“So—Jaxon should be by soon to get you.” Rusty gestured to the door.
“What happened, Rusty?”
“I don’t know, man.”
“Don’t bullshit me. What happened?”
“I don’t know,” Rusty said louder. He threw his hands up. “She—what? Wanted to save her own ass? Thought she’d do better on her own? I have no fucking clue, man. Everyone is breathing down my neck for answers. God, I wish I had some.”
How far did Kade want to push this?
His gut said something was wrong.
Rusty was lying. Was he the rat? Had he sat there while they puzzled it out, happy to let out a bit more rope for them to hang themselves by?
What was going to get Shelby back?
“Hey—this door supposed to be open?” Jaxon stepped in through the open door in the kitchen.
“You parked in the garage?” Rusty asked.
“Yeah.” Jaxon glanced from Rusty to Kade. “Where’s Shelby?”
“She left,” Rusty said too fast.
If Kade was wrong, this was going to suck. But Shelby wouldn’t have left him. He knew it in his bones.
“What?” Jaxon glanced from Rusty to Kade.
“Yeah.” Rusty turned toward Jaxon.
Kade crossed the distance between them, wrapped his hand around Rusty’s throat and shoved him back against the wall. One good hoist and he had the smaller man on his toes. Kade yanked Rusty’s service weapon off his hip and pressed it to his stomach.
“Wow—Kade—man, stop!” Jaxon held his hands up.
“What did you do?” Kade demanded.
Rusty grasped Kade’s forearm with both hands, his mouth working.
“Dude…” Jaxon edged closer.
“He did something to Shelby. What?” Kade flipped the safety switch off. Did Rusty keep his gun loaded? “Jaxon, pop the trunk.”
“Seriously—no way, man. I’m not getting involved with this.” Jaxon took a huge step back.
Rusty’s face was tomato red. He smacked Kade’s forearm.
Kade stepped back, letting Rusty collapse into a heap on the ground. He gasped for breath and braced his back against the wall.
“How—how’d you know?” His head lolled back and he tipped his chin up at an uncomfortable angle.
“I guessed.” Kade pulled the slide on the gun back and pointed it at Rusty, a cold, cool certainty wrapping around his bones. “Where’s Shelby?”
“I don’t know. Honest.” Rusty held his hands up.
“What did you do with her?”
“Nothing! Nothing. I just gave her a ride.”
“You seriously expect me to believe that?”
“It’s the truth. She contacted Ogden. They made a deal. I was just the taxi.” Rusty let his hands slide to the floor, defeat etched into every line of the man’s body.
Kade’s head was still too mired in sleep to process the whole thing.
“Shelby didn’t leave.” He shook his head.
“She did. She made a bargain with the devil.”
Jaxon crossed to the front door and flipped the lock. He made a circuit of the whole first floor, checking doors and windows, while Kade stared down at this broken shell of a man.
What happened to Rusty Rogers?
No wonder the man had been so hard to get a feel for. He was empty.
Kade crouched in front of Rusty.
“Tell me. From the beginning.”
Shelby walked a circuit of the room, from one corner to the next.
This must be what tigers at the zoo felt like. Only, at least the tigers could watch the people watching them. All Shelby had was the three-hundred-and-sixty-degree camera rotating in the middle of the room. The mechanical hum of its motor was the only sound.
Either someone was behind it, following her with perfect precision, or it was some sort of motion sensor device. Her brain didn’t yet want to puzzle it out.
Was this her life now? Kept on display for someone?
She paused at the windows. The metal blinds were on some sort of control. She tried to pry one of the slats down, but it resisted her.
Where she was—what was going to happen to her—who was watching her—all a mystery.
Did it matter anymore?
She turned to survey the room.
A small bathroom and shower, without a door.
A clothing rack full of stuff that wasn’t hers.
A queen bed and nightstand.
There wasn’t a TV, a book or even paper to play tic-tac-toe by herself.
Rusty had put a bag over her head after a while. He’d handed her off to someone who wouldn’t speak. And after a few hours of aimless driving in circles, they’d come here.
By her estimation, they weren’t that far out of Seattle. She wasn’t so lost that driving in circles would confuse her that much. She didn’t know where, but it wasn’t far enough.
Shelby closed her eyes.
This had to stop.
She was a willing captive. Those were the terms of their agreement. Her acceptance for Kade’s life. It wasn’t a small price to pay, but it was something.
Who knew?
Maybe she’d live longer as a caged creature than she would free. At the very least—Kade was safe.
28.
“I’ve seen that guy before.”
Kade turned from Rusty’s stuttering tale to stare at Jaxon.
“What?” Kade held his breath.
“That guy? The one on the video screen from the train depot? Is he the one you’re talking about?” Jaxon shoved his hands in his pockets. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, face creasing in worry.
“When? Where? Are you sure?” Kade stood, his mind whirling.
Rusty was useless. He couldn’t help without risking another’s life. Besides, he was restricted by bureaucratic bullshit. Kade had no intention of following the rules when it came to saving Shelby from herself.
“I didn’t know his name.” Jaxon held up his hands. “Honest. He was just an old, white dude that came into the club and spent a lot of money on girls and booze.”
“Which club?”
Jaxon had worked at just about every ballroom, club and party joint in the greater Seattle area while he was getting back on his feet.
“Over at the Liquid Lounge.” Jaxon pointed west.
The hair on the back of Kade’s neck rose. Jaxon had gotten sacked from the lounge as a result of their unintended Internet fame, but occasionally picked up a night here and there bartending.
“When?” Kade asked.
“Um, a couple weeks ago? Not that long.” Jaxon winced. “That might not be helpful—”
“Do you remember who he talked to? Where he went?”
“Uh…” Jaxon dropped his gaze to the floor. “He talked to a couple of the regulars, the promoter girls.”
“Do you have their numbers?”
“In my phone that got tossed, remember?”
“Shit. Okay. Um.” Kade scrubbed a hand over his face.
“He was talking to Freya. We are supposed to go out this weekend after my fight. I bet I can get a hold of her, but chances are she’s still asleep. It’s too early for that crowd.”
“It’s a start.” Kade turned to Rusty and held out his hand. “Your phone.”
“I can’t—”
“Give me your phone or I take it.” Kade was done playing by the rules, following orders, and coloring inside the lines. He was going to get Shelby back. Rusty grimaced and handed the phone to Kade, who tossed it at Jaxon. “Send Freya a message and then I want to see if Zach is up.”
“Zach? Why would you want to talk to him?” Jaxon asked slowly.
“Because of that.” Kade pointed at Jaxon’s face. Kade had always suspected their friend Zach was more than he appeared to be, and Jaxon knew Zach better than anyone.
“What?”
“Freya, then Zach. Leave the phone here so we can’t be followed. Let’s go.”
“Wait.” Rusty pus
hed to his feet. “I can help.”
“No, thanks,” Kade said over his shoulder.
Jaxon followed Kade out to his car, a tricked-out BMW he’d won back in the day when he was on top of the MMA world.
“Freya’s not responding. Zach is awake and putting coffee on.” Jaxon placed Rusty’s phone on a box in the garage.
They climbed into the BMW and in moments were on the road. Kade watched Rusty at the front door of the house until they took a turn.
“This is crazy, man,” Jaxon muttered. “Do not let my cousin find out about this.”
“I promise.”
“What are we going to do? How do you think Zach can help us?”
Kade hadn’t known for sure. There’d only been a feeling in the back of his head. Zach was an enigma. He showed up, he hung out, but he didn’t talk much. Kade had always had a certain vibe from Zach. Now, he hoped his hunch was right.
“Kade? Man? You listening to me?”
“Sorry—what?” Kade shook his head.
“What are we doing?”
“First, we figure out where our mark has been. What he’s been doing.”
“I thought his name was Ogden…”
“Mark—our target. We need to get a lead on what he’s done, so we can figure out what he’ll do.” Damn, Kade could use his brothers right now. It’d been a hell of a long time since he’d run a scam. There was a lot of footwork in the research, learning the mark. He probably had—what? Hours?
Owen would know the statistics. Kidnapped victims didn’t last long. The longer it took for them to get a hit on Ogden’s whereabouts the less likely it was that they’d find Shelby.
“What about Ian and Ryan?” Jaxon asked.
“What about them?”
“They could help, couldn’t they?”
Ian owed Kade, but the guy had a family in the works. Taylor had already been through so much, Kade couldn’t ask Ian to help with a thing like this. This—with Ogden—it was dangerous.
“Let’s get to Zach’s first.”
It took them a half hour to get to Zach’s condo. Every single second scraped Kade’s nerves raw. By the time Zach opened his front door and let them in, Kade was ready to hit something.
“What’s going on?” Zach glanced from Jaxon to Kade.
“Some complicated shit.” Jaxon shook his head.
Kade turned toward Zach, weighing his next words.
He had suspicions about the other man.
“A man named Iestyn Ogden has kidnapped my girlfriend. I want to find him,” Kade said.
Zach flinched at Ogden’s first name.
Bingo.
“You know who he is.” Kade prowled closer. Zach shifted his weight from foot to foot, but never broke eye contact. “I don’t need to know how or why—I just want to find him. Can you help me?”
“No.” Zach shook his head eyes wide. He wasn’t that great a liar, not when he’d been caught off guard.
“What?” Jaxon jolted and stepped away from his friend.
“Please, Zach.” Kade balled his hands into fists.
“I can’t help you find him, not without putting my sister and her family at risk. Don’t ask me to do that. I like you. I respect you. But if I have to choose, Tali will always be my first concern.”
“What the hell are you into?” Jaxon stared at Zach in horror.
“No—it’s not like that.” Zach turned to Jaxon, but the other man stepped back, putting distance between them.
“You know what this asshole does to people? And you’re going to protect him? No, man. Fuck that shit. I don’t even know you.” Jaxon’s face twisted into a mask of betrayal. Given his history, it was a wonder Zach had ever thought to keep a secret like that from Jaxon.
“You have no idea who you’re dealing with.” Zach whirled back toward Kade.
“Actually, I have a pretty good idea.” Kade stared at the lines of worry etched into Zach’s face. “I’ve spent the last week working undercover with an FBI team on the verge of capturing him. We were close. Instead, he kidnapped Shelby, and the FBI is going to hang her out to dry.”
“You have no idea…” Zach glanced away, the lines deepening.
“I do. I’ve done my homework. Either you’re part of the solution or the problem, Zach. If I’ve learned anything in the last twenty-four hours it’s that if he has leverage, he’ll use it. So, you think you’re protecting Tali by not helping us? Chances are, you’re just postponing the inevitable. So have a nice fucking life, and don’t ask us for help.”
Kade stepped around Zach and headed for the door.
Owen would help. He’d have to follow the rules, but he’d help.
“Wait.” Zach turned. “What are you going to do when you find him?”
“I’d like him to face justice.” Kade glanced over his shoulder.
“You can’t capture him, you know? If you do this, you have to kill him.”
“I’m aware that’s the safest option.” Kade put his hand on the door.
“I know a guy who knows a guy who can help. Come on.” Zach trudged through the condo and up the stairs.
Kade paused, laying a hand on Jaxon’s shoulder.
“You don’t have to do this,” he said.
“I thought I knew him.” Jaxon stared at the stairs.
“You never really know someone until you’ve walked in their shoes.” Kade didn’t know how or why Zach had need of Ogden’s services or connections, and he didn’t need to. What mattered was that, going forward, they were all on the same page. “You don’t have to stay.”
“What kind of friend would I be if I left now?” Jaxon shook his head. “No, man. That’s not me. After what you guys have done for me, no.”
Kade figured that would be Jaxon’s answer, but he still had to offer. Jaxon suffered from blind loyalty. It’d gotten him in trouble a time or two. This could be another instance. Still, Kade was grateful for his insight and support.
They followed Zach’s trail of cats up the stairs. The three, hairless cats weren’t exactly friendly. More like, they tolerated Kade and Jaxon’s presence.
Zach was their resident techno-wizard. He’d done well for himself in a small, app start-up company doing their coding. He wasn’t as rough around the edges as most of the guys in their circle, and if it weren’t for a shoulder accident playing cricket, Zach might never have become one of them.
“How we doing this?” Kade stood back, watching Zach behind what looked like a half shell of monitors.
“We are doing nothing.” Zach glanced over his shoulder. “I’m going to access the dark net and contact someone I think can get us a direct line on Ogden. This is highly illegal, and I haven’t done it in a long time. It might not work.”
“Will it take long?”
“Maybe. Depends on if they’re awake.”
“Hey, uh, any chance I can check my Facebook messages?” Jaxon asked.
“Sure. Laptop over there.” Zach pointed without looking.
Kade nodded. The sooner they made contact with Jaxon’s friend, the sooner they decided on their next move. Ian was out because of family. Owen and Zach never got on well, probably because Owen got the same vibe Kade did. The only difference was that Kade didn’t have a problem with legalities the same way Owen would.
“Hey, uh, Kade?” Jaxon glanced up.
“Hm?”
“I think we’ve got a problem. Look. There’s a dozen posts from the last few days, people asking if Freya’s okay, if anyone has seen her.” Jaxon turned the laptop toward Kade. “This one—this worries me.”
It was a post from two days ago.
I last saw Freya with two of our other friends at the Liquid Lounge. It’s been five days. They haven’t shown up for work. I’m worried. Anyone else heard from Freya, Megan, or Dana?
“Zach, can I borrow your phone?” Kade reached for the cordless phone sitting in the cradle.
“Go for it.”
Kade pulled out his wallet and thumbed Owen’
s business card out until he could see the number. They were playing a much bigger game here than he’d realized.
“This is Detective King.”
“Owen. It’s Kade.”
“Hey—I didn’t recognize—”
“Can you look and see if a missing person’s report has been filed?”
“Uh…sure. Hold on. What’s the name?”
“Freya Thorburn.”
“Yeah. You know something?”
“No, just more questions. Who and when was she reported missing?”
“Let’s see…five days ago, by her roommate. Said she didn’t think anything because they have weird schedules. What’s going on, Kade? How is this connected to what you’re doing?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Kade, seriously, what can I do? We’ve had a bunch of club girls go missing in the last seven days. There’s a substantial uptick in missing persons. They’re pulling a lot of guys in from other departments to work on these.”
“How many?”
“I’ve got at least a dozen reports on my desk alone. For every one reported, I’d bet there’s another one we don’t know about. These girls work hard, keep weird hours, and they don’t always run with the best crowd. It would be easy for them to slip through the cracks.”
“I’ll keep you posted.”
“What are you doing at Zach’s house?”
“You just ran the number?”
“Well, you aren’t telling me much. Kade—what’s going on?”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it under control.”
Kade hung up and scrubbed a hand across his face. This was bigger and more complicated than he’d imagined.
What was Ogden doing? What did he need these women for? Why Shelby?
They only had more questions, not answers.
Shelby would do criminal things for a burger.
She regretted passing up the food last night, but she hadn’t been able stomach it then. Now, she was paying the price.
Judging by the way the light slanted through the blinds it was somewhere near mid-day, maybe early afternoon. The room faced east. She’d lose track of the time once it dipped down on the other side of the house.
There wasn’t any traffic, no sounds of neighbors or the city. Didn’t mean much. Soundproofing was reasonably affordable these days, and if the room had been reinforced to serve as a cell, it would also dampen sound.
Her Prince (Twisted Royals #2) Page 25
