Page 22 of Tangled With You

“And New York?”

“I’ll call the office there, too, but it seems more likelythis would have originated here.”

“Agreed,” Trevor said. “But no stone unturned.” He heldOllie’s eyes again. “Whatever it takes, we’ll get her back.”

That warmth in his belly was back, and Ollie nodded. “Yeah,”he said. “We will.”

“You need to examine your personal life too,” Quince said,his British accent more pronounced since he’d just returned from a job inLondon and come straight to Stark’s house. He was former MI6 and an ex-memberof Deliverance, a now defunct organization that had operated vigilante style,but with the primary mission of protecting and rescuing kidnapped children.Liam had also been part of that group, and Ollie couldn’t be happier they wereboth on the team.

“I have been,” Ollie assured him. “Honestly, no one ringsany bells.”

“What about Courtney’s boyfriend before you?” Denny asked.

Ollie shook his head, doubting that would lead anywhere.“She had one serious relationship before me, and he’s married now. Courtney waseven in their wedding. They’re close friends—Courtney, Bill, and his wife. ButI’ll go see him. If she’d noticed someone watching her or was nervous aboutanything, she might have told him.”

Ryan leaned forward, his elbows on the table. “Wouldn’t shehave told you? After all, you’re with the FBI.”

“She would. At least I think so. But no stone unturned, right?”

“Oh, we’ve got something.” From the end of the table, Braxlooked up. “A partial license plate.”

Thank God.

It wasn’t a resolution, but at least they were moving in theright direction.

“Hang on,” Brax said, tapping keys on his laptop. “Mr.Stark, can you dim the lights?”

Damien moved to the panel and did, adding, “But it’s Damien.Not Mr. Stark. That goes for all of you.”

“Roger that. Okay, look.” He gestured toward the giant LEDscreen that had been set up for the team. Black at first, then the video feedcame into view. “This is the parking lot in Studio City at Laurel and Ventura.The area we’re looking at is right behind the Vons where her car was foundafter the 911 call was received.”

Ollie’s eyes were fixed on the screen. Someone—presumably thekidnapper—had put in a call to 911 just after midnight from a payphone outsideof the grocery store, which was how the ransom note had been found in the firstplace.

“Here,” Brax said, and a graphic of a yellow arrow appearedon screen, indicating little more than a shadow. Then the shadow moved,crossing the visual field and coming into dim focus to reveal Courtney.

Ollie closed his eyes, fighting a wince. He knew what wascoming. And soon enough, it did. A dark figure approached as she was about toopen the driver’s side door. He got her from behind, his hand going over hermouth, and Courtney going limp in his arms.

“Chloroform?” The question came from Nikki, and he lookedover to see that she’d joined them and was standing beside Damien, his arm aroundher shoulder.

“Very likely,” Brax said. “Keep watching,” he added as theperp dragged her out of frame.

“Well, shit,” Ollie said.

“Hold on.” Brax tapped some keys, the image shifted, andthey had a view of another car as the kidnapper carried Courtney to a latemodel Honda, then shoved her into the trunk.

Ollie’s gut twisted at the sight. “Tell me you got a plate.”

“Only a partial,” Brax said. “But we have footage of theHonda driving west through the lot, approaching her car. Still only a partial, butit tells us that our suspect entered off of Laurel Canyon about that time.”

“When exactly?” Trevor asked.

“One-oh-four in the morning. No idea what she was doing atthe grocery store that late.”

“She wasn’t,” Ollie says. “It closes at ten. She must have beencoming in from across the street. There’s a little bar tucked away on VenturaPlace. She goes there about once a week to meet a friend from college.”

“There you have it,” Trevor said. “Someone might have knownthat habit. Leah, you’ll take point interviewing the bar staff.”

“On it,” she said, shooting Ollie a sympathetic smile.