Page 115 of Betrayed

Chapter Forty

God hadn’t answered Logan’s prayer. It was nearly two in the morning, and they still had nothing to go on. It was as if Miles and AJ had disappeared off the planet. They had no idea what he was driving or which direction he would have taken her.

Logan sat on the couch in Captain Baker’s office. He’d been trying to sleep, and probably had dozed off at some point, but he couldn’t sleep any longer. He needed AJ in his arms. How had he slept for five years without her? Why had he let that separation linger?

If he lost her for real, if she didn’t come home, he’d never recover. All that wasted time.

He dropped his head into his hands. All of the emotions swelled in him. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to sob uncontrollably or punch a hole in a brick wall.

His phone rang, and he jumped. Who was calling him? Everyone who would call him was still there. Could it be AJ?

He snatched his phone from the table. It was an unknown number.

He answered it and walked out to the bullpen.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Logan.”

Miles. Logan tapped, more like smacked, Adam on the shoulder and pointed at the phone.

Adam started the search.

“Where is she, Miles?”

“She’s still alive, if that’s what you want to know. But I’m not telling you where she is. Not yet. If you want her back, you’re going to have to play my game. You, by yourself, on your motorcycle—that way I can tell you’re by yourself—are to come to the address I send you. No cops. No backup. Just you and your bike. Otherwise, AJ will pay the price.”

Click. The line went dead.

“Tell me you were able to triangulate that.”

Adam shook his head. “Wasn’t long enough. I was getting close. He’s in the general area at least.”

Relief washed over Logan at the thought that Miles hadn’t taken her off to another state. She was still nearby.

“I have to go.” Logan took his keys from his pocket.

Adam grabbed the keys from Logan’s hand. “No. It’s a trap.”

“Of course it is, but I have to go. I can’t sit here and let her be hurt even worse than what he might have already done to her.”

“But you need a plan.”

“He said no backup. I have to go by myself.”

“Doesn’t mean we can’t be two minutes out instead of twenty. I can’t in good conscience let you face this alone.”

Logan nodded. He understood, but he had to save his wife if at all possible, even if it meant giving his own life. He was prepared for that.

A text came through on his phone. A clue from Miles. But it made no sense.

Frost. Elliot. Swift. Whithers.

38 14 57

2:58

“What on earth is that supposed to mean?” Logan turned his phone to Adam as well as Amelia, who had wandered in with fresh cups of coffee for them.