there in ten.”

“Come alone, or you won’t be happy with the outcome.” Marcus ended the call. “Tyler, tell Chuck and Josh to be ready.”

* * *

Nelson rested his cell on his knee as he turned the corner onto Assembly Point. “How’s the hack into my security system coming?”

“Boomer’s almost done,” his father said. “He’ll need your phone on so it can connect for at least three minutes once you’re at the front door.”

“I’m sure they will greet me at my truck before I even depart the vehicle. Is there a plan B to listen in? Because I’m sure Marcus will check me for a wire and shut down my phone.”

“Everything in your house has been disabled. We do have a court order, so Boomer is working on a secondary solution to get the system running, but that will take a little longer, and we won’t have any way of letting you know we’ve been successful.”

“Except when you come storming in,” Nelson mumbled. “What if I leave my phone in the truck? Will that be close enough range?”

“I don’t know. It will be best if you bring it in.”

Nelson slowed as he approached his driveway. “I’m here. Got to go.” He tapped the end button and stuffed his cell in his pocket, putting it out of sight.

The sun had begun its descent behind the mountains. The darkness would become his team’s friend.

Jared, Stacey, and Reese were in the water.

His parents and brothers were flanking from the south, and the rest of his mom’s JSOC team was coming from the north.

Neptune’s body had been located and his mother personally wanted to wring the neck whoever pulled the trigger.

She’d have her day in court.

As soon as he shut the engine off, he was greeted by Chuck, who shoved a rifle in his face.

“Hand over your weapon,” Chuck said.

He pulled it from its holster and placed it in Chuck’s hand. “You’re still in the military, right?”

“I have one more tour left,” he admitted. “Same with Josh.”

“I hate to be the one to tell you this, but it’s going to end in a dishonorable discharge and probably prison time.”

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