Storm of Lightning by Richard Paul Evans Read Free Book Online Page A

I have to.”
    â€œWe don’t want to blow them,” Scott said. “If the Elgen are still around, they’ll hear it.”
    â€œWhy do you think they’re still around?” Jack asked. “That’s like robbing a bank and then hanging around until the police arrive.”
    â€œIt only makes sense if your real target isn’t the bank but the police,” Ostin said.
    â€œExactly,” Scott said. “You know better than anyone that Hatch doesn’t give up easily. You escaped the Elgen in Taiwan, so they might assume you’ll be returning to the ranch. They may be waiting. The Elgen love traps.”
    â€œThe Elgen love traps like spiders love webs,” Ostin said.
    For the first time I understood exactly why Scott had been so cautious. He was right. There was a very good chance we were walking into a trap. But trap or not, if I saw them, I was going to fight.



Boise police headquarters Boise, Idaho
    C hief Davis stuck his head into the break room where Taylor’s father, Officer Charles Ridley, was eating his lunch from a brown paper sack—his usual pastrami-and-mustard sandwich on rye with dill pickles and a bag of potato chips. He was reading the sports page of the Boise Herald . The Boise State Broncos were having another unbeaten season, and he was angry that his team still couldn’t get any respect from the national press. These days he spent a lot of time reading about sports. It helped him keep his mind off his missing daughter.
    â€œChuck, could I speak with you for a moment?” Davis asked.
    Ridley looked up from the paper. “Sure, boss. What do you need?”
    â€œCome to my office, please.”
    Ridley chuckled nervously, as the chief was rarely this formal. “I’m not in trouble, am I?”
    Davis didn’t smile. “Just come with me, please.”
    Ridley wiped his mouth with a paper napkin, then wadded it up into a ball and tossed it into the corner wastebasket. “No problem.”
    He followed the chief down the hall to his office. To Ridley’s surprise there were two men in suits waiting for them. One was a tall sandy-haired man in a navy blazer. The other was shorter with a shaved head exposing just a shadow of hair stubble. He had an ash-gray pin-striped suit. They were both standing behind Davis’s desk, wearing serious expressions.
    â€œGentlemen, this is Officer Ridley,” Davis said.
    â€œHave a seat, Officer,” the taller of the two men said. “I’m Officer Cazier, and this is my partner, Officer Ogden.”
    Ridley looked at the chief, who nodded. Ridley sat down in one of the black vinyl chairs in front of the desk, his eyes nervously darting back and forth between the two men. “What’s going on?”
    Chief Davis folded his arms at his chest. “Chuck, these officers are from internal affairs.”
    Ridley’s blood pressure rose. “Internal affairs? Have I done something?”
    â€œIt’s not what you’ve done, Officer. This matter concerns your daughter.”
    He leaned forward eagerly. “You found Taylor?”
    â€œNo, I’m sorry. We haven’t. But we have a lead and a possible new suspect in her disappearance.”
    Ridley’s brow furrowed. “A suspect? What do you mean a ‘suspect’? She ran away.”
    â€œWe don’t think so,” said Ogden. “We have reason to believe that your daughter was abducted.”
    Ridley felt his chest constrict. “Abducted. By whom?”
    The officers looked uncomfortably at each other. Cazier said, “What we’re about to tell you is highly confidential.”
    â€œOf course,” Ridley said impatiently. “Who took my daughter?”
    Cazier took a step toward him. “We believe your wife might have something to do with your daughter’s disappearance.”
    Ridley almost laughed. “My wife? Julie?” He shook his head.“That’s