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Another phone buzzed, and Luke didn’t even turn to see whose it was until Blake placed the device in front of him. “Who’s texting you at this hour?”
Luke wanted to throw the thing across the room, but the screen lit up with Ricky’s name.
Ricky: I might have something that could help you.
Luke was out of his chair and out the door in the next instant. He hadn’t even bothered to change out of his clothes or take off his shoes last night. He wanted to be ready at a moment’s notice. As soon as he slammed the door shut behind him, he dialed Ricky. “Talk to me.” He huffed out.
“It’s not much, okay, but I’m trying here. I have a possible phone number. Word on the street is that whoever finds the bounty is supposed to send a message to that number, and that’s how they get paid.”
“What’s the number?” Luke asked.
Ricky read him the digits, then paused. “Oh, and I might’ve overheard one of my cousin’s friends talking about the bounty last night. I don’t know who it is. I just know it’s some chick from California. I swear, this is all I know right now.”
“Good work. I’ll be in touch.” Luke ended the call and bolted back inside. He gave Caden the number.
“I’ll call and see if we can confirm that’s one of the numbers on our victim’s phone,” Caden said, already dialing.
It was strange to think of the man who’d been tormenting Orly as a victim. Orly was the only one who deserved that title as far as Luke was concerned. But if Ricky’s tip actually helped them find her, Luke would be forever in the guy’s debt.
“Okay,” Caden said, as soon as he ended his call. “It matches a number called three times in the last twenty four hours.”
“Fuck, that’s it. That’s the number that takes us to Orly.” Luke knew he was grasping at straws, but he had nothing else to go on.
“It’s a Phoenix area code,” Caden said.
“Let’s go,” Luke said. “We have a plane. We have a city. What more do we need?”
All five of his friends stared at him, their eyes so full of compassion. But he didn’t want their pity. He needed their help.
“We need more to go on,” Blake said.
Caden swallowed thickly in silent agreement with Blake.
“No, we don’t,” Tanner said. “Luke is right. We have a plane, and we have a city. What the hell are you waiting for?”
“And if she’s not in Arizona?” Blake asked.
“Then we’ll be that much closer to her,” Luke said, hoping beyond all hope he wasn’t wrong.
There was a moment of silence when Luke thought he’d have to drop to his knees and beg his friends to do something. Anything. Because he couldn’t sit still for another second.
Caden sighed. “Let’s go.”
With sighs of relief, everyone was on their feet and out the door in a matter of minutes. The guys split up into two cars with Tanner and Garrett driving. Luke got in the front passenger seat with Tanner at the wheel, while Caden and Blake sat in the back.
They pulled into the small airport alongside the white plane, and everyone filed out of the car. Garrett pulled in behind them with Martin, and they all met at the bottom of the air-stair. “You guys go ahead,” Tanner said. “I’ll be of more use here where I actually have jurisdiction.”
“Same,” Garrett and Martin said. “Keep us posted.” Garrett added.
“Will do,” Blake said.
Luke gave his friends who were staying behind a chin lift before boarding the six seater plane with Caden and Blake. “How soon can we get there?” Luke asked the pilot, a tall, fit man, with a receding hairline, and a strong brow. His dark eyes mirrored Luke’s concern and determination, which both surprised and reassured Luke.
“However long it takes, I’m going to try to chop off at least half an hour. I wasn’t told much, but I hear there’s a woman being held captive, and that doesn’t sit well with me. Buckle up, and get ready for a bumpy ride. There’s a storm coming in from the west.”
Luke didn’t know the guy, but he already liked him. He fastened his seatbelt, and watched out the window as the plane gained speed. The nose lifted into the air as the ground fell away below.
Moments later, they were flying through the clouds just as the sun was rising in the east. He could already see the dark storm clouds to the west, but Luke wasn’t afraid of a little weather. It was the men who took Orly, and anyone who dared touch a hair on her head, including the monster responsible for this entire mess in the first place - who should be terrified. Luke was prepared to pull out every stop, even risk, and lose his badge, if it meant getting Orly back.
