“Because one of the targets…the one you know about … a Miguel Guerrero … escaped and they don’t know where he’s gone to,” she continued.

I heard banging on my door. Matt or Philip or both must have been waken by my shouting.

“Is he in that van?” I asked, more panicked than ever. Did that snake take her? Did he f&^%*()$ing take my Aerin?

“We don’t think so, ma’am. From the sequence of events and the physical location of where he was in relation to Miss Palmer, based on Jack’s description we surmise that he went in the opposite direction of where she’d been taken to….”

“So why should I stay put?!!” I asked in a challenging voice. The banging on the door continued, accompanied by muffled voices.

I sprang up from the bed and walked to the door. I yanked it open and covered the mouthpiece of the satellite phone while I mouth to the two men who were looking at me with worried faces, “Sorry I was shouting. I’m getting an update on Aerin.”

As I did so, the woman was explaining that Brom’s instructions were intended to keep me safe, and in a location where their intelligence on Miguel Guerrero indicated he’d never been in and most likely knew nothing about.

What??!! I was to hide out here while Aerin is being taken to who-knows-where?!

“I’m sorry ma’am but we have to end this call. I have to keep as many of our lines open, plus I have to help in monitoring what’s going on …” she said after she firmly repeated Brom’s instructions.

“Fine. Of course. We can hang up now. But I’m calling every ten minutes and would like an update each time, alright?” I asked, brooking no resistance. “Yes?”

“Yes ma’am, of course. Anything we know, you’ll know,” she answered quietly. “But if something happens before you call, please be assured I will call you then.”

She hung up soon after.

“Well?” Philip asked.

I relayed what I’d just found out. Both men were as shocked as I was.

“So what do you want to do?” Matt asked. “Go to Vegas, or …”

I nodded. “I was thinking of the same thing, but it’s really dark outside and pretty dangerous to drive in, so …”