Page 91 of Lost Truth
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As the team and Cady assembled for an update in the conference room, Hayden tried to focus on the rescue. On Collins’s admission that he worked with Palmer to traffic women—something they could use to prosecute both of them in a court of law. But his mind kept going back to his discussion with Cady. His revelation. He claimed if he would cling to God, He’d be his protection and show him how to get through storms.
Sure, he believed that in the moment his life was threatened. Even when Collins threatened Cady’s life. But now that things had settled down, did he believe it for everyday life? For things like locating Kai. Like bringing these men to justice. Like him figuring out what his future should be with Cady, if anything? Not just him, but for Cady to figure it out as well.
He glanced at her. She claimed she was all right after Collins pointed a gun at her, but there was a shadow of pain in her eyes. Was it from the gun attack or from knowing who actually killed her father? He wished he could’ve spared her from watching the doorbell video. She would’ve had to see it at some point, but he felt responsible for not being careful enough to hide it from her until they figured out a good way to present it to her.
Maybe there wouldn’t have been a good way. Just like when his parents died. There was no good way for him to hear that news. There was no way to help prevent the shock, the anger, the intense, deep anguish and pain. He just had to hear the devastating news and come back from it, which, if he looked at his life for any amount of time, he would realize that hadn’t happened until his discovery today.
Please don’t let my recent revelation on clinging to You through storms go to waste. Let me believe it. Embrace it. Live it.
He kept the thought in his head for a few moments, then opened his eyes to see his teammates looking at him. Everyone had changed into dry clothing, and despite it being summer, they’d fired up a small heater in the conference room near Abby, who continued to shiver. The team’s expressions were defeated and watchful. Although they’d been successful in figuring out who’d killed Percy and rescuing the women, they still hadn’t found Kai, which was their mission.
He got it. Totally got it. But he was the leader of this investigation, and he had to bring everyone back to task and get to work again.
He moved to the head of the table. “I get how you’re feeling. Mixed emotions. We were there to save many lives, and that was a win for sure.”
“A big win!” Abby’s forceful tone surprised him. “Even if our mission was to take someone into custody tonight in addition to Collins, you can’t put a price on saving one life, let alone the numbers we did save.”
“Collins is a start though,” Reece said.
Hayden smiled his appreciation to her for her positive take on what could be deemed an operational failure. “But we still have a job to do, and we need to think positively about finding Kai alive.”
“What if Kai hasn’t been abducted?” Abby asked. “What if he knew Ivers was after him, and he went into hiding?”
“Makes sense to me,” Gabe said. “Especially since the usual leads we see in abduction cases aren’t present. No sign of forced entry anywhere. No indication of a struggle. No ransom demand. And on and on.”
“What you’re saying might be true,” Hayden said, “but I think we should proceed under the assumption that Ivers played a role in Kai’s disappearance.”
“Why can’t we work both avenues?” Cady asked.
“Good question,” Hayden said. “If he went into hiding, he’s not in danger, and he’ll come out when he thinks he’s safe, so no point in dividing our resources. But if Ivers had something to do with his disappearance, then his life could still be in danger, and he needs us immediately.”
Abby fisted her hands and rested them on the table. “So we first get eyes on Ivers. Palmer, too, if Mina doesn’t haul him in after interviewing Collins.”
“That won’t take all of us,” Nolan said. “So, at the same time, we can continue pursuing the leads we had before tailing Collins.”
“Agreed.” Hayden went to the board, picked up the marker and tapped the first item. “We should start with registration for the vehicle used to assault us. Guy’s name, Gabe?”
“Alec Mercado.”
“And in case we forgot,” Jude said, “Gabe got the name in the five minutes or less he promised.”
“You know it.” Gabe radiated confidence.
“Figured I’d mention it before you did.” Jude chuckled. “It’s not like you’d let us forget.”
Usually the team laughed with him, but this time, all he got were a few strained smiles.
Hayden moved on. “What do we know about Mercado?”
“He has priors and has done time for several crimes.” Gabe glanced at his notes. “B & E, armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and domestic violence, to name a few.”
Hayden was glad he didn’t know the guy’s background when they were fleeing from him, or the incident might’ve hooked him harder than he’d like to admit. “Sounds like the kind of guy who wouldn’t hesitate to shoot at us. I’m assuming by now Mina has identified and questioned him. If she found his vehicle, she’s likely impounded it and placed him under arrest.”
“She said she’d come by after her interview with Collins,” Nolan said. “We can ask her about Mercado then.”
Hayden drew a big red circle around the guy’s name on the board to bring up with Mina. “What about Palmer’s Wi-Fi? Have we gone through all the files?”
