Page 99 of Final Approach

“He said some people were going to kill him,” Mr. Ross said, “if we didn’t give him the money to pay them back, but we couldn’t give him what he was asking for.”

Mrs. Ross linked her fingers in front of her.

Kristine waved the paper at the guys. “Let’s go talk to Corey.”

It took them fifteen minutes to get to the small hotel on the edge of town and note Andrew’s car wasn’t in the parking lot. It took them five more minutes to identify themselves to the FBI agent on Corey’s door. They were obviously just getting ready to leave. Nathan shook the man’s hand after the guy inspected Nathan’s badge. “We just need to talk to him for a few minutes before you leave.”

“Sure.” He motioned Corey to the door.

“We’re friends of Andrew, Corey,” James said. “Your aunt and uncle told us where to find you. Call them and verify it if you need to.”

“No, it’s okay. What do you want?”

“Andrew was here, right?” James asked.

“Yes.”

Cole leaned in. “You know where he went when he left?”

“Home, I assume. I don’t know. Why?”

“He didn’t say?”

“No.” Corey frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Nathan rubbed a hand down his chin. “He’s missing.”

“What are you talking about? Missing?”

“Meaning no one’s heard from him since he left here and we need to find him,” Nathan said. “And we need your help to do it.” He raked a hand over his head and turned, but Kristine heard him mutter, “And that’s terrifying.”

Kristine had had enough. “I’m going to see if there’s footage.”

She left them with Corey and the agents and found the manager, who was in her mid-fifties, soft-spoken, and kind. Her name badge read Helen. When Kristine explained the situation and requested the security footage from the previous night, she gasped. “Yes, of course. Give me just a minute to pull it up.”

Seconds later, they watched Andrew walk to his car. A figure came into view but had his back to the camera. He approached Andrew from behind and, when Andrew turned, sprayed something into his face. Andrew staggered. Before he could do anything else, the figure shoved him into the driver’s seat, ran around to the other side, and pulled him into the passenger seat. And still, she couldn’t get a look at his face.

“Whoa,” Helen said, “that doesn’t look good.”

“It doesn’t. Can you send that to me?” At least it proved Corey wasn’t involved in the snatch. Unless he somehow managed to get word to the guy that Andrew was there and when he left. Which didn’t seem highly possible since Andrew’s visit was completely unplanned.

“Wait a minute,” Helen said. “There might be more. He shoves him into his car and drives off, but let’s go here to the other camera.” Her fingers flew over the keyboard and she found them leaving. Andrew’s car turned right out of the parking lot. Toward the mountains.

“Okay, that’s his Bucar. They can track it. Maybe.”

She texted Nathan and he answered right back.

Probably not.

Rats. “Can you send someone that footage?” she asked Helen.

“Sure. What email address?”

Kristine had the footage sent to Nathan, Cole, and James. Then stopped. “How did he get here?”

“What?”

“The guy who grabbed Andrew. Andrew wasn’t planning on coming here. One more thing. Can you pull up the footage of the front door for the two hours preceding Andrew’s arrival? Then run it on fast forward until I tell you to stop.”