Good. They were far away from the giant.
Jay and Riley stepped outside to a moonless sky. “What took you so long?” Jay asked.
“Wanted to make sure the guy went into his room. He didn’t have any luggage, which I thought odd.”
Crap. “I guess one of us won’t be sleeping tonight.”
Riley nodded, his head swiveling across the dark expanse and his eyes glowing. “I’ll take first watch. I snoozed on the way here.”
“Appreciate it.”
No sooner had they stepped into their dingy room than Riley’s phone chimed indicating he had a message. Plucking it from his shirt pocket, he tapped his screen. “It’s from the General.” He scanned the message. “Fuck.”
Jay waited a beat for Riley to deliver the news, but he stuffed the phone back in his pocket and tossed his suitcase on one of the two beds.
“What did it say?” Jay asked, his impatience too evident.
“Our contact person, Sarah, sent more info. Apparently, two of the captive women who’d escaped the old compound were found dead a few hours ago. She said it was on the news.”
“Shit. How many does that leave us to rescue?”
“Ten. Sarah said she’d overheard one of Statler’s men talking about them needing to ship the rest of the women out in three days.”
To be sold into slavery.
And abused.
Jay slammed his hand against the motel wall and the entire place rattled. “I should have made sure I really killed the fucker in Gulfport when I had the chance.”
“If you had killed him, the General wouldn’t have learned where Statler was holding the women.”
“There is that.” Jay’s cell dinged. “Fuck me. Doesn’t anyone sleep?” He wasn’t in the mood for more bad news. He located his cell in his jacket pocket. “It’s a text from Mackenzie.”
His cousin now worked for the Pack as one of their computer experts and must have dug up something she thought was important or she wouldn’t have disturbed him. He debated leaving it until later, but it could be vital to their mission.
He swiped the screen and smiled at the icon of the hot looking Sarah Osmond. “Kenzie forwarded us an email from Sarah. She said her shift ends at 2 p.m. tomorrow and asked that we meet her at Nelson’s Convenience Store a little after two. She would have met us here, but she believes someone’s following her. There’s a map attached.”
Riley grabbed his toiletry kit and placed his suitcase on the floor. “I don’t like it. First some goon who we think was sent by Statler comes to a virtually empty motel with no luggage and now this. Can we be sure Sarah didn’t tip him off?”
“No way. She’s undercover for Bill Hampton at the Bureau. You can’t get any more solid than that.”
“Then how do you explain the big fellow? The police assured us our entry into the country would be kept secret.”
“Dunno.” Jay was too tired to be carrying on this type of conversation. “Look, she’s being followed. Can we table this discussion until after we speak with her?”
Riley headed into the bathroom. “Sure.”
Sometimes he wanted to strangle the man.
* * *
Once Jay fell into bed, Riley headed outside to begin his surveillance. He started with a perimeter check to see if anyone else had joined the giant, but so far it appeared as if the man had come alone.
Riley remained outside for a couple more hours, but he never detected more than one shifter signature in the man’s room or anywhere else on the property for that matter. By the time the sun peaked over the horizon, Riley was satisfied all was safe and called it a night.
He slipped into bed and tried to sleep, but he was too wound up. Questions kept rattling in his head—the first of which was whether Sarah was some kind of double agent. Just because she had hair the color that matched the most beautiful sunset and a body that looked like she could love a man hard, he couldn’t afford to trust anyone. His job was to save ten women and take down one of the most evil Colter leaders the Pack had ever dealt with. While he hadn’t been involved in the Colter battle for long, from what Jay had told him, they were the epitome of bad.
* * *
Around one that afternoon, the key card slipped into the room door lock and Jay stepped in. “Wake up, sleepy head. I had to drive five miles to find us something to eat.” He tossed the paper bags on the scarred wooden table, along with two cups of delicious smelling coffee.
“Wasn’t really asleep.” Riley’s thoughts had refused to calm.
He yawned and slid out of bed, his eyes feeling like sandpaper. After running a hand though his mussed hair, he realized he needed to cut it soon. However, his first order of business was coffee. After opening the lid, he chugged half of it. From the bag, he removed an egg sandwich and ingested it in four bites. “Thanks.”