.

      TWO

      Ashley swallowed hard as she watched Christopher blink and tilt his head. It would take anyone some time to comprehend her words. She was still having a hard time comprehending them.

      “Say that again?” His voice held a touch of disbelief and confusion.

      She shook her head, emotion tightening her muscles. “Listen, I know it’s a lot to take in. I’m still trying to take it all in. It just seems like a nightmare, but it’s not.” She closed her eyes, wishing this was all just a bad dream and that she’d wake up to find everyone safe and sound. Things like this didn’t happen to ordinary people like Ashley. Only it had happened.

      Christopher shifted in his seat and leaned toward her, his full attention on her. He’d always been such a good listener. At one time, it had been one of the many qualities she’d loved about him. Their breakup had devastated her, though. Now almost every memory of him caused hurt instead of joy. Those hurts had been compounding for nearly a decade. Only desperation would lead her back here.

      “Why don’t you start from the beginning?” Christopher urged.

      She sucked in a deep breath before recounting the story, detail by detail. Christopher listened quietly, nodding on occasion. He murmured words of encouragement as he tried to grasp her story.

      “You jumped on the back of a bakery truck to escape?” He squinted.

      She nodded, knowing how crazy she sounded. It was amazing the things a person did while fighting to survive. She’d been there before—emotionally, at least. “I jumped off at the next stop.”

      “And how’d you end up here?”

      “I ran into Karina about a month ago at the grocery store, and she told me that you were back in town.” Karina was married to a SEAL and remained a distant but mutual friend. “I used my cell phone to find Karina’s number and asked if she knew where you were living now. She said at your granddad’s old place. I snuck off the truck, called a taxi and now I’m here.”

      He stared at her a moment, an unreadable expression on his face. “Ashley, if you don’t mind me asking, why here? Why me?”

      How could she tell him the truth about how Josh and David’s disappearance affected him also? She couldn’t. Not yet. She’d only tell him the secret she’d been carrying with her for years as a last, desperate measure.

      For so long, she’d been bitter about Christopher walking out of her life. Now here she was, basically at his mercy. Where did she even start?

      She held her hands in the air to show her confusion. The action also showed her surrender. She’d basically raised her white flag when she arrived here, an unspoken agreement to put the past behind them. But could she really do that? She let out her breath slowly. “I don’t know where else to go. I can’t go to the police. I think these men would kill Josh and David if I did.” She glanced at her hands, now in her lap. “I thought maybe you could help.”

      Christopher leaned forward. He’d aged since Ashley had last seen him. He used to have the boy-next-door look about him. He’d been all-American with his tousled blond hair, easy smile and friendly green eyes. What had changed besides the fact that he was beefier now, more man and less boy? He was still chiseled and defined. He carried himself with his head raised high and his eyes wide and alert. He was confident, capable and tough.

      But right now, whenever he looked at her, a strange emotion loomed in the depths of his eyes. Weariness? Hardness? Apathy? She didn’t know.

      “Why would someone abduct your brother and his little boy, Ashley? That’s what doesn’t make any sense to me.”

      She shook her head, grief clutching her heart again as their parting images filled her mind. “I don’t know. Josh had been working on some big projects for his company. He never told me any details, though, as to what exactly he was doing.”

      He shifted but kept his gaze on her. “He’s some kind of computer genius, right?”

      She nodded. “He’s absolutely brilliant when it comes to anything to do with technology. There’s nothing he can’t do.”

      He rubbed his hands on his jeans and shook his head. “How about his wife? Have you talked to her? Does she know about any of this?”

      “She died three years ago. Cancer.” Her heart panged as she said the words aloud.

      “I’m sorry, Ashley. You said they had a son? I knew they’d been trying.”

      Ashley’s throat burned as she nodded. She remembered all of the Sunday brunches Christopher had shared with her family. He’d seemed to fit right in. That part of her life seemed so long ago. So much had changed since then. “David. He’s eight, and he’s a wonderful little boy.” Her voice caught. “I’m so worried about him, Christopher.”

      Christopher stood and ran a hand over his face. “I’m not an expert at tracking down missing persons, Ashley. Terrorists, maybe. But this...I want to help. I really do. I just...”

      “Please, Christopher. I don’t know where else to go.” She looked up at him, hoping her eyes conveyed her desperation. She would have never come to him unless she was desperate. He had to know that.

      He was silent a moment before nodding. “Let me call some of my friends at Eyes. Maybe they can—”

      “Eyes?”

      He nodded. “They’re a private security contracting firm.”

      “I’ve heard murmurs about them in the area. I didn’t realize you worked for them now. Karina just said that you were a contractor for the Department of Defense.”

      “That’s right. I’m a training specialist. It’s a nice change from what I was doing. I’m sure someone there can help us. The men who run the operation have connections...well, everywhere. Local law enforcement, FBI, CIA, you name it.”

      “That sounds perfect. Thank you.” A touch of hope filled her for the first time since all of this had happened.

      He pointed outside. “In the meantime, the apartment over the garage isn’t much, but you can stay there tonight, if you want.”

      She shook her head harder than intended and started to rise. “I can’t even think about sleeping. I need to go find them, Christopher. Now. Don’t you understand?”

      His hand covered her arm, and he pulled her back down onto the sofa. “Ashley, I know you want to go out there and search, but we have no idea where to even look. We need a plan. We at least need a clue. If we go out there right now, all we’ll be doing is driving around in circles. It’s best if we get a good night’s rest and start fresh tomorrow morning.”

      The truth of his words washed over her. It wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but he did make sense. If they left tonight, where would they go? What exactly would they do? She had no idea.

      Finally, she nodded. “You’re right. I can call a taxi, though. Go to a hotel for the night.”

      “Don’t