Tears filled her eyes. She wished she'd told him that. Although maybe it was better that she hadn't. He would blame himself for whatever happened to her. She knew that, and she didn't want him to feel guilty, because she'd spent the past six years living in that kind of hell, and she wouldn't wish it on anyone.
So, she wouldn't call him. Maybe they'd put a bullet through her if she didn't. But at least, she wouldn't betray him. She'd save his life even if she couldn't save hers.
They'd gotten the lights back on an hour ago, but Matt's anger at himself for sending Haley into the breakroom alone had him impatiently raging on the inside as Derek and the others tried to figure out how someone had gotten past their security measures, accessed the building, and kidnapped Haley.
When the power had first gone out, he'd thought it was about Trent, that they were trying to get to him. But instead, they'd grabbed Haley. He still didn't quite understand it, although as time passed, and all their resources were focused on getting Haley back, he wondered if that wasn't the point. They'd needed a distraction to buy time, and what better way than to kidnap Haley?
He tried to convince himself that they would keep her alive, at least for a while. But how long did they have? It had already been an hour, and they were getting nowhere fast. Trent had been steadfast in saying he had no idea where she was or why they'd taken her. He'd even agreed to call his sister, to pretend to have slipped away from them, to be in hiding, so she would talk to him more freely, but Jill had said she couldn’t talk, that he should stay quiet or something bad could happen to him. There had been real fear in her voice, as if she'd suddenly realized that she was in the middle of something very dangerous.
He sighed as he looked around the now much busier room. Jason had called in more agents to not only help find Haley but also to locate Henry, Drew, Jill, Kyle, and Viktor. It should have made him feel better to see more agents at work, but the deep pain in his gut for Haley was the only thing he could feel.
He'd let her down. He'd promised to keep her safe, and now…he couldn't even contemplate what she was going through. He felt so connected to her that her pain was his pain, her fear was his fear. His emotions were tying him up in knots. And he had to get off that agonizing rollercoaster. He had to compartmentalize, to stay focused. It was the only way he could save her.
A moment later, his phone rang. He'd reactivated it once they'd left the safehouse. "Agent Lawson."
"This is Julia Harper. I don't know if Haley told you about me."
"She did. What do you want?"
"I know where Haley is. She's in trouble."
"Where?" he asked sharply.
"It's a warehouse by the airport, fourteen Crane Way. It belongs to Viktor Danilovich."
"How do you know she's there?"
"Because I've been following Drew Sanderson, and he arrived shortly after a gray van pulled up at the loading dock. I saw them carry Haley inside."
"How many are there?"
"At least two men besides Viktor and Drew. I would have gone in after her, but I couldn't take them all down by myself."
"We're on our way. Hang tight. Call me back if there's any movement or action at the warehouse."
He was on his feet before he finished speaking, and within minutes, they were headed across town to the airport. He and Jason were in one car with Agents Andi Hart and Nick Caruso in another.
"Are you concerned this might be a trap?" Jason asked as he sped down the freeway.
"Yes," he said flatly. "It seems very convenient that Julia is telling us exactly where Haley is."
"What do you know about her?"
"Not much. Former LAPD detective who worked on Landon's case. Haley trusted her. She said Julia was the only one who was trying to solve Landon's murder, and she left the force about six months after that to become a private investigator because she was disgusted by what happened on Landon's investigation. She could still be trustworthy, or maybe she was just playing Haley all those years ago, trying to keep the desperate older sister at bay so they wouldn't have to come up with more proof that Landon's death wasn't an accident." He shot Jason a look. "I don't want the team to walk into a trap. You should all stay outside while I go in alone."
"That's not the way this works. We're a team. We're doing this together. And we'll figure out if it's a trap before we go inside."
"If we have that kind of time. I have a bad feeling, Jason."
Jason gave him a knowing look. "I know. This case has become personal to you, and I've been in your shoes, worrying that someone might die because I can't get there in time. Hopefully, we will get there in time."
Hopefully…the word echoed through his head like a constant silent prayer.
The buzzing of a phone sent the man who'd been left to watch over her out of the room and while he was gone, Haley desperately tried to free herself.
This was her chance. Maybe her only chance.
She was zip-tied to a wooden chair in the middle of the main warehouse floor, surrounded by rows of tall metal shelving units that stretched toward the ceiling. Most were empty, casting long shadows under the harsh industrial lighting. Stacks of wooden pallets and abandoned equipment created a maze of hiding spots toward the back of the building.
