Page 157 of Jay Bird

Jay Bird studied both men. Tink hadn’t come all the way to the hospital in the middle of an active investigation to ask about Lily’s vitals, and Derek certainly wouldn’t have left the others unless there was a reason.

“You found something.” It wasn’t really a question.

Tink walked farther into the room. “Maybe.”

Jay Bird immediately stood. “What does maybe mean?”

“It means I don’t want to tell you we found Willow until I know we found Willow.”

As much as Jay Bird hated that answer, he appreciated it. The last thing he needed was false hope.

Tink pulled out his phone but didn’t immediately hand it over. “After we left the port, I went back to the beginning. Every face from Mia’s security footage, every vehicle, every alias we’ve ever associated with Chen, and every person we could place anywhere near him. Most of it went nowhere, but one of the men who helped take Willow gave us something.”

Jay Bird glanced toward Derek.

His commander gave him a small nod, silently telling him to listen.

“We finally got a solid identification on him,” Tink continued. “His uncle is a close business associate of Chen’s over in Europe. His name is linked to several shell companies. One of the companies recently made a transaction that caught my attention.”

“What kind of transaction?”

“A property lease.”

Jay Bird felt his pulse quicken, although he forced himself to remain where he was instead of reaching for his gear.

Tink finally turned the phone toward him. “About a week ago, one of those companies leased a private waterfront property across the bridge in Accomack County.”

Jay Bird stared at the map on the screen. “That’s like an hour and forty minutes from here. And isn’t there an airport up there?”

Tink nodded. “Yep, and a Gulfstream is sitting at that airport, registered to the same guy who arrived right after the lease was signed.

Jay Bird thought about it.

A week. And Willow hadn’t been taken until today.

“So this was already in place.”

“That’s what it looks like,” Derek said. “Which means Chen didn’t grab Willow and then start figuring out where to take her. He came here with a plan.”

Jay Bird wasn’t surprised. Chen had spent a week watching Willow, learning her routine. The bastard had known exactly what he intended to do long before his men approached her outside the rescue center.

The realization made Jay Bird’s stomach turn, but it also gave them something they hadn’t had several hours ago—a direction.

“Have you confirmed anyone is at the property?” he asked.

“Not yet,” Tink said. “We’re working on satellite imagery, traffic cameras, and anything else we can access without tipping off whoever might be there. The property sits far enough off the road that we’re not going to get a clean visual without putting someone close.”

Tink’s phone rang, and he turned away to answer it.

Jay Bird looked down at Lily.

For the first time since they had opened that shipping container, something besides rage and helplessness moved through him.

Hope.

It wasn’t much, and he wasn’t stupid enough to mistake a leased property for confirmation that Willow was there, but it was something concrete. Chen had spent hours leading them toward the port and keeping them occupied with Lily and the explosives because he had needed time.

Jay Bird looked at Derek. “When do we move?”