Ultimate Prey (Book 3 Ultimate CORE) (CORE Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

them.”
    “Not right away,” John added.
    A chill chased up her arms. “My point is that if he’s going to do this.” She jerked her head to the photograph that had been texted to Rachel. “We might have—”
    “I get your point.” John pushed his chair away from the table, but didn’t rise. “And I get that you’re worried about Cami. Trust me, I’m worried, too. Ian’s my father-in-law. I left my wife sleeping and have no idea how I’m going to break this to her.”
    “Look, this isn’t easy on either one of you,” Dante said. “But I also think Lola’s right. This guy wouldn’t go through all this trouble if he planned to kill them right away. According to the picture he sent, we know Ian and Cami are still at the rental house. If we call the cops, he could take them and disappear.”
    “I agree,” Rachel said, while Hudson and Owen nodded.
    She looked to Harrison for support. “I’m with them on this. At this point, we might as well wait and find out what he wants.”
    “He should be calling any minute.” Hudson glanced at his watch, then to her and Harrison. “When he does, you two should stay out of view.”
    “He doesn’t know about us, or Jake and Lloyd,” Harrison said, nodding. “That could be a good thing if we need to head down there.”
    If? There was no ‘if’ in Lola’s mind, only when. “How is it that he knows about the rest of you, and not about us?” she asked, thumbing toward Harrison. “I don’t think this is anything relating to when Ian was with the FBI. Whoever’s behind this has to have a connection to CORE.”
    “Could be,” Rachel said. “But CORE has resolved hundreds of cases. If this is about revenge, we have a long list of people who—”
    Rachel’s laptop generated a sound, indicating an incoming call. “That’s him,” she said, angling the laptop away from the wall of TVs. “Lola and Harrison, stay out of sight. You’ll be able to see what we’re seeing on the third screen behind you.”
    After Lola and Harrison quickly rose and took seats opposite of the rest of the agents, Rachel drew in a deep breath, then answered.
    “You’re very prompt, Miss Davis.” A man wearing a black ski mask filled the screen. “Is the rest of the team with you? I’d hate to have to kill Cami. She is quite a legend. If the Academy ever gave out Oscars for the best screamer, it would be criminal if she didn’t win,” he said, chuckling.
    “As you instructed, the team is here.”
    “Let me see their faces.”
    One by one, the agents stood, then moved in front of the laptop. After each had shown that they were indeed present, the man said, “Good. Now we can have some fun.” He stepped away, revealing Lola’s mom and Ian, still bound to their chairs, their mouths duct taped, the blindfolds removed. A haze of smoke clouded the room, which had been lit by a lantern sitting on the stovetop. “I know how much Ian loves a good hunt.” He rested a hand on Ian’s bare shoulder, then stood behind him. The man was so enormous that the top of his masked head had been cut from the screen. “It’s also one of the reasons he’s recruited each one of you. He gives you assignments with the expectation that you will show no fear, take risks and do whatever it takes to hunt down your prey and bring them to justice.” He squeezed Ian’s shoulder. “Boss man does have a reputation to uphold. But you know what I’ve been wondering? How would Ian handle himself if he was the one being hunted?”
    “CORE hunts criminals,” Dante said. “Last time I checked, Ian is one of the good guys.”
    He ruffled Ian’s salt and pepper hair with his huge, gloved hand. “Dudley Do-Right thinks you’re one of the good guys. But why wouldn’t he? He always was an ass-kisser. Hey, Dante, do you still pucker up when Ian bends over, or have you grown a set of balls and learned to think for yourself?”
    Dante glared at the computer screen, but remained silent.
    “Nothing?” the