For the Love of Pete Read Online Free PDF Page A

Hummer was some kind of planned switch-off. It was far-fetched, but a possibility.”
    Zoey turned to look at Baldy, who was now jumping up and down in the gas-station parking lot. “Yeah, I think that theory might be toast.”
    Baldy turned and darted around back of the gas station.
    “Where’s he going?” she muttered.
    “Christ, I don’t know.” Lips sounded fed up and disgusted.
    A moment later, a bright red SUV ricocheted back around the gas station, with Baldy at the wheel.
    Zoey leaned forward to watch as the truck careened across the lanes of traffic, drove over the concrete street divider, and roared under the overpass. “Did he steal—?”
    “Looks like it,” Lips growled. “Tell 911.”
    She’d forgotten the cell phone still open in her lap, but now she picked it up and relayed the kidnapper’s new vehicle information to the confused operator. “Did you see the license plates?” she asked Lips.
    “Not from this angle.”
    She grimaced and finally hung up on the operator.
    The black SUV ahead of them suddenly surged forward, and Lips cursed under his breath. A couple of minutes later and they were speeding down the off-ramp.
    “Are you going to try and follow them?” Zoey asked, though she knew it was probably hopeless.
    “No, they’re long gone.”
    “But—”
    “Look, there’re two cars now, and the cops have to arrive soon. Better we wait so I can brief them and regroup.”
    He drove the Beemer into the BP gas station and pulled in beside the little frog green Civic the sari ladies had been driving. The car looked like it had been through several Chicago winters, and the rear bumper was hanging at an angle, but there was a brand-new magnetic sign on the driver’s-side door that read, THE TAJ MAHAL RESTAURANT, with an address and prominent phone number beneath.
    “How are we going to regroup?” Zoey asked.
    Lips was already unclipping a little black cell phone from his belt. She caught a glimpse of the gun harness under his left arm.
    He frowned at her as he punched in a number and held the cell to his ear. “
I’m
going to regroup by calling in this car’s number.
You’re
going to go home instead of regrouping. I’ll call you a cab and—”
    Zoey felt her pulse speed up with alarm. She couldn’t let him dump her. He was her only hope of finding Pete. She knew it was irrational, but as long as she was with him she was
doing
something. At home, she’d be merely pacing the floor. Besides, she no longer entirely trusted the FBI to keep Pete safe once they found her again. Right now, she was the only one chasing the kidnapper who was interested purely in Pete’s safety and not some stupid mob trial.
    She bit her lip and tried to think of a concrete reason for him to let her stay. “Look—”
    He held up a hand, cutting her off, and spoke into the cell. “Kev? . . . Yeah, it’s—”
    He made an impatient face as the person on the other end of the phone apparently started talking fast.
    Zoey watched him as his beautiful lips compressed into a frustrated, thin line. “Look, calm down. I’ve got a lead on the guy who grabbed the kid . . . Yeah . . . That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. Okay, look, I’m at a BP on Old Orchard Road, just west of 94. Happy?”
    Zoey leaned forward urgently, catching his eye.
    He held up his hand again, forestalling her. “Okay, I need you to run a license plate, give me the owner, address, everything you got.” He rattled off the numbers on the little green Civic. “No, don’t hang up.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “I need this now, Kev. These women took off in the kidnapper’s Hummer. . . . Yeah, you heard me right . . . Look, I need to talk to Headington . . . Yeah . . . Well, then where is he? . . . Okay, I’ll wait.”
    “Who’s Kev?” Zoey asked in a stage whisper.
    “Tech guy.”
    “And Headington?”
    “My boss, the SAC—Special Agent in Charge.” Lips held the phone away from his ear and turned to her.