Page 41 of Temptation and Treachery
Chapter Eighteen
“The phone pinged off the next tower.” Damian swiveled around, his dark eyes a mixture of confusion and concern. “So what, he missed the turn?”
“Don’t worry.” Rio looked over his shoulder in the confines of the van. “Don’t let this mess with your head. The guy might actually be picking up clothes for Celeste.” But in his gut he knew that wasn’t the case. “Just keep an eye on him and try to figure out where he’s going.”
Normally an undercover agent, Damian wasn’t used to overseeing an op. Recovering from a bullet wound he’d gotten while working within the Guerrero organization left him sitting behind a desk. And he still needed to learn patience. These older phones, without GPS, only gave a ping off the nearest tower. At best they could use cell tower triangulation to narrow down the search. If the signal hit two or, if they were lucky, three towers, the overlapping areas shrank the zone. However, they’d chosen a less-populated suburb by the highway leading to the house where they arrested Ayala. So likely that wasn’t going to happen.
“He’s still going.” Damian’s brows pushed together forming ripples on his forehead to the base of his widow’s peak. “Dude, is this guy heading to the jail?”
No. It couldn’t be. But Damian’s assessment made sense. His mind raced to come up with a different scenario. Nothing fit quite as well as the holding facility. Nothing. “Damn it.” Rio dropped his headset beside his laptop, replacing it with a smaller comm unit. Then he pulled a camera from the front of the van, shoving it in his duffel bag. “I’m going to check on Ayala.” If nothing else, he might be able to see who came in and out of the building.
“Do I call?”
“No.” He wasn’t about to show his hand. He had no idea what was happening and who was involved. “And don’t advertise I’m gone.” He shut the door, crossing the street to one of their vehicles. Tossing his bag to the passenger’s seat, he slid in behind the wheel. With a quick glance in the rearview mirror, he pulled into the street. They’d funneled traffic around the area with the use of detours and a staged car accident. So if someone was heading in, they’d need to follow a deliberate route.
Hitting the highway, he started reviewing and discarding scenarios. Was it possible one of the team tipped off Ayala’s people? It was no coincidence to have the very person they were tracking end up getting ahead of them. But this team had been established because of rampant corruption. They operated outside the normal sectors. And with their identities unknown to the locals, they were nearly incorruptible. However, someone at the jail could have figured out who they had in custody, despite their precautions.
His phone rang, and he cursed under his breath. Damian. “Go,” he said, pushing the speaker button.
“We’re fucked.”
“What?”
“Ayala got busted out of holding.”
“Fuuuuuck.” Rio pounded his fist on the steering wheel. Years of work gone in an instant.
“Three dead, two wounded.”
“Shit. Shit. Shit.” And he’d thought nothing could be worse.
“This guy couldn’t have done that kind of damage in seconds. So what the hell?”
“They had an inside man. Okay, we—”
“Hang on,” Damian interrupted. “He’s hit the previous tower. Maybe he’s heading back here now.”
Rio changed lanes, stepping on the brake to take the next exit and turn back. The way things were going, he was in danger of missing the mark. He wouldn’t jeopardize the operation by trying to sneak back to the van and end up getting made.
His gaze shot to a statue towering in the distance before he dragged his attention back to the road. Celeste. His stomach clutched in spite of his attempt to concentrate on the mad traffic surrounding him. What was going on over there? Was she all right? He needed to know she was safe like he needed his next breath. But they’d pulled all the phones in the suite so he couldn’t even call her.
Heartbeat echoing in his chest, he had no choice but to reach out to Damian. It was the only way to keep the guys from hearing the car engine in the background and knowing he’d left his post. “Check on Holiday for me.”
There was a second’s delay. Likely Damian trying to figure out what the hell he was up to. “Holiday, radio check.”
“I’m good, boss,” Holiday replied. “Just checked the wiring in the room. The TV’s working fine, it’s the signal that’s a little shaky.”
Rio breathed easier, deciphering his message. She was nervous, as expected, and watching television while she waited for them.
“Good enough?” Damian asked through the cell.
“Yeah.” Though he would have felt better if he’d heard her voice. He did his best to shake off the nagging doubt and took the turnaround. Foot firmly on the gas, he sped up, needing to get back before everything went down.
“The unsub is still on the same tower.”
Fuck my life.
“It’s longer than normal. Dude was flyin’ when he was on the highway.”
