Page 30 of Fatal Intent

Elias shook his head. “This will get ugly fast.”

“We need to get ahead of this,” Iona said.

Riley’s fingers flew over the keyboard. “I’m afraid it’s already too late for that.”

“Why?” Teagan asked.

“The Ardmore police have been contacted as a courtesy. Conner and Sanders will drive to Dante and Selena’s home this evening, search warrant in hand. With the way things have been going, I’m betting the search will reveal something else incriminating.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Grant muttered.

“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. I just report the findings.”

Andre shot Grant a warning look.

Huh. Rayne’s eyebrows rose. That was interesting. Maybe something was developing between Andre and Riley. Couldn’t happen to two nicer people. Riley needed someone in her life who understood that she got lost in her head when she wasdeep in a computer project and sometimes forgot to take care of herself as well as she should.

Elias settled deeper into his chair. “So, what now, Seth? We’re burning training hours.”

Echo’s team leader smiled.

Goosebumps surged across Rayne’s body. That was not the smile of a man thinking good thoughts. “Should have kept your mouth shut, Elias,” she muttered. “Now we’re really in for it.”

Teagan rolled her eyes. “We were in for it whether or not we said anything.”

“How do you know?”

“Did you forget I’m married to one of our training masterminds? I got a peek at the schedule last night.”

“And you didn’t tell the rest of us what to expect?” Riley teased. “My, how your loyalties have changed in the past few weeks.”

“What can I say? I’m madly in love with my husband. The rest of Artemis is running a close second, though.”

The conference room door opened, and Maddox strode inside, followed by Zane Murphy, the Fortress tech and communications guru, in his wheelchair. “Take a seat,” Maddox said. “We have a lot to cover.”

Rayne and the rest of the operatives in the conference room straightened and exchanged glances. Had something happened besides the early morning encounter with the police?

Zane zoomed across the room to the computer station and booted up the computer.

“What happened, sir?” Iona asked.

The corners of his lips curved upward. “You’re so sure something is wrong?”

“Is the sky blue? Spill it, sir.”

“Zane?”

“Ready.”

Maddox motioned for Zane to project information onto the oversize wall screen. Two pictures of a family of four popped onto the screen.

Rayne’s heart turned over in her chest as she studied the two children in the first photo. A young boy and girl smiled for the camera, their expressions filled with happiness. Behind them, their parents mugged for the photographer, their hands resting on the shoulders of their children. A photo of a moment when everything was normal and their family was happy.

The second photo showed the same four people. This time, however, their expressions were bleak, bruises and injuries showing on all four of them. Their clothes were torn and stained, and their hair matted. What gutted Rayne the most was the hopelessness in the eyes of the kids.

Silence filled the room. A glance at the other operatives, though, revealed growing fury.

“The timeline for your mission moved up as of ten minutes ago.” Maddox dropped into a chair at the head of the conference table. “Los Lobos is threatening to kill Sean and Tara White and sell the children.”