“What happened?”
“You passed out.”
“No, I didn’t.” She tried to sit but he stopped her. “Stay there for minute. You need to rest.”
“But Sweeney, Grace…”
“He made her say those words…you know that, right?” Luke asked.
She nodded miserably as tears filled her eyes.
“She couldn’t even say them right,” Dan pointed out. “He probably told her he would hurt you if she didn’t say it, but it was obvious she didn’t mean it.”
“I know that logically. But just hearing her say the words…” She took a shuddering breath. “I can’t imagine how scared she is. First to be kidnapped then threatened.”
A knock sounded on the office door and then Dr. Howell stuck her head inside. “Is it okay to come in?”
Luke’s brows lifted. “That was quick.”
“I was already on my way over.”
“I called Amelia when you fainted,” Luke told Taylor.
“I didn’t faint.”
He smiled. “Okay, when you lost consciousness. Will you let her check you out to make sure you’re okay?”
She gave a resigned sigh. “Fine.”
“Why don’t you all step outside for a few minutes while I speak with Taylor,” Amelia said.
The crew filed out but Dante didn’t budge from her side. “I’m staying.”
Amelia raised a brow and then glanced at Taylor.
“I want him here,” she affirmed.
“All right.” Amelia tapped his shoulder with the back of her hand. “But scooch your big body down and give me some room to work.”
Dante complied, moving so he perched on the arm of the sofa by her feet. He reached down and stroked her leg, needing contact to assure himself she was okay. Amelia slipped on her stethoscope and checked Taylor’s pulse and blood pressure. She pulled the ends from her ears and wrapped the scope around her neck. “Have you been eating?”
“A little.”
Amelia narrowed her eyes, clearly not believing her. “Sleeping?”
“A little.”
Amelia crossed her arms. “You’re exhausted, Taylor, both physically and mentally. Keep this up and you’re going to end up in the hospital hooked up to an IV. Is that what you want?”
Taylor shook her head and tears flooded her eyes. Dante felt helpless. He was in the same boat not being able to eat or sleep, but he was trained for extreme conditions. She wasn’t.
Amelia softened her voice. “I don’t mean to frighten you and I certainly don’t want to heap on more stress.” She squeezed Taylor’s hand. “I can’t even imagine what you are feeling. But you’re worn out. You need to keep your strength up.” She stood and padded to the chair where she placed her bag and purse. Lifting a paper sack, she carried it back to the couch. “I was on my way over to drop these off. I swung by the store and picked up protein drinks. If you won’t eat your nutrients, you can at least drink them.” Her gaze pinned Dante in place. “You too, Mr. Big Bad SEAL. I’m sure you haven’t been eating or sleeping, either.”
He opened his mouth to protest but she waved him off. “Save it. I want both of you to swear you’ll take the sleeping pills I left the other day. They’re mild and won’t knock you into oblivion. They’ll just help you get a bit of rest.” Her head ping-ponged between them. “Promise?” Taylor nodded, Amelia’s speech about a hospital visit obviously weighing heavily in her mind. “Say it,” Amelia urged.
“I promise,” Taylor repeated.
They both looked at him expectantly.
He glanced at Amelia and then his eyes locked onto Taylor. He couldn’t deny her anything. “I promise.”
Chapter Seventeen
It was getting late and Kai decided he better remind the big guy upstairs about his earlier request. Sunday was almost over and he hadn’t found a way to rescue Grace yet. He was getting desperate. To be fair, they’d been gone all day so there hadn’t been any opportunity for God to give him a hand. But they’d returned an hour ago and no opening was presenting itself.
He was beginning to question his abilities. His decision to jump on the bus had been impulsive. But when he stowed away in the truck, he truly thought he’d be able to get Grace away from her captors. What was he thinking? He was just a kid. Panic started to engulf him. What if he couldn’t save her? If they left one day and never came back, he’d be stuck here forever. The dirt walls were closing in on him and he couldn’t pull air into his lungs. He needed to get out. He scrambled to the opening, desperation fueling his urgency. He started to move the plank but the camper door opened, freezing him in place.
He slammed his eyes closed and fought to calm his breathing. He could do this. Crawling to the peep-hole, he checked outside. The man was stacking wood in an old fire ring. Once he arranged the logs, he traipsed to the woods and disappeared from view. His heart kicked up again. What if he saw the pile of sticks covering his hiding place? He’d be discovered. His hand patted along the dirt floor until he fingered the knife he swiped from the camper. He didn’t know if he’d be able to use it, but to save himself or Grace, he’d sure as heck try. The man stalked back into view with an arm full of kindling. Kai relaxed and dropped the weapon. He was safe for now.
Soon a roaring fire lit up the evening. The woman came outside carrying a platter with Grace in tow. The man lifted steaks from the plate and arranged them on a grill. Soon, the scent of roasting meat almost had Kai crawling out to beg for scraps. Instead, he chomped on an Oreo and pretended it was a burger. His dad would freak at all of the sugar he was eating but he was just thankful he had food.
It was dark out now and the fire was dying, so he couldn’t see Grace. The man sang some stupid campfire songs and he almost cranked up the country music just to drown him out. They sat outside for so long, his eyelids kept drooping but he forced himself to stay awake. He was instantly alert when he detected movement. The woman was leading Grace back inside the camper. He thought the man would follow but he stayed in his chair watching the dying embers. The woman came back out alone.
“I put the girl to bed.”
“Good.” The man stood. “Now, come here.”
The woman laughed gleefully and launched herself at the man. He caught her and they were kissing. They stumbled back to the camper, groping each other. When they got to the door, they disentangled and the woman grabbed the man’s hand as she climbed the metal steps.
Kai’s heart pounded. This could be the opening he’d been waiting for. He removed the plank from the hole and scrambled out to peer over the rock. The man pulled the screen door shut and he prayed he didn’t bother with the outer door. He didn’t think he could pick a lock. His prayers were answered when the woman tugged the man through the camper by the front of his shirt, their bodies knocking against the walls, making the camper rock. A door slammed. They were in the back bedroom. This was his chance to save Grace!
He reached back in to grab a flashlight. The fire had burned itself out so it was dark and a bit creepy. Very little light filtered through the canopy of trees. The glow of a television playing inside provided the only illumination. He didn’t want to turn on the beam and chance being caught, so he slid it into the back waistband of his jeans and darted to the camper, careful to avoid the simmering ashes. Navigating the metal steps, he peered through the screen. Grace was lying on the couch with the rope attached to her leg. Tear marks streaked down her cheeks, and her short hair was a spiky mess. She wore a set of pink pajamas covered in teddy bears. He had to get her out of there. He eased the screen door open.
Grace’s head jerked up and her eyes widened with hope. Her mouth opened to scream but he shook his head and held a finger over his lips. “Kai,” she mouthed, tears pouring from her eyes. Obscene noises were coming from the back. The woman was apparently very happy with whatever the man was doing to her. Kai stepped inside and knocked something over. He froze, hoping the noise didn’t alert them to his presence. The woman was still screaming, so g
ood chance they didn’t hear him. He glanced down to see what he’d tripped over. It was the woman’s purse. He wanted to look and see if she had a cell, but didn’t want to take the time. This could be his only chance to free Grace. She was sitting up now, vibrating with excitement. He tested the rope, disappointed to find it tightened. He took out his Swiss Army Knife and proceeded to saw through the cord. As soon as she was free, she flew into his arms. He barely managed to move the blade out of harm’s way and stay upright. He held her with one arm and grabbed her pillow and blanket with the other. Then he carefully backed out of the trailer.
He scurried to the boulder and sat Grace down. She clung to him, refusing to let go. He pulled out the flashlight and shined it on the hole. “Inside,” he whispered. She didn’t utter a word of complaint, she just slid inside as he illuminated the opening. He handed her the pillow and blanket.
“Stay hidden,” he ordered, handing her the flashlight. She grabbed his arm instead.
“No, please don’t leave me, Kai. Please, please. I’m so scared.”
“I’m not leaving you, Gracie,” he said gently. “I promise. I want to sneak back over and see if there’s a cell phone while they are…occupied.” He felt his ears turn red. Grace was way too young to know what they were doing. “Keep the flashlight on and I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.” Her voice was so low, she practically mouthed the word. He gave her a reassuring smile and darted back to the camper. There were still gross sounds coming from the bedroom so he eased the door open and rifled through the woman’s purse. His heart skipped a beat when he found a cell. He thought about taking it with him, but he was afraid the man might be able to track it and he didn’t want to expose their hiding place. It was a cheap one, so he hoped he’d be able to send a text. He touched the power button, distressed to see it only had one blinking bar of power left, but she did have a text program. He typed a quick one to his dad.
Kai hit the send button just as the phone beeped a low battery warning. He quickly erased the history and shoved it back into the purse. He eased out of the camper and hurried back to the rock. He felt better now that his dad knew they were okay.
#
The end of another day and they were no closer to finding his son or Taylor’s daughter. Dante wanted to roar in frustration. How did parents whose children were kidnapped and never found survive? It’d only been a few days and he didn’t know how he would make it through the next hours, let alone days.
Kai was smart and he was resourceful. He’d contact him when he could. But the wait was killing him. He’d never been so worried in his entire life. All they needed was some hint, some small clue as to their whereabouts. Even with all the available technology, they still hadn’t been able to locate Sweeney’s accomplice.
The police had fielded upwards of five thousand tips on the Amber Alert, with sightings as far away as Russia and Japan. One caller even insisted he witnessed Sweeney and Grace being beamed into a UFO. What was it about a crisis that brought out all of the weirdos? There’d been no hits on Cassie’s APB, so she was still in the wind.
Matt, Jac, Lauren and Conner Dianetti stopped by to offer their support. Lauren had been in tears. She often watched Kai, but his son refused to allow anyone to call her a babysitter. He had a major crush on the teenage beauty and he thought babysitter made him sound like, well, a baby. Taylor’s three friends, Gina, Marla and Laurie, dropped in for their daily visit. He made a point of staying in the office. He felt like a piece of bloody chum floating in the ocean with the sharks circling when they were around.
Taylor’s parents finally arrived to a tearful reunion. Her mom was an older version of her daughter, giving him a glimpse of what she’d look like in a few years. She’d still be stunning. Both of her parents had embraced him warmly when Taylor introduced them. It humbled him that they didn’t even know him but they had complete faith in him. Taylor was with them right now and he hoped they were feeding her. If there was anyone who could get her to eat, it’d be her mother.
Dante’s phone beeped a text and his heart stopped. Each time it rang, he prayed it was Kai. He slid it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. He didn’t recognize the number, so he clicked on the text to read:
dad, budweiser. i have grace. we r safe. dont respond. will contact when can. love u.
Dante’s knees buckled. “It’s from Kai!”
His teammates were instantly at his side, reading over his shoulder. Dante reread the message to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. Kai had rescued Grace and they were safe. Tears blurred his vision and a lump formed in his throat. He was do damn proud of his son, he felt like bursting.
“Hot damn,” Dorian yelled, pulling him for a crushing bro-hug. “I had no doubt the kid could do it.”
He bumped knuckles with a smiling Luke and Peter, while Logan pumped his fist and gave a loud SEAL cry of ‘Hooyah!’ Carter and Sawyer smacked him on the back while Maggie launched herself at him. He caught her and spun her around in a circle. Dan was doing some kind of weird end zone-touchdown-type dance that was just embarrassing. Dante threw back his head and roared with laughter.
“We need to sign him up now,” Luke teased. “Youngest COBRA Securities agent in history.”
“No way,” Sawyer argued, “youngest FBI agent in history.”
The door burst open and slammed against the wall. Everyone froze and spun around. Maggie was still hanging around his neck like a monkey. She slowly slid down and reached for her husband.
“Dante?” Taylor’s face was creased with worry. She must’ve heard the shouting and feared the worst. He couldn’t help the wide smile that broke across his face. Taylor rushed over to him, her eyes hopeful. “What is it? What’s going on? Do you have news?”
He handed her the phone so she could read the text message. Her hand flew to her mouth and her knees gave out. Dante caught her before she hit the ground and held her in his arms. Her eyes flooded with tears and they streaked down her face. She threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you for having such an amazing son. He saved my baby.”
Dante couldn’t help the tears that sprang to his eyes as he hugged her back. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dorian and Logan exchange knowing looks. He shot them both the bird and they hooted with laughter.
When Taylor finally pulled back, her face puffy and red but still incredibly beautiful, he smiled and put her down. She wiped at her cheeks with her fingers. “What did Kai mean by Budweiser?”
“That’s our safe word, so that I know it’s him and he’s not under any duress.”
“Why Budweiser? Your favorite beverage?”
He burst out laughing again. “Nah, I’m more of a Coors man. Kai’s pretty obsessed about becoming a SEAL. Budweiser is the nickname of the trident, the Navy SEAL insignia.”
Luke stepped forward, and cleared his throat, all business now. “For Kai and Grace’s safety, we can’t tell anyone about this. It stays between COBRA Securities, Sawyer, the BPD, and you, Taylor.”
She looked nervously between Luke and Dante. “Are they still in danger?”
“We have to assume they are until we can bring them home safely,” Luke said gently.
“Can I tell my parents?”
“Yes,” Dante relented, “but you’ll need to keep up the charade of worrying about her with everyone else. Your parents will have to do the same with their friends.”
“We learned that it’s best if you trust no one,” Dorian chimed in.
“Now that I know she’s safe, that’s no problem. I don’t like lying to my friends but I’m sure they would all understand.”
“I can’t get a GPS on the phone number,” Peter said, looking up from his computer. “It’s either a burner or it must be turned off.”
“It’s a throw-away,” Sawyer confirmed. “No way to trace who purchased it.”
#
As soon as they stepped out of her parents’ house, Taylor wrapped her hand around Dante’s arm and hugged it close. They’
d escorted her mom and dad home and told them the news. They’d both burst into tears, causing Taylor to start bawling all over again. They both hugged Dante again and praised his brave son. They promised not to say a word to anyone and her mom guaranteed they’d provide Oscar-worthy acting performances to their friends.
She felt so light and happy. They didn’t have the kids back home yet and they had no idea where they were, but they were away from Sweeney, and that made all of the difference. Dante and his coworkers would find them. She had no doubt about that.
They entered her house through the sliding glass door. They didn’t want to leave out the front in case any fearless media types were lurking outside. Midas greeted them enthusiastically, leaping and barking with joy. He’d picked up on the happier vibes. The unmistakable scent of Greek food floated in the air. Taylor’s stomach rumbled loudly for the first time in days.
Dante smiled at her and headed for the kitchen. “I’d know Mama Demarchis’ cooking anywhere,” he said, grabbing mitts to remove dishes from the oven.
A note was propped up on the bar. “Dorian left a message.”
Dante looked over his shoulder. “What’s it say?”
“Thought you might be hungry so I took the liberty of heating up some of Dante’s favorites. Enjoy. See you tomorrow.”
Dante lifted the foil off the dishes and the smells were so amazing, she groaned out loud. He wasted no time filling plates for both of them. She poured two glasses of wine and they ate and laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. It was like the best first date ever. Not that it was a date. Between the two of them, they finished off every bit of the food. She stood to clear the plates, refusing Dante’s offer of help. She stacked everything in the dishwasher and refilled their wine glasses.
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