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Tell me how you really feel. “You can protect me better if I’m in arm’s reach.”
“Nice try, but absolutely not. Timmy’s got you—I already talked to him this morning.”
“Gabe—”
He sighed, cutting me off. “Levi said we can Skype you in, but that’s al
l. No arguing, Lauren. I’m sure Li Na has you under surveillance, and the last thing we need is for you to accidentally show our hand. You need to sit tight until the closing—for Hannah’s sake.”
I simmered with absolute fury, but Gabe had played the Hannah card, and I couldn’t deny the truth of his words. “I’m not happy about this.”
“I didn’t expect you to be. But you’re safe, and that’s good enough for me. Love you.” Before I could object further, Gabe said good-bye.
I stalked around the kitchen, feeling sour. But still, a bright bubble of hope rose in my chest. We might get her back today. Maybe there was a chance.
The closing was scheduled for later that afternoon. I called Bethany as I set up my computer. “I’m working from home this morning—they won’t let me come to the site.”
“I’m sure you’re pissed, but that’s the right call.”
I rolled my eyes—of course my overprotective attorney would agree with my overprotective boyfriend. “I’ll see you this afternoon. I’ll text you on my way to the law firm—let’s go in together.”
“Is everything…on track?”
“As much as it was yesterday. Cross your fingers.”
I kept my own fingers crossed, and said several silent prayers, as Timmy joined me in the kitchen. I handed him a cup of coffee. “Gabe won’t let me go to the site.”
“Of course not, ma’am.”
I crossed my arms. “Don’t bother telling me it’s for the best.”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
Timmy really deserved another raise.
I Skyped into the site in Oakland. Gabe nodded at me as he set up on his end. “I’ll try to show you what it looks like here.” He lifted his laptop and gave me a “tour” of the room, which consisted of nondescript beige walls, empty takeout containers everywhere, and security team members sprawled out on folding chairs. They were watching several different video surveillance feeds.
I peered past Gabe to Ash.
“Have you seen her?” I asked him immediately.
He shook his head. “Not yet. We’re waiting for the drivers to bring her out to drive her to San Francisco.”
I looked at the clock: we had six hours until the closing.
My head was pounding. “So what are we going to do? Will there still be shooting? How can we keep Hannah safe?”
Ash’s face softened. “There will definitely still be shooting. I’m sure Li Na’s men aren’t just going to hand your sister over. But we can get her out. I let her get away once before, and I’m so sorry.”
I shook my head, unable to speak, overcome with emotion.
“I won’t let that happen again, Lauren.”
I nodded, fighting back tears. “I believe you.”
“Let me show you what we’re doing.” Ash brought the screen over so I could clearly see the surveillance feed. “We have several drones in the area, and some other cameras positioned close to the house where she’s being held. We’re watching with everything we’ve got. We also have another team waiting in San Francisco, just in case, along with more men out in the neighborhood. We’ve got them covered.”
I watched the screens. They showed the same images of a nondescript condominium, a driveway, a roof, and a side door over and over. “Are you sure she’s in there?”
