Search and Rescue by April Wilson

Chapter 4

Killian Devereaux

Getting called into the big boss’s office isn’t something that happens every day. In fact, it’s never happened to me. So when I get the call early this morning during a high-priority surveillance job, I know something’s up. Something serious. As soon as my replacement arrives, I head straight for the office and take the elevator up to the twentieth floor of the McIntyre Security office building, curious to find out what the hell is going on.

Getting called to the CEO’s office feels an awful lot like getting called to the principal’s office—something that happened to me quite a lot when I was a kid growing up in Lafayette, Louisiana. Back then, I’d much rather have spent my time huntin’ gators with my grandpapa or scouring our family’s pond for crawfish than sittin’ in a classroom. Still would prefer it.

But my rebellious days are behind me. The Army matured me, combat as a Ranger hardened me, and life in general has seasoned me.

As soon as I walk into the executive suite, Shane McIntyre’s administrative assistant, Diane, waves me on to his office. “Go right in, Killian. He’s expecting you.”

Shane McIntyre—CEO, boss, and friend.

And Hannah’s big brother.

Damn it, stop thinking about her.

I rap my knuckles on the partially open door, then push it wide and walk in.

Inside the high-rise corner office, Shane sits behind a fancy executive desk in an expensive, black leather chair. I’m surprised to see him dressed in blue jeans and a white button-up shirt. He’s usually wearing a dark suit and tie at work, looking like a million bucks, which is fitting as he’s worth that many times over.

“I thought you were out on paternity leave,” I say. His wife, Beth, gave birth to a baby girl just a few days ago. “Is everything okay?”

Shane frowns. “Something urgent came up early this morning.” He nods curtly at the pair of chairs parked in front of his desk. “Have a seat, Killian.”

I study my boss, noticing the unusual tension in his posture, the flat set of his lips, the way he’s fidgeting with the pen he’s holding. Instantly, I go on alert. “What’s wrong?”

Another man barges into the office—a big man with the arms of a former heavyweight boxer, dressed in black jeans and a black T-shirt that molds itself to his big chest. His expression is equally dark. Jake McIntyre. My team leader and one of Shane’s three brothers.

Jake nods to me in greeting. He doesn’t seem one bit surprised to see me here.

Shane glances distractedly at his phone and takes a moment to read something. “Sit, both of you.”

Neither one of us takes Shane up on his offer. Instead, we both stand at attention. When the chips are down, our military training kicks in. Jake’s a former Marine.

“What do we know so far?” Jake asks his brother.

Shane glances up at us, failing miserably to conceal the stark pain radiating from his bright blue eyes. “There’s not much to go on, unfortunately.”

My heart starts pounding. Nothing ever shakes these two, so something has to be very wrong. I look from one brother to the other. “What the hell’s going on, guys?”

Shane inhales a heavy breath, as if he needs a minute to collect his thoughts.

When his gaze lifts to me, my internal alarm goes off, and I feel an unfamiliar sinking sensation in my gut. “Just say it, Shane.”

Shane’s jaw tightens. “Hannah’s missing.”

“What?” I feel a chill as the blood drains from my face. I couldn’t have heard him correctly. I just saw Hannah here in Chicago two days ago.

Shane nods. “The last time anyone saw her was yesterday morning around zero eight hundred hours, at a grocery store in Bryce, Colorado. She hasn’t been seen since. She apparently hiked up a trail yesterday afternoon into some high country to do reconnaissance on a bald eagle, but she never returned. Her friend Maggie Emerson called the cops to report her missing. The local sheriff investigated and found her Jeep last night, abandoned in the parking lot at the trailhead. He and his people searched the trail all the way up to the ridge but found no sign of her.”

For a moment, I stand as still as a statue while my mind processes the pertinent information. Missing. Abandoned Jeep. My pulse races as I grapple with the implications.

Hannah.

My Hannah.

Missing.

My mind starts to race with all kinds of horrific scenarios until I shut it down hard. It won’t do Hannah any good for us to start fearing the worst.

Shane looks as bad as I feel when he addresses me directly. “Killian, I want you to lead a search and rescue team. Find her. Find my sister. Jake will come with you to manage the logistics.”

My breath catches in my chest as I nod. Already, my thoughts are racing as I mentally prepare a checklist of what we’ll need.

“You’re our best tracker,” Shane continues. “And our best bet of finding her. Take whomever you need, whatever you need. All of my resources are at your disposal.”

“Are you coming?” I ask, surprised that Shane isn’t already on a plane.

He nods. “I’ll fly out with the rest of the family as soon as Hannah’s located. I need to be here with Beth, who’s recovering from surgery. Most everyone is coming except for Beth, Annie, and all the kids. Sam and Cooper will stay behind and help take care of Beth and our kids.”

At the sound of a heavy knock, we all turn just as Shane’s brother-in-law Dominic Zaretti walks into the room. “I just got word from Sophie,” he says in his deep bass voice. Hannah’s eldest sister, and Dominic’s wife. “You’ll want to send in Owen Ramsey. He’s a damn good tracker. I’ve already given him a heads-up, and he said he’s a go.”

I nod, impatient to get going and happy to get all the qualified help I can. “We need to move fast. Time is working against us.”

Shane nods. “The jet’s being prepped now. You fly out of O’Hare in one hour. It’s a two-hour flight to Denver International, and then a ninety-minute drive to Bryce.”

“I’ll grab what we’ll need,” Jake says as he heads for the door. Dominic follows him.

Shane stares up at me and bites out the words, “Find my sister, Killian.” It’s not a request.

“I will.” There’s no other acceptable outcome.

Shane nods. He knows how I feel about Hannah. I haven’t gone out of my way to hide my feelings for her. Unfortunately, she doesn’t feel the same. But that doesn’t matter. If she needs help, I’m there.

“I’ll make arrangements to get Owen out there on the next available commercial flight out of his location in Tennessee. Anyone else you need?”

“No. We’ll move faster with a small team.”

“I’ll have all-wheel drive vehicles waiting for you in Colorado.”

I pause as I study Shane’s bleak expression. His family means the world to him, but he’s especially protective of his three sisters. “We’ll find her, Shane. Don’t worry. I give you my word.”

“I’m counting on it.”

* * *

Jake and I meet up in the company armory and pack enough fire power to wage a small war—guns, ammo, night vision goggles, tactical gear, Kevlar vests, high-powered two-way radios—everything and anything we might possibly need.

Just shy of an hour later, the company jet is packed with our gear, and Jake and I are on board with the flight crew, ready for takeoff. It’s amazing how quickly things happen when money talks.

Jake checks his phone. “Owen will meet us in Bryce. His flight arrives in Denver an hour after ours. He’ll rent a vehicle and meet us in Bryce.”

I’ve heard stories about Owen, Dominic’s longtime Army buddy. The man is a recluse, a loner who lives off-grid on a remote mountain in Tennessee. His wilderness and survival skills are legendary. He even saved Dominic and Sophie from a Chicago mafia hit when they were in hiding out in a cabin on Owen’s mountain.

I spend the entire flight to Denver staring out my window, lost in thought. I saw Hannah just days ago—in fact, I’m the one who picked her up from the airport and drove her to Shane’s estate in Kenilworth, just north of Chicago.

Just thinking about the way she bristled when she realized I was her ride to the house still makes me smile. She’d been expecting one of her brothers to pick her up. Instead, she got me. And she wasn’t amused.

When Shane asked me if I’d pick Hannah up from the airport, I jumped at the chance. It would give me an opportunity to see her, to talk to her alone without all the curiously prying eyes.

And like a damned lovesick fool who apparently thrives on rejection, I couldn’t pass up the chance to spend a few minutes alone with her on the drive. Unfortunately, she acted like she would have rather caught an Uber ride to the house than spend time alone with me.

And now she’s missing.

I have to keep reminding myself that Hannah can take care of herself. That girl is tough as nails. I’ve seen her spar numerous times on the mat with her siblings. I’ve seen her go toe-to-toe with her sister Lia, who’s a professional bodyguard and a trained fighter. I’ve seen her go up against her brother Liam, who’s a martial arts international champion and instructor. Yeah, Hannah can hold her own.

But if someone has hurt her, I’ll kill him.

That’s a promise.

I glance across the aisle at Jake, who’s equally quiet, lost in his own thoughts. Undoubtedly, he’s worried about his sister. The whole family is.