Logan stepped into the conference room at Blue Halo. Five of his teammates already sat around the long table, Jason and Aidan the only men missing.
The guys who had been away on the mission—Flynn, Callum, Tyler, and Liam—all looked tired. But that was expected. They’d probably barely slept. And they looked frustrated as hell.
Logan knew why. He hadn’t even gone with them, yet he felt the weight of the failure.
He took a seat at the head of the table. “How was the flight?”
Callum sighed. “Long.”
It would have been. Partly from the switch between going from a raid, where there was noise and violence, to a plane of silence and stillness. And partly due to the terrified women they’d transported. Women who had been through the unthinkable.
“Are the rescued women at the hospital?” Blake asked.
Tyler nodded. “Jason and Aidan are watching their rooms now.”
“Good. You said there were six women at the compound?”
Callum’s jaw clenched. “Yes. Six alive.”
A wild anger coursed through Logan. He was still feeling it when the Skype call from Steve came through on the laptop. It was already connected to the smart projector, so when he answered the call, everyone looked toward the interactive screen.
Steve’s men sat around him at what looked to be a conference table. Everyone with expressions so clear they were unreadable.
Steve nodded. “Good morning, everyone.”
Steve worked for the FBI in Intelligence. He was the contact who assigned their missions and liaised with them on everything. Both Logan and the FBI had only received the short version of what had happened.
Steve leaned forward. “How was the mission?”
Liam scrubbed a hand over his face. “There were six women in the building. All US citizens. All early twenties. All on your list.” The list of women Steve had culled from missing women in the US who fit the MO.
“Do they all have the signature red hair?” he asked.
Sex trafficking operations didn’t usually discriminate, especially to the point of hair color. This one did. Or at least, it had been for the last few years. It’s what made this case so unique. It’s also what made it easy to link missing women to this specific organization.
“Actually, a couple didn’t,” Liam said. “I’m thinking it’s because the red wasn’t their natural color.”
Interesting that Ice hadn’t forced them to keep the red hair, if color was a reason for taking them to begin with.
“There was a dead body in one of the rooms. Asphyxiation,” Tyler added. Logan swore under his breath. “Death looked to be a couple days before we got there.”
Flynn’s hands were fisted on the desk as he spoke. “There was a shit ton of marijuana, as well as a few other drugs. A lot of alcohol.”
“But Ice wasn’t there?” Steve asked, frowning. The guy already knew the answer to that. They all did. But he clearly needed it confirmed again.
The energy in the room was low as Liam confirmed, “He wasn’t there. Neither was his second in charge, Beau.”
And there it was. The reason Logan’s mood had plummeted yesterday. The reason it wasn’t safe for the women to return to their families just yet. If the leaders of the organization were still alive, then the trafficking ring could be rebuilt. And if Ice was a possessive man, he’d want his women back.
It was a big blow.
“Damn.” Steve shook his head. “Hason told us he was always there on weekends.”
Julie Hason was a girl who had escaped only a month ago. She was the reason Logan’s team had enough information to pinpoint the approximate location of the trafficking ring.
“She’s been so reliable,” Steve added, almost under his breath.
“Maybe it was Hason going missing that encouraged Ice to change up his routine,” Logan suggested. It would be the smart thing to do.
“Possibly.” Steve’s jaw visibly ticked. “At least five of the seven men were there.”
Liam nodded. “As we’ve already reported, the men are dead. We didn’t have a choice.”
It was a poor lie, and he had no doubt Steve saw right through it. But being part of an off-the-books operation meant they had more freedom.
Regardless, Steve didn’t bat an eye. But then, he’d already read the report.
Callum leaned back in his seat. “We managed to question some of them. They didn’t know Ice’s real name and they had no way of contacting him. Apparently, he contacts them, and always through burner phones. Hopefully the women will be able to describe him in enough detail to get a drawing done.”
“This guy is like a ghost,” Steve said, frustration lacing his words. “He almost doesn’t exist. He’s been running the organization for eight years and we don’t even have a first fucking name. We just know he has a fetish for American redheaded women in their twenties.”
Unlike Ice, they knew more about Beau thanks to his long list of misdemeanors. From petty theft to bodily harm. He’d also been accused of sexual harassment by numerous women, but there’d never been enough evidence to lock him away.
“Anyway…you did good, boys.” Steve scanned Logan’s team around the table. “That house was in the middle of nowhere and you found it. I have it on good authority that it was like Fort Knox. Impenetrable. And you got in. Well done.”
“That’s what you pay us for,” Liam said quietly.
“And thanks for liaising with the Cradle Mountain hospital. Making sure everything was in place to support the women, including a therapist. I’ll do what I can to make sure the safe houses are ready as soon as possible. It will take a bit longer because of the support requirements for the victims.”
Logan didn’t need to look up to know that five sets of eyes sat squarely on him. He’d only spoken to Steve about Grace’s involvement. He cleared his throat. “No problem. Let us know when you have an update on Ice’s whereabouts.”
Hanging up, Logan glanced at his teammates.
Flynn was the first to break the silence, having always been the most direct of the bunch. “Who’s the therapist?”
Logan raised a brow. With the way his friend said it, it sounded like he already knew. “Grace Castle.”
No one looked surprised. Someone from the team had already told them she was in town. Maybe even that she was currently staying at his house.
“It was me,” Blake said, confirming his thoughts. “I told them before you got here.”
“She’s living with you?” Callum shook his head. “After what she did?”
He didn’t blame his friend for his anger. Had situations been reversed, he would have felt the same. “There were no other female therapists who could make it to Cradle Mountain on such short notice. Especially any trained in trauma. Grace is here, in town, and she’s exactly what they need.”
“The woman can’t be trusted,” Tyler said firmly.
There was a tense beat of silence before Flynn spoke. “He’s right, she can’t. But I’d like to hear her story anyway.”
“She’s visiting the women at the hospital today. You guys can stop by my house tonight. She’s expecting you.” He didn’t think they’d get more out of her than he’d gotten. And there were huge parts of her story missing. But at least they’d be able to hear her sincerity. Because she was sincere.
“I still don’t think it’s wise that she counsels anyone after breaching patient-therapist confidentiality,” Liam said.
“Like I said, there was no one else. I was told the male therapist wouldn’t work, so it was her or no one. It will only be for a couple weeks while Steve organizes the safe houses.”
Besides, the women she’d counseled in Marble Falls had said nothing but great things about Grace. Her only sin was talking to the reporter. And Logan was almost certain she’d had a good reason for that. One that she didn’t feel safe enough to share. Yet.
Grace stepped inside The Grind. The place was busy. But then, who wouldn’t want to have a midmorning coffee at the most colorful coffee shop in town.
Moving over to the counter, she noticed Courtney wearing a pink top perfectly matching the pink stripes in her hair. Her pants were a shade of green that were ridiculously bright.
When the other woman looked up, she smiled at Grace. “Hey, hon. Coffee?”
Grace nodded. “Yes, please. In a big hot mug.”
Courtney chuckled. “You got it. Grab a seat.”
All the stools at the counter were taken, so Grace headed toward a booth by the window. Today was the day she was supposed to be leaving Cradle Mountain. Moving somewhere far away and disappearing.
Instead, she’d spent her morning unpacking her clothes into Logan’s spare room—again. She’d tried insisting that she go back to the motel, to which Logan kept repeating that there was no point, and no room at the motel anyway. And he was right.
If she was honest with herself, she was kind of relieved. Not only because she was feeling comfortable around him now, but also because he made her feel safe. His strength. His size. Not to mention his unbelievable home security system.
Grace glanced down at her phone. She needed to call her dad today. Tell him her short-term plans. He wouldn’t be happy.
Her stomach dropped at the thought.
She was meeting her new patients today. She sucked in a quick breath, knowing it would be emotionally draining. Counseling patients who had been through such significant trauma always was, no matter how experienced you were in the field.
She was just looking around when her gaze caught a couple outside the window. The man looked familiar. He was from Blue Halo. Blake, maybe?
She looked sad and he looked…discouraged? Definitely not happy. When the woman turned to walk away, he grabbed her wrist, pulling her close. Her eyes shuttered. When they opened, there was resolve there. Her lips moved, and whatever she said had him letting her go.
When she walked away, he ran a hand through his hair, obviously frustrated.
A hot coffee slid in front of her, then Courtney dropped into the opposite side of the booth, a glass of what looked to be orange juice in her hands.
“Mind if I join you? My feet are killing me and boy could I use some girl time.”
“Working too much?”
She nodded. “Girl, I live and breathe this shop. I may as well set up a cot in the back.”
“Well, I love company.” Grace shot a quick look around the packed coffee shop, gaze zeroing in on the male and female servers. “Do you have many employees?”
“Eh, a handful. It’s never enough. Luckily, Joey is amazing. He can run the show when I’m not here.” She gestured toward the counter.
Grace looked over again to see a young man moving so quickly, he was almost on fast-forward mode.
Wrapping her fingers around the mug, she was about to lift it to her lips when she stopped and read the side. I’m currently holding it together with one bobby pin.
Grace laughed. Fitting. Very fitting.
Courtney smiled. “You looked a bit stressed.”
“Yeah, you could say that.”
She tilted her head to the side. “Are you okay?”
Well, the day’s list included talking to her dad, counseling the women who had been rescued, and apologizing to the remainder of Logan’s team…it was a lot. Not more than she could handle, but still a lot.
“I am. I’m staying in town for a couple weeks to counsel some women, actually.”
“Ah, you’re a therapist. That’s why your eyes are so wise.”
Grace almost spat out her coffee at the snort that bubbled in her throat. “Wise eyes?”
“Oh yeah. I thought that the second I met you.” Courtney tapped her fingers on the table in thought. “You know, if you’re here a couple weeks, I know something that would be great fun. Add some color to your stay.”
Grace didn’t know whether she should be excited or scared. “How?”
“It’s called The Cradle Mountain Rainbow Run.”
“Rainbow Run?” The reason she couldn’t get a room at the motel.
“Yeah. It’s kind of like The Color Run in that it’s a fundraiser and there’s color, but a bit different. It’s taking place this Saturday. I’ve signed up for the race, but so far, I’m a lone wolf and in desperate need of a running buddy.”
A fundraiser didn’t sound terrible. “What does it involve?”
“Color. And running.”
Grace laughed again. “Of course. Why didn’t I think of that? How long exactly is the run, and where does the color come into it?”
“Well, it’s ten miles, which you could also walk if you prefer.” Walking. Definitely preferable to running. “Every mile, you get doused in colored powder, which is literally just baking soda, cornstarch, and food dye. It’s the only day of the year I wear white.” She lifted a shoulder. “And the only day I jog-slash-walk ten miles.”
It would be the only one for Grace, too. “Where does the charity part come into it?”
“You pay a donation to participate. It’s very popular here, and we always raise a lot.”
Hm. She still wasn’t too hot about the running part…
“I can already tell you’re not convinced, so let me tell you the best part.” Courtney leaned forward, her voice lowering. “At the end of the ten miles, there’s a Finish Festival. After the kids leave and the sun goes down, there’s music, alcohol, food trucks, and more colored powder.”
Grace chuckled. Truth be told, she could probably use a little color and fun in her life right now. “Okay.”
Courtney’s eyes lit up. “Yeah? You’re in?” She clapped her hands. “Yay! It will be so much fun!”
“As long as you don’t mind me doing more walking than running.” Probably a lot more.
“Easy, done. And worse comes to worst, we find a strong man to hitch a ride with.”
It might become more of a necessity than a choice.
She was just lifting her mug to her lips when a woman slipped into the booth beside Courtney. Before either woman could say a word, the lady switched on what looked to be a tape recorder and turned to look at the coffee shop owner.
“Hi, Courtney. Good to see you again. I was wondering if you were ready for that interview?”
The second the words were out of her mouth, Grace recognized the voice. It was the woman who had followed her to the motel the other day.
Courtney rolled her eyes. “Look, Nicole, like I’ve told you a million times, I don’t know anything about the guys. They only moved into town a couple months ago. And even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you squat.”
“They come here quite a lot, though, don’t they?” the reporter persevered, clearly not perturbed by Courtney’s refusal. She probably got it a lot. “Do they share anything with you about their lives? Do they ever act out of sorts?”
Out of sorts? What exactly was this woman’s angle?
“I think they’ve been through enough,” Grace said, already feeling angry at the woman without even knowing her. “They don’t need reporters poking into their lives and publishing more stories about them.”
The reporter turned her attention to Grace. “You’re the woman from the motel. I went back, but you weren’t there anymore. Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
“My name is none of your business.”
Nicole smiled, but it didn’t come close to reaching her eyes. “Honey, in the world we live in today, everything is everyone’s business.” She looked between them. “Would you women say you feel safe around them?”
Courtney lifted her juice and took a sip. When she placed it back down, the nearly full glass hit the edge of the table, tumbling into the reporter’s lap.
The woman screeched, immediately jumping to her feet. “What the hell?”
Grace’s mouth dropped open. She almost felt bad…almost.
Courtney gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. It was a terrible attempt at feigning guilt. “Oh, I am so sorry! I can be so clumsy sometimes. You should really be more careful who you sit next to.”
Nicole reached across the table, grabbing a handful of napkins and her recording device, before storming out of the shop.
