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“Yep.”
“Lauren said,” Alex offered, struggling with the slang, “that there is a haystack with needle in it and we must locate the needle.”
“Needle in a haystack,” Driscoll corrected him, grinning over at the medic. “You make my day, Kazak. Thank you for slaughtering our slang,” and he chuckled.
Everyone laughed, including Alex. He was red faced and looked humble.
“Stop picking on Alex,” Lauren ordered them sharply, the only one who was not laughing. “He’s doing his best.”
Alex blinked, seeing the fierceness in Lauren’s narrowed green eyes as she took on her team in his defense. That was new. He felt good. But when Lauren snapped a look over at him, her eyes were green ice. So much for a feel-good moment, he thought. “Okay,” he mumbled apologetically, pointing to the map, “we are searching for a needle in a haystack.”
“But who would use a call sign from one of those resorts?” Jack demanded.
“We don’t have a clue,” Lauren muttered. “At least, not yet.”
“We must pare it down and look closely,” Alex said. “I am going back to our office and find all the names and numbers of the resorts. Lauren and I will begin a cross-comparison.”
“Do any of these resorts have falconry offered to the tourists?” Jack asked.
“Unknown,” Lauren said.
“I’ll check that out,” Cal muttered, writing it down on a notebook placed next to his laptop.
“Because, if they do, maybe there’s a head falconer whose nickname is White Hawk and we’re off on a wild goose chase,” Jack said with a rueful shake of his head.
Alex frowned. “A what? A goose that is wild? What does that mean?”
Groaning, Lauren said, “I’ll explain it to you later, Alex. Not now, okay?”
He nodded, apologetic. “Yes, of course. Thank you.”
“We need to verify if this one cell number, whoever it is, is calling ONE individual several times in San Jose or not,” Cal said. “For all we know, it could be tourists calling from resorts, calling home to the capitol, talking to their family or friends who live there.”
“Mmmm,” Lauren said, warning in her husky tone, “I’d be careful going there. Alex and I have been looking at comms in Central America for damn near three and a half weeks. We know the normal flow call patterns. This,” and she jabbed her finger down at the document in Cal’s hand, “is different. It’s sticking out like a sore thumb.” And then she groaned, rolling her eyes. She held up her hand toward Alex, who had a blank look on his face because he understood only half of what was said. “I’ll clue you in on that slang later, too,” Lauren promised.
Alex smiled a thank you and gave her a nod, gratefulness in his expression. Why the hell did he have to be so damned nice all the time? Lauren swung her attention to the rest of her team. “You have to rely on us to tell you what’s the normal and what isn’t. Cal, this burst of cell phone traffic is abnormal and deserves a much closer look.”
“Okay,” Cal said, “then let’s get at it. At least it MIGHT be a clue.”
Ryan muttered, “I hope so. We’re way past due for a fucking break.”
Alex gave Lauren her laptop. He handed to her as she walked up to him. He was finding she’d allow him to do small things for her. Perhaps accept a cup of coffee. Or he would become what she called a ‘gopher’ and run errands for her when she needed something done here at HQ to help in the search for Sky. When she took her laptop, their hands touched briefly. He felt an electric shock in his fingers. A secret thrill went through him as Lauren took it and turned away, muttering a thank you over her shoulder in his direction.
Cal rose and stretched, the afternoon sun beckoning to him. Being closed up in a lead lined room for hours on end, he craved the salty fresh air of the Pacific and the sun beating down on him. But not now. They’d just possibly gotten a lead they needed so desperately. “I’m taking a head break,” he told them, following Lauren out of the room and into the passageway. Alex moved by them, hurrying with long, ground-eating strides and diving into the room where he was working with Lauren.
“Hey, is he growing on you?” Cal teased as he walked at Lauren’s shoulder.
“Like mold.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Alex’s not a bad dude, Lauren.” He saw her mouth twitch, refusing to be baited. “Well, at least now,” Cal drawled, “when we get boots on the ground, I don’t have to worry about you shooting him in the balls so you don’t have to work with him out on this op.”
“Cal!” Lauren jerked to a stop, glaring up at him. “That’s not fair!”
He knew she was tired. They were all exhausted. His grin increased. “Oh,” he murmured, “you had murder in your eyes ever since you met Alex. Now I see it’s thawing a little, that’s all,” and Cal turned and went into the restroom, hearing her curse him richly out from the passageway. He laughed for the first time since Sky had been kidnapped.
July 9
“Cal?”
