Page 93 of Twilight Tactics

The man shook his head. “Miss Thompson took him out a couple hours ago. Headed north.”

North. Toward the prepper community. Toward danger. She wanted to reconnect so badly with her family she wasn’t thinking straight. And the truth was, her family might be harmless. But someone in the group wanted to hurt her, and they were involved with the preppers.

Sully pulled out his phone. No signal. He ran back to the main house where David and Maya had walked out onto the porch. “Elena’s gone,” he said, holding up the crumpled note. “She went to meet her father and sister. Someone from the prepper community brought her the message.”

Maya took the note and read it. “After everything that’s happened, she went alone?”

“She thinks she knows these people. That they won’t hurt her.” Sully paced the porch. “But we know some of them were working with Bellini. This could be a trap. We need to track her. She took Harley and headed north about two hours ago.”

“Jim Small can help,” David said. “He’s a tracker. Served three tours in Afghanistan. If anyone can find her trail, it’s him.”

“Get him,” Sully said. “And I need a horse.”

“Take Maverick,” Maya said. “He’s fast and knows the trails.”

“I’ll come with you,” David said. “Two of my men are still here. They’ll help us look for her.”

Sully nodded. “I’m calling in reinforcements as well. They’ll come with vehicles and meet us at a designated area just in case things go south. Let’s move. If this is a trap, we don’t have much time.”

“The note said she’d be back after dark, maybe late,” Maya said.

“We’re not waiting,” Sully said. “Not with Bellini’s people possibly involved.”

Within fifteen minutes, they assembled at the trailhead. Jim examined the ground. “Horse passed through here. Looks like she was moving at a steady pace. Doesn’t seem to be in a hurry.”

“Can you follow the trail?” Sully asked.

Jim nodded. “Clear as day. Recent snow left tracks. She seems to be heading toward the old Forest Service road that borders the prepper property.”

Sully checked his weapon and radio. “If we hit a jammer zone, we’ll lose contact. Meet back here if we get separated.”

He urged Maverick forward, following Jim’s lead. The forest closed around them, shadows deepening as the afternoon waned.

His thoughts raced. Why would Elena go alone? She was smart, trained. But also overconfident about how well she knew the prepper group. And family complicated everything.

If anything happened to her...

No. He wouldn’t think that way. He’d find her. Bring her home. Keep her safe.

Because somewhere along the way, between gunfights and bomb threats and midnight conversations, Elena Thompson had become more than just someone to protect. She’d become essential.

And Sully wasn’t about to lose her now.

19

A twig snapped in the distance and Elena jolted awake. She looked around and remembered. Her father had asked her to meet. Was she an idiot? Her mother had risked everything to get her away from the compound. From him and LaRoche. But her dad would never hurt her, he just wanted to control her. And her mother. Was she stupid for wanting to reconnect? To have that relationship with him and her sister?

No. The desire wasn’t stupid. The way she’d taken off on her own to meet with them? Yes, that might rank as stupid.

She thought about leaving before it was too late. Ask her dad and Iris to meet her somewhere else. Somewhere with other people, but ... they wouldn’t. She had no doubts about that. Then again, why not? If they wanted to leave, why did she have to come alone?

The thought spurred her to action. This wasn’t right. She hadn’t been thinking clearly. She needed to leave, and if they were serious about getting out of the group, they’d find a way to contact her again.

She’d dozed long enough for the shadows to stretch andthe sun to dip toward the horizon. She needed to move fast. They’d be there soon.

The sound came again—this time closer. A slight movement, a barely there shift in the air. Her hand moved to her holster, fingers brushing the grip of her weapon. She hurried toward Harley, trying to stay quiet and hidden.

“Eleanor?” The voice drifted through the trees, taking her back to another lifetime. “You here?”