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Sean took the picture from the agent and handed it to Ian. The surveillance image was black and white. It depicted a man climbing out of a car. Ian studied the man’s features, but he didn’t look familiar. Sean lifted his eyebrows at Ian, who shook his head and handed the image back.
“This man is Zack. He’s Carillo’s second.” Gomez held out another picture.
When Ian held it up, his blood ran cold. The man was dressed in a suit, much like the one he wore to the diner that day. He had minimal facial hair and dark eyes. Ian shoved the image away, nodding. “I saw him at the diner.”
Gomez’s shrewd focus landed on Ian. “You must be Ian.”
He shifted. “Yeah, why?”
“It took some digging, but when Jessica went missing and we couldn’t find a body, we assumed she left with someone who was at the diner. One of the waitresses said you were a regular for the last few months.”
Brock groaned. “You just had to go ogle that girl, didn’t you? And now look where it’s got us. We have drug traffickers breathing down our necks and a girl who’s on the run.” He paced the floor a few times before he stopped and faced the agents. “What’s it gonna take to get this all figured out? Does she hand over the jump drive? Does Ian testify? Or are we stuck always looking over our shoulders?”
Gomez tucked the notebook into her pocket. “If Tucker did his job right, then all we need is that flash drive and we’ll have everything we need to bring in all the top guys. It’s taken years to get the right information. Please tell me Jessica has it.”
Sean nodded. “She has it.”
Relief broke across Gomez’s features. She smiled and got to her feet. “Excellent. Would you mind getting her for us?”
Ian breathed out a sigh. Finally. This would all be over. “I’ll get her.”
Brock cleared his throat. “You won’t find her.”
All eyes turned to Brock. Ian froze. A thousand bells rang in his head. What did Brock mean? Jessica was upstairs where he’d left her.
His brother shifted, his arms crossing his chest once more. “She’s gone.”
“What do youmean, she’s gone?” Ian growled between clenched teeth. “I left her upstairs not even forty-five minutes ago.”
For once Brock looked worried. But that emotion disappeared as a fresh mask of defensiveness replaced it. “She snuck out and I didn’t stop her.”
“Shewhat?” Ian stormed toward his brother, who backed up a few steps. “You let herleave? Even after the orchard, the fire, and who knows what else those men are planning?” His breaths puffed out as he seethed with a fury he hadn’t felt since his father died. “She has nowhere to go, Brock.” He jabbed his finger toward the front door. “Those men could be out there looking for her and you just let her—” He let out a rumbling growl and spun around. Running both hands through his hair, he stormed across the floor and out of the room.
“Ian! Where are you going?” his mother called after him.
“I’m going to find her.”
A trail of people followed him as he yanked his hat from a hook on the wall. He moved to a closet down the hall and opened the door. Digging through box after box, he finally stopped when he found the ammunition he was looking for. Then he grabbed a rifle and slipped the strap over his head.
“Ian, it’s dark you can’t just—”
He froze and glowered at his oldest brother. “I can’twhat? Save the woman I love from a horrendous death? It’s not just criminals out there. Or did you forget there are animals that would love to take a bite of her too?” He set his angry gaze on Brock. “You would have never forgiven me if I had let Madison leave like that. Maybe you deserve to be alone.”
Brock didn’t say a word as Ian pushed past him. He avoided his mother’s hurt expression and the curious looks the agents gave him.
Sean stepped in front of him. “You’re not going alone. We have no idea where she went or if she even found a ride. We should call the sheriff and see if he’s heard anything.”
Ian snorted. “You don’t care about her. You just want to get that flash drive back.”
Sean placed a heavy hand on Ian’s shoulder. Pain emanated from his gaze. “I care about you, and if you love her, then I care about her too. We need to do this the right way.”
Brock stepped forward. “She took my phone. You could track it.”
Ian refused to look at his brother. The traitor had done enough damage.
“Good. We’ll start with that. Go get a computer and look it up.” He turned to Ian. “We’ll find her.”
Ian retrieved his phone and set up the tracker for Brock’s number. He waited for the address to populate. A small blue blip pulsed on his screen. Using his finger and thumb, Ian zoomed in. “Got it.”
