Page 81 of Cold Silence
“Then how in thunder do you know she’s been in an accident?” He’d snapped and instantly regretted it.
“She’s testing a new phone app we’re developing for military vehicles. If she’s in an accident and her phone’s mounted on her dash, the app senses the collision and starts the video recording on her phone. Then it sends an email to Peter Fisk, who’s the project supervisor. He’s downloading the data now. We’ll know more soon.”
“I’m right outside. Meet me at the gate to let me in.” He cranked the wheel hard and jerked to a stop until the gate lifted. Within minutes, they were in Peter’s office with introductions out of the way.
“I’ve already had a chance to review the video, but honestly, it’s too dark to get any idea of where the accident occurred.” Peter ran a hand over his head. “I’ve already used her phone’s GPS to try to locate her, but she doesn’t have it turned on.”
“She didn’t like to leave her GPS turned on,” Julie said. “Except for apps that need it when she’s using them.”
Feeling helpless, Travis peered at Peter. “Can you track the email and get a location of where it originated?”
“Not without the help of her cell phone service provider.” Peter held up a hand. “Before you get excited about that, even if I could find someone to talk to me at the phone company, they won’t share private information with me. It would take police involvement to get a warrant for it, and that could take time.”
Time they didn’t have. “Then let’s look at the video to see if we can figure out her location.”
Peter started the video playing and tapped the screen. “That jarring of the camera you see is the point of impact. Since Claire was hit from behind, her front-facing camera caught this video of the back of her car.”
The camera settled, displaying a large SUV forcing her car forward then the screen suddenly changed. Travis wished for sound to hear Claire’s voice, but they only had video.
“Now she slams into the car in front of her,” Peter said. “And the phone changes to the rear-facing camera, catching everything in front of her car, including the guy who’s with her.”
“Detective Purcell,” Travis said.
A smaller sedan came to a complete stop, which in turn jerked Claire’s car to a stop. The sedan inched several feet ahead, but Claire’s vehicle didn’t move.
“So it’s a minor fender bender,” Travis said, his senses still on high alert. “I don’t understand why she didn’t call me.”
“Keep watching,” Peter said.
The driver’s door on the sedan opened, and a man climbed out. He raised a gun and rested his arm on the roof, his face shadowed in the darkness of night. The muzzle flashed, and the man’s arm jerked.
Travis’s heart stopped. He could almost hear the gunshot reverberate through the night. Feel the recoil of the weapon. See the target fall.
“Did he just shoot someone?” Julie’s voice skyrocketed high.
“Looks like it,” Travis said, but kept his eyes glued to the screen, dreading confirmation that the gunman had shot Claire. Was it wrong to hope he’d shot Purcell instead?
Weapon pointed ahead, he marched toward her car. He crossed between the vehicles and disappeared from the video. When he returned on screen, he had Claire clamped in his arms. She was kicking and thrashing, but he managed to get the trunk open and drop her inside.
“She’s alive,” Julie said on a whispered breath.
A weight was lifted from Travis’s shoulders. Momentary. He couldn’t relax. Claire was still in extreme danger. He kept his eyes riveted to the screen. To Claire. Headlights from her car caught the terror in her eyes, making Travis furious and light-headed at the same time.
He waited for Purcell to come to Claire’s rescue, but there was no sign of the detective. Which meant he’d been incapacitated. Likely was the one who’d been shot.
Travis flashed a quick look at Peter. “Would you call 911 to report the shooting?”
“I did the moment I saw the video. They’re already looking for Detective Purcell.”
Travis prayed the police had some way of tracking their detective. Maybe finding Claire too, but it looked as if her abductor planned to take her from the scene.
He retrieved a rope then wound it around her wrists and ankles, drawing it tight. He shoved a rag in her mouth. Travis curled his hands into fists. He would pummel this guy the second he found him.
He closed the trunk then turned, the headlights clearly illuminating his face.
Julie gasped and dropped into a chair.
“Eric?” Travis spun on her. “Did you know about this?”
