Page 135 of Delicious Surrender

“We won’t, Gage. I’m working on a warrant based on our suspicions, and I hope to hear from your investigator about that woman from the paper. He tracked her to a river cruise due into port tonight. If she knows something, he will get it out of her.”

“Okay, thank you, John. That’s the least of my worries right now. I have to find Brynne.”

Gage couldn’t stomach any food, and he refused a drink on the plane. He needed a clear head. As the helicopter landed at the house, he saw a car waiting in his driveway. Two officers got out and flashed their badges.

“Mr. MacCallum, John sent us. He wanted us to dust for fingerprints and look for any evidence that could help in your girlfriend’s disappearance.”

Girlfriend. The word didn’t do justice to what he was feeling. Maybe it wasn’t a traditional relationship, but he realized at some point she had become important to him.

“Thank you. I’ll go in through the garage. They probably came in through the front door from the helipad. You guys should start there.”

He raced into the house and felt the chill of her absence. His heart started pounding when he saw the note and theuntouched coffee. After letting the agents in, he went directly to Brynne’s room.

One man followed him while the other dusted the front door handles. Her closet was empty. Logan had told him, but he needed to see it for himself. In the adjoining bathroom, he opened all the drawers, replaying the events of yesterday in his head. As he turned, he noticed a lipstick on the floor by the tub. He leaned down to grab it and saw the red line drawn on the cabinet.

“I found something!” The agent quickly joined him. “I think she left a note.” Gage carefully unfolded the toilet paper, his heart in his throat.

“Fuck. He took her. Here is the proof.” It was a punch to the gut.

The agent was already dialing the phone. “Sir, I’m sending you a picture. It’s enough for a search warrant. Yes. I’m going to dust everything for prints in case there’s other physical evidence.”

Gage sank down on the bed and dropped his head into his hands. It was his fault for underestimating the Russian’s obsession.

The agent tapped him on the shoulder. “John wants to speak with you.”

He took the phone and watched the man bend down to examine the wall. Gage saw him shine his light on the dark red spatter and his stomach dropped.

“Hold on, John.” He looked at the agent for answers.

“It’s blood. I’ll get a sample to the lab as fast as possible.”

“Did you hear that? So help me god, I will kill that bastard when I get my hands on him.”

“Gage, I’ve put every available man on this. We are getting the warrant and notifying the Coastguard. The yacht has not left Stornoway. They have a large order of provisions being delivered tomorrow morning before they depart.”

“I should never have left her alone. If anything happens to her…”

“Listen, we will get her back. Dimitri has pursued her relentlessly; he will not harm her. We will get there in time.”

Gage’s fear was blossoming into rage. He would destroy Dimitri as soon as he had his woman back safely in his arms. “I want to be there, John. I will fly up to Lewis tonight.”

“That’s not a good idea, man. Let us handle this.”

“I can’t. But I won’t interfere.” He handed the phone back to the agent and went to change. Sleep would be impossible, so he might as well be there.

Two hours later, Gage’s jet landed, and he checked into a local hotel in Stornoway. He forced himself to eat and then took a walk along the waterfront. They anchored the yacht offshore, out of the jurisdiction of the port authority. He felt completely useless, and at ten p.m., he called John.

“Have you got the warrant?”

“Yes, we have it. To safely execute it, Interpol will send operatives to the ship on the supply delivery boat. Once they neutralize the crew, the HMCG will board and do the search.”

“I want to be on that boat, John.”

“No way. If you’re recognized, it could throw everything off. You can be on the Coastguard ship when we come alongside thePrincess.”

“Okay.”

“Meet me at the Coastguard HQ at zero-six-hundred. They already positioned one of their vessels out of sight in a nearby cove. We will be on it.”