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“What can I do?” Juan asked. He sat up straighter. “I want to help Ruth.”
“You’ve already confirmed who has her. Once we locate him, we’ll free Ruth and bring her home.”
“I have a carry permit. I can be an extra set of eyes.”
Trace placed his hands flat on the table and leaned toward the earnest man. “No. We’re trained for this. You aren’t. The best thing you can do for Ruth is keep quiet about this. If you breathe a word to the media or post it on your social media pages, Ruth is dead. Do you understand?”
The other man swallowed hard. “Yes, sir. You said you’re trained for this. Who are you?”
“We work for Fortress Security. Our specialty is hostage rescue.”
“That’s a black ops group based in Nashville.”
“How did you hear about Fortress?”
“My cousin works for your company.”
“What’s his name?”
“Rafe Torres. Know him?”
Trace smiled. “Oh, yeah. Rafe and I are friends. He’s a good man.”
“You interested in working for Fortress?” Ben asked.
“I don’t have any training.”
“We provide that through our bodyguard school in Otter Creek. You need to be in top physical shape. Our newest green recruit could wipe the floor with you right now. If you’re serious, contact Rafe and learn how to prepare yourself for the PT portion of the training program.”
“One more thing,” Trace said. “If you want to work for Fortress, you can’t have an arrest record. Most of us are former military and law enforcement. We watched you from Bridget’s house. If you had broken in again, we would have used lethal force if necessary to protect Bridget. I protect what’s mine.”
Bridget stared at Trace. He sounded as though he was claiming her for himself.
“Did you wear gloves when you took the pictures from the house?” Ben asked. “The cops lifted fingerprints from Bridget’s place.”
“I had gloves on,” he muttered.
“Don’t ever break into a place again unless you’re authorized to do it for a job,” Trace said. “Next time, you might face off with a trigger-happy homeowner and come out the loser if you aren’t trained and lack backup.”
“You have my word.”
Trace turned to Bridget. “Finished checking the pictures?”
“They’re ours.”
“Let’s go. You need to rest. Tomorrow will be a long day.”
She stood.
“Will you return to work soon?” Juan asked her.
Not if Brent Maddox hired her. “I have to find Ruth, however long that takes.”
“I understand. I hope you find her soon.”
Ben pointed at him. “If you’re serious about Fortress, contact Rafe and start your physical training.”
“Yes, sir.”
