“Fine.” Beckett started to reach back for his wallet but froze when the cop’s eyes grew as wide as saucers. “Easy,” he crooned to keep the other man from drawing his service weapon. “Just getting my wallet so I can show you my I.D.”
“No sudden movements.” The young but well-trained officer rested his hand on the butt of his holstered gun.
It wasn’t lost on Beckett that the guy had just unsnapped the small leather strap holding the weapon in place. Not that he blamed him. If the roles were reversed, and Beckett was the cop, he would’ve drawn his weapon the second the kid put his hand behind his back.
“Here.” He pulled his official Tac-Ops ID from his wallet and held it out for the officer to see.
The kid’s eyes widened a second time as he went from being suspicious to being in awe. “You’re with Tac-Ops?” The young officer’s blue gaze locked with Beckett’s. “Dude, I’ve heard all about you guys.”
“Then you know what I’m capable of.” He took the ID back from the kid’s outstretched hand, not feeling the least bit bad about the look of fear in the kid’s eyes. “The woman I love has been housesitting in that condo, so I’m going to go in there so I can make sure she’s okay.”
“There was a home invasion,” the officer shared. “Two victims, both female. One was knocked unconscious, and she’s being treated in the ambulance now. And the other?—”
“Victims?” Beckett stumbled back a step, his lungs suddenly struggling to pull in a full breath. “W-what are you…?”
He sidestepped the officer, ignoring the other man’s hollered requests for him to wait as he ducked under the thin yellow tape. The ambulance was parked in the middle of the street with its back doors sitting wide open.
Due to its slightly cockeyed position, he couldn’t see fully inside. But as his booted feet carried him mere feet from the emergency vehicle’s back bumper, the patient being treated finally came into full view.
Tall. Thin. Disheveled blonde hair. Pretty blue eyes that were red and swollen from her tears.
An oxygen mask had been placed over the woman’s nose and mouth, but Beckett recognized her instantly.
“Lauren!” He hollered loud enough for her to hear him over the paramedic administering care.
Evie’s best friend turned and looked at him, surprise widening her eyes, their recognition takinghima bit off guard.
“Beckett?”
Gut tight, he stopped just shy of climbing inside. “You know who I am?”
“Evie showed me your picture.”
“Where is she?” The breath in his lungs froze as he waited for her response.
“He took her.” Tears poured down Lo’s flushed and splotchy cheeks as she grew more and more agitated with each new word she spoke. “One m-minute, w-we were sitting on the couch t-talking…” Lo’s tortured gaze met his. “I-I signed the p-papers so she could t-tell me about A-Afghanistan. I can’t believe…after everything she’s already b-been through. Overseas…and her dickhead f-father…n-now this…”
He took her.
Evie’s friend continued on with her shock-ridden rambling, but Beckett had lost her the second he’d heard those three terrifying words…
He took her.
He took her.
He took her.
The silent taunt played over and over again in his head as he fought the losing battle to understand. Someone had broken into Lo’s home in the middle of the day and taken Evie? But they left Lo alive and seemingly unharmed?
Who the fuck would do that…and why?
“Beckett?”
“Who took her?” he demanded.
I want a fucking name.
“I don’t know.” Lo began to cry again.