Page 148 of Blake

His boss nodded. “Fair enough.”

For a moment, they stood in silence.

When Emmett spoke again, it was to ensure Blake knew exactly where the conversation was headed.

“You know you can’t take point on this one, right?”

“I know.”

“And if Lucas tells you to stop, you stop.”

Blake shot the other man a twisted look. “Emmett⁠—”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.” He faced him fully. “Would you have stopped if someone told you to stand down when Janie was the one who’d been kidnapped?”

One corner of Emmett’s lips curved. “Probably not.”

Blake blinked at his team leader’s honesty. “Then you know why I have to be here.”

The other man rested a hand on Blake’s shoulder. “Yeah, brother. I do.”

A voice sounded through the radio clipped to Emmett’s vest.

“Echo One, you there?”

Emmett immediately pressed the button. “Go ahead.”

“I’m in position. Main entrance is quiet. Two armed men near the gate. One more visible through a second-floor window.”

Blake’s pulse quickened.

Second floor?

Emmett glanced at him before answering Jethro. “Copy. Any sign of our target?”

“Negative. But I’ve got movement behind the upstairs window. Looks like someone checking rooms.”

Blake stared toward the building.

Devon’s in there right now.

She was only a few hundred yards away.

Jethro continued. “There’s a dark SUV parked beside the loading entrance. Rear windows are tinted. Can’t see inside.”

“Keep watching,” Emmett instructed.

“Will do.”

The radio went quiet.

Blake looked at Emmett. “They’re holding her upstairs.”

“We don’t know that.”

“Come on, man. Whitaker asked about locks on the patient rooms. Jethro just saw someone checking the second floor.”