Not buying the explanation. “What were your instructions?”
“Grab the woman.”
“And do what with her?”
“I don’t know. I was to text that number when I had her and would be told where to take her.”
“You weren’t told to kill her?”
“No way!” Silverman’s voice rose. “I wouldn’t kill her or anybody else.”
“Why do they want her?”
“They didn’t tell me, man. You got to believe me.”
Rowan inched closer. “Ask about Alexa,” she whispered.
“Come on, man,” Silverman whined. “You don’t want to do this.”
“On the contrary, Tom,” Brent said conversationally. “I want to do more than this. You and your friends terrorized my girlfriend. I don’t take that lightly.”
“It was a job. I don’t think anyone planned to hurt her. They want to ask her some questions.”
“One of your buddies killed her sister and brother-in-law, and took her niece. You know anything about that?”
“I’m done talking.”
“The little girl is only six, Silverman. She was drugged and taken from her home.”
The man swallowed hard.
“If you tell me where the girl is, I might call off my friends.” Brent caught the growing fear in the thug’s face. He knew something about Alexa, but he was more afraid of the man who sent him than he was of Brent. Guess he’d let Jon talk to him. If Silverman was protecting the identity of the people who were after Rowan, Jon would find out who they were. If this guy knew. Silverman was a throwaway. Chances were good that he wouldn’t be trusted with information of importance.
If Jon could confirm what Brent suspected, Brent would take that compound apart and return Alexa to Rowan. No child deserved to live in fear. Alexa had been traumatized enough.
Minutes later, Brent’s phone vibrated with another incoming message, this one from Eli Wolfe announcing their arrival at the back door. Brent crossed the room and let them inside.
Without saying a word, Jon shrugged off his pack and pulled out a hypodermic needle.
“Hey!” Silverman protested, panic in his voice. “You promised to call off the dogs if I talked.”
“That was your second mistake, Tom.” Brent folded his arms across his chest. “I never made you that promise. Your first mistake was coming after my woman. My priority is her. You don’t matter to me.” He flicked a glance at Jon who immediately plunged the needle into Silverman’s neck. Seconds later, the thug who’d meant to kidnap Rowan was unconscious.
“How much did you give him?” Brent asked.
“He’ll be out for a couple hours or so. Hard to guess at the dosage.” His gaze zeroed in on the hallway. “Get your woman out of here, Brent. This clown’s friends are closing in.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Rowan, get your gear.” Brent pulled out his knife and sliced the ties holding Silverman to the chair. Catching the man as he slumped forward, Brent helped Jon haul the thug upright. “You’ve got three minutes, baby.”
“She okay?” Eli asked as he followed his partner and Brent to the waiting SUV, a small black scanner in his hand to check for a tracker on Brent’s SUV. “This has to be the most frightening thing she’s ever been through.”
“Rowan is a strong woman, but she’s putting on a good performance. I don’t have time to talk to her about it just yet.” Proud of her strength, he was also grateful for her control. He and the others would have dealt with a major meltdown, but it would have taken time they couldn’t spare.
Eli circled Brent’s vehicle. He stopped at the back on the passenger side, dropped to the ground and scooted under the vehicle. A small pen light clicked on. A moment later Eli scooted out from under the SUV and held out his hand to show Brent a small black object. “Tracker.”
Brent blew out a breath, disgusted with himself. He should have checked before leaving Rowan’s place. His misstep had led these clowns right to her. “That’s on me. I was distracted and didn’t check.”
His fellow SEAL grinned at him as Brent helped Jon dump Silverman into the back of their vehicle. After the thug was secure once more, Jon closed the hatchback.
“Can’t believe the invincible Brent Maddox has a weakness.” Eli shook his head, eyes twinkling. “Guess you’re as fallible as Jon and I are when it comes to our women.”
Brent rubbed the back of his neck. “I haven’t even taken her on a date,” he muttered. Should have asked her out sooner. “Can’t call her mine.” Yet. He’d like to change that, but the lady had to be willing.
Jon’s eyebrow rose. “If you say so.”
His heartbeat sped up. Had the SEAL sniper noticed something Brent missed? Man, he hoped Jon’s powers of observation were still spot on. He turned in time to see Rowan racing from the house, bag in hand.
“I’m ready.” She was breathing hard.
Eli took her bag. “I’ll take this. Brent, grab your gear.”
His lips curved. Listen to Wolfe giving orders. He trotted the few feet to his back door.
“I’m Eli.” Wolfe inclined his head to his partner. “That’s Jon.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Rowan. Thanks for helping.”
“Sure thing, sugar. Can’t let anyone get the drop on our boss.”
“Still, I appreciate everything you’re doing. It keeps me safe, too.”
Brent grabbed his Go bag at the back door, turned off most of the lights, locked up again, including setting the security system. He dumped his bag beside Rowan’s on the back seat of his vehicle. “Jon, get information from Silverman as fast as you can.” He summarized the events of the last couple days, including Alexa’s disappearance. “If Silverman knows where the girl is, I want to know yesterday.”
Jon’s face hardened into grim lines at the mention of the missing girl, reminding Brent that the SEAL-trained sniper had a soft spot for women and children in danger. “He will talk to me,” Jon said. “I guarantee it. Whether he knows anything worth hearing is another story.”
“We need to go,” Eli murmured. “I
