Chapter 27
“So, what’s up?” Garrett asked, returning to Reese’s classroom. The image of her driving his truck filled him with a sort of pride that made him want to see her do it more often. He hadn’t missed the way she’d made herself right at home in the driver’s seat, and he liked the way she looked sitting up there, in control of something much bigger than her.
“Since Caden and Hallie’s wedding, I’ve been digging around and I think it paid off.”
Garrett crossed his arms and leaned against the teacher’s desk. “Tell me.”
Blake sighed. “Until Reese told us about how she saw you dying, I never would’ve put two and two together. Then Caden called me about Madison Grier. I started thinking and took a chance.”
“Blake, just spit it out.” Garrett was losing patience and he had no idea why his friend was dancing around the subject.
“We didn’t find the van yet, but there was a van just like the one Reese described, reported stolen the day after Reese’s kidnapping.”
“How is that helpful?” Garrett asked. “Unless you know who stole it.”
“I don’t think it was ever actually stolen,” Blake said. “Remember when I told you I’d look into Principal Ryker? Well, guess who owns a white work van?”
Garrett stood to his full height. “Ryker?”
“No. A guy named Franklin Wright. He’s Ryker’s first cousin, but what’s even more interesting is that Wright was Molly Edgar’s ex-husband.”
“Shit,” Garrett said. “I brought her right to him.”
“Don’t you dare put this on yourself. Now, the van we found had the same custom work done in the back.”
“What is up with these vans?” Garrett asked.
Blake grinned. “That was my thought exactly and then I had an idea. I looked up all public records for Edgar Pharmaceuticals, and it turns out they had a massive flooding issue six years ago. They had to install a brand new drainage system, including new sewers.”
Garrett wasn’t sure where Blake was going with this. “Okay…”
“They never did away with the old sewers, Garrett. Can you think of a better way to avoid surveillance when sneaking drugs out of a pharmaceutical company?”
Garrett’s gut sank. “Shit. What are the chances Molly Edgar found out and -”
“And that’s why Russell killed her? I’d say dead on. Now, how about we head over to Ryker’s office and get some answers before the FBI officially takes him into custody?”
Garrett was moving before he could even respond, and Blake was right on his heels. He blindly marched to Ryker’s office, not seeing anything around him. All he could think about was Reese, and how close she’d been to the very people who were trying to hurt her.
When they got to the principal’s office, the door was locked, and the small window looking into the reception area showed it was dark inside. “He’s not here,” Garrett said.
Blake smiled. “Let’s go hunting.”
“Maybe we can catch him in the parking lot,” Garrett said.
They ran out of the building, searching for the man who was likely responsible for reporting to Russell about Reese’s whereabouts.
“There he is,” Garrett called out, running toward a black SUV. They closed the distance in mere seconds, but Ryker must’ve seen them coming, because he pulled out of his spot and careened out of the parking lot, nearly causing a three-car collision on the road.
“Come on,” Blake said. “We’ll take my car. I’m parked right over there.”
They climbed into his car and Blake peeled out of the parking lot, just a few cars behind Ryker. He threw on his lights and sirens, and the cars in front of them pulled to the right to let them pass on the left. Ryker sped up. So did Blake.
Chasing after a perp was actually something Garrett usually enjoyed. There was a rush to it that couldn’t be replicated in any other scenario. But he was also well aware of the danger it posed to everyone on the road around them.
Blake stayed on Ryker’s tail as he meandered through traffic, not losing him for even a second. “Pull over,” Garrett instructed over the vehicle’s PA system. “This is Texas Ranger Garrett Cooper and FBI Agent Blake O’Connell. Ryker, pull over right now.”
Ryker swerved, and Garrett worried he was about to hit a small two door sedan, but the driver changed lanes just in time. Garrett blew out a breath of relief. “You’re clear on the left,” he told Blake.
