Quinn’s pulse raced.This was easier than expected.Not all cases would be this simple, but they were lucky as hell tonight.
“I hacked into the rental company’s database, but the GPS is a different system.Hang on....Okay, I’m in.Let me just pull up his information.”
She clicked on the GPS, watching as the geocoordinates appeared on her screen.Layering that over a street map of L.A., she smiled.“I’ve got the address!I’m sending it to you right now.”
“Thank God,” Boone breathed.“And thank you Quinn for saving the day.I’m on my way.”
Quinn let out a shaky sigh as they ended the call.Holy shit.Not much time had passed since Radley had been taken, but every damn second counted.She needed to get back to the office and assist from there in case they needed anything additional from her.
She checked her mirrors and pulled out onto the street, deciding to do a quick loop around the block first.Cooper and Xaden were watching the area, but she wanted to make sure there weren’t any other places they should add cameras.She had extra equipment in her bag and was already here.Not noticing anything of interest, she continued on her way, stopping at a red light.As Quinn sat at the intersection, trying to calm her rattled nerves, she watched in surprise as a man loped right past her car window.
It was like when she’d been watching the surveillance feed of downtown Seattle earlier.Something felt off.The man was looking around but didn’t seem lost, just quickly darted between cars as he crossed the street.He paused for a moment on the corner, scanning the surrounding area, then headed straight for a dark sedan parked in front of a building.
She frowned.Quinn had the perfect view of him from her vantage point.The light changed to green, but she spotted an empty space and quickly parallel parked, still watching him.
Her stomach churned as she saw the man removing wooden crates from the trunk of his car.It couldn’t be.That was too damn obvious, except no one else was here.The rest of the traffic had driven away, and she alone was witnessing a possible terror cell member in action.
The man stacked two crates and began to walk away, Quinn quietly cursing as she got out of her car.It was still idling, but she didn’t stop to turn it off.Something was wrong.They didn’t have a tracker on this guy, and if they lost him, he’d potentially get away, heading to a different site.She had seconds to follow him and plant a bug on the crates.Lives could be at stake.
Damn it all to hell.
If Knox were here, he’d know what to do.His quiet intensity intimidated some people, but Quinn knew his mind was always working.He wasn’t aloof and standoffish—he was thinking.Calculating.And she didn’t have time to sit around considering the other options right now.She needed to act.Stat.
Quinn called Cooper as she hurried down the sidewalk, but his voicemail picked up.She ended the call, her phone still clutched in her hand.She didn’t have time to stop and text anyone.She’d lose the man she was following.
Much to her dismay, the man turned in a different direction than she’d expected.Cooper and Xaden were likely still near the vehicles they had cameras on, planning to return to their hotel.
But where was this guy going?
He continued down the block, crossing an intersection.Quinn followed, making sure not to get too close.After he moved past another building, he ducked into an alley.
She followed him without thinking, realizing her mistake a moment too late.
The crates were already stacked on the ground beside the man, and he’d clearly known she was following him.Before she could even react, he was shoving her against a brick wall, his hands on her throat, his body pinning her in place.
Quinn struggled, trying to fight him, but he was too much bigger than her.Her nails clawed at his shirt, and she tried to knee him in the groin, but he easily lifted her up, leaving her dangling against the building.
The bricks behind her scraped the back of her head, the alley seeming desolate and far away from anyone else.Her heart palpitated as she realized she couldn’t get away.Why hadn’t she texted the team?Why had she followed him?
His hands on her neck grew tighter, and Quinn was gasping, desperate for air.
She tried to suck in a breath, but it was fruitless.Panic shot through her, Quinn’s desperation growing with each passing second.She clawed at his hands, scratching his skin, but he didn’t loosen his grip.Hard eyes bored into hers, nothing but pure evil in the man’s gaze.
The edges of her vision began to grow fuzzy, her body weak, and then everything went black.
