Page 7 of Girl Lost (The King Legacy #1)

“He created it for his tech company and licenses it to the NSA and pretty much every other American intelligence agency.”

Oh, she knew about the software. It analyzed body shape, gait patterns, heartbeats, the cadence of a voice, even the pattern of an individual’s iris. The kind of tech that made privacy a myth.

Had Jett or Harlee tried the algorithm on her? Had they seen her working with bomb brokers and arms dealers all over Asia?

Possible, but not likely. The CIA specialized in countermeasures, one of which included hacking into systems to delete the agent’s biometric data linked to an alias.

Tori asked, “Anything on Stryker’s home computer?”

“Pretty sure he hasn’t touched it—except to check the weather—since I set it up for him.”

“Were you able to access his deleted browser history?” Luna asked. “Sometimes what’s been erased tells you more than what’s still there.”

Harlee’s shoulders stiffened. “I’m not some amateur.” She didn’t even dignify Luna with a glance.

Luna bit her tongue, recognizing the verbal slap for what it was.

Apparently, her habit of questioning everything had only worsened the already frosty reception.

Before she’d called Stryker, she’d done a bit of recon.

Pulled files. Tracked career movements. Checked relationship statuses.

Not because she intended to rekindle anything with Harlee or the others but because walking in blind wasn’t in her nature.

“So, you’re with the ATF?” An olive branch disguised as small talk.

Harlee offered something like a grunt in response.

Luna looked to Tori for help, but she only shrugged.

It seemed clear Harlee wanted Luna to pay for leaving without saying goodbye.

Luna couldn’t blame her. Corbin had done the same thing by shutting her out after the breakup, and look what it had done to her heart.

Those sleepless nights included mourning their friendship even more than their romance.

Luna grabbed a chair from the desk behind Harlee and rolled it to sit beside her. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever return to the CIA, but her job as a covert agent was all about changing adversaries into friends. And she was good at her job.

Very good.

She studied Harlee. Her deep blue eyes scanned the computer screen behind thick, dark lashes. The monitor cast a soft blue hue over her skin.

“Harlee, I’m sorry. I know I hurt you when I left.

Hurt you more by not checking in.” Harlee looked up, and Luna summoned a small smile.

“I want to ... to fix it. Make it up ... whatever. There will be time, I promise, but right now ... could we work together? Can we do this for Stryker? All of us?”

Harlee leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “All of us?”

She didn’t have to say it, but Luna knew she meant Corbin. Clever woman. Harlee was trying to get her to agree to set aside everything to work with Corbin too. If it meant getting Stryker back safe and sound, she’d do it.

If there was one thing Luna could do, it was fake it for the greater good. “Yeah. All of us. For Stryker.”

A slow smile appeared on her face. “Good, because look who’s here.”

Luna followed her finger to the security camera feed on the monitor. Blade and Corbin were inside the gym, about to head up the stairs.

Harlee anticipated a reaction, but Luna had years of experience concealing her emotions and controlling her reflexes.

“Perfect timing. It should only take a few minutes to trace this, then we’ll have some intel to share when they get here.” She held out four pieces of confetti in her palm for Harlee to see.

Tori hopped off the table and leaned in for a closer look. Her eyes flicked up to Luna’s. “AFID dots?”

“Found them on the sidewalk. I’m sure the crime scene crew retrieved a few by now, but at least we’ll have a head start.”

Harlee picked up her phone and dialed. She smiled at Luna. “Nice.”

The best way to eliminate your enemy was to make them your friend. All she did was approach from a place of humility. Found a common interest, then offered up a favor. “No big deal.”

Tori patted Luna’s shoulder. “Good call.” Luna wasn’t sure if she meant the Taser dots, or how she’d handled Harlee, but she expected it was both.

Harlee was on hold when Corbin and Blade came in.

A huge grin broke out on Blade’s face when he saw Luna. “C’mere and let me get a look at you.” Blade was a big guy with a broad chest and delicate blue eyes. Dark brown hair fell across his forehead in an unintentional style statement. Part professional, part just-rolled-out-of-bed.

He cupped his massive hands around hers. “It’s so, so good to see you.”

She pulled her hands free and slid her arms around his middle and hugged him.

A hot tear formed in the corner of her eye. She’d missed this. Missed the human connection. The familiar touch of people she could trust.

When Luna released her hold on Blade, he ran his hand over her hair. “Don’t worry. We’ll make sure you get your reunion with Stryker too.”

Corbin stared at her as if he was waiting for her to say something.

“The company came back with a name.” Harlee scribbled on a notepad. “The Taser cartridge was purchased by Charles Abercorn. He bought three. I’ve got the address. It’s on the corner of Prosperity and Fifteenth.”

Blade had his phone out. “I’m getting a warrant. It’s almost one o’clock. The DA should be back from lunch by now.”

“Ah, there you are.” Harlee clicked a button and enlarged a mug shot of Abercorn.

He was a gaunt man, his face hollowed and shadowed, his skin stretched tight over prominent cheekbones.

Heavy-lidded eyes stared back at her from the photo.

A Santa Muerte tattoo stretched across his neck, from shoulder to ear.

The Saint of Death. She suppressed a shudder.

How could anyone worship death when life itself was a miracle, a gift?

“Did they say how he paid? Credit card?” Corbin had moved to stand closer to Blade, and Luna’s traitorous heart fluttered when his shoulder brushed past hers.

Harlee clicked around the computer. “Used a prepaid gift card. Untraceable. But here.” She tapped the monitor. “This is the place.”

A street view image showed a dingy white bungalow with a jungle of a yard.

The native plants had run wild and started crowding the house.

From the blurry photo, Luna could see the sagging chain-link fence surrounding the property.

One section of the four-foot fence looked like it had been peeled back, pulling the rusted support pole to a forty-five-degree angle. “Place looks abandoned.”

“I guess we’ll find out when we get there.” Corbin used his phone to snap a photo of the address and headed for the door.

Blade held up a hand. “Whoa. Broward County has this case—”

Corbin shook his head. “This is Stryker we’re talking about. He could be in that house.”

“This isn’t the case you’re on, my friend.” Blade wasn’t backing down, but his tone had Luna thinking there was something in the undercurrent.

“FDLE can take jurisdiction anytime,” Corbin said.

“State boys can’t come in and take over. They have to be invited.”

“So do it.” Corbin’s neck flushed red.

Blade’s eyes flashed. “Fine, but I’m driving.” He rested a hand on Tori’s shoulder. “You guys hang tight here. Text me if you get anything.”

Harlee nodded, and Tori said, “Be safe.”

Luna followed Blade. She wasn’t about to sit this one out.

“Wait, where are you going?” Corbin lifted his hand like he’d planned to grab her shoulder, then thought better of it.

“With you.” She didn’t really want to, but she’d come this far.

“No. Not a chance.” The muscles of Corbin’s jaw tensed, probably biting back a few choice words.

All eyes were on her.

“Look, I know you don’t want me involved, but this is personal for me too. I promise I’ll follow your lead and stay out of the way. I just need to be there.”

“Sorry,” Blade said. “No civilian ride alongs today.”

Luna always avoided outright lying, but withholding information was a necessity as a CIA operative.

Not only for her own safety, but for others.

She’d gotten pretty good at the wordplay involved and found it always better to offer something that had a shred of truth attached.

Truth had a way of cementing a bond between two humans.

She glanced around the room, knowing that they deserved an explanation for her years of absence but also that she couldn’t give them the full one until she’d been officially released from the Agency.

So, she told them the only story she’d been cleared to give. “I’m not a civilian. I’m an undercover federal agent.”