Page 78 of Honor ’N’ Duty

“Run me through your department’s kidnapping protocol,” he ordered.

Laia groaned. “More protocol.”

Kade knew that law enforcement’s reaction during the first four hours of a kidnapping were crucial and could make all the difference. Every agency, whether it was the FBI, state, or local police, had implemented fairly standardized kidnapping protocol, particularly where children were involved.

Sergeant Malloy opened his mouth when a phone rang.

Laia ran to the credenza and grabbed it. Her face fell as she looked at the screen. “It’s my mother. I have to talk to her. I have to tell her what happened.” She took the phone into the kitchen.

“Go on,” Kade said to Malloy.

“I have units out looking for witnesses and leads. An Amber Alert has been initiated. We’ll also spread word locally of the girl’s disappearance. Using the photo Ms. Velez provided, we’ll blanket the area with flyers. I’ll put out an APB on the girl.” Malloy paused, frowning. “But if you really think Fernando Colon took her, that’s a whole different ball game because if that’s the case, we know who we’re looking for. Do you have any proof that he took the girl?”

“No.” Not yet, anyway. The locals wouldn’t act against a drug lord with a mountain of pricy lawyers on retainer 24/7 without a boatload of evidence to back them up. For that matter, neither would the DHS.

Malloy tapped his pen on the pad. “What does he want with a five-year-old girl?”

Kade wasn’t prepared to tell anyone in the Manasquan PD exactly who Laia was or her connection to Colon. All they needed to know was that Rosa was missing, and while he was 99 percent certain Colon was behind this, he still couldn’t be absolutely certain Rosa hadn’t been taken by someone else. Which was equally disturbing.

“If it is Colon, he doesn’t want the girl,” Kade snarled. “He wants something in return for her.” The ledger and the cool two million in cash that Josh stole from him.

The back door at the top of the steps opened, and a young officer came in holding a plastic evidence bag containing a slice of pizza with a small bite taken out of it.

“Found this on the other side of the dune,” the cop said, holding up the bag.

Laia had returned from the kitchen and gasped. “Oh God. Pineapple. It’s Rosa’s favorite. When I got back to where I’d left her on the beach, I could swear I smelled pizza. I thought I was imagining it. How did they know?”

“Good question,” Kade growled. “However they found out, they obviously used it to lure her from the beach. It could have been drugged.”

A strangled sound bubbled up from Laia’s throat, and she covered her mouth with her hand. Kade pulled her into his arms. Her body shook as she tried valiantly to hold it together. Rage, the likes of which he’d never experienced, pounded in his head.

Keep it together. For Laia and Rosa’s sake. If he lost it, he’d be no good to them.

Smoke uttered a snort, then sat, looking up at Kade, waiting for orders. Smoke was feeding off sounds, body language, and the smell of Laia’s fear. He sensed something was totally off, even if he didn’t know what.

“Laia,” he said softly, swiping away a tear with the pad of his thumb. “I need to get out there with Smoke. If anyone can find her, he can. Will you be okay here without me? I need to know you’ll be okay.”

She rolled her lips inward, jerkily nodding her head. Man, he admired her guts and her game.

“Atta girl.” He tried giving her an encouraging smile. “Sergeant, can you or one of your officers stay with her?” Kade didn’t want her to be alone, and if she received a call from the kidnappers—whoever they were—he wanted to make sure there was a law enforcement witness.

“You got it.” Malloy pointed to the cop still holding the bagged slice of pizza. “Stay here with her, and make sure forensics gets that. Good find.”

“Thank you, sergeant.” The cop nodded.

Before heading out to the beach with Jamie and Smoke, Kade took the phone from Laia’s hand. “People will be coming soon to set your phone up with a recording device and a tracing app. In the meantime, do you know how to record a conversation on your phone?”

“Yes.” She nodded.

“If you do get a call, make sure this officer—what’s your name?”

“Officer Gonzalez, sir.”

“If you get a call, record it, and make sure Officer Gonzalez is here to listen in.”

“Okay.” Again, she nodded, and her forehead creased.

Kade kissed the top of her head, trying to offer reassurances that he didn’t quite feel, then went to the sofa and picked up Rosa’s pink sweatshirt for Smoke to get a scent from. “I’ll be back. Jamie, you’re with me.”