“You’re trying to say you’ve abducted—”
“The senator’s aide, Paula Quill.” His fingers curled around the bars. “And if you want her to keep living, you’ll get me out of here!”
Chapter Eleven
He wasn’t going to let her go. Thomas lifted his head and stared down into Noelle’s unforgettable eyes as he tried to find the right words to tell her. No one had ever meant as much to him as she did, and the last thing he wanted to do was mess up anything with her.
He’d already botched things enough already. He had to use care.
And not bulldoze his way ahead.
He withdrew from her body, hating the separation because the woman felt like heaven. If he had his way, he’d stay curled with her for hours. Days.
But...
Duty waited.
So did the plane.
Before they boarded and left Alaska, he needed to clear the air between them.
But his phone was ringing. Thomas frowned as the buzzing reached him. The sound was coming from downstairs because he’d left it down there earlier. When Noelle had kissed him, answering it had been the last thing on his mind.
Noelle blinked, obviously hearing the sound, too. “Ah, are you expecting someone?”
No, Mercer had said they were clear until takeoff. He brushed his hand over the silken length of her arm. “I’ll be right back. Don’t...don’t move, okay? We need to talk.” As soon as he could figure out how to say the right words.
She gave a slow nod.
Thomas yanked on his jogging pants and hurried downstairs. The caller wasn’t giving up; that was for sure. Thomas grabbed the phone, then tensed when he saw the number on the screen. He lifted the phone to his ear. “Anthony.”
“Do you know where Paula Quill is right now?” Aaron demanded.
Thomas glanced toward the stairs. “The senator’s aide? She’s been staying at his house in Camden, so check for her there.”
“We did. We’ve called and sent a deputy over to that place, but the staff there say that they haven’t seen her since before the big storm swept in.”
“So she went out to visit friends before the bad weather hit.” His eyes were still on the stairs. He didn’t hear any sound from overhead. “Get the woman’s cell number and—”
“We’ve called her cell.” Tension deepened Aaron’s voice. “There’s no answer.”
Thomas hesitated. “Why are her whereabouts so important to you?”
“Because that joker in lockup is screaming that he has her hidden in the wilderness, and he says the only way she makes it out alive is if he goes back in for her.”
“What?”
“So we need you and Noelle back at the station, right now. Because if he’s not lying...”
Thomas’s gaze was now on the darkness beyond the window. If Patrick is telling the truth, then Paula Quill could be out there right now, dying.
Thomas ended the call and raced back up the stairs. As soon as Noelle saw his expression, she leapt to her feet. “What’s happening?”
“Patrick Porter may have taken another victim.” They wouldn’t know for sure, not yet, but... “We have to get back to the station.”
She yanked on her clothes. “Who’s the victim?”
He dressed quickly, his movement jerky. “Paula Quill.”
“The senator’s aide?” She shook her head. “What do you think...? Is he—is he lying?”
Thomas hoped so, but a knot had formed in his gut. They finished dressing. When she started to rush past him, Thomas caught her arm. “Before we go, there’s something I need you to know.” Because he never wanted secrets between them again.
Noelle glanced back at him.
I don’t want to mess this up. She means too much to me. The woman deserved wining and dining, not some rushed confession on their way to interrogate a prisoner.
“Thomas? What is it?”
“I will not leave you again.” The words rumbled, too deep. “You can count on me, no matter what.”
Her smile came then, spreading slowly over her face and lighting her eyes. “I already knew that.”
Okay. Do it. “Did you know I love you?”
Wait. Hell, he’d meant that to come out better. But charm had never been his strong suit.
She blinked up at him.
He cleared his throat. “I wanted you to know that.” He knew she didn’t love him, but maybe they could have something when they went back to D.C. “I don’t want us to end when the plane touches back down in D.C.”
“Thomas—”
“Let’s finish this case. Find out if Porter is telling the truth or just jerking us around and then...” He pushed back his shoulders. “Give me the chance to prove that you and I can work out. We can have something together.” Something worth fighting for.
Her gaze searched his. Thomas wasn’t sure what she was looking for. If he knew, he’d give her everything she needed. “Noelle—”
His phone started ringing again.
Damn it!
“Give me the chance,” Thomas said again. Then there was nothing more to say. They had a killer to face.
* * *
“WE FOUND THESE images on Patrick Porter’s phone.” Mercer’s voice was grim.
Noelle stared down at the images. They showed a familiar woman—Paula Quill—tied to a chair. A blindfold covered her eyes.
“The jerk told us where to find the images on his phone. He’s taunting us, and he likes the power he has,” Mercer added.
Noelle looked up at the EOD boss.
“No one has seen Paula Quill in over twenty-four hours,” Mercer said.
“No one but Patrick,” Thomas said. “The time stamp on that image is six hours ago.”
Six hours. Time to live. Time to die.
Her gaze slid toward the holding-room door.
“He told Aaron that he’d lead us to Paula.” Mercer paused. “No, he said he’d lead you to her, Agent Evers.”
“That’s not happening!” Thomas snapped. “No way is Noelle going out in the wilderness with that guy!”
“Yes, well, I figured you’d say that, Anthony.” Mercer started to pace. “If the woman is out there, we need the search dogs. We need to patrol the area and find—”
“The area is too big. He left her out there to die.” Noelle’s voice was certain. She turned back to face Mercer. “He knew we were closing in. He wanted leverage.” No wonder he’d been so willing to sacrifice the other women. He’d had a backup plan all along. His ace in case he was captured. “Paula Quill is that leverage. If we don’t agree to go after her, then Paula is dead.”