“Sure. If you’re a hobbit with a fetish for pink.”
Maverick tossed his ball cap behind him and sighed, sinking into the seat and taking a moment to relax. He glanced at his brother, noting the tight mouth and grim look on his face. Guess there was no relaxing to b
e had.
“Thought you were in Belize,” Maverick said. “When did you get in?”
“Last night. I got Jack’s message and since I was on my way home anyway, I detoured to Florida.”
“Anymore news?” Maverick asked quietly. He hadn’t heard anything from Jack since the phone call this morning. He’d tried Donovan’s cell, but she wasn’t picking up—but then the woman lost more cell phones than the average person and last he heard, she was waiting for another new one.
Cooper stopped at a red light and sighed, shaking his head. “Nothing other than what Jack learned late last night.”
“So it’s confirmed. Teague is being held.”
Cooper nodded. “I still can’t believe it.” The light changed to green and they took off, speeding onto the highway as they headed for the Keys and the Simon family compound.
“Yeah,” Maverick murmured, eyes looking to the red and orange glow in the distance as the sun began to set. “So they don’t know who these clowns are or what political affiliation they have?”
“No.”
“Jack said that they’re not even sure what country he’s being held in right now? “
Cooper swore and hit the steering wheel, his face a mask of anger. “How the fuck are we going to get Teague back if we can’t even nail down his location?”
Maverick didn’t answer his brother because there was nothing to say. Cooper was pretty much voicing the same thing he’d bee thinking the entire flight home.
“I haven’t tapped into any social media or watched any news. Does the press know that he’s a confirmed captive?” Maverick asked.
“No. Jack’s guy filled him in on the condition that it remains confidential. The government doesn’t want this to become a media shit show, although because of the initial leaks, they’re behind the eight ball on that one. But so far they’re just rehashing the original story that he’s missing and presumed taken. They don’t know that it’s Teague’s reality. Right now all they’ve got is speculation, but how long before another leak gets out? Once they know for sure Teague’s one of the guys taken they’ll have a field day.”
“I hate to point this out, brother, but if we’re all at the compound, they’re going to know something’s up.”
“That’s why we’re going in by boat.”
That made sense. “How are Eden and Noah handling everything?” His aunt and uncle were like parents to him. In fact, Maverick had pretty much grown up at their house.
“They’re about as good as you’d expect. She’s holding everyone together. Cooking food like we’re battening down for a hurricane and fussing over everyone. But I’ve never seen Uncle Noah look so…so damn lost.” Cooper glanced over to Maverick, his blue eyes intense. “By the way, Mom’s here too.”
That was a surprise. He thought she was still in the Bahamas. “It will be good to see her.”
Cooper laughed. “Just remember you said that when we get there, because she didn’t come alone.”
“Great,” Maverick murmured. That wasn’t a surprise. “Who’s the new guy?”
“His name is Theodore, but he told me I can call him Theo. I’ve been calling him Teddy.”
Maverick snorted.
“He’s from somewhere in Europe—Monte Carlo I think—and apparently descended from royalty.”
“Impressive.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Cooper said with a grin. “He’s also about fifteen years younger mom.”
Maverick groaned and rubbed his temples. A nasty headache was creeping up the back of his skull, and he wanted nothing more than a cold beer, a turn in the hot tub and a quiet evening with his cousins.
He loved his mother, but Jesus Christ she was high maintenance. The woman was never happy. To Maverick’s way of thinking, she seemed lost. She’d been married and divorced more than once and never seemed satisfied with what she had.