Page 80 of Enigma

“What’s Location Bravo?” Mitzi peered over Nova’s shoulder.

“There’s an address attached to some of the earlier messages.” Nova pulled up a map on her laptop. “1847 County Road 15. It’s about twenty minutes outside town, looks like some kind of warehouse.”

Olive studied the timestamp on the messages. “Tuesday was yesterday. Whatever happened, we missed it.”

“But there might still be evidence there,” Jason pointed out. “If they’re using this location regularly for processing shipments—whatever that means—there could be records, physical evidence, something that tells us what kind of operation we’re dealing with.”

“It’s worth checking out,” Mitzi agreed. “Even if we don’t find active operations, we might find clues about where they’ve moved to or what they’re planning next.”

Olive nodded slowly.

She rarely thought she was in over her head.

But right now, that was exactly what she was thinking.

CHAPTER 51

Twenty minutes later, Olive found herself in the passenger seat of Jason’s SUV as they drove through the dark Texas countryside toward County Road 15.

Mitzi sat behind them, reviewing the photographs they’d taken of Lloyd’s documents, while Nova worked on Elena’s phone in the back seat.

Jason stole a glance at Olive and quietly asked, “What did Tom say?”

“That the resemblance in the photo is uncanny. And that there were things about my family’s case that never sat right with him.” Olive stared out at the dark landscape rolling past. “He’s going to review the files and call me tomorrow.”

“Do you think he knows more than he’s telling you?”

Her chest tightened at his question. She knew the answer, but it was hard to voice aloud, especially since so many years had passed, and Tom had been silent. He’d known how she suffered and grieved. Had known how she’d searched for answers.

But he’d been quiet.

Why? Could he be in on this?

Her heart pounded harder at the thought.

She couldn’t rule it out. If her own mother had let Olive think her entire family had been murdered, then she couldn’t completely eliminate the heartless actions of anyone else.

“I’m certain of it,” she finally said. “The question is whether he’s been protecting me from the truth or whether he’s part of whatever cover-up happened eight years ago.”

Jason reached over and squeezed her hand briefly. “We’ll figure it out.”

As they turned onto another street, Olive saw a tall chain-link fence topped with razor wire running along the roadside. Beyond it, the dark bulk of industrial buildings loomed against the starlit sky.

Mitzi consulted the GPS coordinates. “It should be right ahead.”

Jason cut the headlights and pulled over a couple of blocks before the entrance.

He turned to Olive. “I don’t suppose I can talk you out of this.”

“Not a chance.”

He nodded with resignation. “I figured as much.”

“Looks like we’re going in on foot,” Mitzi said. “Everyone gear up. We need to be ready for anything.”

The warehouse looked abandoned from the outside, but the chain-link gate was secured with a newer padlock.

Jason made quick work of it with his lock-picking tools while Olive, Nova, and Mitzi kept watch.