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He shouldn’t hear that ringtone nearby right now. Not without being able to see that woman anywhere.
The ringtone sounded again.
Of a wolf howling.
She'd programmed it in as his ring tone when she'd been angry with him that first day he'd been watching over her. Told him it was his man dog call.
"I have a phone over here!" Dom said, fifteen feet away. “Teal case.”
"Don't touch it," Daniel said. He looked at Jarrod. Both knew...he didn't even have to say the words. "It's Haldyn's."
“It’s too damned close to Bell’s body,” Jarrod said, fear tightening his throat instantly. “Why is her phone out here? Where the hell is she? I left her in her office!”
Dom squatted down. Used his own phone as a light. "Screen's cracked. It hit hard. Or was run over. She was out here."
"She was supposed to be in her damned office. I left her in her office!" He checked the bracelet app on his phone. He'd checked it less than an hour ago. She'd been in the TSP building then. "It's...not signaling. Why is it not signaling?"
What good were the bracelets Houghton talked about so much if they didn’t help when they were needed? There was no alert registered either. She had had that bracelet on when they had left the castle that morning. He had made sure of it. Either it had malfunctioned—or she hadn’t been able to get the distress signal in in time to do any damned good.
"I don't know," Daniel said. He waved Dom and Jake over. "Get people searching the lab for Haldyn. Now."
Dom ordered the nearest half-dozen uniformed officers to get on that. It was shift change. They had extra people. That was good. The more people—the faster they found her.
One of the road officer supervisors jogged up. "I got this from the security guard. You'll want to see this."
"Thanks, Bryant," Daniel said, taking the man's phone. Jarrod stepped closer.
Daniel hit play. They watched. "That's Kimball. And Bell there."
"Haldyn comes up in about ten seconds," Bryant Naylor said. "Walks around the corner and right into them."
Jarrod watched in disbelief as that son-of-a-bitch just Bell struck her. Grabbed her. And dragged her outside.
"There's another video. Parking lot,” Naylor said. "I'll sum it up to save time. Bell is dragging Haldyn outside—audio about what they were arguing about was muffled. He gets her to his SUV and into the back. Hits her, I think. She's...hurt, dazed. Kimball gets in the driver's seat. Bell says something. Then Kimball just pulls his weapon and shoots Bell. Point blank. Runs him over. Drives off with her in the back seat—in Bell’s SUV. Head out toward Boethe and just keep going. Took less than three minutes."
Just how quickly she had been yanked away from him—Jarrod fought rage and fear. She was out there. She would know he was coming for her. He would always come for her.
"Let's move," Daniel said. "Get as many people out on that road as we possibly can. Naylor, call in Bell’s plate. Make it clear to everyone that this is a hostage situation and to be as cautious as possible. This is not a routine stolen vehicle.”
“Let’s move.” Jarrod was going to get her back and when he did—he wasn’t letting her go ever again.
84
Sol knew he was dangerously close to losing control here.
But he had choices. Finally.
He had choices—that could do good. But there was no way in hell he was leaving these three girls out here undefended while he did it. Those bastards in Wichita Falls had people everywhere. He couldn’t forget that. "In the van, girls. Now. All three of you."
He hauled Wilson to his feet. Fucker wasn't bleeding that badly. Kimball shoved the gun under the younger man's chin. Pressed it there, so the burn of the barrel from his previous shots was unmistakable. Waited until the guy's eyes widened. Showed actual fear. The only thing that would make it better was if Wilson pissed his pants. "One wrong move, and I'll enjoy it. I’ve killed Bell and Costovia both tonight. Nothing to lose now, Wilson. Nothing to lose. Remember that. You feel afraid yet? Like you wanted these innocent girls to? Is it personal for you now, yet? You getting the message from Wichita Falls yet, asshole? Going to piss your pants yet?"
"What are you going to do, detective?" Haldyn asked. Cool, calm in a crisis. Just like her father. He hated knowing what Gordon had done to her. He didn't think the girl was lying. There had been too much pain in her eyes for that. She had been getting hurt all those years. Sol could have stopped it—if he had only known.
Sol would have. He’d have protected Hallie and Reid and Blake. He would have. Even from his friend. Because it would have been the right thing to do.
What was that old quote? All that it took for evil was good men doing nothing, or something like that? His own mother used to say that all the time.
She'd been so proud the day Sol had pinned on the badge.
