aHunter4Life (aHunter4Hire) (10 page)

Speed
was of essence.

Visitors
blocked their way. They pushed past them until they came to the front of the
mansion. No one was carrying a briefcase. They stopped at the terrace that
looked out over the front entranceway and drive to the mansion. It was empty.

No
quarry could have gotten away so fast.

“
Where
did they go?
”
Catal’s
voice was low as he looked
at Partlan.

“
It
had to be one of the paparazzi
.”

“
Did
anyone come your way,
Firbin
?”
Partlan’s
voice was clipped.

“
No.
”

“
Breanon
?
”

“
A
couple holding hands, but no briefcases.
”
Breanon’s
voice was dry.

“
Then
we need to take a second look at the photographer’s residences.
”

“
I
agree.
” Catal turned back toward the mansion and came face to face with
Agent Bakker.

“Agent
Kelly wants to talk to you.” Bakker moved his suit coat aside to show his gun.
“Now.”

Partlan
shrugged. “We have done nothing wrong.”

“She’ll
be the judge of that.”

Bakker
pushed Partlan down the stone path. Catal followed. The FBI might think that
they were in control, but it was obvious that they’d been outsmarted. Catal
pressed back his own frustration at the debacle that the ransom drop had
become. He’d made a promise to Selena and the last thing he wanted was to
return to her without her son.

When
they reached the parking lot, Agent Kelly stepped out of a large black cube
truck. Her mouth was rigid and she was clenching her hands.

“I
told you to stay away.”

“It
is a free country.” Partlan tilted his head. “At least that was what I was
told.”

“We
did nothing wrong.” Catal didn’t bother keeping the exasperation out of his
voice. “You’re the ones that botched the operation.”

“We
did no such thing.” Agent Kelly grabbed
Partlan’s
arm
and turned him to face the van. She frisked him for weapons, taking away a
pistol and knife. “You and your men spooked the kidnappers.”

“Is
that why the ransom money is gone?”

“How
do you know that?”

“I
am not blind.” Partlan leaned close to the woman. “You put the briefcase behind
the fountain and then you were stampeded by the paparazzi. By the time I
reached the area, the case was gone.”

Agent
Kelly bit her lip. “How much time before they took the case.”

Partlan
leaned back and crossed his arms. “Are you asking for our help?”

“I’m
interrogating a possible suspect.” Kelly’s eyes narrowed. “I can do it here, or
at headquarters under lock and key.”

Partlan
nodded. “You do want our help.”

“Just
answer the question.”

“They
had to have taken the case when the paparazzi rushed the fountain area.”
Partlan’s
voice was serious. “That meant less than a
minute.”

“How
do you know they didn’t take it earlier?”

“Your
men would have told you if they had.”
Partlan’s
eyes
never left her face. “I saw no one approach the drop until it was swarmed and
then it was too congested to get a clear view.”

Agent
Kelly’s hands clenched at her side. “Did someone run past either of you?”

Catal
shook his head. “I was guarding the stairs to the change rooms and pool. No one
came that way.”

“We
checked out the other pathways to the mansion, but there were no suspicious
people carrying a briefcase.” Partlan frowned. “They might have ditched the
case, but no one was leaving the mansion from the front entrance when we
reached it.”

“That
leaves the parking lot and we had that covered.” Agent Kelly sighed. “I want
you two back at the Walter’s residence for a debriefing. Where are your other
men?”

“They’re
on another assignment.” Partlan kept his voice neutral.

“Then
you two can come with us.”

Agent
Kelly didn’t give them an option. Catal was frisked by one of the other agents.
He was relieved of his two guns. They didn’t find the small knife he had belted
to the inside of a hidden compartment in his boot. Then they were pushed into
the van.

They
were shoved onto a bench seat just as the vehicle start to move. Catal crossed
his arms and leaned back against the metal side. He closed his eyes and
listened to the orders that Partlan was relaying to the rest of the unit
through mind connection. It was standard operation strategy. Malac and
Firbin
would review the tapes with
Ranon
in their surveillance van.
Breanon
was to follow them
back to the Walter’s estate and be ready if they needed help escaping custody.
Once they’d determined who had taken the money they would leave the estate with
or without the approval of the FBI.

Catal
concentrated on remembering every detail of the ransom drop, including the
people that had walked past him. No one was carrying a briefcase, or a backpack
large enough to hold the ransom money. The only answer was that the kidnapper
was either one of the paparazzi or had hired one of them to pick up the
briefcase when they mobbed the fountain area.

They
reached the house in a few minutes. When they entered, Nikki, Steve and Selena
were all waiting at the door.
Catal’s
chest tightened
at the look of hope on Selena’s face. She glanced behind him, searching for her
son, then looked up at him. He shook his head.

Her
pain was a physical stab to his gut. He almost doubled over at the intense
agony that ripped through his body. He forced back his nausea and pulled Selena
into his arms. He held her tight.

“We’ll
find him.” His whispered assurance only made her shiver more violently. “I
promise, I will do everything in my power to bring him back to you.”

Selena
let him hold her for a few seconds before her back stiffened and she pushed
away. “What happened?”

“The
area was swarmed with photographers.” Agent Kelly’s voice was businesslike.
“Someone must have tipped off the paparazzi that there was going to be a ransom
drop-off. Did any of you speak to the press?”

“Are
you nuts?” Steve’s voice was scornful. “They’re the last people we’d talk to.”

Agent
Kelly nodded. “Alright. Who else did you tell about the drop? Nothing is ever a
secret for long in this town.”

“No
one.” Nikki’s voice was choked with tears. “This is our son’s life we’re
talking about. Do you honestly think we would jeopardize it?”

Agent
Kelly shrugged. “I don’t know at this point. We have to reassess our options
and move forward from here. The kidnappers have their money. They should be in
contact with us about an exchange for the children.”

“Do
you think that’s possible?” Nikki’s voice held a note of hope.

“It’s
what we agreed to.” Agent Kelly pushed Partlan ahead of her into the room where
the FBI had set up their surveillance. “Meanwhile, these gentlemen need to
answer some questions.”

Catal
was grabbed by one of the other agents. He released Selena. She watched him move
away with eyes that begged for answers. He sent her a wave of love. It was the
only answer he had at this moment. Once the FBI were finished with their
questions, hopefully the other Hunters would have narrowed down the search of
the photographers who had shown up at the
Greystone
.

Catal
was pushed into a chair.

Partlan
sat beside him.

“How
the hell did you get there before us?”

“We
told you our men were already in place.” Catal crossed his arms. “We’re not the
kidnappers. We’re trying to help.”

“You’ve
been obstructing justice” Agent Kelly paced in front of them. “I want to know
where your other men are.”

“They
have their orders.”

“I
want them here.” Kelly leaned close to Partlan. “If they don’t show up
willingly, I will issue a warrant for their arrest.”

“You
have already threatened us with that.”
Partlan’s
jaw
tightened. “Why not ask us your questions. You are wasting valuable time. Time
that the boys have very little of.”

Partlan’s
words seemed to force Agent Kelly back to the present. “Alright. When did you
start your surveillance of the area?”

“We
went there as soon as the drop was arranged.”

“There’s
no way you could have gotten there before us.” Kelly crossed her arms. “Enough
lies. I want the truth.”

Partlan
sat up in his chair. “We were there early enough to see your surveillance van
arrive this morning.”

Agent
Kelly stepped back. “Alright, so you made us.”

“So
did the kidnappers.”
Catal’s
voice was harsh. “There
was no chance they were going to let themselves be caught at the drop area. You
should be focusing your attention on the paparazzi that circled you.”

“We’ve
already looked at that angle.” The agent stood back with arms crossed. “Did you
notify them of the drop so that we wouldn’t be able to follow what was
happening?”

“No.”
Partlan’s
voice was curt.

“How
did they find out?”

“I
imagine the kidnappers told them.” Catal bit back his anger. Answering these
questions was wasting time. An idiot could have figured out how the press had
found out and the FBI were not idiots.

“Perhaps,”
Agent Kelly agreed. “I still think that you and your men are holding something
back.”

Partlan
stood. “We have told you all we know. Now we need to get to work to find those
boys.”

“You
two aren’t going anywhere.”

At
that moment, the telephone rang.

Everyone
froze.

The
sound reverberated through the still room. It rang a second time before Agent
Kelly motioned for one of the agents to pick up. He grabbed the phone and
listened for several seconds before motioning for a pen. He wrote with furious
strokes and then hung the phone up.

“That
was the kidnappers.” The agent swallowed. “They were unhappy about us being at
the drop site, but said that they would still honor the bargain. They want to
arrange for the exchange of the boys.”

The
room went quiet.

Catal
exhaled a short breath, forcing his heart rate to slow.

Agent
Kelly turned to him and Partlan. “Do you know anything about this?”

“I
have already told you that we do not have the boys.”
Partlan’s
eyes narrowed. “You do not seem to hear.”

Agent
Kelly glared at Partlan for a second and then turned to Catal. “What about
you?”

“I
am here to help my mate.”
Catal’s
voice was low. “She
needs my support.”

“Mate?
What are you, a Neanderthal?” Agent Kelly snorted. “So Selena is your girlfriend.
That means you’re probably part of this plot.”

“Selena
is my mate.” Catal straightened his shoulders. “Her son
Tarrin
is missing and she asked for help. I have told you this before. You refuse to
listen.”

Agent
Kelly shook her head and turned back to Agent Bakker. “Arrange the exchange.
These two are to stay here. The last thing I need is for another leak.”

Partlan
looked at Catal.
“I have warned the others,”
he said through mind
connect.
“You should go to your mate. She will need you.”

Catal’s
jaw clenched.
“You don’t think the boys are alive.”

Selena
glanced up at the clock.

Thirty
seconds had passed since the last time she checked.

She
bit her lip and clenched her hands tighter. She was in the front room with
Nikki and Steve who refused to look at her. There was a ringing in her ears and
it hurt every time she took a breath. It seemed as if hours had passed since
the FBI had told them to stay put. The kidnappers had their money. Now they
needed the boys back. She unclenched her hands and looked up at the clock.

Ten
more seconds had passed.

She
glanced away and straightened her back in the chair. Nikki and Steve had
already found her guilty of taking the boys, and nothing she said could
convince them otherwise. The silence in the room was deafening. To them, she
was the enemy. She choked back a sob and turned away. This wasn’t the time for
tears.

She
had to focus on
Tarrin
.

She
loved him above all else.

As
much as Nikki and Steve blamed her, they were the reason for
Tarrin’s
abduction. She was certain of it. Her son was in
danger now because she had taken a job with the Walters. They were high profile
celebrities. The danger of someone stalking them, or invading their privacy was
always present. She had just never considered that it might endanger her son’s
life. Only a maniac would hurt a child.