Innocent Hostage by Juno Rushdan

Author:Juno Rushdan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2021-02-03T16:33:28+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

It was as if a claw tore at Henry’s gut as Captain Roessler hauled Allison away. He slammed the door closed and marched deeper into the room. “I can’t believe you’d stoop so low as to accuse Ally of a crime you know she didn’t commit,” he said, trying to stop his own spiraling guilt for bringing Draper further into the situation.

“If there’d been another option, I’d have taken it,” Will said, standing his ground, “but she didn’t leave me one. I have to protect the USMS.”

Henry’s stomach sank, leaden with remorse for thinking Draper would help. “Are you protecting the marshals?” he asked. “Or yourself?”

“They’re one and the same.”

Henry scoffed at that delusional statement.

“Will, it might be best for you to go,” Tobias said. “I’ll keep your liaison apprised of any essential developments.”

Draper nodded, collected his briefcase and left.

Henry swore under his breath, frustrated with the catastrophic turn of events. “We’ve got to get her out.”

“We will. But I’m afraid it won’t be in time to hold the press conference.”

A cell phone chimed. Henry checked his pockets. It had come from the burner phone that had been placed in their bedroom. A different number from last time was displayed on the screen.

Henry opened the message. There was an attachment.

As Tobias came around to stand beside him and looked at the screen, Henry clicked on it and a video played.

His breath rushed from his lungs. Oh, God. “It’s Ben.”

“The proof of life you asked for.”

His son was playing a video game and having a conversation with whom Henry assumed was El Escorpion. The man who’d killed two police officers and Tori.

A cold-blooded hit man was chatting with Ben like they were pals.

Henry replayed it, trying to identify anything that might reveal their location, but the video had been carefully filmed. Not a single shot of the windows, giving a glimpse of the surroundings outside. El Escorpion had stood at an angle where not even his reflection had been captured on the television screen.

“At least he’s all right,” Tobias said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Abject relief gave way to dread. His son was all right...now. But for how much longer?

Vargas had been true to his word and followed through on consequences as well as giving them proof of life. While Henry and Ally were going to fail to deliver yet again.

He paused the video on the final shot and stared at Ben’s face for several painful beats of his heart. My sweet, perfect boy.

His gut turned to ice. He sucked in a strained breath and his gaze careened.

Behind Ben, the television had frozen on a dark background. Something was reflected on the screen, but Henry couldn’t quite make it out.

He zoomed past Ben, focusing on the TV. What was that? Not a face or a house or a building, but some kind of white structure. “Do you see it?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Tobias leaned closer, squinting at the screen. “But I’m not sure what it is.”

Taking out his personal phone, he figured a snapshot might be easier to analyze.

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