TRUST NO ONE

This vow has kept P.I. Sadie Lane safe ever since she saw her parents murdered and then entered Witness Protection. But when she gets a lead on the long-ago killer she can’t forget, Sadie joins forces with a dashing FBI agent leading his own investigation into the crime boss. Kip Moore makes her yearn to trust, but protocol demands Sadie keep her true identity hidden. Secrecy is all that has kept her alive. As they venture deep undercover into her target’s syndicate, Sadie finds herself in over her head. Kip is her only hope as she comes face-to-face with a killer from her past. A deadly past that now threatens her future…and Kip’s.

“We need to get out of here.”

Glass broke behind her; a shot whizzed by her ear.

“Get down, Sadie,” Kip said as he slid down beside her. “I’ll cover you. Make a run for the back door.”

“And if there’s someone there?”

“Shoot to kill.”

Panic ripped through her. But she couldn’t leave Kip.

“On three,” Kip said. “One…two…three.”

Sadie sprinted for the back door. Shots rang out, but she didn’t turn back. She kept running into the dark woods. Ducking and moving around the huge tree limbs. She ran till she ached, and she struggled to catch her breath.

“What am I going to do?” If Kip made it, he’d come looking for her. If he hadn’t… No, she couldn’t lose him.

Then she heard the crunching noise. Footsteps bearing down on her. Someone was closing in.

This was it. She was going to die.

Dear Reader,

Thank you so much for reading my first book for Love Inspired Suspense. I really do believe that I was inspired to write this story. It may be difficult to imagine finding inspiration through grief, but that’s exactly what happened to me. I wrote the majority of this book in the dark days right after my father’s passing. In the midst of my grief, I found a certain measure of peace. By writing this story, I found comfort and a reminder of those things my father held dear: faith, love and family. With faith being at the top of the list.

So this book was more than just a story for me. It was a journey to healing, and one I’m profoundly glad that you are now taking with me. While the struggles that Sadie and Kip faced were quite different than what I was going through, writing their story gave me strength and an outlet to work through my pain. Day by day—word by word—prayer by prayer.

Again, thank you for reading Out of Hiding. I would love to hear from you! You can visit my website at www.racheldylan.com, or email me at

racheldylanauthor@gmail.com.

Rachel Dylan

RACHEL DYLAN

writes inspirational romantic suspense. Being a Georgia girl, she thrives on sunshine and warm summer days. She loves animals and is active in animal rescue. Rachel enjoys adding lovable pets to her stories. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and five furkids—two dogs and three cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers. You can find Rachel at www.racheldylan.com.

Out of Hiding
Rachel Dylan

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

—Romans 8:28

In memory of my loving father, an amazing man of faith—pastor, teacher and friend to so many.

Thanks to my agent Sarah Younger for believing in me and in this story.

To my editor Emily Rodmell for your keen insights.

Thanks to Alison Stone for helping me along this wonderful journey and sharing this experience with me. I cherish our friendship. To Susan Chandler for always being there and cheering me on.

To my husband, Aaron, and five furkids for your unconditional love. And to my mom who is my rock.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

About the Author

Title Page

Bible Verse

Dedication

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

Dear Reader

Questions for Discussion

Extract

Copyright

ONE

Sadie felt the bullet whiz by her head as she crouched down in the wet dirt. Darkness surrounded her, but she wasn’t alone. Her gut screamed loudly that something was terribly wrong. And she always trusted her gut. She had company, and if that bullet was any indication, they meant business. The sound of the crackling leaves told her someone was moving quickly in her direction.

Dressed in all black, she lay flat on the ground in the dark woods. No one was going to see her. That bullet wasn’t meant for her but was intended for someone else. Who? She didn’t want to stick around long enough to find out. She prayed that Megan wasn’t out here in the woods tonight—alone, scared and with bullets flying. It was no place for a sixteen-year-old girl.

She checked her gun and kept her position low against the damp, muddy ground. Her night vision goggles were a blessing. It was then she saw what she dreaded the most. The letters FBI on a dark-colored flak jacket as an agent trounced his way through the woods. Why the FBI was involved in whatever was happening in these woods she didn’t know, but she didn’t like it. They were invading her turf.

Sadie had her first solid lead on the Vladimir network in El Paso, and she didn’t want to give up the opportunity. She’d been on stakeouts for weeks, desperately trying to determine if Igor—the man who had taken everything from her—was in El Paso. Her intel had been that something related to the Vladimir crew was going down in the woods tonight. She had hoped that whatever it was wasn’t going to involve Megan—the missing girl she was looking for. Sadie knew that Vladimir’s crew was responsible for her disappearance. That’s why she’d sought out the job just days ago.

Technically, she was still in the Witness Security Program commonly known as Witness Protection, although they didn’t consider her to be in immediate danger anymore. She’d followed all their rules over the years. Her new life, her new name, everything. Done by the book. Not a single deviation from the protocol given to her by the U.S. Marshals. There was no way she’d let them know what she planned to do now that she had confirmation Igor sought to set up shop in her own backyard. It was only a matter of time before Witness Protection realized Igor’s activities had expanded down to El Paso, and then they’d want her to move. She needed to act fast if she had any chance of taking out Igor’s network.

She slowly stood up using a large tree as a shield. Thankfully, she was small of stature. By the time she’d registered the crunch of a stick right behind her it was too late. A large hand grabbed her shoulder with another muffling her scream.

“FBI, don’t move,” the deep voice said directly into her ear.

Didn’t matter who he was, when a man put his hands on her, he was going to pay. She’d trained for moments like these. She slammed her foot down on his, and he groaned. But he didn’t loosen his grip. Was this guy made of iron?

Trying another approach, she went limp in his arms, shocking him into loosening his grip, giving her a moment to slide away. She’d only taken two steps when he tackled her, knocking her to the ground. She could barely breathe. She squirmed against him, but she was no match for his size and strength. He had to have been at least a foot taller and a hundred pounds heavier. For a moment, fear seized her. She said a prayer asking God to keep her safe and then fought back.

“Stop struggling,” he said quietly, his voice steady. “I promise I’m not going to hurt you.”

She didn’t believe him. She knew better than to trust the Feds. Trust them, and she could end up dead like her parents. He adjusted his grip just enough for her to knee him in the stomach. Big mistake on her part. Now he seemed raving mad.

“I’m trying to save your life here. You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into. You should not be here in these woods right now.”

The thing was, she actually wasn’t a stranger to life-and-death situations. So this one didn’t faze her too much. “I already dodged one bullet and was doing just fine on my own.”

“You’ll have time later to explain how you ended up in the middle of an active FBI investigation packing heat and wearing night vision goggles. For now, let me get you out of here safe and sound.”

She shuddered. Those promises had been made to her before. And they’d been broken—every single one of them.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she said. She struggled against his secure grip.

“Yes, you are, ma’am. Listen to me.” He paused, his breathing ragged. “Things are only going to get worse. You might not be as fortunate the next time a bullet gets fired. And I don’t want to have your death on my conscience. I have enough guilt to last a lifetime. So when I say three, we move for that next tree. You hear me?”

Realizing her current options were limited, she relented. He was right. Her best move for now was to retreat. She’d taken a taxi tonight and made her way to the woods on foot. It wasn’t as if she had her own ride out of danger. She’d have time to get away from him once they got to safety. “Okay.”

“One, two, three, go go go!” he said in a low voice. They sprinted from their current position to the next tree and squatted down. That’s when she heard another round of gunfire. Automatic weapons this time. Her heartbeat quickened, but now was not the time to panic. She’d been in worse situations without the valuable experience that she now carried with her after years of being a private investigator.

“What next?” she whispered, trying to catch her breath.

“Make a run for that far tree. My Jeep is beyond it. I’m hoping that will work.”

“And if not?”

“I’ll think of plan B.”

He sounded so sure of himself. Typical for FBI types. She wasn’t going to count on him to get her out of here safely. She would survey her options once they made it to the next tree before she jumped in the Jeep of a total stranger—even if he was in the FBI. Hadn’t she already learned that tough lesson?

“Now,” he barked.

She ran ahead of him using her small size and speed to her advantage, making it to the tree first. Though he wasn’t far behind. She saw the dark Jeep parked behind a cluster of trees providing them with additional cover.

“Let’s go for it,” he said.

Making a split second decision that she prayed she wouldn’t regret, she slid into the passenger side and ducked down low. Before she could even steady herself, the FBI guy had turned the ignition and floored it. The bumpy ride had her on high alert as he navigated the vehicle over the rough terrain.

She stayed down not knowing if they were safe from the gunfire and started plotting her escape. No way was she being taken in by the FBI to “explain herself.”

They drove a few minutes in silence as the Jeep weaved through the wooded area and onto the country road that would eventually lead back into town. Then he spoke after checking his mirrors. “We’re in the clear.”

She eased up into her seat and looked around at her surroundings, including the man driving. She wasn’t wrong in her initial assessment. This guy was tall and bulky. She already knew from the encounter in the woods that he was strong. His brown hair was cut short. She couldn’t see his eyes since they were focused on what lay ahead. She told herself to remember that he was one of them.

He glanced over at her. “You want to tell me now what you were doing out in the woods?”

“My job,” she snapped. Who knows what he thought she was doing, but her answer was completely truthful.

“And what job is that?”

She sighed, already not enjoying this line of questioning. “I’m a private investigator.”

“You’re not plugged into our FBI investigation, though. I would’ve known it.”

“I have no idea what investigation you’re working on.” She let out a deep breath and figured she needed to provide an explanation. Maybe it would help her get away from him sooner. “I was in the woods searching for a missing girl. You may have even seen a local news story about her. Her mother recently hired me. I’ve been looking everywhere. I didn’t see or hear anything until I felt the first bullet whiz by my ear.” She was telling the truth. She had to make sure Megan wasn’t in those woods tonight. It appeared that her leads had been correct. Something was going on with the Vladimir crew. And the FBI was involved. She said another silent prayer for Megan.

“Wow,” he said. “You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, Ms. P.I. lady. I’m going to need to bring you in, though. Gotta take your statement. Make it official.” His Southern drawl was unmistakable.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I promise it’ll be quick. You are carrying a weapon. I assume you have a permit for that and all.”

No way she’d allow him to take her in, but she didn’t have to tell him that. Her past struggles with the FBI were her own. Better to have the element of surprise.

“Uh-oh,” he said. He jerked the wheel hard to the right sending her into his right arm. “We’ve got company. Hold on.”

“I thought you said we were good.”

“They came out of nowhere.”

She turned around and saw a large dark SUV that was gaining on them. But FBI guy had some moves and was taking the curves on the dark country road with finesse as he drove toward the more populated area of town.

“Who are these people?” she asked as she clenched her fists. Were they connected to Vladimir?

“The less you know the better.”

“Why don’t you let me take a shot? I could probably blow out their tire.”

“You’re that good of a shot?” he asked with disbelief dripping from his deep voice.

“You better believe it,” she said without hesitation.

He paused for a second and glanced over at her. “If you think you can, then go for it.”

She was going to show this FBI guy that she was no slouch. In fact, she could probably outshoot him. All the time she’d spent at the range over the past few years had paid off. She turned around and was glad they were in a Jeep. Granted it didn’t provide them with much, if any, protection, but it also meant she’d have an easier time getting off an unobstructed shot.

Steadying herself she took a deep breath, aimed and pulled the trigger. It only took one shot, and the right front tire of the car chasing them was done for. The pursuit ended abruptly as they began to skid, the car circling in on the blown tire. “Got ’em.”

“Well, Ms. P.I. lady, I’m impressed.”

“You should be.” Then she turned the gun toward him.

“Whoa.” He lifted up his right hand at her while keeping his left on the wheel. “Just put that thing away.”

Her hand was steady. “I have no reason to use this on you. But I’m not being taken in for questioning. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I never accused you of anything,” he said with a raised voice. She watched as his hands tightened on the wheel.

“Take me downtown. Let me out and drive away. It’s that simple.”

“You’re crazy, ma’am.”

“No. But I’m the one with the gun right now, so I hope you don’t try anything crazy.”

“You’re hiding something.”

“It’s none of your concern. Just act like you never saw me tonight.”

“You know that’s not possible. I’ll have to write up this whole thing.”

“Be creative,” she countered. “Now let’s get downtown. And don’t try anything because I’d really hate to shoot you.”

He let out a deep breath but started driving toward town as she directed. Good, she thought. She doubted that he’d let her go indefinitely. But she needed to get away and deal with this problem on her own terms. That meant not being taken in for questioning by the FBI tonight. She needed time.

When they reached the more crowded streets of downtown El Paso, she was ready to get away from him. “Slow down. Let me out. And keep on driving. Do you hear me?”

“Yes,” he said in an even voice.

“Good.”

He did as she asked and slowed down. She never took the gun off of him as she opened the door slowly. With the light from the streets flooding in, she could see his eyes were light blue. And questioning. “Just pretend I was never here. For your own good and mine too, okay?”

She couldn’t shake the thought that she’d seen him before. She backed out of the Jeep, and he didn’t say anything in response. She slammed the door shut, and he pulled away. She didn’t waste any time weaving her way through the Saturday night crowd.

She was safe for now, but she had no doubt. The FBI guy would find her, and when he did, she’d be in a ton of trouble.

* * *

Kip Moore had a job to do. He actually had several. In addition to bringing down the branch of the Vladimir network that had popped up in Texas, he had to find the infuriating P.I. who had the nerve to draw a gun on him.

He didn’t know whether to be impressed or insulted. She might have been small, but someone had taught her how to shoot—and to shoot well. There were only so many P.I.’s in El Paso, so tracking her down wasn’t difficult. His P.I. lady was in truth, Sadie Lane of The Lane Group.

He needed to figure out her connection to the Vladimir network and his investigation. He was going to offer to bring her in as a consultant on the case. It would be the perfect way to find out what she was up to. He was currently on his way to pay her a visit. Turned out her office was on the outskirts of downtown not too far from where he’d let her out on Saturday night. It was part of a larger row of nondescript offices, and he read the sign outside her door confirming he was in the right place.

He was prepared for just about anything when he walked through the door, but he wasn’t expecting to stare down the barrel of her gun yet again. He couldn’t help but smile. “We can’t keep meeting like this.”

“Didn’t I tell you to leave me alone?”

“Yes, ma’am, you did. But it wasn’t very polite of you to draw your gun on me the other night after I helped get you out of that mess in the woods.”

“I told you I wasn’t planning on using it. And I was more than capable of getting out of ‘that mess’ as you call it, all on my own. If you haven’t noticed, I’m pretty good with my gun.”

He laughed and looked at her closely. In broad daylight, she was even prettier than he’d noticed Saturday night. She wore dark jeans and a simple navy T-shirt. Her long brown hair hung loose down past her shoulders. Unlike so many women, she didn’t have makeup caked on her face. That was a plus. But it wasn’t like he had any time to date. Even more so, he didn’t have any business dating. Not right now, maybe not ever again. He quickly pushed those thoughts away.

“Why don’t you just lower the gun so we can talk without threats?”

“And why would I do that? You’d have yours pulled on me in less than a second.”

“You are a smart lady, Ms. Lane.”

She raised her eyebrow at him, and her dark chocolate eyes narrowed in disapproval.

“I’m Special Agent Kip Moore with the FBI. You can just call me Kip.”

“Agent Moore,” she said, as she held her head high. “I have work to do. I don’t have time for baseless FBI inquiries right now.”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Lane, but if you don’t talk to me now, I’m going to come back and hound you every day until you do.”

She scrunched up her nose, and he could tell that she was thinking of how to play things.

“What do you want from me?” she asked.

“Answers.”

“I told you on Saturday night why I was there. I was searching for a missing teenager named Megan Milton. I don’t see that there could be anything else for us to discuss.”

“We didn’t find evidence of any missing teenager in the woods.”

“I went on a lead. You have to understand that when a child is missing, every lead must be checked out.”

He was skeptical but was letting it go for now. She was holding back on him. “All right. I can understand that.”

“Good, so now we’re done.”

He put up his hands. “Not so fast. Could you please lower your weapon now? I promise I won’t draw mine on you. You have my word.”

Her lips turned up into a smile and amusement flashed through her eyes. “I don’t even know you, Agent Moore.”

“I’m a federal agent.”

The room fell silent. After a few moments, she looked him directly in the eyes. “I would be a fool to take your word on anything.”

She was frustrating. Even more so because she had a point. “Okay, can I at least have a seat while I talk?”

She nodded. “That’s fine.”

He took a seat across from her desk in a comfortable chair, and took a moment to gather his thoughts. “First, things first. Here’s my FBI identification.” He removed his credentials from his pocket and slid them across the table. She picked up the ID with her left hand, still holding the gun in her right. After studying it for a minute, she nodded.

What was the best way to get through to her? “I need to know what you saw in the woods Saturday night. Take me through it step by step.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but he lifted his hand. “And before you say you didn’t see anything, remember that I know you had on night vision goggles. Looked like military grade if you ask me. And since I was in the military, ma’am, I’m quite familiar with how they work. So I know you could see and that you saw something.”

She sighed. “Could I see, yes. Did I see anything? No. I heard a lot of noises, but I never got visual on anything other than some FBI guys. And then you.”

He nodded. Was she telling him everything? “Why don’t you let me buy you lunch and see if anything more comes back to you?”

“It won’t,” she responded quickly.

Too quickly. Maybe he needed to provide her with an incentive to get involved. “I’d like to be able to tell you more about the investigation in hopes that you could assist us.”

“Assist the FBI?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am.”

She did that scrunching thing with her nose again and didn’t seem to be too enthused. Maybe he’d made the wrong move. He’d thought she’d be intrigued by the prospect of working with the FBI, but it seemed now that was not the case.

“I’ll have to pass.” She visibly relaxed and set the gun in front of her on the desk.

“Even if it involves working on a high profile case? Taking down some Russian mob types from New York that have shown up in El Paso?”

He watched as her eyes widened and the color drained from her face. Then she tipped over in her chair. He was by her side in a few steps. The woman had passed out on him. He really had his hands full now.

* * *

“Sadie, are you okay?” a deep voice asked. She must be dreaming. Igor’s grimy face flashed through her mind—his ice-cold blue eyes mocking her. Igor could find her. Hunt her down. He was close. So close. She was in danger. She felt strong arms propping her up. She knew the voice from somewhere but couldn’t place it. Then at that moment it came rushing back to her. Her eyes popped open, and her heartbeat raced. She tried to reach for her gun.

“It’s okay, it’s Kip. Sadie, you with me? Have you eaten today?”

She couldn’t process this. She’d been camped out for two weeks waiting to get a glimpse of Igor coming out of the five-star downtown hotel, but she’d never seen him. Her worst fear, confirmed. The Vladimir network was expanding to El Paso. And the FBI was on the trail. She couldn’t let this Kip guy know the truth. She knew Igor could be in El Paso, but hearing the words brought about a visceral reaction within her.

“Sorry. I haven’t eaten. Sometimes I get a little queasy, low blood sugar and all.” She was hypoglycemic, but her reaction was spurred by something much more sinister.

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a protein bar. “Here, eat this.” His light blue eyes flashed with concern.

“Thanks,” she muttered. This was it. She wasn’t safe here any longer. She’d been tracking Vladimir’s network closely, well, as close as possible, but hadn’t been sure Igor was in the area. Parts of his crew, but not Igor himself. She had known all about his continued operations in New York. The human-trafficking ring that spread up to Canada. As she suspected, his next move had to be expanding into Mexico. But now she had to focus, she had to pull herself together, and quickly. She took a couple of bites of the protein bar as Kip sat silently watching her eat.

“You feeling any better?” he asked.

“Yeah. Where were we?” She needed more information from him to determine whether her initial research was accurate. And while she’d never trust the FBI after what they let happen to her family, she needed Kip’s knowledge right now.

“I was saying that we could use your help in the investigation involving a Russian crime syndicate. It’s actually a family business of sorts that started in New York. They’ve sprung up a satellite office down here, so to speak. Human trafficking over the border.”

“And where do I come into this?” She wanted to close her eyes and pray that there was no way he knew about her past with the Vladimir family. He couldn’t. That person no longer existed.

“I saw you in action on Saturday. You’re good. I also think you know more than you’re letting on. So I was hoping you could consult on the investigation with us.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“I’ve seen enough. And of course, I had the FBI run a background check on you.”

Thankfully, her history before joining Witness Protection was in a sealed file that wouldn’t even show up on his search. Add on to that the additional Witness Protection security protocols. But still she wouldn’t put anything past the FBI. Igor Vladimir may have pulled the trigger and killed both her parents, but it was the FBI’s fault that he had been in her house in the first place.

“So what do you propose?”

“Lunch.” He smiled.

“Not happening,” she said. She wanted more information, but she needed to do it her way.

“Coffee?”

“Possibly. I wasn’t lying. It’s Monday morning. I’ve been busy catching up on things with more ground to cover. We can set something up for later today if you’re really serious.”

“I am. And I can work with your schedule.”

“Meet me back here at two,” she said. That would give her enough time to do some digging.

“All right.” He turned and walked to the door, then looked over his shoulder. “Please don’t draw the gun on me again.” He winked and stepped outside.

She needed to drink some water and clear her head. The room felt like it was closing in on her. Her panic attacks had gotten better, but at times like these they threatened to claim her again. She couldn’t believe she’d passed out earlier. That was dangerous. Super dangerous. She knew the information she’d been given about Igor was probably true, but hearing it out of Kip’s mouth had still been a shock. She was smart enough to know this Kip Moore wasn’t one of the FBI agents responsible for her parents’ death, but the fact he was still a part of the Bureau made her uneasy.

She laughed to herself. Work with the FBI? Really? She despised the FBI’s bureaucratic maze for failing her parents, and rightfully so. However, it would seem that she needed to work with them now to get what she ultimately wanted. Justice. She’d been working toward this goal for years on her own. Going against the shadowy Vladimir network in any small way she could. This, though, could provide her an opportunity to deal them a huge blow. Her two greatest enemies. Could she work with one to take down the other?

TWO

Sadie worked furiously updating her research on the Vladimir network. The FBI had more resources than her. But they’d both been in the woods Saturday night, so they weren’t too far ahead. What was the FBI going to be able to do anyway? The same old thing, which in the end meant nothing.

She felt the pressure building around her temples. Her phone rang loudly, and she shook her head trying to focus.

“The Lane Group, this is Sadie,” she answered.

“Sadie,” a woman’s voice said. “It’s Carrie Milton. Have you found out anything more about Megan? It’s been over a week now since she’s been missing.”

“Hi, Ms. Milton.” Sadie dreaded telling her that basically the only news she had was no news. “I followed up on a potential lead over the weekend. But unfortunately it didn’t go anywhere.”

Ms. Milton sniffed. “I’m just so worried about her. The police aren’t taking this seriously enough. It doesn’t seem like they’re totally focused on this.”

“Nothing’s ever going to be enough until we find her. I’ve talked to the local PD. They are looking for her, but it’s always better to have more options. From what you’ve told me, Megan is a very smart girl. I’m going to do everything in my power to find her.”

“I wasn’t meaning to imply that you weren’t doing your job. I know you’ve only been on the case a few days. I just can’t describe to you what it’s like to know your child is in danger. But that’s not the main reason I called. Megan’s best friend, Lauren, wants to talk to you. She thinks she might be able to help. They are very close.”

“Send me her contact information, and I’ll get in touch with her right away.”

“Thank you so much, Sadie. Now, we haven’t got around to talking about your rates yet. I don’t have a lot of money. I work two jobs as it is. But I’m willing to do whatever I need to do to help find her. Maybe we can work out some sort of a payment plan?”

Sadie’s heart ripped in two. “Don’t you worry about that right now, okay? I’m sure we can work something out within your budget. I’ve already started investigating, and I’m not going to stop. In the meantime, I’ll need you to send me some additional pictures of your daughter and Lauren’s info.”

“I can’t thank you enough.”

Sadie provided Ms. Milton with her email address for the pictures, and she jotted down Lauren’s contact info. Ms. Milton promised to send pictures right away, as soon as they discontinued their call.

The bell on her door jingled, and Kip was standing there with his arms crossed. She looked forward to the day when she could have a more sophisticated entry with a receptionist. It must already be two o’clock. Ugh, he was the last thing she needed to deal with right now.

“Glad to see you’re not armed.” He took a few steps toward her.

“I don’t have much time to chat. I just talked to the mother of the missing child I told you about. I have to do more to find her.”

“Shouldn’t the police be taking the lead on that?”

“The mother isn’t satisfied with the police’s effort. Can you blame her? It’s her child.”

His eyes softened. “I understand.”

“Let’s make this quick.”

“No coffee?”

“I can make some here if you’d like?”

He smiled. “That’d be great.”

She loved coffee. It was one of her biggest weaknesses. Sadie was glad he wanted some too; she liked being able to brew a pot for more than just herself.

Her office wasn’t large, but she had what she needed. She dreamed of expanding and having another investigator and eventually an assistant. Maybe one day. Then it would really be The Lane Group; for now it was just her and her trusty coffeemaker. She started the coffee and then took a seat back at her desk. While she had told him she wanted to make it quick, what she wanted was more information. With Megan’s disappearance, her personal goals might have to wait.

“I just want to make sure you didn’t see anything more on Saturday night? No matter how small, I want to know everything.”

“I can walk you through it. Again. I was there, in position. When I felt the bullet literally graze by me. I could hear noises but couldn’t see anyone. In fact, the only people I saw were in FBI flak jackets—two of them. And then there was you, of course.”

He gave her a crooked grin. “Yes, then there was me. And you left out the part about holding me at gunpoint.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “I didn’t think you needed to relive that, right?”

“Seriously, though. This Vladimir group is bad news. They’re involved in a bit of everything, but the most egregious part of their operation is human trafficking. I’m guessing I don’t need to tell you what that all entails. They also have a full drug and money-laundering scheme. And they run a variety of legal businesses that help serve as cover.”

“So why the move from New York?”

“Easy. The Mexican border. They move these poor girls over the border, and then...I can’t tell you how awful these men are.”

He didn’t have to. She knew. “And I could help how, exactly?”

“You’ve already shown you’re a good shot. Plus you’re a P.I. I’m sure you have expertise that could help out the FBI investigation.”

She nodded.

“But mainly, you probably have your ear to the ground with sources we don’t have at the FBI. If you hear anything, see anything in your work, we’d appreciate knowing about it. As you can imagine trying to take down an operation like theirs is a huge job. And we still may not succeed. They’ve eluded us before. This isn’t a simple takedown. It’s a very complex operation.”

She thought for a moment then asked. “How long have you been in the FBI?”

“Three years.”

“That’s it?”

“Yeah, before that I was in the military.”

“What branch?”

“Army.”

“You weren’t just the in army though, were you?” she asked on a hunch.

“Ranger.”

“I could tell.

“And how is that?”

“You have an edge about you.”

“I guess I should take that as a compliment?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“So what do you say?”

“If I have any information, I’m happy to share. But right now my top priority is my client and trying to find this missing girl.”

“What do the police say?”

“That they’re overstretched on resources but still doing everything they can. No leads though.”

“Are you concerned?”

“After talking to her mother, yes I am. Moms know best. If she believes something happened to her daughter, then who am I to question that? The girl’s friends also haven’t heard from her. That’s key. A teenager might ignore her mom but definitely not her friends.”

He frowned. “Doesn’t sound good. How old is she?”

“Sixteen.”

“When did she go missing?”

“Saturday before last while out downtown with her friend.”

He frowned even deeper this time.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing.” He shook his head.

She knew that wasn’t really what he was thinking, but she’d let it go.

“I know you’re busy. So I’ll get out of here. I’d like to take you to lunch sometime, though.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Good.” He stood up and walked out the door.

She couldn’t help but notice how sweet his smile had been. Or his concern over Megan. Army ranger. Those guys were no joke. Why did he have to join the FBI? She shook her head in disgust. The FBI had a way of messing everything up. She hoped Kip hadn’t been corrupted. She shouldn’t focus too much on his sweet smile. Megan Milton was her top priority.

* * *

Sadie didn’t waste any time getting to work after Kip left her office. She needed to talk to Lauren and retrace Megan’s steps from the prior Saturday night. She’d gotten the teenager’s address from Ms. Milton and arrived at the house out in the El Paso suburbs. Lauren’s family had money. The two-story white sprawling house with a perfect fence was so cliché.

She’d called ahead of time to confirm the meeting. Lauren and her mother were actually eager to talk to her. She rang the doorbell and was greeted by a woman with bleached blond hair, in her forties, dressed in a tennis outfit. However, her perfume and heavy makeup didn’t seem consistent with an intense tennis match.

“You must be the private investigator?”

“Yes, I’m Sadie Lane. You must be Mrs. Newton.”

“Yes. Please come in. I’m so glad you’re here.” She waved her hand in the air. “Lauren has been absolutely distraught. She won’t even go out which is so unlike her. She’s a social butterfly. I hope you can help. She’s anxious to talk to you.”

“Before I talk to her, how well did you know Megan?”

“She spent a lot of time over here.” She shook her head. “She’s a sweet girl.” She lowered her voice. “But her mother.” She leaned in closer. “She actually works two jobs.”

Sadie tried to reserve judgment, but Lauren’s mother seemed pretty judgmental herself. Sadie admired the fact that Ms. Milton worked two jobs to support her family. Obviously, from the looks of the expansive house, Mrs. Newton didn’t have to worry about money.

Mrs. Newton fluffed her already-teased hair. “At any rate, her mother leaves Megan alone a lot. It’s sad, but Lauren’s taken her under her wing. My Lauren has her act together. Top grades and a blooming social life to go with it.” She held her head high. “I’m so proud of her. She’s the perfect daughter.”

Sadie wanted to laugh. This lady probably had no clue what her daughter was getting into. “That’s wonderful that Lauren is doing so well, and I’m glad she’s a friend to Megan.”

“Yes, I’m sure she’ll want to talk to you now.” She called out to her daughter, and Lauren bounded down the steps. She was a younger version of Mrs. Newton. Her much more natural blond ponytail was perfectly styled, and she also wore a buff-pink tennis outfit. Maybe a mother-daughter tennis match this evening after the summer sun subsided?

“Lauren, dear, this is Ms. Lane. She’s the investigator looking for Megan.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” Lauren said. She walked right over to her and grabbed Sadie’s hand dragging her into the living room. “Mom, can you give us a few minutes to talk?”

“Sure, dear.” Mrs. Newton bounced out of the room, oblivious.

Lauren plopped down on the couch and leaned her head back for a moment before turning and making eye contact with Sadie. Sadie sat down beside her.

“I’m freaked out about Megan,” Lauren said bluntly.

“I’m so glad you’re talking to me. I’m going to need you to be completely honest with me. No one is in this room right now but me and you. To be able to help Megan I need to know the whole truth.”

Lauren nodded. “I get it.” Lauren tightened her ponytail, and then looked directly at her, her blue eyes wide. “That’s exactly why I asked Mom to leave. She can be so controlling and always wants to add her spin to any story.”

“Start at the beginning. What happened that Saturday night?”

“We were going out downtown for a nice dinner. We scored the top two grades in our AP history class. Megan had been saving up for months for this dinner. Megan’s family doesn’t have money. It’s just her and her mom, so this was a big deal. Once we got the grades, we immediately started planning.”

“Okay, so what happened?”

“We made a reservation at the newest and trendiest restaurant in town. I couldn’t believe we were able to get a reservation, but we did. It’s the one inside the fancy Rhubarb Hotel called Sala. It’s also exciting because they play live music, and it’s just the place to go. So anyway, we were at our table and there was a delay in our getting served because it was so busy. I went to find our server to get us some water. By the time I got back, she was gone.” Tears welled up in her eyes, and she looked away. “If I hadn’t left her, maybe she’d be okay.”

“How long were you gone?”

“The restaurant was packed. It was probably at least fifteen minutes or longer. Because—” she paused, looking down “—I took a detour and wandered around a bit, taking it all in.”

“So the last time you saw her, she was at the table. Then fifteen minutes later or longer you walked back, and she wasn’t there. Then what did you do?”

“I looked for her. I checked the ladies’ room and the hostess stand. Then went back to the main seating area. Sala isn’t that large. After I went around the place at least three times, I knew something was wrong. Megan and I like to go out and have fun, but we never ever leave each other like that. She would not have left that restaurant without me. No way. We know it’s not safe. Something happened to her.” Her eyes misted up. “I know it.”

“What did you do then?”

“I went home. Megan’s mom was working the night shift. So I didn’t talk to her until I called the next morning. She hadn’t seen or heard from Megan either. That’s when I flipped out.”

“And you never got any word from her? A text, an email, anything after that night?”

“Nothing.” She paused and her blue eyes filled with tears yet again. “What do you think happened?”

“I don’t know. But I’ll do my best to find her.”

“I know I’m just sixteen, but I’m not stupid. Could someone have taken her?”

“That’s always possible.”

Lauren stood up and started pacing. “I’m so mad at the police. They need to be doing more. I’ve watched enough TV to know that this isn’t exactly a top priority for them. They aren’t taking this seriously enough. They don’t want to commit more resources. It’s not right! I think if my family hadn’t gotten involved they wouldn’t be doing as much as they are now.”

“That’s sad,” Sadie said in truth.

“I know.”

“If Megan was in trouble, is there anywhere she would go?”

“Yeah. She’d come here. To me. To my house. Megan has been through a lot. Her mom works so hard. Megan even got a part-time job at the yogurt shop when she turned sixteen. And her dad, he’s never been in the picture. Like ever.” She hesitated and shifted her eyes away again. “I don’t know what I’ll do if something happened to her. I may put on a big act that I’m all put together, but Megan is the strong one.”

“You’ve been very helpful, Lauren. Is there anything else I should know?”

“I’ll do anything to help, Sadie. Anything.”

Sadie said her goodbyes to Lauren and her mother and went back to the office, settling in at her desk. A few minutes later, she looked up as Kip walked through her office door smiling.

“What’re you doing here? I told you I was working this case.”

“I wanted to see how your afternoon was going. Any leads on the girl?”

“Maybe. I went to see her friend. What do you know about Sala?”

“The swanky restaurant in the Rhubarb Hotel?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m not into the fancy restaurant scene.”

“Me neither.”

“But I’ve heard it’s the trendy place to go in town. They have live music on the weekends which is a big draw for the college crowd. During the week it caters to business types and young professionals.”

“I’m going to have to go there tonight.”

He frowned. “Why?”

“That’s where Megan was last seen. I need to ask around about her. Someone there saw something. I just know it.”

“What did the friend say?”

“She left Megan at the table alone while she went to track down their server and look around the place. When she came back Megan was gone. She looked everywhere and couldn’t find her.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“I don’t need an escort to a fancy restaurant.”

He laughed. “Believe me, you’ve made it clear you can take care of yourself. But I can do my own recon while we’re there.”

“For what?”

“See if I can get any tips on the Vladimir operation.”

“You think you’d get that at Sala?”

“The newest report from the field team is that Igor has been seen going in and out of the hotel. It’s his speed. Plus, Igor is in the hotel business—the high-end hotels anyway. He also has a few five-star restaurants.”

At the sound of Igor’s name, chills shot down her arms. “Igor?” she asked.

“Yeah. The Vladimir group is headed by the father, Sergei. But his two sons, Igor and Artur, actually do the work. They’re currently in a battle for who’s going to take over.”

“Interesting,” she said. “So Igor is here in El Paso?”

“He comes and goes, as does Artur. But Igor has staked out El Paso as his territory. He appears to be putting down roots.”

“You asked me a lot of questions about what happened in the woods, but you never told me what went down that night.”

He ran his hand through his dark hair. “We tailed one of Igor’s thugs who was involved in a money drop into the woods. Looked like there was some hand off there between the thug and some other guy who we’re still trying to identify. Most likely linked to the trafficking business. Makes me sick.”

“What do you mean?”

“The guy was probably making a payment for more girls.”

She shuddered to think about it. “You’re trying to stop Igor’s network.”

“Me and my team.”

“So they take the girls over the border, then what?”

“You really don’t want to know.”

He was right. She didn’t need the gory details. She understood exactly what happened to those poor girls. “All right. Well, I need to go home and shower before I go out tonight.”

“What do you say about grabbing dinner before we go to the hotel? I’m in the mood for Italian. We can discuss some operational details.”

She considered rejecting his offer immediately but then thought better of it. This man was the key to tracking down Igor. “That would be fine. Why don’t we meet somewhere for dinner?”

He shook his head. “No, I’ll pick you up.”

“You don’t even know where I live.” Then she realized he was in the FBI so he could easily track her down.

“I’ll find you. How does seven-thirty work?”

“See you then.”

He smiled and walked away. She hoped she wasn’t making a big mistake.

* * *

When Kip pulled up to Sadie’s little house, he stopped for a minute to gather his thoughts before exiting his FBI-issued sedan. What exactly was he doing here? Yeah, he didn’t want her going to that fancy downtown restaurant alone, but why should he care so much? He’d cared once before and look where that had gotten him. A broken heart. No, not just a broken heart. His ex-fiancée, Lacy, had ripped his heart out and stomped on it.

Her having cheated on him was hurtful, but the fact that she’d left him for Brad Sullivan—one of the guys from his own ranger team—nearly killed him. Brad had been not only his friend but also someone he’d looked up to as a military leader. They’d bonded after a team retreat in Brad’s cabin in Colorado that they’d taken before they deployed. The pain was still fresh even though it was now years past. He’d never be able to forgive. Ever.

This was business, though. If the FBI report was correct, Igor might be using the hotel as his base of operations. He took a deep breath and stepped out of his car. He knocked lightly, and the door opened. The sight of Sadie took his breath away.

“Hey,” he said.

“Come on in. I just need to feed my cats.”

She was simply stunning. Her long straight dark hair flowed over her shoulders. She’d changed into a pair of black slacks and wore a dark green shirt that looked amazing against her skin. It was made out of some kind of silky material that seemed soft and feminine. He looked at her again as she poured cat food into a dish. Her smile was enough to make his heart unsteady.

Two cats came flying into the room meowing loudly. One was black and the other orange.

“Meet Leo and Sammie.”

He slowly stepped closer to them, and they looked at him skeptically before turning to the food dish.

“They friendly?” he asked.

She laughed loudly. “Depends on what they think your intentions are.”

“I’m an animal lover. Really a dog person, but cats are okay, too.”

“Do you have a dog?”

“Yeah. A yellow Lab named Colby. He loves everyone.”

“I like dogs, too. Pretty much all animals. But these kitties are perfect for my lifestyle.” She smiled again. “I’m ready if you are.”

By the time they reached the restaurant, he had admitted to himself that he wished this was a first date. He had no idea what Sadie thought. She was tough to read. He’d picked a casual Italian restaurant that he loved named Primo. They had the best homemade pasta in the city.

He hadn’t wanted to freak her out, but on the way to the restaurant he thought they’d picked up a tail. He was going to keep his eyes open.

“Hope this is okay?” he asked.

“It’s perfect. I’m addicted to pasta of all kinds.”

A hostess guided them to a corner table, and he chose the seat against the wall facing the restaurant so he’d have the best vantage point of the room. If there were any threats, he’d be able to identify them.

The smell of the sauce had him realizing how hungry he was. He’d only had a power bar for lunch. The restaurant was busy most of the time, and tonight was no exception. There was just enough noise and people for it not to seem awkward between them.

He smiled at her. A server walked over immediately to take their drink orders. He ordered water, and she ordered an unsweetened tea.

“So tell me a bit more about you, Sadie.”

The server popped back over with their drinks and warm bread. Sadie diverted her eyes for just a brief second, looking down at the menu, and then glanced up making eye contact again.

“I grew up in Oregon. Then went to college here in Texas at UT. And I’ve been in El Paso ever since graduation.”

“Where are your parents?”

Her eyes shifted again. “They’re still in Oregon. Mom’s a teacher, and dad’s an architect. I’m very close to them even though I don’t visit enough. I try to talk to them on the phone often. What about you?”

“I moved a lot. Dad was in the army. So we were all over the place, but I spent a good chunk of time growing up in the South. I went to The Citadel, and then joined the army.” He took a big bite of the buttery breadstick.

“How long were you in the military?”

“Until three years ago. Being a ranger got to be a bit too difficult after a while.” That was an understatement. “So I retired and joined the FBI.”

“Why the FBI?”

“Law enforcement was a good fit. I thought I could use everything I’d learned as a ranger and really make a difference.”

She cocked her head to the side. “And are you?”

“Am I what?”

“Making a difference?”

“I’d like to think so.”

The server came back, and they both ordered pasta. He opted for spaghetti to satisfy his craving, and she surprised him with her choice of fettuccine Alfredo—the richest pasta on the menu.

“And why are you a P.I.?”

“I also wanted to make a difference. But I like being my own boss. I didn’t want the constraints of a system that allows important details to get lost.”

Interesting, he thought. He wondered what caused her to distrust government agencies. She didn’t have to say it, but he knew there was a more complex story brewing under the surface.

“Who taught you how to shoot?”

“A friend I met in college.”

Ah. He was curious if this guy was a lot more than a friend to her. But it wasn’t his place to pry right now.

Their meal came, and he was glad she didn’t pick at her food but ate eagerly. They both finished off all their pasta, and he even dove into a second basket of breadsticks. But now dinner was over, and it was time to get to work. Thankfully, he hadn’t identified any threats in the restaurant.

“So do you have a plan for tonight?” he asked.

“Scope it out. Talk to some people. Show her picture to a few of the workers. You know the drill. What about you?”

“See what I can see. Make sure not to make waves. More watching than talking if you know what I mean. I’d love to actually confirm for myself that Igor has been hanging out there.” He reached over and picked up the check.

“Let’s split it,” she said.

“No.” He smiled. “This one’s on the FBI.” He opened his wallet and pulled out some cash.

“Are you sure?” She frowned slightly.

“Absolutely.”

“Thank you.”

“Let’s do it.”

Once they got in the car, she looked over at him. “That was a nice dinner, Kip. But when were you planning to inform me about the tail we picked up on the way over?”

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