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He held up his hand. “You won’t be looking at it. We’re documenting what we’ve found, and it will be in the mission report.”
“What is it?” Her body flushed and then went cold.
“He dislikes you, and that feeling is clearly displayed in a collage of photographs, not only of you but several people you know. Clare can read my final report, and we’ll be ensuring those people are safeguarded.” He held her stare with a steady gaze. “This is good. We can develop intel from this.”
Roxie blew out a breath, trying to let that settle in. She managed to nod.
Peter squeezed her shoulder.
“I need to make some calls.” She balled her hands into fists. The people on the collage deserved to know now. “But you need to tell me who to check in with.”
He acquiesced, saying, “Call your roommate. She’s featured prominently.”
Roxie strode up the stairs toward the front door but didn’t go outside. She listened to her phone ring against her ear. And ring.
And ring.
“Destiny. Pick up.”
THIRTY-THREE
Liam pulled the SWAT van over to the curb outside Destiny’s townhome. At the same time, two other vehicles—a Toyota and an SUV—showed up. Blake jumped out before Liam brought the van to a complete stop.
Liam watched for Roxie and saw how her colleagues moved around her like a protective detail. That alone made him feel better. The rest of what was happening, not so much.
He jumped down and slammed the door, already geared up. He jogged over and met Peter at the front walk while the rest of them headed inside. Roxie ran to the house before he could say anything to her. “What happened?”
“We don’t know.” Peter headed for the house, and Liam jogged beside him.
As much as he would’ve liked to talk to Roxie, this was about Destiny’s well-being and her location. She would be focused on finding her friend. “Has anyone spoken to Destiny?”
Peter shook his head. “She hasn’t answered her phone. We located her GPS, and it has her device here.”
“Blake did the same.” Not because they thought they’d get a different answer, but his buddy hadn’t known what else to do on the way over.
They reached the door right as Roxie came back to it. “She isn’t here.” Her face pale, she bit her lip.
Liam slid his arm around her and stepped inside, drawing her into a hug. He kissed her forehead. “We’ll find her.” Then just as quickly, he let go and kept moving. “Come farther inside.” The last thing he wanted was for Roxie to be exposed at the door and either go missing like Destiny or worse. “Everyone on me!” He called the words out, sharp and loud.
When the Vanguard operatives and his SWAT guys swarmed back into the living room, Liam glanced at his lieutenant and got a nod. He recognized one of the Vanguard guys. “Jasper, take Collins and go do a perimeter walk. Figure out how they got in and out.” The front door had been closed when they got here.
He turned to Blake. “Who was bringing her home from Backdraft?”
The officer pulled his phone. “I messaged the bartender I know, and he said Conrad left to drive Destiny home, and he was going to stay with her until Vanguard got here.”
Roxie let out a tiny mew.
He didn’t glance at her. The last thing she needed right now was attention drawn to her. Instead, he said to Jasper, “I’ll call Conrad. You take a look outside.”
They headed for the door.
Liam pulled out his phone. “Everyone else, knock on the neighbors’ doors. Find out if anyone saw anything.” They all started to move. “Roxie, stay with me.”
Even Gage headed out to knock on neighbors’ doors.
“Why do I need to stay?” Her words quivered when she spoke, but she held it together.
“I don’t want you exposed or out of sight.”
