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She lunged for him again but received a knock at the back of her skull. The world slowed to half speed. She sank into the snow, the cold failing to revive her. From the edge of darkness, she heard Yasmina’s curdling scream. It was soon joined by others, but she couldn’t save them. She couldn’t even move.
Chapter Thirty-One
Kevlar
They trackedthe truck to an abandoned US Air Force base. Judging from the trash strewn along the ground, whoever took Kita left in a hurry. Kevlar walked the entirety of the open space. No signs of Kita anywhere. Rubble and Doc examined a patch of blood in the snow.
“It’s fresh,” Doc said, eyes meeting Kevlar’s. “It could be anyone’s.”
He hunkered down and reviewed the scene. “It’s not.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do.” He stood and pinched the bridge of his nose. “There was a struggle. If the women have been in a semi in this cold very long, none would have enough energy to take a swing at a club man.”
“Why do you think she did it?” Doc asked.
He huffed. “It’s Kita. I know her.”
“Hey, I … you guys should see this,” Hawk called from across the lot.
Kevlar’s gut dropped at the shaky tone. The trio hurried over to where Hawk stood pointing at the ground. Rubble leaned down and brushed the snow off the woman’s face while Doc checked for a pulse.
“She’s dead.” Doc leaned back and covered her with a ratty blanket. “The decay suggests a week at least.”
Hawk crossed himself, his spirituality surprising all of them. They’d never seen the man pray, let alone attend a service other than Macha’s.
“You don’t think they kept her in with the others, do you?”
Rubble nodded. “Yeah, I do.”
“Sick fucks.”
Klink and Snoopy rushed toward them, faces optimistic. “Hey, we found something inside.”
“Hope it’s better than what we found outside,” Doc mumbled, calling the medical examiner for the second time in as many days.
Snoopy tossed Kevlar a manila folder. Opening it, he studied the documents and photos. “These are all Kita.” He handed half to Rubble, who flipped through them.
“And different routes to Mexico.” Rubble eyed his men. “We’ll need to split up.” He grabbed his phone and immediately called Reaper, walking away as the call connected.
“We’ll find her,” Doc encouraged. “They knew we were closing in.”
Hawk pulled up his hood. “That’s why they left so fast. Didn’t even have time to clean up all their shit.”
Kevlar knew they were just trying to help. In a way, they did. His heart wouldn’t accept anything other than Kita safe and sound.And in my arms.
“Let’s roll,” Rubble called from the truck. “Klink and Snoop, head toward the route through the Springs. We’ll take the southern mountain pass.”
Climbing in the passenger side, Kevlar barely got his seat belt latched before Rubble peeled out of the drive, snow spitting up their hasty retreat down the mountain. The bloody snow haunted him, the longer they drove. There was an indentation as if someone had fallen. That’s where a smaller spot of blood was. The other looked like spray from being punched. His girl was still putting up a fight.
Good. If she fights, she’ll stay alive.
***
They didn’t stop except to refuel and buy food. The storm subsided sometime around two in the morning. Fluffy snow drifted across the lanes of traffic, and too many of the cars drove as if they had a pot full of chili with no lid sitting in the front seat. The stop and go traffic annoyed Kevlar, and he was grateful it was Rubble’s turn behind the wheel. The man was uncannily calm despite the situation. He’d been in the Marines and was known for keeping a level head no matter what.
“Don’t get comfy, Kevlar.” Rubble didn’t look away from the road. “Pulling off up ahead to switch.”
