Tinsley let herself be grabbed and yanked in the direction of the bathroom. She didn’t fight. She only prayed he didn’t go in with her and discover Tina strapped to her thigh. The man pushed the door open and shoved Tinsley inside.
“Hurry up,” he told her.
The bathroom had two stalls and two sinks. Two cracked mirrors outlined with stickers hung on the wall above each sink, and one window with light streaming through the frosted glass was opposite the door.
The man watched as she went into the far stall and then the door closed. Tinsley finally took a breath. She had a moment alone. She hurried from the stall and went straight for the window. Tinsley surveyed the window made of frosted glass and wire. It was supposed to be shatterproof. She looked to see if she could open it, but the best she could do was vent a small portion of it. She unlocked it and pulled the small portion of glass inward, then ducked her head under it the best she could. She had to twist her neck to the side to do so. She felt the disappointment like a tidal wave. She wasn’t going to be able to escape through the window.
Tinsley was about to pull her head back in when a small movement in the water made the marsh grass sway. It was probably an alligator but her eyes kept starting at the spot.
“Hurry up, woman!” the guard yelled.
“I’m almost done,” Tinsley yelled back as she kept her eye on the movement. A head popped up just above the mucky water and looked right at her. “Wade,” she whispered in a surprised gasp. She wedged up her hand and waved. Wade froze, his eyes catching the movement.
Tinsley’s neck muscles were shooting pain, but she had to warn him. She moved her hand up and wiggled all five fingers before closing her fingers to form a fist. She did it again just in case he didn’t catch it. Then she knew her time was up. The man would burst in soon so she angled herself out from the window and closed it before flushing the toilet. She was in the middle of washing her hands when the man kicked the door open with his gun raised.
“I told you to hurry up.”
Tinsley wiped her hands on her maxi-length skirt and felt the comfort of Tina holstered to her thigh. If Wade was out there, Paxton was, too. She just needed to buy some more time and distract the men as much as possible. She’d help Paxton, Wade, and whoever else they brought with them every step of the way—from distracting her captors to providing cover shots.
The man shoved her back into her chair but didn’t put the cuffs back on. Instead, Curtis and Mark approached and Curtis handed her a bottle of water. “Now, tell us everything Paxton has told you.”
Bless his heart, you never ask a Southerner open-ended questions like that. Tinsley took a deep breath and started spinning her tale. Curtis and Mark had better settle in because she was about to talk them right out of their boots.
Paxton pushed open the door to the rooftop and looked at the helicopter known for its muted blades. Most helicopters were noisy, and while this one still produced noise, it sounded as if a giant pillow were being pressed over the loud blades. It was done with the help of a mostly encased tail blade.
“Mr. Faulkner!” Ryker’s secretary yelled at Ryker, Paxton, Bridget, and Ahmed. “You have a phone call! They said it was urgent!”
Ryker looked out of place in his fitted slacks and button-down shirt along with Paxton, Ahmed, and Bridget who wore the more traditional tactical gear. At least Ryker had put on steel-toe boots.
Ryker grabbed the phone as Ahmed and Bridget stepped into specialized harnesses. Ahmed even slipped on a little pair of goggles onto his Vizsla, Nemi. Both Nemi and Susi were all business as Ahmed and Bridget checked the vests the dogs were wearing.
“Let’s go,” Ryker told them, handing the phone back to his secretary.
Ryker climbed into the helicopter first. Then Bridget. Ahmed lifted Susi and Nemi into the helicopter before jumping in himself. Paxton was the last one in since he was going to be the first one out.
Paxton slid the headphones on so he could communicate with the other teams. “We’re airborne,” he said into his coms.
“Road crew is in position,” Annie replied and Paxton had to smile. He was sure Whitlock was wondering how someone from Kentucky was in charge.
“Ready to ring the doorbell,” Granger said.
“The fireworks are ready when you are.” Paxton heard Cy’s voice say.
They waited a moment and then Wade’s voice came on the coms. “The water team in is place. Also, I just saw Tinsley in a window. She couldn’t get out. All she could do was angle her head to look out. We made eye contact and she stuck her hand out to signal. Five O. Fifty. I’m guessing that’s how many people are inside.”
“I told y’all you could never have too much C-4,” Cy said over the coms. “Does anyone want to borrow some?”
“Don’t worry, we have backup right behind us,” Ryker said simply.
“I’m in position,” an unfamiliar female voice came over the coms.
“Who are you?” Paxton asked.
“Your backup. Let’s move it, my girl is in there,” the mystery woman said back to him.
“Okay then. We’re a go in two minutes,” Paxton said. As the coms went quiet, the helicopter’s altitude climbed. They went high into the air and only then did they fly the short distance from one side of North Charleston to the other.
“We’re a go,” Cy said as Paxton looked down at the bar where Tinsley was confirmed to be inside.
A second later, three explosions sounded simultaneously. Paxton used the binoculars to
