Page 142 of Lethal Obsession

“I’m already on it.” He speaks calmly. “Now tell me again exactly what happened after you hung up with Sergei.”

“Ofelia was already gone.” I run a hand through my hair agitatedly. “I swear to Christ, one minute she was sitting at the piano, and the next she was leaving the villa. I tried calling her, using Andrew’s phone, but her phone was switched to silent. I tried Teresa and couldn’t get through. I got through to Julia, but we hung up because Ofelia was calling her.”

“And Julia didn’t call you back,” Mak says.

“No. And she didn’t answer when I tried her. Teresa did call back, but as soon as I picked up, the fucking line went dead.”

“Both Teresa’s and Julia’s phones are still showing up as being in the Albaicín,” Mak says. “They haven’t moved since those calls. My people are closing in on them.” I hear the sound of radio comms in the background. “We just found the phones,” he says. “They were dumped. Ofelia’s, too.”

“Fuck.” I close my eyes, sick horror churning inside me.

“They can’t have taken her far, Alexei. We’re within a ten-minute window here. We’re going to find her.”

“I’m leaving this line open, but I’m giving it to Andrew.” I hand the phone to my captain without waiting for an answer. “Don’t hang up,” I warn him. “I need to call someone from the secure room. Bring that phone with you.”

Andrew follows me below deck, waiting outside the door as I open the line. I punch in the number of the Armilla air base that I scribbled down for Ofelia, what seems like an age ago now.

It picks up immediately. “Red 24,” says a blunt Australian accent. “Code, please.”

“0701.” I give my identifying number.

“What is your location?”

“Granada, Spain.”

“Service?”

“Evacuation. I don’t know if my passenger will call in advance or if they will make it to the airbase, but I need you to be ready to go immediately in either case. I’m sending a photograph of your passenger.”

“Prep for evac, ETA unknown.” His cool response is reassuring. “Just one passenger?”

“One, but possibly three. All women. And the situation could be hot.”

“Copy that: three women, possible incoming. Destination?”

I hesitate.

Give him Roman’s address.

It’s the only reasonable option.

And I still can’t quite bring myself to do it.

“Destination?” the man on the other end of the line asks again.

“It’s up to her.” The words come out before I can stop them. “The passenger whose picture I sent you. She may give you directions within Spain. If not, I’m sending you my coordinates on the encrypted line. It’s her decision, but fuel up for both options.”

“Copy.”

“Let me know if she arrives.”

“Copy that.”

I cut the line and pluck the phone from Mak’s hand. “Where are we, Mak?”

“Good news. We have a possible sighting.”

“Tell me.”