Page 29

TWENTY-NINE

N o dice. Penny hadn’t found Sosa and was starting to believe she hadn’t really seen him. She stood outside the banquet hall and looked both ways in the hotel hallway. Caterers, guests, and a family with twin toddlers moved throughout. No sign of the man in the hat.

Jason Woods walked toward her from the lobby.

She jogged up to him. “Hey, did you see a man in a black Stetson in that direction? It’s Sosa.”

Jason shook his head. “I saw a guy in a black hat a second ago, but it’s not Sosa.”

“You’re sure?”

“He kinda looked like Sosa, but it’s not him. How well did you see him?”

“I saw his profile. It was only for a second but?—”

Jason gave her a patronizing smile. “Maybe you’re becoming a little too vigilant.”

Woods tried to take her by the arm, but she pulled away from him. “I can walk fine on my own.”

He lifted his hands in surrender and backed off. “Only trying to be a gentleman. But remember, we hired you to do a job.”

“And I’m doing it.” She went back through the doorway, aware Jason’s eyes were on her. She did a quick scan of the banquet room. The governor shook another hand as he left the table of businessmen and women he’d been visiting with.

Couples danced on the parquet floor set near the stage. Jason left the room again and turned toward the meeting room they’d been in before the event started.

She wasn’t sad to see him go.

Penny made eye contact with Anthony and Olivia on the other side of the room. She signaled to them, and they both came over. They stood off to the side of the table while the governor continued his conversation. Sounded like he was talking to cattlemen.

“Did you two see anything suspicious? I thought I saw Sosa, but I guess it wasn’t him.”

Olivia shook her head. She wore her uniform, like some of the other on-duty cops.

Anthony looked around. “I haven’t seen anything. And believe me, I’ve been looking.”

“Me too.” Penny brushed back the lock of blonde hair that once again escaped her bun.

“How much longer will the governor be here?” Olivia asked quietly.

Penny checked her watch. “No idea, but I can’t imagine he’ll want to stay too long. He’s already pushing it as it is.”

She studied the governor. His smile went nowhere close to reaching his eyes. He nodded at the man talking, but she got the impression he didn’t really hear what was being said.

Olivia clucked her tongue. “I don’t know how he’s holding up like he is. But I have to go do a perimeter check. I’ll see you two after.” She walked away and joined one of the other uniformed cops by the door.

“You holding up okay?” Tony asked her. “You couldn’t have gotten much sleep last night.”

“I’m good.”

Jude approached them with a glass of punch he didn’t drink. “You two enjoying the party?”

He wore a suit and tie to blend in, but his eyes didn’t stop studying the room.

Penny turned to keep the governor in her view as he moved to the next table. “I’ve been better. And I heard your wedding reception was quite the shindig. Rumor has it you were seen doing the Macarena.”

Tony’s jaw dropped. “Brooks doing the Macarena? Now that I gotta see. Think if I request it, the band over there will play it?”

Penny chuckled. “We could always try.”

But even that wouldn’t quite make this feel like a real party. Sure, there was music, jazzy and soft, and couples danced near the stage, but without Bryce, it all fell flat.

She missed him.

Desperately. And it hadn’t even been that long since she’d seen him.

But she wished he were there. Even though he probably would’ve been a complete distraction. Better to stay focused.

“Any new leads?” she asked Jude.

He moved closer. “I’m working with an FBI team. We’re waiting for a warrant on the governor’s phone records. I find it hard to believe the captors haven’t made contact.”

Anthony matched the low tone of Jude’s voice. “You think he’s hiding something or in on it?”

“We’ll know soon. I don’t think he’s in on it, but I do think the kidnappers have reached out. They must have specific demands.” Jude took a sip of his punch. “I’ll keep you posted.”

As soon as Jude left, Anthony’s phone buzzed. Multiple police officers in the room grabbed their phones. Something was happening. Tony moved a few steps away and put the phone to his ear. Penny followed him.

“What’s going on?”

He listened a minute longer. “Someone called it in that they found the wife and kid. A farm right outside of town. They’re setting up a perimeter.”

“Then we should go.” Penny grabbed his arm and dragged him over to the governor. She whispered that they had a credible lead on his family.

The governor stiffened. “By all means go. I’ll be right behind you. My team will take care of me.”

Penny and Tony sprinted to the hallway and out to the lobby. The two-storied room was busy with groups of people loitering and visiting. The duo scooted around a group of ladies in formal wear and ran to the main entrance of the hotel, the double glass doors parting for them. The parking lot was full of vehicles. A black sports car peeled out of the parking lot.

“They’re in a hurry.” Penny peered, trying to catch a license plate, but it was too far away.

“So are we. Let’s go. I’m parked over?—”

Tony’s words were cut off when a wave of heat knocked them to the ground. An explosion tore a large hole in the outer wall of the hotel and lit the building on fire.