Page 10 of Liberating Mallory
“Why can’t…” Opie started to ask before Pratt, Raso and Brocard cut him off with a look, which he returned with a challenging look of his own.
Carter, Jordyn and Abbott chuckled at the stare down between the three women and the stubborn Marine.
“Russell, go with Knight. Brody and I will have a talk with you later on the real aspects of being an alpha male. When it comes to this part, these women are the alpha. This is their area of expertise.” Carter smirked at Opie, nodding towards Knight, who stood in the door waiting for his group.
“I know they are…” Opie started but stopped.
“Russell…” Pratt said softly, waddling over to Carter and Opie. “You have the experience tracking. You trained Mallory at that. You will recognize any clues she would have left behind that we wouldn’t think to recognize. That’s why you were put with their group. We need your skills in that section right now, more than dealing with her parents.”
Opie stared at Pratt for several minutes before he gave a heavy sigh and nodded. “Okay. I’m sorry. I’m just lost without her right now. I’m afraid…”
“No!” The women of Alpha Squad all said loudly at the same time, making Jordyn, Abbott, Knight and Carter all freeze from the intensity of the word.
“Russell, you do not think that shit!” Raso growled, stepping forward.
“Don’t make me kick your ass!” York ordered, glaring at Opie hard.
“Ops, get that shit from your head right fucking now. Mallory is not Cassie. We will find her.” Pratt declared, staring Opie down.
“We found Cassie once we took over her case, we will find Mallory. Have faith in that.” Diesel stood firmly, promising Opie.
“Who’s Cassie?” Knight asked the group in confusion.
Opie smiled sadly, looking over at Knight. “She’s my older sister. My father had sold her into human trafficking when she was in high school.”
“Get that fucking thought out of your head, Knight. Mallory’s disappearance has nothing to do with Opie. Bastard who sold Cassie is dead thanks to York sniping his ass and Cassie has been found alive and is getting the help she needs.” Diesel warned Knight, staring him down, making sure he got her warning.
Carter quirked an eyebrow as he nodded towards Rameriez and York. “What will the remaining two ninjas be doing?”
“Ninja shit!” York smirked at Carter, winking at him when he gave her a stare down for her brattiness.
Pratt and Raso laughed, looking over at York. “Girl, you should be glad Jordyn’s ass tied Carter’s ass down. Something tells me if he was single, your ass would be sore as shit right now for that answer.”
“What ninja shit?” Rameriez followed behind Raso’s statement, her head tilted in confusion.
Pratt looked over at Diesel and chuckled when she watched Diesel make the ‘v’ signal with her right hand and bring it up to her eyes before turning them towards Knight in the universal sign that she was watching him. “Diesel, leave the man alone.”
“I need you two to work with Brody, help him do some more digging into Kevin’s roommate. I want to know when they started living together and what Kevin and his roommate are into. I want to understand how someone like Kevin would get mixed up with Hussein before we mention the information to the sheriff.” Sgt. Brocard told Rameriez and York.
“Works for us, sarge. We’ll go annoy Egghead. You guys watch your six out there.” York told her team.
“Opie, listen to Raso, follow your instincts and don’t take shit from anyone.” Rameriez told him in front of everyone, her eyes on Knight.
“Okay…let’s boogey oogey!” Pratt shouted, wiggling her butt to get through the group to get out of the room.”
7
Once arriving to the home owned by Mallory’s parents, Pratt, Carter, Abbott and Sgt. Brocard pulled into the driveway. Sgt. Brocard and Pratt glanced towards each other when they noticed the sheriff’s car was already parked next to the father’s truck.
“Do you have Mac’s sisters phone number?” Sgt. Brocard asked Pratt as they glanced out of the SUV towards the house.
“Yep, she’s on speed dial. She’s already aware of the situation. Pissed as fuck that they weren’t notified of Mallory’s disappearance but, they will follow our lead on this one since we’re already here.”
“What’s going on?” Carter questioned, looking between the two women.
“Something’s off on this whole situation. We can’t put our fingers on it. But it has to do with the sheriff and the parents…” Sgt. Brocard put up a hand, stopping Abbott and Carter’s coming protest. “No, we don’t think they had a hand in her disappearance. But I do think they unknowningly aided in the incident.”
“They do know more than they are letting on. Roadblocks have been hit every which way we look.” Pratt finished for Sgt. Brocard.