Page 95 of Shadow Redemption

His stomach tightened into a knot. “Who took her? Was it Tom?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know him, but Ruth did.”

“Where’s Sam?” Joe demanded.

“She never came into the bathroom.”

“Give me a detailed description of the man who took Ruth,” Ben said to Autumn as Joe searched for his wife. “It’s important, Autumn. Her life is at stake.”

“He was big, taller and broader than you are.”

“Hair and eye color?”

“Black hair and brown eyes. He looks like he spends a lot of time in the sun.”

“Did Ruth call him by name?”

She shook her head. “Please, you have to find her. He had a gun and threatened to shoot me if Ruth didn’t go with him.”

Ben pulled up a picture of Gorman on his phone. He turned the screen toward Autumn. “Is this the man who took her?”

“Yes! You know him?”

“Did he indicate where he was taking Ruth?”

Another head shake. “I gave her my jade shirt because hers was wet when Gorman burst into the bathroom.”

“Ben!”

He glanced down the hall. Joe stood in a doorway near the exit. Dread coiling in his gut, he ran toward his friend.

“Sam has a bomb strapped to her chest.”

Ben pushed past the spotter and entered a janitor’s closet. Sam’s hands were secured behind her back with duct tape. A vest with wires running from three bricks of C-4 into a ticking digital timer had been strapped to her body with a truckload of duct tape. “Get Nico.”

“Ben....” Joe’s voice cracked, desperation in his eyes.

“Do it. We have to clear the ballroom and I need my gear bag. Clock’s ticking, Joe. Make sure Autumn and Tito leave.”

With another glance at his wife, the spotter dashed from the room. A minute later, Nico strode inside. “What do we have?”

“Enough C-4 to flatten a city block and ten minutes to disarm this bomb.”

“Can you handle it?”

Sam’s gaze locked with Ben’s. “If you can’t, get Joe out of here, even if you have to knock him out to do it.”

“Forget it, Sparky,” Joe snapped as he rushed back in. “I’m not leaving you.”

“We aren’t losing anyone,” Nico said. “I don’t want to train a new medic and spotter. What do you need, Ben? Trace went for your bag.”

“We don’t have time to evacuate the hotel. Clear the ballroom and hope for the best. Gorman kidnapped Ruth. Have Zane activate her trackers. If we can’t rescue her, another team needs to go after Ruth.” He moved closer to Sam to study the bomb.

“Take care of this firecracker so we can rescue Ruth,” Nico ordered.

Ben’s lips curved. “Yes, sir.” Ben visually traced the wires leading from the C-4 to the detonator and the timer. “How are you holding up, Sam?”

“Just peachy.” She scowled. “I can’t wait to get my hands on Gorman.”