Mac shrugged. “I only know because he’s my boss. I don’t think she tells people a lot about herself. Have you two known each other long?” he asked.
“Yes and no.” I said not sure I wanted to get into the details.
“Well, let’s not dismiss your hunch because that is the simplest answer and the closest to home. I’m going to call SecNav and see if he’s had any threats lately that might indicate someone would take his granddaughter. I’ll also have my tech guys check the chatter and see if they come up with anything.”
“Okay, sounds good. I left my forensic team at her house and I need to check in with them and see if they left any evidence behind.”
Mac looked around. “Are all these phones secure?”
“Use mine.” I pointed to my desk.
“Thanks.”
“Andria, it’s Ethan. Did you find anything at the house?”
“Not much. Nothing I can identify yet anyway.”
“No prints?”
“Plenty of prints, I’m just weeding through them to see who they belong to. So far, I’ve identified Kay Dandridge, Eddie Green, and you.”
“Well, keep trying.” I ran my hand through my hair. “What about traffic cameras, phone calls, anything?”
“It takes time Ethan, you know that. We are working as fast as we can.”
“I know. Thank you. Are the local police any help?”
“Yeah, they are actually over at traffic ops looking at the traffic cameras for any sign of Kay Dandridge and the techs here are going through the footage on the neighbor’s cameras.”
“Okay, thanks.”
I clicked off and called another number. “Greg, it’s Ethan Craddock.”
“I’ve been expecting your call, Andria told me what was going on,” Adam replied.
“It’s a high priority. We have a co-worker of Kay Dandridge who could be at risk at a safe house. Is there a way he can work on his laptop and phone from there without someone being after to track his location?”
“Sure, the laptop is easy. The phone might be a little harder though, if someone is really trying to find him,” He explained.
“Okay, let’s say he really needs his phone.”
“I suppose I could port his number over to one of our phones that can’t be tracked and let him work that way.”
“Okay, let me know when you get a chance to get someone to set that up over at the safe house. Call before you go in, Logan is there,” I warned him.
“Got it.” He clicked off.
I went to one of the desk phones rather than using my cell to call Logan. “Logan, Ethan. In a little while Adam or someone from IT is going to come out there to switch out Michael’s phone and work on his laptop so he can work from there without being traced. Try not to shoot them when they show up.”
“You tell them to call first?”
“I did.”
“Then I’ll do my best.”
I laughed. “How’s Michael doing?”
“He isn’t particularly happy with the arrangement, but I think he is more scared than pissed so he is living with it.”
I smiled. I’m sure any complaints Michael had fell on deaf ears with Logan.
“Okay, I’ll try to come by later. I’ll have Jared relieve you.”
“Okay.” And he was gone.
Mac hung up the phone his face grim.
“Everything alright?” I asked.
“Well, SecNav wasn’t all that thrilled to hear his only granddaughter was missing, especially since she was snatched out from under my nose.” I didn’t make that connection, but I let it go.
“It’s not your fault,” I assured him, thinking she was snatched more from under my nose than his.
“It will be if we don’t get her back in one piece.” He shook his head.
“We will,” I said, more for my benefit than his. I had to believe that we would. I had been operating on autopilot all day, doing what I knew had to be done. In a sense treating it like any other kidnapping case because if I didn’t the cold fear that was sitting in the pit my stomach was going to take over and I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t let anyone else run this investigation. I had to be the one to find Kay.
Jared came into the kitchen where I was pouring myself a coffee preparing for an all-nighter. “Boss, I’m getting ready to head over to the safe house and relieve Logan.”
“Okay, are you taking anyone with you?” I asked.
“Yeah, one of the locals is going with me.”
“Okay, just be careful. We don’t have any leads or suspects yet, so we don’t know who or what we are looking for,” I cautioned him.
“Got it.”
I handed Mac a mug of coffee.
“So, did SecNav give you any leads that might help?” I asked trying not to think about how much I was learning about Kay from this case.
“No, he said he hasn’t had any new threats. Just the same old standing ones,” he explained.
“Any of those standing threats credible?”
“Only if someone was smart enough to know they are related. This is one of the reasons they have taken great pains to not let anyone know the relationship.” Mac explained.
I nodded, it seemed extreme, but I could almost understand.
“She saw him recently, so could anyone have seen her with him?” I was trying to cover all the basis.
“No, she came to his house, which I assure you is extremely secure.”
“And that is where you met her?” I asked trying to sound casual and failing miserably.
“Yeah, SecNav has a weekly poker game. Me and a few others go over and lose a few bucks. This week he called us ahead of time and said his granddaughter was visiting and did we mind if she sat in on a few hands.”
“Did anyone have a problem with that?” I tried to stay on track with the case.
“No, you play at his house, his rules.”
“So how did the game go?” I was curious.
“Well, she won.” Why am I know surprised?
“Anyone a sore loser?”
“No, the others folded before it got too risky and it was just down to her and one other person.”
“Who?” I asked.
“Me.”
“How much
