The Navy's Ghost (Bad Boys of Beta Squad) (25 page)

“Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Jackson. We’ll be in touch.”
Damn right, we will. Greg Killian’s gonna rip your dick off and shove it down your throat.

Retro and Wolffe retreated to their car and drove away in silence for a few moments.
Retro’s mind churned. What the hell was MaryAnn thinking to fuck around on Greg? Retro couldn’t say anything to Killian. He had enough stress with his wife’s kidnapping.

“What did you find, Wolffe?”

“Her scent was all over the car, combined with his semen, and I found the console full of condoms and a broken G-string she must have forgotten.”

“Fuck.”

“I don’t think he kidnapped her, but he’d definitely been with her beforehand.” Wolffe’s jaw clenched and his fist tightened on his thigh. “I just don’t understand infidelity at all. Make a promise, make a commitment, and stick with it. To do anything else makes you half a person.”

“You’re a SEAL, man.
We don’t do anything half-assed.”
Except the relationship with Ghost. Fucking coward! And now you better go find her before you lose Chris completely.

“
Roger that,” Wolffe remarked, bumping knuckles with Jim. “What are you going to tell Killian?”

“Nothing. Not until we get the women back. He doesn’t need this added on top of the kidnapping. Finish the mission, give him the news, let him hash it out with her.” Retro shook his head. “It’s a bum deal no matter which way you look at it. And I’m more inclined to blame her. Killian’s been working his ass off and he never takes anyone home from the bars. Makes me sick she’d do this to him.”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s get to Hunter’s place and
get this over with.”

Retro didn’t want to go into Chris and Todd’s house. He didn’t want to see how they’d integrated their lives since the wedding. Each time he thoug
ht of them together without him, a little more of his soul tore out.

Man-up, Waters
. You want to find her before she’s dead? Focus!

Jim parked in front of Todd’s ranch house and they got out.
Wolffe surveyed the property with approval.

“Wow. Nice spread.”

“Yeah, we all try to be like him.”

Wolffe laughed at the sarcasm in Retro’s voice. “You could do worse.”

Retro snorted and they went inside. The living room didn’t show the usual signs of a struggle.
They must’ve surprised her while she slept.
Wolffe stalked silently through the house, his eyes cataloging everything and his body tense. Retro listened for any sounds of human occupation, but nothing came to his ears.

The bedroom
resembled the debris path after a tornado had hit. Pillows, blankets, and the usual household knickknacks were strewn around the room. They picked their way through it all carefully.

“
NCIS been through here yet?” Wolffe eyed the bed.

“Yeah, day before yesterday.”

“Okay.” Wolffe crouched beside the disrupted sheets and used a pen to lift them apart. “Oh-ho-ho. Lookee here.”

Retro peered over his shoulder. “That’s Chris’
s Glock. How the hell did they miss it?”

“Dunno. Hasn’t been fired, but there’s blood on the barrel.” Wolffe
pointed with a finger. “She must have hit someone with it.”

That’s my girl.

Well, not his. Magic had gotten there first.

“Let’s bag it and see if anything comes up in the DNA databases. Anything else?”

“NCIS has a lot of people who like perfume.” Wolffe sniffed, wrinkling his nose. “I can catch Mrs. Hunter’s scent buried beneath all the others who have been here, but she lives here. The other scents are mixed and confused.” He paused and tipped his head back, looking at the ceiling as he inhaled deeply. “Hmm.”

Wolffe picked his way
through the debris of the bedroom and Retro followed, wondering what the enigmatic retired SEAL had discovered. The taller man strode into the kitchen and examined the tidy space with its stainless steel appliances and black Labrodorite countertops. Chris had left no dirty dishes or meal remnants. The room sat immaculate.

“Someone likes curry and incense.”

“What?”

“Do you smell any curried chicken or duck in the kitchen?”

Retro inhaled. “No.”

“Me neither. Those scents were in the bedroom and they were strong, like there were emotions underlying them.”
Wolffe retreated to the bedroom again, Retro following like a confused dog.

“Huh?”

“I can’t really explain except it makes the scents stronger, as if the person or people associated with the scents were excited or agitated.” He pointed at the bedding. “The curry and incense scents are strongest in here and closest to the bed. Unless the investigators had just come from a Middle Eastern restaurant before work, I’d say your assailants liked curry and incense.”

“Yeah,
the Blade of fucking Holy Light sent us letters saying they took our women.”

“And
NAV gas.”

“What?”

“Someone had been fueling a small plane before he came here.” Wolffe waved his hand in the air. “It’s faint, but I’ll bet a case of Killian’s IPA they took the women out by plane.”

Relief washed through Retro
. If they took a plane, the SEALs could nail their asses. Planes left trails, either paper or electronic. And Magic had been looking. The trail had just gone from cold to burning, and left a blazing arrow they could track.

“Let’s get this back to
HQ.” They retreated from the house to the truck and minor triumph shot through Retro. They’d get the motherfuckers and make them remember why they didn’t mess with SEALs.

“Hey, why’d you pick a case of Killian’s?”

Wolffe tipped his head toward Retro and grimaced. “First beer that came to mind.”

“Just don’t mention it to Bam-Bam. He’ll find out about his wife soon enough.”

“That’s gonna suck.”

“You have no idea.”

Chapter Seventeen

Chris lifted her head from her knees and held her breath. She’d heard something over the constant river noise coming from outside their dank prison.
Listening hard, she caught voices rising above the water’s rumble, filling the room with male laughter.

She scrambled to her feet and pressed her body to the cold, damp concrete wall to look out their little window.
The dim daylight faded quickly and she could just make out figures headed toward the artistic rock she’d seen in the river’s flow. They carried flashlights, the beams jerking wildly with each step they took.

Thank you
, God, for teenagers.

Chris caught snippets of conversation filled with “dudes” and expletives before hearing the hiss of spray
paint cans. They might have been members of the young-dumb-and-f-of-cum brigade, but she’d take them over nothing.

Taking a deep breath, she pursed her lips, and blew a sharp whistle.

Conversation ceased like someone had thrown a switch.

“Fuck, did you hear that?”

“I dunno. It could be just the wind.”

“No, I swear
someone’s out here.”

Chris whistled again.
Come on, guys. You’re dumb and curious. Come looking.

“Hello? Anybody there?”

“Shh! What are you doing, man? They’ll hear you.”

“That’s the idea, dumbass
.”

The flashlights bobbed as the young men picked their way closer to Chris’
s position. When they began to drift too far, Chris whistled again until they swung a light up into her face.

“Holy shit! Is that a girl?”

Chris flattened her mouth at their statement of the obvious, but she didn’t have time to waste.

“I need your help.”

“Dude, this is so Star Wars.” One chortled as he elbowed his buddy.

“Shut up.
” The buddy shone the light on her again. “What are you doing in the old bunker?”

“
There are three of us being held in here. Can you tell me where we are?”

“Dude, everyone knows where
this place is.” The sarcastic bastard swung the flashlight up to illuminate his face from below. Chris caught sight of a red wool cap on his head. “It’s the old, haunted Lilliwaup Dam in the Olympic National Forest. Bwahaha.”

Was
hington State. At least they didn’t take us to Alaska.

Chris
shoved her sluggish brain back into tactical mode. What did she need to tell these boys? How could she use them to get word back to the squad?

“Do you have a cell phone?”
she asked, trying to focus through the flashlight beam.

Buddy
made a sound of disgust while Red Hat snorted. “Hell yeah, I’ve got a cell phone.”

“Can you send a text for me?”

“Nah, not even his hot new smartphone gets reception up here.”

Chris cursed and thought fast. “Can you still type in a text and save it in drafts to send later when you’re in coverage?”

“Why can’t we just come up there and let you all out?”

“Because the men holding us have automatic weapons and don’t have a problem with murder.” She glanced over her shoulder and saw Lindsey standing at their cell door. The former detective gave her a thumbs-up and
cocked her head to listen for anyone coming down the corridor. Chris returned to the young men outside. “It’s too dangerous for you to come in, but you can get word out to someone for us. That would help a lot.”

“Dude, we could so come in there and help you.”

Yep, young, dumb, and full of cum.
“No. Just send a text for me. Please?”

“Use your feminine wiles,” someone whispered.

“What?” Chris turned her head to the cell again.

“Your feminine wiles. You do still have those, don’t you?” MaryAnn’s snarky comment set Chris’s teeth on edge, but she tamped down on the anger and focused her mind.
Anything to complete the mission. The only easy day was yesterday.

Taking another deep breath
, she tried to remember a time when she had to look beguiling. Not a skill she’d practiced often in the SEALs.

“Please, pleas
e, send this message for me. It’d mean everything to me, I’m already in enough trouble. I couldn’t handle it if you got hurt, too.” She couldn’t bring herself to bat her eyes, but she did try to put a plaintive expression on her face.

“Dude, you’re not gonna buy that, are you?” Red Hat
scowled. “We don’t even know if there’s anyone else with her.”

Lindsey shoved her face beside Chris’s and reached a hand through the concrete opening. “She’s telling the truth. We have to get home. Can you please send a text to my husband?”

Her voice sounded so wheedling, so utterly feminine, and completely at odds with the strong women Chris had grown to know.
Damn, I need to brush up on my girly skills.

“Aw
, shit.” Buddy swung the light beam between the two women with his indecision.

Come on, dammit! Commit.

“All right, whaddya want it to say and I’ll send it.”

Chris let out the breath she hadn’t know
n she’d been holding. She carefully considered the words she needed to convince the team of her authenticity in a text.

“It’s going to sound weird, but it’s the only way they’ll know it’s us. Are you ready?”

“Shine your flashlight over here, Ben.” Red Hat swung it to Buddy’s hands. “Okay, shoot.”

You have no idea how much I wish I could.
“Kookaburra sits at the old Lilliwaup Dam. At least four automatic tangos. Ghost.”

“Kookaburra?” Buddy asked dubiously as he typed in the glow of his friend’s flashlight.

“Yes.”

“Automatic tangos? Is that like some kinda dance or something?” Ben asked while Buddy punched buttons.

“Did you get all of it?” Chris hoped the kid would come through.

“Automatic tangos ghost.” Buddy
bit his bottom lip. “What number?” She rattled off the digits to Magic’s cell and prayed to everything holy the text wouldn’t get lost in cyberspace. “Okay, I’ll send it as soon as we get into coverage.”

“Can you go now? Please?”

“Are you sure we can’t come in there to get you out?”

“No, it’s too dangerous. You’d get shot.”

“What about whoever we’re gonna text? Won’t they get shot, too?”

“They’ll come prepared. Please. Just go quick. I don’t know how much longer they’ll leave us alone.” Chris didn’t have to fake the worry in her voice.

“Should we tell the cops?”

“Dude, I’m already in enough trouble with tagging. If they catch us up here with paint, I’m gonna be sent to juvie. No cops.”

“If you send the text, only the ones looking for us will know. You don’t have to be involved,” Lindsey pointed out.

“They won’t bring the cops?” Ben didn’t sound convinced.

“No, but you have to send the text. Please. There isn’t much time.”

“Yeah, okay. Hey, don’t worry, Ben. One text, no trace. Remember that CSI episode?”

“You can’t believe everything from TV, dude.”

“Can you go now and send it? Please. They don’t know where we are.”
Lindsey piled on the panicky-woman vibes.

The young men promised a few more times they’d get the job done then crashed off into the damp undergrowth back the way they’d come. Chris turned from the window and skimmed along the concrete wall until she found a corner to sink into.

“Do you think they’ll get the text to the squad?” Lindsey asked as she settled beside Chris. They leaned together to keep warm in the cold night air.

“I can only hope they will.” Chris closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the wall. “All we can do
now is wait.”

“How long do you think it will take?”

Chris snorted. “Depends on where it finds them. If they’ve caught a break and have a general idea where we are, it could be only a couple of hours. If they’re still in Coronado, they’ll be here within twenty-four.”

“
You don’t know that, Chris.” MaryAnn still sounded petulant from the darkness across the cell. “You don’t know if we’ll still be here in another twenty-four hours.” She met Chris’s gaze over her wrists as she finally tried to chew through the zipties.

“You’re right, I don’t. But I feel a lot better about it now than I did before we got a message out.” Chris wished she could hit something or throw MaryAnn out the window. Anything to stop her being the little black raincloud she seemed determined to be.
It wouldn’t help and Bam-Bam would never forgive me. Besides, she won’t fit
. But it gave Chris a certain sense of satisfaction to fantasize about it for a while.

****

Magic stowed his gear and sat on the bench seat for the flight to Washington State with a grunt. He’d tracked the tangos to Hoskins Field outside of Olympia, but the trail ran cold again. They hadn’t rented a car or truck, so they either had a place up there or had buddies waiting for them. Wolffe had offered to come along, but he’d done enough, and he’d retired from active service. The man returned to his wife and Magic tried not to be envious.

Beta Squad
had gone wheels up within two hours of Retro’s and Wolffe’s news. That left them three days behind the bastards, but they’d catch up fast. He just hoped the women could hold out long enough for the SEALs to find them.

What the hell am I thinking? Chris can withstand anything.

Yeah, she could, if she’d been alone. She would’ve overpowered her captors and had them offering a ride home just to be rid of her. He smirked. But she had others to protect and she wouldn’t leave them to fend for themselves.

Todd’s smirk died and he closed his eyes, wishing he could see his wife, hold her in his arms, and fuck them both into exhaustion.
He wanted to watch her face when she came and hear her laughter echoing through the house again. Damn, the three days she’d been gone stretched longer than all his deployments put together.

It seemed that way for all of them. Usually the men around him joked and insulted each other as they headed out, but the interior of the plane sat in tense silence broken only by
the thump of equipment getting stowed. Todd missed Retro’s sarcasm and good humor.

But Jim’s humor had fled these days. Even after he’d returned
today. Remembering his friend’s face when they returned from their intel trip, something had been bothering the lieutenant, but Todd hadn’t be able to ask.

Not that we talk at all anymore
. Pussy.

Todd wished he knew which of them deserved the epitaph. Retro f
or running, or him for letting Jim go.

A body settled beside him and he cracked his eyes open.

Speak of the devil.

Retro wore fatigue
like a second skin, but a tightness Todd hadn’t seen before sat around Jim’s eyes. He worried for the women, particularly Chris, but Todd’s gut told him this was something else.

“All set?”

“Locked and loaded.” Retro crossed his arms over his chest.

“Good.”

“We’re gonna get her back, Magic.”

“I know.”

“She’ll be all right.” They both heard the lack of conviction in the words, but Magic nodded.

“Yeah. It’s not her I’m worried about. It’s Lindsey and MaryAnn.
” Magic ran his hand over his hair. “Those ladies aren’t meant for this. And Chris won’t leave them.”

“I know.” Retro glanced over at Bronco and Bam-Bam. “Doesn’t help them much, though.”

John’s expression never showed much frivolity, but his lips stretched taut across his teeth and his eyes held no spark of joy. Usually the most jovial of the squad, Greg’s strain showed at the edges of his mouth and eyes. The last few days had sobered the humorous SEAL. They’d all been more tense than usual. The personal nature of this mission rode hard on their awareness.

“No. Did you find anything
when you checked out Leon Jackson?”

Jim dropped his head back and closed his eyes. “Yeah.”

Ice settled into Todd’s gut. “Something about MaryAnn?”

“Yeah.
”

Magic gave Retro a sharp look at the venom in his voice. “What
’s going on?”

The scream of the engines obliterated all other sounds and Todd had to wait until they’d climbed high enough in the sky to be able to hear Jim again. Todd took the hiatus to dig out his cell phone and deposit it
in a pocket against his thigh. He had it on airplane mode and vibrate just in case he received any information while in flight.
Hey, a guy can hope, right?

When the engines settled into cruising altitude, Todd
thumped Jim’s shoulder with a fist. “So what’s going on?”