Read Online Ultimate Prey (Book 3 Ultimate CORE) (CORE Series) by Kristine Mason - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kristine Mason
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for you, either.”
“Then why?”
The beam from the flashlight touched on a dark object. “Hang tight and stay on the line.” He slipped the phone in his pocket, withdrew his gun and crept toward a dense cluster of foliage located about twenty feet from the tail of his Suburban. The closer he drew, the quicker he moved, until he hid behind a couple of palms a few feet away from an abandoned car. He stowed his gun, then shined the light on it. After retrieving the phone, he said, “Got a car.” He swept the flashlight over the back end. “Dark orange Mazda GLC. Florida license plate reads SBT-703.” With the hem of his t-shirt, he opened the driver’s side door. “It’s unlocked.” Using the flashlight, he peered inside. “And incredibly clean.”
“Check the glove box and trunk.”
“It’s a hatchback. There’s nothing in the back end.” He looked to the car’s dashboard. “Are you worried about me getting my fingerprints on the glove box?”
“That’s the least of my concerns. See what’s inside.”
“Nothing. Lemme check under the seats.” After bending and flashing the light under the seats, he climbed out of the car. “Still nothing. Could be this isn’t the kidnapper’s car.”
“Do you believe that?”
After reaching into the car, he popped the hatchback, then made his way to the back end. The flashlight reflected off a shiny object. He picked it up and let it rest in his palm. “Nope. And he wasn’t as clean as I thought.”
“What’d you find?” Dante asked, his tone anxious.
Ryan stared at the yellow-gold, oval ruby stud earring surrounded by small diamonds. “An earring. Maybe it belongs to Ian’s girlfriend?”
“Don’t know. Hang on to the earring and send me a picture of it when you have a chance. Also show it to Lola when she gets there.”
He slipped the earring into his pocket and took one last look for its match. When he found nothing else, he closed the hatchback. “Who’s Lola?” he asked, heading back to his truck.
“She’s part of the team I’m sending. She’s also the daughter of the woman who’s been kidnapped.”
Shit. “This’ll be personal for her,” Ryan said, climbing into the truck. “Will she be able to turn off her emotions? This could get ugly.”
“Don’t know.”
“How long has she been with CORE?”
“A little over six months. But she can handle whatever comes your way.”
“And you know this how?”
Dante released another breath. “Look, I don’t know if she’ll be an asset or a hindrance. All I know is she, and the two men traveling with her, are the only members of CORE this guy doesn’t know about.”
“I could go alone.” Which might be better. He wouldn’t have to worry about the others being hurt or slowing him down if they ended up unable to handle the Glades.
“They go with you. But if you’re not comfortable taking them, I’ll have Lola hire another guide. No hard feelings.”
“That’s okay,” Ryan said. He knew the guides in the area, and while most of them were avid hunters adept at tracking, the rest were too absorbed with tourism and their airboat tour businesses. There were one or two who would be willing to involve themselves with what Dante had in mind, but once those guides discovered the scope of the hunt and that it might not follow legal protocol, they’d back out or call the sheriff. Time they couldn’t afford would be wasted. Plus, he wanted to be the one to bring the jackass down. The soldier in him demanded justice for those people, while the hunter in him grew anxious for the chase. Hell, for the first time in years, excitement warmed his belly and he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed living on the edge, braving the unknown and…playing the hero.
“Like I told you, business is slow this time of year,” he lied again. “Plus, I haven’t been hunting in a while.”
“The kidnapper is the one doing the hunting.”
He started the truck, then headed for his boat.
“Then why?”
The beam from the flashlight touched on a dark object. “Hang tight and stay on the line.” He slipped the phone in his pocket, withdrew his gun and crept toward a dense cluster of foliage located about twenty feet from the tail of his Suburban. The closer he drew, the quicker he moved, until he hid behind a couple of palms a few feet away from an abandoned car. He stowed his gun, then shined the light on it. After retrieving the phone, he said, “Got a car.” He swept the flashlight over the back end. “Dark orange Mazda GLC. Florida license plate reads SBT-703.” With the hem of his t-shirt, he opened the driver’s side door. “It’s unlocked.” Using the flashlight, he peered inside. “And incredibly clean.”
“Check the glove box and trunk.”
“It’s a hatchback. There’s nothing in the back end.” He looked to the car’s dashboard. “Are you worried about me getting my fingerprints on the glove box?”
“That’s the least of my concerns. See what’s inside.”
“Nothing. Lemme check under the seats.” After bending and flashing the light under the seats, he climbed out of the car. “Still nothing. Could be this isn’t the kidnapper’s car.”
“Do you believe that?”
After reaching into the car, he popped the hatchback, then made his way to the back end. The flashlight reflected off a shiny object. He picked it up and let it rest in his palm. “Nope. And he wasn’t as clean as I thought.”
“What’d you find?” Dante asked, his tone anxious.
Ryan stared at the yellow-gold, oval ruby stud earring surrounded by small diamonds. “An earring. Maybe it belongs to Ian’s girlfriend?”
“Don’t know. Hang on to the earring and send me a picture of it when you have a chance. Also show it to Lola when she gets there.”
He slipped the earring into his pocket and took one last look for its match. When he found nothing else, he closed the hatchback. “Who’s Lola?” he asked, heading back to his truck.
“She’s part of the team I’m sending. She’s also the daughter of the woman who’s been kidnapped.”
Shit. “This’ll be personal for her,” Ryan said, climbing into the truck. “Will she be able to turn off her emotions? This could get ugly.”
“Don’t know.”
“How long has she been with CORE?”
“A little over six months. But she can handle whatever comes your way.”
“And you know this how?”
Dante released another breath. “Look, I don’t know if she’ll be an asset or a hindrance. All I know is she, and the two men traveling with her, are the only members of CORE this guy doesn’t know about.”
“I could go alone.” Which might be better. He wouldn’t have to worry about the others being hurt or slowing him down if they ended up unable to handle the Glades.
“They go with you. But if you’re not comfortable taking them, I’ll have Lola hire another guide. No hard feelings.”
“That’s okay,” Ryan said. He knew the guides in the area, and while most of them were avid hunters adept at tracking, the rest were too absorbed with tourism and their airboat tour businesses. There were one or two who would be willing to involve themselves with what Dante had in mind, but once those guides discovered the scope of the hunt and that it might not follow legal protocol, they’d back out or call the sheriff. Time they couldn’t afford would be wasted. Plus, he wanted to be the one to bring the jackass down. The soldier in him demanded justice for those people, while the hunter in him grew anxious for the chase. Hell, for the first time in years, excitement warmed his belly and he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed living on the edge, braving the unknown and…playing the hero.
“Like I told you, business is slow this time of year,” he lied again. “Plus, I haven’t been hunting in a while.”
“The kidnapper is the one doing the hunting.”
He started the truck, then headed for his boat.
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