Page 30 of Justified Fear (TFH Team Bravo #2)

“Another thing that always bothered me was that the security guard who found her disappeared off the face of the earth. I can’t find pictures of him, but in three of the other abductions, the same thing happened.”

His eyes narrowed. “The security guards disappeared?”

She nodded. “They quit their jobs within two weeks of the kidnappings.”

“That is not good,” Emily said, echoing his comments from just a few moments earlier.

There was a ping, and Charity turned toward her computer. “I keep getting excited every time I find stuff, but they never have a picture of the guy.”

“What did you get?”

“I contacted all of the girls who were with Keely that day. One of them found a video on her cloud that she’d saved.”

She clicked a few keys, and a grainy video came up. There was a massive boot sculpture first, then it zeroed in on the mall and the news media.

“I can’t believe she kept this,” Emily said. “It’s been what…sixteen years?”

Charity shrugged. “If you had been part of a major news story when you were a teen, wouldn’t you keep it?”

“Probably,” Emily said.

The camera panned around the crowd. There was Keely. Jesus, she was so young. Her father stood beside her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Damn, he was angry, but Ryan understood. Then, the camera moved around, and he saw a flash of something…someone.

“Go back.”

“What?” Charity asked.

“Right after Riki and Keely are filmed, I thought I saw someone.”

She nodded and started clicking keys. The film slowed down and then focused on a face that should not have been in that crowd.

“ Fuck ,” he said, his blood running cold. “Is that…” he stepped closer. The shape of his face, the way his gaze seemed intent on Keely, had Ryan’s blood running cold.

“Oh my God, it is,” Charity said. “Where is he right now?”

“He’s upstairs alone with Keely,” he said as he rushed out the door. He heard Emily following him.

They didn’t mess with the elevator and entered the stairwell instead. He pulled out his phone and called Seth, who answered.

“What do you have?”

“Where are you, and who has eyes on Gailbreath?”

“I’m on my way to a tip about Brothers. Why?”

“Gailbreath is our perp.”

It took Ray a little bit to join her in the break room, but when he did, he looked even worse. He was sweating as if he were sick. Or maybe he had an infection. He shut the door as he entered, which made her wonder what was up.

“I think we need to have Elle look at you again. You look like you are coming down with something.”

He shook his head. “I’m fine. You’ve always been nice.”

She smiled at him, even though he was starting to make her nervous. Something prickled on the back of her neck. He was staring at her like he knew her better than he did. She slipped her hand over Maya’s fur, sensing the sudden tension in the German Shepherd.

“Not all the time. I can be really mean.”

“From the moment I met you, you were nice.”

The way he said that had her smile fading.

“Why did you have to fall for that cop?”

“That cop? You mean Ryan?”

“You were supposed to come to me.”

His voice was not exactly…normal. Fear crept down her spine like an icy finger.

“I don’t understand.”

“I can’t believe you don’t remember me. I’m the one who saved you. I kept you from being handed over.”

Things were starting to slide into place in her brain, pieces that didn’t seem to fit, but all of a sudden did.

“You were the guard? The one at the mall.”

“It was my job!” Spittle flew out of his mouth. “They made me do it, and I hated it.”

She blinked as Maya growled.

“You hated being a guard?”

“Yes. I was made for bigger things.”

Like being a bartender? She didn’t say that because he seemed to be on edge.

“That’s good that you got away.”

“Don’t talk to me like that. Don’t fucking patronize me.”

She stood, as did Maya. “Why don’t we call Elle and have her look you over?”

“No.” Then, he reached behind him and pulled out a gun. “You’re coming with me.”

Her blood had iced completely over. She was amazed she didn’t pass out from the fear now running through her entire system.

“Where did you get that?”

“It’s amazing how people ignore what they are doing when they think the person in front of them is weak. But I have never been weak.”

“No. You haven’t.”

He smiled at her, and there was a slightly crazy edge to it. He stepped forward, but Maya growled. Ray pointed the gun at Maya.

“No.” She stepped in front of the German Shepherd, who then bumped the back of her legs. She was definitely not happy about that move, but Keely could not let the dog be shot. “If you shoot, they will know what’s going on and we’ll never get away.”

His eyes widened. “Yes. See, you are so smart.”

And you’re a fucking nut job.

She had to make sure to get out of there alive because, in this instant, she was starting to realize how unhinged Ray was.

If she could get out to the common room, she could find Ryan, and then she would be safe.

It hit her then that in the short time she had known Ryan, he had started to become the most important person in the world to her.

Such a short time…but it was about the way he made her feel.

Safe, loved…happy. Keely wanted to survive this so she could tell him.

She stepped forward as Ray reached for her. Maya wasn’t happy about the situation and lunged at Ray. Keely bumped the dog out of the way, but the gun went off. Keely felt something hot hit her shoulder, just as the door burst open. She fell to the ground, hitting her head on the table.

“Nooo!” Ray was screaming. “Keely is coming with me. She said so. We are going to go off together and be happy.”

The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled the room. “She is not fucking going with you anywhere.”

Keely tried to focus and pull herself up. Maya was licking her face.

“Ryan, he’s out,” someone said. A guy…she thought. Her head was spinning, her shoulder was on freaking fire, so she wasn’t thinking straight. “Take care of your woman.”

In the next second, she blinked, and Ryan was pushing Maya out of the way. “I’ve got her. Someone, get Elle up here!”

“I’m fine.”

“You were shot.”

“I was? I also hit my head again.”

“I’m here,” Elle said from somewhere. “You need to move, Ryan.”

He hesitated.

“You saved me. I’m fine. Also,” she said, licking her lips, as she tried to hold back the nausea, “I think I might love you.”

Then everything faded to black.