“Enough.” Rowan locked his arms around her trembling frail body, wishing he could erase these horrible memories from her mind. “That’s enough for now.”
Mia gently pushed him away with the little strength she had. “No, it’s fine. There’s another woman there. I heard her. I got out of my cell one night and tried to run, and I heard her. But he…he caught me before I made it out.”
She glanced up at Rowan with wet eyes, and he wrapped her in his embrace again, holding as tight as he thought she could endure. “You were brave, Mia. So damn brave.”
Her voice hitched. “He wore a mask, like one of those Baphomet goat masks that had a voice changer.”
“You couldn’t identify him, then?”
Rowan pressed his back against the bed, breathing past his muscles quivering to make Lewis regret ever abducting Mia. Not only were the images filtering through his mind making his chest heave, but Lewis exposed his motivation for this visit. The man wanted them to see Mia didn’t recognize him. And he wanted to know for himself if she’d out him.
Mia shook her head. “No, I couldn’t recognize him.”
“Now we’re done,” Rowan stated firmly.
The contained rage in his voice slipped free. Lewis either didn’t notice or didn’t care, and he nodded. “All right,” he said, and paused, as if he were considering his next steps. Rowan knew Lewis had a plan coming in there tonight, and he’d have a plan going out. Lewis was a methodical killer; he’d know every single step he took before he took it. The man’s gaze fell to Mia again. “If you think of anything, please contact me directly.”
“Yes, of course.” Mia yawned.
Without another look at him or Alex, Lewis turned and left the room.
And Rowan again considered all the ways to kill him.
CHAPTER 3
A minute after Lewis left, the nurse returned and changed Mia’s IV bags to get her the fluid and food her body needed, and she scooted Alex and Rowan out of the room. At the end of the hallway, Lewis stood with the doctor. The worst part about all this was, in his sick and twisted mind, he probably got off on coming there. It made Alex’s hunger deepen to catch him. She felt Rowan stiff and tense next to her, his anger cascading out of him, but soon another person drew her focus.
Ryder. He strode past Lewis and inclined his head; they’d met before many times, as Ryder did a lot of security work for politicians. Friends of Lewis’s. His dirty-blond hair was shaggy around his ears, and his strong green eyes were firm on Alex as he approached. He wore his typical Blackwood Security uniform of a black shirt and khaki military pants. “What is Lewis doing here?” he asked when he closed in.
“He came to speak to Mia,” Alex told him.
Ryder’s mouth firmed into a thin line as he looked at Mia’s hospital room door. “Any development there?”
“She didn’t recognize him,” Rowan told him.
Ryder’s brows shot up. He slowly looked at Alex. “It’s not like you to be wrong about a suspect.”
“I’m still putting my money on Lewis,” Alex answered in an instant. That deep tug in her chest believed the killer was Lewis. She glanced down the hallway again, finding the man leaving the hospital. He’d made his point by telling them he could still get to Mia, and Alex didn’t doubt he hoped this would get them off his scent. It wouldn’t. “Mia said her captor wore a Baphomet goat mask that had a voice changer.”
Ryder considered that. “It would be hard for her under stress to think of things such as body shape. The last thing we want to do is grill her now.”
Alex agreed with a nod.
“There’s the tattoo,” Rowan offered.
Alex shook her head. “Lewis is smart enough not to leave DNA evidence on his victims. I highly doubt the bastard would ever show them his tattoo.” Even if Mia hadn’t been sexually assaulted, the bruises and rope burn were enough to suggest she had gone through hell.
A nurse strode by, and Ryder moved out of her way before he said to Rowan, “After hearing of Mia’s return, I made some calls. I’ve got a treatment center for traumatic stress recovery waiting for her arrival. It’s the best in the country, and I’ll put one of my guys on her while she’s there.” Another nurse headed into Mia’s room as Ryder went on, “I’m aware of the sensitive nature we’re dealing with here, so I’ve arranged for a private flight to take her there. Only drawback is w
e have to leave in an hour. That’s the only time we could catch the flight.”
Rowan stared at Ryder. Hard. “Why would you arrange all this for us?” he finally asked.
Alex knew the answer. Her. Her heart melted, and she threw her arms around Ryder. “Thank you.” He did that for her. To help her friend, and that was just the type of man Ryder was. Beyond loving to those he cared about.
Ryder hugged her back and then leaned away. “Don’t place me on a pedestal too high. The treatment center is in San Francisco. Rowan’s not the only one who wants to keep a close eye on someone.”
Alex smiled softly. Of course, Ryder wanted her close. He hated this mission from day one, especially not being involved, until Alex knew they couldn’t do this without him.