Read Online Ultimate Prey (Book 3 Ultimate CORE) (CORE Series) by Kristine Mason - Free Book Online
Authors: Kristine Mason
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unlocked. I’m thinking he used that to get out of the house—maybe after he spoke with you.”
“How is that possible? Ian would’ve had to have heard—”
“Maybe he did hear something, came downstairs and met up with the kidnapper.” Ryan flashed the light along the tiled floor. “I also found used flares in the kitchen and living room. I’m thinking this guy might’ve used the flares to screw with them. Threw one in a room, scared the shit out of them as they tried to escape, then tossed another.”
He blew out a breath. Based on the way the bed had looked upstairs, Ian and his girlfriend had probably been sleeping when all of this went down. He couldn’t imagine the fear they must have felt when they’d realized they weren’t alone. Pushing that thought aside, he said, “I’m assuming Ian carries a gun.”
“Always. Why?”
“I’ve got a bulletproof vest with a bunch of holes in it, along with bullet casings. I’m guessing the vest belongs to the kidnapper, unless your boss carries one with him when he vacations.”
“Doubtful. Any blood?”
“None that I can see.” Ryan stood and walked toward a door dangling from a hinge. “I’m in the laundry room. From the way it looks, Ian and the woman hid in here, and the guy busted down the door.” He moved in front of the washing machine and aimed the flashlight into the hall. “Looks like Ian got off a bunch of shots when the guy took down the door. What happened from there, I don’t know.”
“And Ian’s car?”
“Nothing in the carport.”
“Okay,” Dante began, “I’ll have one of our people look into where Ian rented his car and get the make and model. Knowing Ian, he probably didn’t skimp on the rental. If it has OnStar or something similar, we might be able to track its location. In the meantime, our team is still scheduled to land at Everglades Airport around five-thirty or six your time. Can you pull together gear for them to use? If this takes a couple of days, they’ll need the proper equipment.”
“I’ll take care of it and ready my boat. You better hope you can get a read on Ian’s car. There are hundreds of places the kidnapper could have taken them to begin his hunt. If you want, I could check out a few that are nearby.”
“Let’s see if we can track the car first,” Dante said. “I think your time would be better spent on getting geared up and catching a couple hours of sleep.”
He was hoping Dante would say that. Sure, he could drive to a handful of remote places, great spots for what the kidnapper had in mind, but the jackass could’ve driven Ian and his girlfriend an hour or so along U.S. Route 41, and dropped them off in the heart of the Glades. Or he might have taken State Road 29, or driven to a boat dock and traveled by water to one of the many uninhabited islands that made up The Ten Thousand Islands.
“Will do. What do you want me to do about the rental house?”
“Leave it as is. We might need to process it as a crime scene.”
Might? “What happened to no police?” he asked, moving through the kitchen toward the back door.
“Nothing. We’re not ready for them to take part in this. What we do with the house will depend on how this plays out.”
Ryan wasn’t a cop or an investigator, but knew guys who were. Plus, he’d watched plenty of crime shows. This house would definitely be a crime scene. Which made him wonder… “And if we find this guy, then what?” Silence stretched. “You still there?”
“Yeah,” Dante said. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure your name stays out of it. Just be ready to go once that plane lands. And keep tabs on your supplies. CORE will compensate you for everything, including your time.”
“I’m not doing this for the money,” he said, as he turned on the flashlight and made his way down the long, gravel driveway. “But I won’t turn it down.”
“Then I’m honored you’re letting me call in a favor.”
“I’m not doing this
“How is that possible? Ian would’ve had to have heard—”
“Maybe he did hear something, came downstairs and met up with the kidnapper.” Ryan flashed the light along the tiled floor. “I also found used flares in the kitchen and living room. I’m thinking this guy might’ve used the flares to screw with them. Threw one in a room, scared the shit out of them as they tried to escape, then tossed another.”
He blew out a breath. Based on the way the bed had looked upstairs, Ian and his girlfriend had probably been sleeping when all of this went down. He couldn’t imagine the fear they must have felt when they’d realized they weren’t alone. Pushing that thought aside, he said, “I’m assuming Ian carries a gun.”
“Always. Why?”
“I’ve got a bulletproof vest with a bunch of holes in it, along with bullet casings. I’m guessing the vest belongs to the kidnapper, unless your boss carries one with him when he vacations.”
“Doubtful. Any blood?”
“None that I can see.” Ryan stood and walked toward a door dangling from a hinge. “I’m in the laundry room. From the way it looks, Ian and the woman hid in here, and the guy busted down the door.” He moved in front of the washing machine and aimed the flashlight into the hall. “Looks like Ian got off a bunch of shots when the guy took down the door. What happened from there, I don’t know.”
“And Ian’s car?”
“Nothing in the carport.”
“Okay,” Dante began, “I’ll have one of our people look into where Ian rented his car and get the make and model. Knowing Ian, he probably didn’t skimp on the rental. If it has OnStar or something similar, we might be able to track its location. In the meantime, our team is still scheduled to land at Everglades Airport around five-thirty or six your time. Can you pull together gear for them to use? If this takes a couple of days, they’ll need the proper equipment.”
“I’ll take care of it and ready my boat. You better hope you can get a read on Ian’s car. There are hundreds of places the kidnapper could have taken them to begin his hunt. If you want, I could check out a few that are nearby.”
“Let’s see if we can track the car first,” Dante said. “I think your time would be better spent on getting geared up and catching a couple hours of sleep.”
He was hoping Dante would say that. Sure, he could drive to a handful of remote places, great spots for what the kidnapper had in mind, but the jackass could’ve driven Ian and his girlfriend an hour or so along U.S. Route 41, and dropped them off in the heart of the Glades. Or he might have taken State Road 29, or driven to a boat dock and traveled by water to one of the many uninhabited islands that made up The Ten Thousand Islands.
“Will do. What do you want me to do about the rental house?”
“Leave it as is. We might need to process it as a crime scene.”
Might? “What happened to no police?” he asked, moving through the kitchen toward the back door.
“Nothing. We’re not ready for them to take part in this. What we do with the house will depend on how this plays out.”
Ryan wasn’t a cop or an investigator, but knew guys who were. Plus, he’d watched plenty of crime shows. This house would definitely be a crime scene. Which made him wonder… “And if we find this guy, then what?” Silence stretched. “You still there?”
“Yeah,” Dante said. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure your name stays out of it. Just be ready to go once that plane lands. And keep tabs on your supplies. CORE will compensate you for everything, including your time.”
“I’m not doing this for the money,” he said, as he turned on the flashlight and made his way down the long, gravel driveway. “But I won’t turn it down.”
“Then I’m honored you’re letting me call in a favor.”
“I’m not doing this
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