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“Midnight?”
“Happy New Year, my love.” He ended the call.
I was sittingby the window, staring at nothing, remembering every second of my video call with Tryst, wishing over and over again he was here in Napa with me.“Hey, Esencia,” said Tank, who was on security-monitor duty.
I stood and walked over to him. “Yes?”
“We just intercepted a message that came to Luisa’s new phone.”
“Bloody hell,” I muttered. “Who is this fucker, and how is he getting access to phones that are locked up tighter than the UK Prime Minister’s?” Perhaps that was a bad example, given things were repeatedly leaked from that particular source. “What is it?”
Tank hit play on the video. In it, a woman was tied to a wall in the same way the woman in the photo sent with the previous message had been.
“Luisa, my Luisa,” the voice began. “I told you. Next time, you won’t escape before we’ve had our fun. Sadly, your best friend beat you to it.” The voice cackled. “She begged so prettily for me to let her go that I finally agreed to her suggestion. When she said, ‘Trade me for her,’ I had to admit it was a brilliant solution.” There were more cackles. “Here is how it will go. When you arrive, I will be standing with the barrel of my gun resting against your best friend’s temple. If I hear any voice or see any face other than yours, she will die instantly. Reply to this message with the words ‘I’m yours’ to receive your next set of instructions.” The screen went black.
“He’s got Jada Yáñez.”
In the time it took for me to watch the video a second time, Tank confirmed with Atticus that Luisa was secure and with Press and didn’t seem to have received the message directly, which meant the interception tools we’d employed worked.
“Zeppelin sent me back in his place,” said Magnet, who had run from the main house. “I was on my way here anyway,” he added. “No less than ten minutes ago, Luisa mentioned to Press that she’s been trying to reach Jada.”
“I’m working on a trace,” Tank reported just as Blackjack arrived, also from the direction of the main house.
“We need to act on this immediately,” I said, pointing to Tank and Magnet. “You two come with me.”
“Jada Yáñez is missing,”Press blurted when he opened the door and we walked into the main house.
“We intercepted something,” I said, looking between him and Luisa.
“What?” he asked.
“Another message.”
Luisa gripped Press’ arm.
“Give us a minute,” he said, leading her out of the room.
When they didn’t return after five, I went looking for them. “Press? This is urgent,” I said when I found them.
“You’re certain you want to do this?” I heard him ask Luisa.
“I can as long as you’re with me.”
“Come in,” he said, motioning to me.
“It was sent from Ms. Yáñez’s phone,” I began.
“Is she alive?” Luisa whispered.
“She is.”
“He has her, doesn’t he?”
I nodded.
“My God,” Press said under his breath at the same time Luisa looked up at me.
“Tell me,” she said, squaring her shoulders.
