Love You Madly

by Ashlee Mallory

  “Me, too.” The guy reached into his inside pocket and pulled out a card. “Which is why when you find something, you can give me call.”

  The arrogant son of a— Travis just smiled and took the card, though. At least the guy was here. Must have some sense to him. “All I know, like I said, is the sale is going down tonight at midnight. I’m thinking that location has to be somewhere fairly private, with access to major freeways and possibly an airstrip. If they’re getting these girls out, they need to do it quickly and efficiently.”

  “Tell me something we don’t already know.”

  Testy. “I’m damned sure the guy who’s heading the operation is here tonight. Maybe you can share some of what you know, compare notes.”

  The guy just continued to watch the faces around him.

  Travis shook his head and looked away. He caught sight of Bryce sitting dejected in a corner.

  “Been nice talking to you, Detective,” he said and patted the guy on his shoulder, careful to leave one of the few tracking devices that Meems had provided him in the breast pocket. Not that he was holding much hope the police had any clue where Darcy was.

  He meandered over to Bryce and slipped into the seat next to him. “Bryce. You’re looking…like shit.” The kid’s hair looked like he hadn’t washed it in days, and his eyes were wide and alert despite the dark circles under them. As if he’d consumed a dozen energy drinks. He had a decent suit on, even if he hadn’t managed to get the tie right, but Travis couldn’t blame him there. He was all thumbs himself with those things.

  Bryce jostled his leg nervously, his fingers tapping against a water glass. “I can’t eat or sleep right now, I’ve been so worried about her.”

  “Maybe what you need is a few more gallons of that water. You’re going to give yourself a heart attack, you’re so wired. Surprised you’re even here. Doesn’t seem like your kind of scene.”

  “Shit, I wouldn’t even be here right now if my dad hadn’t made a big deal of it, being on the planning committee and all. He’s been so bat-shit crazy these past couple days I didn’t want to piss him off even more, or he might take away my car again.”

  Travis stilled. “Your dad has been acting crazy? What’s going on?”

  “Who knows? He gets so wrapped up in business sometimes it’s like we don’t exist. This week’s been bad. Something about some problems with a recent shipment being delayed.”

  “What does your father do again?”

  “Food purchasing and supply. Bauer Foods is a big supplier to groceries and restaurants in the state. You’ve probably seen the trucks around.”

  Trucks. Shipments. Access to various modes of transportation for deliveries. Hell. He’d met the smooth son of a bitch. How had Peter Bauer pulled the wool over his eyes? Over everyone’s?

  “Is your dad here tonight?”

  “He was. But he said good-bye a couple minutes ago. Something about checking on the merchandise before delivery.”

  So the guy could still be here, somewhere. “I need an address, Bryce. Where’s your dad’s office?”

  While Bryce texted him an address, Travis called Meems, not wanting people to question his sanity if he stood there talking to himself. “Meems. Do a check on Peter Bauer, would ya? Need a list of any property he might own in the area. Say…up to an hour radius from here.”

  “Already on it,” she said, typing. “And I’ve been checking the cameras. Peter Bauer is walking through the lobby now. Heading to the front door.”

  Travis jumped up and walked swiftly through the ballroom, trying not to be too obvious. Then he sped up as he cleared the lobby.

  “Holy… You’re not going to like this, Travis,” Meems said.

  He was outside now, looking up and down the street.

  “Meredith is with him.”

  “What?” he nearly shouted.

  “His limo was outside, and he got in a second ago. But when they reached the end of the drive to merge into traffic, Meredith waved them down. Climbed inside with him.”

  “What direction?”

  “Heading south.”

  From his vantage point, he looked down the street in time to see a black limo turn right several blocks ahead and disappear from view.

  His head was pounding. She hadn’t just put herself in harm’s way without a plan. “Tell me that she put the surveillance equipment back on. That you can track her.”

  Silence. Then, “Sorry, Travis.”

  Damn it.

  She was gone, and he had no idea how the hell to find her. The weight on his chest felt like it might suffocate him.

  He had to find her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Meredith had found Peter just as he was leaving the ballroom. He’d been moving fast, and she hadn’t enough time to call Travis or draw his attention, not wanting to risk losing sight of Peter. Not now.

  Her heart had sunk when he climbed into a limo, and if it hadn’t stopped for a homeless guy crossing in front of the car as it pulled away, he would have gotten away. Instead, she’d raced to the door and tapped, holding her breath that he’d let her in.

  His smile had been curious, and after the slightest hesitation, he’d looked around, then slid across the seat to make room for her.

  They’d been sitting in silence since, but he was watching her with that bemused expression on his face.

  Finally he spoke. “You going to keep me in suspense, or are you going to share with me the reason you’re here?”

  “Drop the act, Peter. I know you have my daughter, and I’m here to make a deal with you.”

  He didn’t look surprised as he sat back farther in the seat, his smug smile only widening. “Is that so? Well, I have to admit, when I saw you knocking on my window like that I had some suspicion that you might have figured it out. What gave me away?”

  She paused. “Until this moment, I hadn’t known for sure. It looks like my instinct was correct.”

  “Ah. A trap. And did you share this suspicion with anyone before you ran out of your party? Actually, more importantly, if you know, then how come you’re here? Why haven’t you reported your suspicions to the police? Or that bodyguard of yours?”

  She swallowed, then nodded. “I did.”

  He studied her. “I’ve known you for a few years, Meredith. And I think you’re bluffing.”

  “I guess you’ll find out shortly, won’t you? Look, Peter, all I want is my daughter back. And I’m here to negotiate.”

  He continued to study her, his gaze taking an unnecessary field trip down her legs and up her body. He pushed a button and the privacy window shut, leaving them completely alone.

  “What kind of negotiation did you have in mind, Mer?” His tone made it clear that he thought she was offering up her own services, a possibility that sent chills crawling over her body. God, he’d always been such a douche.

  “You’re a businessman. I know that for you, the bottom line is always about money. And I’m willing to pay you a substantial sum. Surely far more than you could earn tonight.”

  He smiled and stared unabashedly down at her breasts. “You’re carrying that amount of money on you? Hmm. The prospect of finding it does have some appeal.”

  She chose to ignore his tasteless comment. “I made some arrangements earlier today, and I’ve managed to liquidate a majority of my assets. You say the word and I can have them wired to whatever account you want.”

  “Assuming I’m interested, what kind of money are we talking?”

  “Everything short of the long-term stocks I couldn’t liquidate on such notice. Close to two million dollars.”

  He appeared to be mulling it over. He slid his hand across the seat to rest on her knee. She willed herself to stay completely still despite the urge she had to gnaw her own leg off at the knee just to get away from him. “That’s definitely a tempting offer, although to be honest, I was hoping for something…sweeter.”

  “This is business, Peter. I give you the money, and you give me Darcy.�
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  He burst out in a short laugh. “If only it were that simple. Damn, it’s cute how naive you are about these kinds of things.” He laughed again, and she gritted her teeth to prevent herself from comparing him to a braying jackass. Insults would contravene her purpose here.

  Peter heaved a loud sigh. “But you have to understand a few things about this business, Mer. Once you make an offer, advertise the goods, and open the floor to bids, you can’t just suddenly pull one of the most popular items from the list. It breeds ill will. My clients don’t like to be played around with. If I took Darcy off the list for tonight’s auction, they would never forget. And I’d be a man out of business. So you see, as enticing as your proposal might be, I’ll have to pass.”

  It had been a desperate move, but one she had thought might just work. She hadn’t seen many other options. She’d hoped earlier today that the power of money would be the key to it all. It was, after all, exactly why Darcy had been taken. She hadn’t expected to be so quickly refused. Even before she had the chance to sell him on her silence. “What would you take? I’d be willing to give anything, as long as you release her. Let her return to her life, Peter. Please.” Her voice trembled. “This is Darcy, for God’s sake. You’ve known her since our kids started ninth grade. How can you take her future away from her like that? Away from anyone?”

  “To be honest, it wasn’t until you showed up at my house the other day that I even realized that one of the girls we were holding was Darcy. This…operation of mine has become so successful because I’ve trained my people to know what the buyers want. To take initiative when they find someone who will meet certain…parameters. I don’t usually see the lineup until a couple nights before the sale. Lance? You might have met him last night. Had some promise, so I thought, but met an unfortunate end, I’m afraid. He didn’t do his homework quite as diligently as I would like. If he’d followed up with Darcy as he should have, he might have caught that she wasn’t…optimal.”

  “Then why not just release her? Let her come home?”

  He shrugged and reached down and picked up a bottle of champagne that sat in an ice bucket at his feet. “It’s just business, Mer. Nothing more. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t still be good friends. In fact, why don’t we have a drink? For old times’ sake.”

  “I’d sooner throw myself out of this car.”

  “Oh, Mer. Always one for dramatics. But even if I thought that you might, you should know it’s not possible. At this point, the only way you can get out is if someone opens the door from outside the limo. It’s a safety precaution.” He leaned forward and pulled a flute from the bar in front of him and poured a glass, offering it to her.

  “No, thank you.” She watched as he took a sip, relishing the taste a little too long. “If you’re not going to take my offer, then what are you going to do with me?”

  “You might have considered asking yourself that question before you stepped into my limo tonight. You have to realize that letting you out isn’t a possibility.”

  “My only thought was getting to my daughter.” And it still was. Which was why he still had his eyeballs intact.

  “Ah. Then you’ll be happy to know you’ll be seeing her soon.” He looked down at his watch. “Things should be starting in about forty minutes. It’s all actually quite thrilling.” It was hard to miss the excitement in his voice, glistening in his eyes as he practically clapped his hands together. “To see what one man values compared to another. But you’ll see soon enough.”

  Smiling at her now, he picked up his phone. “Ayman? Yes, it’s Peter. Remember that woman you had inquired about last night? Right, and I told you that she wasn’t part of the lineup. Well, it’s your lucky day, my friend. I’ve acquired her. And I’ll bypass the usual rules of etiquette here, just for you. Interested?” He chuckled. “Yes. And I’ll expect an extra ten for the finder’s fee. Should I arrange for the delivery tonight?”

  It was true—she hadn’t given much thought to what would happen if her plan failed. Her only consideration had been in at least being heard, praying that money would win out in the end. But now that she saw how futile her plan was, her heart was racing and she couldn’t stop the chill that came over her. She’d been stupid and rash. Thinking she could take care of this on her own. That she could exert control over a situation she knew nothing about.

  Now all she could do was pray that she had some time with her daughter—and some time to think of another way to get them out of this. At least now she knew who had her. And she’d be seeing her soon. Alive.

  Peter hung up the phone and took another drink and watched her under a hooded gaze. “You made quite the impression on Ayman last night. When he called me to find out your price, I was a little confused. Until I reviewed the video footage. And there you were, making quite a scene on the floor with that guy. Hell, half the men in the club were jacking off as they watched you two writhing. It definitely whetted my appetite.”

  “You’re not really serious, are you? You’re actually going to sell me? I’m hardly a virgin, or anywhere near eighteen. Isn’t that what your clients like? Poor, weak, and naive young girls who will be helpless victims?”

  “Ah. I find it hard to believe you could ever be anyone’s victim, Meredith. Even at eighteen. Your daughter did surprise me, though. I remembered her as a gawky teenager. Frizzy hair. Baby fat. Nothing to look twice at. I couldn’t understand why Bryce was beside himself when they first started dating. Then I caught her at the graduation a few weeks ago. She was stunning. Our little ugly duckling turned into a swan. A pure swan. And that picture of her you flashed on TV yesterday? Pure genius. When my clients saw that pic and your plea, it really bumped up the interest for tonight’s event.”

  “You’re disgusting. Don’t you care about what this will do to her? Or even your own son? He really seems to care about her.”

  Peter looked bemused. “He does, doesn’t he? Well, he’ll find out soon enough, one piece of ass is as good as another. I’ll find someone suitable to replace her when the time’s right. Are you sure I can’t interest you in some champagne? Might take the edge off for you. Make it easier.”

  She ignored him and turned to look out the window.

  “Aw. The haughty ice queen.” He set his glass down and slid across the seat so his leg pressed against hers. His hand reached out again, toying with a lock of hair. “You know, as I understand it, Ayman isn’t the most sensitive lover. He likes things rough. Not like me, I assure you.”

  She refused to look at him, instead focusing on the scenery outside her window. They were on the freeway, heading south, away from the city. Away from Travis.

  Why hadn’t she at least gotten word to him of her plan? Told him her suspicions before taking off half-cocked?

  No. She had to believe that, no matter their differences, Travis would find her. Find Darcy. He’d promised as much.

  She was going to have faith.

  …

  He was going to throttle her. Slowly.

  But first he had to find her.

  How the hell could she take off like that without telling anyone? Without telling him. Didn’t she understand the risk? The danger she was bringing on herself? His blood went cold at the injuries that could befall her before he could find her. He knew all too well the stings and barbs that tongue of hers could unleash on someone, making them want to silence her. Just how far would she push Peter?

  Travis rounded the last curve in the parking garage and finally reached the street. He held up his phone, waiting for the bars to appear. There. Three. He called Meems, putting the phone back on the seat as the microphone on the car picked up his voice. “What did you find?”

  “There’s a distribution center in Herriman, but it’s open twenty-four hours and I don’t see how they could keep this kind of operation a secret with as much traffic as comes and goes there. Same for the one in Layton. However, when they first started up forty years ago, they operated out of a warehouse in Riverton. The
y moved operations nearly twenty years ago, but the old warehouse still shows as a Bauer holding.” She gave him the address.

  That just might be it.

  “The location is remote, more farm country, but I-15 is only a few minutes away,” Meems said, then paused like she was looking at something. “There’s even a private airstrip just…ten miles south.”

  “I’m on my way. Thanks, Meems. I’ll keep in touch.”

  “Like hell,” she said. “I’m on my way, too. You need someone to be your eyes out there, not knowing what you’re running into. I can hack into whatever security system they’ll have in play.”

  “And your tech guy?”

  “Who do you think’s driving?”

  “Just be sure to keep out of harm’s way.”

  She snorted. “Think you forget who you’re talking to. I have as much training as you and can sure as hell kick your ass.”

  He managed a grim smile. “That you can. All right. Call me when you’re in.”

  …

  The run-down building surrounded by the stench of manure was the last thing Meredith had expected when the limo pulled down the gravel road. Farmland?

  Where were all the high rollers? The clientele who had bank accounts large enough that Peter could spurn her two-million-dollar offer? This didn’t at all fit the opulence she’d envisioned.

  Peter held a firm grip on her arm as he pulled her from the car and led her across the dirt path to the entrance. Not that he had to worry about her fleeing. Yet.

  They were met by two men at the door, one of whom stayed behind as the other—somewhere in his thirties with a wicked scar that slashed diagonally across his upper lip—walked inside with them.

  They were talking so low, the other man whispering in Peter’s ear, that she was having a hard time hearing the conversation, not helped by the loud clacking of her heels on the cement floor as they walked down a brightly lit, narrow hallway.