Polaris: Book Five of The Stardust Series

by Autumn Reed

  He was quiet, considering, and I wondered if I had finally gotten through to him. I was on the verge of forcing him to agree with me when Perrin walked out. He was alone, thankfully, and he headed straight for a dark sedan.

  “Text Jax,” I commanded as I started the engine and put the SUV in drive. I hoped wherever his destination, it was close. We didn’t have much daylight left.

  As it turned out, we didn’t have far to go, because he pulled up in front of a city park about ten minutes later. Since it was almost dark, there were few people out and even fewer vehicles in the area. I parked almost a block away and reached for the binoculars in my backpack while Theo extracted a compact pair from the glove box.

  Perrin walked straight to an empty bench and sat. Since he didn’t seem like the type to watch ducks swimming in the pond, he had to be meeting someone. But who? Another of Dickhead’s goons? Or was he on a job, maybe a drug deal?

  After fifteen minutes of nothing but Perrin sitting there, I spotted a man approaching from the opposite direction. He strode purposefully toward the bench, and once again a sense of familiarity hit me. Hard.

  “Motherfucker,” Theo whispered, breaking his usual ban on swearing. “Is that who I think it is?”

  I nodded, suddenly too livid to find the words to speak aloud. Grant Perrin, confirmed henchman for Vincent DuBois, was secretly meeting with Kenneth fucking James. Unbelievable.

  Unable to tear my eyes away from the unexpected conspirators, I used voice command to call Jax’s cell. “You’re not going to believe who Perrin led us to.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Kenneth James.”

  There was a long pause before his seething voice carried over the line. “Monitor their exchange, then follow Kenneth.”

  “What about Perrin?” Theo asked. “We could easily confront them now. They wouldn’t be expecting it.”

  “No, it’s too risky,” Jax said, his tone firm. “We have no idea what they’re up to. Do you have a tracker with you?”

  I scoffed. “What do you think?”

  “Attach it to Perrin’s car. We can always question him later. Our priority is relocating Kenneth to our turf. I’ll get Uncle in on this now. Call me back when you move.”

  “Got it.”

  As soon as Jax hung up, I retrieved a tracking device from my backpack and handed Theo the keys. “Drive around to the other side of the park. I’ll meet you over there.”

  “Knox,” Theo said, stopping me. “Do you think Kenneth could be involved in Haley’s disappearance?”

  Still too angry to think straight, I shook my head. It wasn’t a no. It was a if he is, he’ll wish he’d never stepped foot in San Jose kind of shake.

  After placing the tracker on the undercarriage of Perrin’s car, I darted around the edges of the park, careful to stay out of sight. As tempting as it was to confront them here and now, I forced myself to follow Jax’s instructions. Not only did we not know what they were capable of, we were in a public place. I couldn’t exactly take them both down and throw them in the back of the SUV. Well, I could, I thought, my mood lightening as I allowed that vision to play out.

  By the time I made it to Theo and hopped in the SUV, the men were headed back toward their vehicles. It didn’t appear that they’d done anything other than talk. No exchange of documents, money, or drugs. Why the hell were they meeting?

  While Theo followed Kenneth from a safe distance, I called Jax through the Bluetooth system again. “He’s on the move.”

  “Okay, hold on a sec.” There were muffled voices in the background, then he was back. “Uncle is calling him now and luring him to the training center. Make sure he goes straight there, but don’t engage once you arrive.”

  Don’t engage? Was he serious? This was the second time he’d said that today, and I’d had enough.

  “Knox, I mean it. Stay in the car. It’s being handled.”

  My jaw clenched with suppressed frustration and a not insignificant amount of rage. Obviously, Jax had anticipated my reaction and was putting me on a short leash. Damn him.

  “We’ve got it,” Theo answered while he glanced at me from the corner of his eye.

  “If it makes you feel any better, one of our holding cells will finally get some use,” Jax added.

  “You mean one of the panic rooms?” Theo asked in jest, probably hoping to lighten my mood.

  The secret rooms in the training center were only known to the teams who took assignments outside of the typical private security parameters. Management always referred to them as panic rooms, but we all knew their true purpose, and Kenneth was about to experience their utility firsthand. If I remembered correctly, he was the one who suggested the rooms be added to the building plans. Irony?

  “Yes,” Jax replied, his tone marginally brighter. “See you soon. Good work.”

  I ended the call, unwilling to accept his recognition of a job well done. This could be a lead, or it could be a rabbit trail, an utter waste of time. Until we had something solid, I wouldn’t allow myself even a moment of relief.

  Sweetheart, where are you?

  22

  Rendezvous

  Patrick

  I hung up with Jackson and stared at the black screen for a few seconds too long. Kenneth would arrive at the training center any minute, so I needed to get a move on. If only my feet would cooperate.

  Pushing my car door open, I forced one foot in front of the other until I made it to the office I used at the center. Jackson and I would question Kenneth in here first before transferring him to a panic room, if necessary. I couldn’t fathom that being the case, but we’d do what we had to. If it turned out he was somehow involved in Haley’s disappearance, our decades of friendship, our business partnership, would cease to matter. Haley was family now. She came first.

  I set up my laptop and arranged random paperwork on the table to reinforce the story I’d told Kenneth on the phone—I needed his help researching a former client. It didn’t make much sense that I was supposedly working out of the training center, but he’d seemed to buy my story that I needed space away from Team Jaguar to think.

  As I waited for him to arrive, I recalled my interactions with him over the last year, searching for signs. Should I have suspected his illicit, or at least secretive, activities? Nothing came to mind. He’d seemed his usual demanding, stubborn self.

  I closed my eyes for a few moments and cleared my mind of all thoughts, positive and negative. I’d been in this business long enough to know I couldn’t make assumptions based on limited information. Kenneth was innocent until proven guilty. I would let him explain himself before passing judgment.

  Jackson texted to let me know Kenneth was headed my way. I schooled my features and readied myself for whatever came next.

  When he entered, I gestured to the seat across from me and forced a smile. “Thank you for coming.”

  “Not a problem.” His demeanor was as poised as ever. If Knox and Theo hadn’t seen him meeting with Perrin with their own eyes, I wouldn’t believe it was possible. “What’s going on?”

  I leaned back, keeping my limbs loose and casual. The less confrontational my body language, the more likely he’d cooperate. That was, until Jackson arrived. I didn’t have long.

  “We’ve been friends for many years.”

  “We have,” he agreed easily.

  “And in all that time, I don’t remember you ever keeping secrets from me.”

  His brows pinched together. “What’s this about?”

  “Grant Perrin.”

  His face remained blank, and I only noticed a slight stiffening of his shoulders. He was good.

  “What about him?”

  “Why did you meet with him this evening?”

  Now, he straightened in his chair and glowered at me. “Did you have me followed?”

  “No, we were following Perrin. You were a happy coincidence,” I lied. There was nothing remotely happy about this situation. Interrogating one of my oldest fri
ends and most trusted confidantes was one of the last things I would choose to do. Nevertheless, it had to be done.

  “Well, I have no idea why you were following Grant, but we were merely saying hello while I was in town. He used to work in the D.C. office.”

  It was a plausible excuse, but I didn’t believe him. Neither did Jackson, if his cold expression as he entered the room was anything to go by.

  “I’m not buying it,” Jackson said, electing to stand at the head of the table instead of sitting. Smart tactic, though if we’d had a chance to strategize, I would have urged him to rein in his temper until I got more out of Kenneth. “Try again.”

  Kenneth lifted his hands in surrender. “I have no idea what you mean. I was catching up with a former colleague.”

  “You’re telling me that you met in a park to have an innocent chat with a man who is employed by one of the most notorious criminal organizations in the state?” His fists clenched, and I could tell he was barely hanging on to his control. “Try again.”

  Kenneth’s eyes widened in what might have been surprise, but I sincerely doubted it. “Criminal organization? Are you sure?”

  “Yes, the one under the control of Vincent DuBois, as you well know.”

  The questioning continued like that—Kenneth denying any knowledge of Perrin’s activities and Jackson pushing him, getting angrier by the second—until I couldn’t take any more.

  “That’s enough,” I interrupted, my voice cool and authoritative. “Our sole objective right now is to find Haley, and we need to know whether you have any useful information.”

  That seemed to snap Jackson out of his argumentative mode and into something downright lethal as he leaned over the table, pausing within inches of Kenneth’s face. “I will stop at nothing to get her back. If you know anything or are in any way involved, I will bury you.”

  Kenneth, never one to be intimidated, stared blankly back at Jackson for long, silent moments before responding. “If you truly think DuBois’s organization is behind Haley’s disappearance, I might know something that could help.”

  “Tell us,” Jackson said.

  “Rendezvous.” Why did that sound familiar? “It’s an upscale gentlemen’s club known for employing young women through questionable means. Though the club is technically owned by a shell corporation, DuBois is behind it. If Haley was taken by his organization, I would bet my 401(k) that she’ll end up there.”

  That was a very specific response. Too specific. “How do you know about the club and DuBois’s ownership?”

  He raised an eyebrow, clearly not interested in sharing. Lucky for him, the reason for his knowledge wasn’t the most important thing right now. Not so lucky for him, we had no intention of letting him off the hook so easily.

  “Is that all you have?”

  “Yes.”

  I nodded to Jackson, and he opened the door and gestured for Logan and Tyler to enter. Tyler, who was holding a pair of handcuffs, moved to Kenneth’s side.

  He leapt from his chair. “What’s the meaning of this?”

  “We’re transferring you to one of the panic rooms,” I said calmly.

  “You can’t keep me prisoner,” he spat, his face red with fury. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “I’m prepared to do whatever is necessary to bring Haley home. Since I have a feeling you haven’t told us everything, I think it’s best to ensure you remain on the premises.”

  I tried to ignore the niggle of doubt working its way up my spine. Was it possible we were wrong, and he was innocent in all of this? No, I couldn’t think like that. He’d just proved that he knew more than he should. “Tyler, Logan, proceed.”

  “Please place your hands in front of you, Mr. James,” Tyler said.

  “This is outrageous!” Kenneth’s head whipped to the door, like he was considering an escape, but Tyler, Logan, and Jackson blocked his path. When he finally accepted that he wouldn’t get away, he allowed his wrists to be cuffed while he glared at me. “You’re making a huge mistake, Ross. The other directors will never allow this to stand.”

  My stomach churned as I watched Logan and Tyler escort him from the room. No matter how this turned out, the result was devastating. Either I was falsely accusing one of my oldest friends of conspiring in a plot I didn’t yet understand, or he was guilty of putting Haley in danger and who knew what other acts. Both seemed unthinkable.

  “Is it possible he’s jerking us around?” Jackson asked.

  “It’s possible but unlikely. His response about Rendezvous came too quickly, almost like it was rehearsed. I think this might be our first real lead.”

  He nodded, looking both pissed and relieved. “I’m going to find a computer to help Chase dig up dirt on the club. What do you want to do about Kenneth?”

  “I’ll let him stew for a while before I try talking to him again. Maybe he’ll have a sudden crisis of conscience.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  His words were spoken with bitterness, but I could see beyond his façade. Jackson was worried to the point of making himself sick. And, knowing him, he had already found a way to accept full responsibility for whatever happened to Haley.

  “We’ll find her, Jax.”

  “What if we’re too late?” He linked his hands behind his head and started pacing like a caged tiger. “I’ve never been this terrified. Not even in Japan.”

  As always, that single word brought on a rush of memories I’d worked hard to bury. The tsunami and aftermath would forever haunt us both. Obviously, the threat of losing Haley was taking him back to that time, when his entire world had been swept away.

  I squeezed his shoulder, bringing his pacing to a halt. “Now is not the time to lose hope. We finally have a place to start. Let’s get to work.”

  Resolve replaced the desperation in his eyes, and he left without another word. I didn’t even want to think about what would happen if we didn’t find Haley. Or if we did and she wasn’t . . . okay. All of the guys had been a wreck the last couple of days. They were so clearly in love with her, I was almost surprised Stephen hadn’t up and slugged any—or all—of them yet.

  From the beginning, I’d made a concerted effort to be supportive of their decision to pursue her for keeps, and I now knew that I’d made the right choice. Whether it made sense to outsiders or not, Haley was a part of them. She was the missing piece that made them whole. We would bring her home.

  My mind wandered back to Rendezvous. There must have been a reason recognition reared its head as soon as I heard the name.

  I fired up my laptop, and a quick database search brought up only one result, and it suddenly clicked. I’d run an extensive background check on a prospective client last year, and Rendezvous was listed as a club he frequented. His penchant for watching strippers wasn’t relevant to our business, so I hadn’t conducted any additional research on the establishment.

  Would he be willing to help? Though his morals were questionable, he’d seemed like a decent enough man. I was about to find out if my instincts were correct.

  When he answered my call, I reintroduced myself then got straight to the point. “What can you tell me about the girls at Rendezvous?”

  I was met with the muted sounds of talking and laughter but no response. While I understood his hesitation, I needed this information. “Look, you have a teenage daughter, right? Norah?” I’d checked his file before calling.

  “Yes,” he replied, sounding suspicious.

  “Imagine that Norah was taken by the men who run that club. The last thing you would care about was turning in the clients. You’d only be interested in getting her back, and once that was taken care of, shutting the club down for good.”

  “I didn’t know you had a daughter.”

  “I don’t, but I have someone who is close enough,” I replied honestly.

  He was quiet again for so long, I wondered if I’d gone too far by bringing up Norah. Finally, he sighed into the phone. “Okay, but we need to do this in person. I’
m at a bar downtown. How soon can you meet me?”

  “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

  23

  Worst Nightmare

  Haley

  The rest of the weekend was uneventful, and by Monday morning, I was still no closer to an escape. Regardless of the reason we'd been abducted, our captors wouldn’t keep us here forever. Although none of the other girls had been “taken,” at least not to Carmen’s and my knowledge, it was only a matter of time.

  Until then, we remained in a holding pattern, subjected to the taunts and leers of the guards while waiting to discover our fate. What were they going to do with us? I'd used every bathroom break and interaction with the guards to try to glean clues, but I was still in the dark. If only I could get some answers.

  About an hour after breakfast, I was surprised to hear the telltale sound of the lock sliding open. Immediately on edge, I clutched the blanket beneath my hands, and my gaze shot to Carmen, who stiffened. For the past few days, we were generally left alone unless the guards delivered meals or escorted us to the bathroom. This visit was unexpected and, if I had to guess, unwelcome.

  The guard I referred to as Scarface stomped into the room, gun in hand, and pointed it at me. “Come with me.”

  When I hesitated, he marched closer. He smelled of cheap cologne and fried food, and I shrank back when he wrapped a hand around my bicep.

  “Fight me, I dare you,” he sneered.

  I remained frozen in place, fear and anger warring for control. He pulled me to my feet, fingers digging into my skin, and forced me ahead of him.

  I gave Carmen a quick nod, projecting more bravado than I felt, and allowed myself to be led from the room. The young guard stood sentry outside, bolting the door behind us. The loud thud echoed with a sense of finality, and I worried whether I would see Carmen again. I will, I told myself, even as I was led farther away from her.

  Feeling akin to a prisoner walking to her execution, I tried to remain calm as we padded across the common area and down a hall I hadn’t seen before. Doors lined the walls, light pouring from beneath some. What went on behind them—were they quarters for the guards, bathrooms, something else?