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My phone vibrates in my shorts pocket, a little too close to my throbbing erection. With a groan, I break the kiss and reach for the offending device. I hold her close with my other arm as I check out the text.
Erik:The Sullivan video is spliced. Possible deep fake.
Alex leans to see the message as I reread it.
“Does he mean the security video? What does spliced mean?” she asks.
I weave my fingers through hers, breathing deeply, willing my body under control. I need to call Erik back and get to Arrow’s offices as quickly as possible.
“It means the video was planted. This isn’t a runaway case. It’s an abduction.”
End of Part 1
CHAPTER12
113 Hours Missing
Ryan
On a typical Saturday morning, no one mans the front desk at Arrow, but this morning a young man sits behind the glass reception window. He stands as we enter.
“Sir,” he says.
“Caleb. You’re here early.”
“Erik asked me to cover down here. I’m just watching surveillance tapes. I can do that from any desk.”
“Can you buzz us up?” I don’t need him to. Ocular recognition will clear me, but if he buzzes, it’s less hassle.
Caleb scratches behind his ear. “Ah, I’m supposed to check ID. I guess if she’s with you…” We have a strict protocol outlined for confirming identification. If he let her up without asking, I could conceivably fire him. Or at least, that’s the consequence for not checking ID outlined in the employee handbook Stella created.
“Her name is Dr. Alexandria Rolfe. Can you enter her into the system? Alex, do you have your license?”
“Oh, yes. I’m probably already in your system. I was here last week.”
“Right. You are. But I thought I’m supposed to check ID anyway?” Caleb directs his question to me.
“If you know who it is, it’s okay.” It’s good to see our system working. “But since you’ve pulled her up, can you give her full clearance? Dr. Rolfe can come and go without an appointment.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once the elevator doors close behind us, Alex leans against the back rail with a teasing smile. The playful expression has me wanting to press her up against the elevator wall. She’s the perfect height. She could lift one thigh—
“Is he former military, too?” Clearly, her thoughts are not the same as mine.
“Caleb?” The elevator slows to a stop, and I face forward. “If I recall correctly, he did a few years in the military, plus military academy. He’s a former LEO of some sort. He works for Erik and Kairi.”
“What’s an LEO?”
“Law enforcement officer.”
When we round the corner, activity buzzes. Employees sit in cubicles watching video with headsets on. Erik steps out of the conference room and waves us over. “Come see this.”
When we enter the conference room, Erik is back at his laptop, typing away.
Erik’s fingers don’t slow until black-and-white video footage of the side of Sullivan’s home in San Diego shows on the monitor at the end of the room.
“Did you see that?” Erik asks.
