“What’s up, Derek?”Roman asked from the driver’s seat.
“911 dispatch said the man who called this in said Tamara Snell’s violent ex-boyfriend was back.Had a gun and was holding her hostage.That’s why we were called rather than just the locals.A number of other 911 calls confirmed that shots had been fired.”
They all nodded.
“I overheard neighbors talking as I was coming out.Ends up that Ms.Snell did not have ex-boyfriends,” Derek continued.
“What, like she was married?”Roman asked.
“Widowed.Basically a recluse.”
Ashton looked more closely at Derek.“Could she have had a boyfriend before?”
“Neighbors have known her for ten years.She’s never had a boyfriend in that time.”
Ashton shook his head.“Why would someone call 911 and report an ex-boyfriend if there wasn’t one?”
“Exactly.”Derek gestured down at Ashton’s phone.“Where are Summer and Chloe?”
“They’re on their way to Atlanta.I didn’t want them going to the airport alone so Tyrone Marcus escorted them.I got a text from him about an hour and a half ago saying she’d gotten on the plane and he was heading back to HQ.”
Derek nodded.“Good.I was just checking.”
Something wasn’t sitting right with Ashton.“But then I got a text from Summer about twenty minutes ago.Asking if I was okay.”
“Shouldn’t she have already been in the air by then?”Lillian asked.
“That’s basically what I said.That it was dangerous to use a cell phone in flight.She didn’t respond.”
Ashton took his phone out and immediately dialed Summer’s number.Straight to voice mail.That could just mean she’d done what he’d asked and turned her phone off.
His second call was to the Omega switchboard, which could connect him to Tyrone Marcus.
“Ashton, hey,” the other man answered.
Ashton skipped all pleasantries.“Did Summer and Chloe get on the plane?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You escorted them all the way to the gate?”
“Yes.I waited until they got on the plane before I left.Ms.Worrall was one of the first people on since she needed extra time to get Chloe settled.”
Right.That all made sense.Ashton nodded at the rest of the team who were watching him.
“Thanks, Marcus.I appreciate you taking them.”
“Any time.”
Ashton knew he should feel better, that this tightness in his gut should go away.Summer and Chloe were on their way to somewhere safe.They hadn’t used any Omega computers to book the tickets, so if there was a computerized or personnel leak at Omega, the perp wouldn’t know about Summer’s plan.
But something about Summer’s text didn’t sit right with him.
I know you probably can’t talk.I just need to know if you’re okay.
Why would she be worried about him?When Ashton had handed her over to Tyrone Marcus’s care, he hadn’t given her any information about the op he was about to go on.Had the text been just general concern?
The truck pulled up at Omega headquarters.
