Easton stood there, trying to get air into his lungs. Hugo was a sociopath. He had Harlow. He’d hurt her.
“Pulling up all CCTV and traffic cams in the area,” Ace said.
On Ace’s screen, Easton saw several smaller screens of footage. But this was like searching for a needle in a fucking haystack.
“Hold it together, bro,” Rhys said.
There was understanding in Rhys’ voice. Haven had been taken, and Rhys and the others had rescued her, but Rhys had struggled to deal with the terror until they had.
“Hunt’s got the vehicle details.” Vander lifted a hand. “It was reported stolen in Chinatown. Full plate is—” Vander called it out.
“Got it!” Ace said. “North of here. Crossing Lombard Street.”
Where the fuck was Hugo taking her? “Do you think he’s heading for the Golden Gate Bridge?”
“Maybe,” Ace said.
Easton pressed his hands to the back of his neck. “If that bastard hurts her—”
Vander met his gaze. “We’ll get her back.”
“You get her to wear a tracker?” Saxon asked.
Easton shook his head. “Took me forever to get her just to accept the earrings, but not a necklace yet.” He should have forced the issue. “We have to find her.”
Then Easton’s cell phone rang. He yanked it out but didn’t recognize the number. He was going to ignore it, but what if Harlow had gotten free? What if she was calling him?
“What?” he barked.
There was silence. “This Blondie’s man?” a young voice asked.
“Blondie?” Easton frowned. “Who is this?”
Saxon spun and waved his hand. “The kid. Brewer.”
“Blondie?” Easton said. “You mean Harlow?”
“Yeah,” the boy replied. “I’m out at San Francisco Marina. Jeep pulled up and Hugo Durant pulled Blondie out of the vehicle. She didn’t look happy, and Durant is bad news. She gave me your number.”
Easton’s pulse skyrocketed. “Thanks, kid. You see where they went?”
“Yeah. On a boat called Knot-a-Care. With a K. Stupid name for a boat. They’re pulling out now.”
Shit. “Okay. You did the right thing. We’ll get her.” Easton looked to the others. “They’re on a yacht called the Knot-a-Care. San Francisco Marina.”
“Let’s go.” Vander nodded. “Ace, call Maggie.”
“On it.”
“Find a helipad where she can pick us up. Rome, find a boat. Follow on the water.”
Rome nodded and vanished.
Vander met Easton’s gaze. “You should stay here.”
“Fuck that. You know I can do this.”
“It’s not your skills I’m worried about.”
“She’s mine. I’m bringing her home.”
“Got a gun?”
With a nod, he moved to a cabinet behind his desk. The door swung open to reveal his gun safe. He touched his palm to the biometric lock, and pulled out his Glock 19.
Ace straightened. “Maggie will pick you just south of the Palace of Fine Arts, at the Letterman Digital Arts Center Recycled Water Pond. She also has a drone in the air. She’s redirected controls to me. I’m rerouting it over the bay.”
“Good. I’ll get Gia to keep an eye on Mrs. Carlson and Scarlett.” Vander shifted. “Let’s roll.”
Easton sat in the passenger seat of the X6, as Vander drove them to meet the helo. As the SUV screeched to a halt, he heard the familiar thump-thump of rotors.
A black Sikorsky swept in over the familiar shape of the rotunda at the Palace of Fine Arts to hover above the grass near the pond. Easton followed Vander, Rhys and Saxon behind him, as they jogged toward the helicopter.
As they leaped aboard, Easton was hit with a flashback to his Ranger missions. Except this mission was the most important one of all.
He pulled in a breath and realized his head was clear. Harlow was his focus.
Maggie was in the pilot seat, headset on. She waved and pointed. “Vests and earpieces.”
Under the seat, Easton spotted a box of bulletproof vests and sleek earpieces so they could communicate.
Vander grabbed a vest and earpiece, then dropped into the seat beside Maggie.
As Easton pulled his vest on and fastened the Velcro, the helo lifted off. Moments later, they were flying out over the Bay. He slipped his earpiece in.
Vander leaned back. “Ace has the boat on drone camera. Two minutes to intercept.”
Easton’s jaw was rock solid as he stared out the side of the helicopter. Alcatraz Island came into view.
Then he spotted a white dot against the royal blue of the water. It got larger, and the boat took shape.
Vander slid into the back.
“Hugo will know we’re coming, so expect a hostile welcome. Maggie will get into position, we’ll drop ropes, and rappel down.”
It was risky as fuck. They weren’t fully decked out. It was a small boat. And it was certain that Hugo would be armed. He could hurt Harlow.
Vander gripped Easton’s shoulder. “We’ll get her.”
He nodded.
They got closer and now he saw Hugo at the controls of the boat. Where was Harlow?
Then Easton spotted her on the deck, her wrists tied together.
She looked up.
At the same time, Hugo pulled a handgun.
Not going to stop us, asshole. Easton gripped the edge of the door. Time to get his woman back.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The noise of the helicopter overhead was loud.
Harlow saw Maggie in the cockpit, face focused as she swung the helicopter around.
Then Harlow saw Easton.
Her heart leaped into her throat. He’d come for her. Like she’d known he would. He stood in the doorway, the wind whipping his hair around his face.
Hugo moved, and when she glanced at him, she saw him pull a gun.
No!
He fired. The helicopter jerked. She saw Hugo grinning, swiveling to aim right at Easton.
No fucking way. Time slowed down, her muscles bunching. She had a split second to remember that she’d promised Easton that she wouldn’t throw herself at armed men. A flash of bright orange beside her caught her eye.
There was a large life vest under the bench. She grabbed it with her bound hands, and leaped up.
She smacked the life vest into Hugo’s head. He shouted, and the gun flew out of his hand.
She heard it hit something with a clatter. She swung again.
Hugo roared and grabbed at her.
They spun, the life vest trapped between them. Then they lost balance and fell.
Hugo fell first and Harlow crashed on top of him. She heard him grunt.
“You asshole.” She slapped at his head.
“You bitch.” He tried to buck her off, but she squeezed her thighs harder. He reared up and grabbed a handful of her hair, his face contorted.
Behind him, she saw ropes fly out of the side of the helicopter.
But Easton didn’t wait for a rope. He leaped out.
She sucked in a sharp breath, watching him fall.
He landed beside them on the deck and rammed the barrel of his gun against Hugo’s temple.
“Let her go.”
Easton’s furious words made Hugo freeze.
Vander stepped into view. “Do what he said, asshole.”