By this time the yard was full of security team members along with Max, Santos, Christina, and the nurse.
“My car is gone,” the nurse told Alex. “It was parked behind the black Suburban last night when I got here, and it isn’t there now.”
“Call the front gate and see if a car left the grounds early this morning. If so, when and who was in it,” Alex demanded.
Everyone scurried to different parts of the grounds to see if there was some trace of Mary Kate. Alex went to the suite to see if there was some sign or indication as to where Mary Kate might be. There was nothing anywhere. He went to the bed and pulled the covers back to see if there was a note or something, but again nothing. He didn’t notice the safe had been left partially open.
Alex walked back to the main courtyard and met up with Max, Manny, and Peter. There was no sign of Mary Kate anywhere.
Chapter 12
Alex stood in the main courtyard of the house gathering his thoughts as he became more and more distraught as to Mary Kate’s whereabouts. The longer he stood there, the more tightly wound he became. He tried to relax knowing that keeping his composure was the only way he would be successful in finding her.
There was no way she was kidnapped, and surely, she didn’t leave on her own, he thought. He turned to Manny and Peter as they entered the courtyard, “Call Sam and have him put out an APB on Mary Kate for Cedar County and the surrounding counties. Peter, you call Michael and ask the Texas Rangers and DPS to do the same. She couldn’t have gotten far, because she hasn’t been gone that long.” He paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “Get Jaime to run her picture and passport through Homeland Security and customs to see if anything relating to Mary Kate surfaces.”
By this time the entire compound was in action, and Max wanted to know what he could do. “Get in touch with AJ and have his wranglers ride fence lines and pastures to see if they can turn up any sign of her, and get the El Lobo wranglers to do the same,” his dad responded. The wranglers that did not ride the field were to search inch by inch every out building, corral, and storage shed throughout the compound. She had to be somewhere close because of the short time since he had last checked on her.
Alex called John to see why he was at the ranch last night and if he knew where Mary Kate might be. He had a very bad feeling that something occurred last night that triggered her disappearance. She couldn’t be out there alone with no protection. The Cartel was a big enough threat, but she had only been out of the hospital three days and she was pregnant. He had to find her and quickly.
He knew Mary Kate was a strong, independent woman that could take care of herself under the worst circumstance if she was healthy and in routine condition. Being pregnant and recuperating from a gunshot wound was not typical, even for Mary Kate.
Alex left the house headed for his truck to look for Mary Kate when Manny beeped him on the radio.” Jaime just called. Mary Kate’s passport went through the security check at Cedar Creek Regional Airport at 6:45 am. The air marshals on duty were pulling the security videos for you to view when you get there.” Alex and Peter got in the truck and headed for the airport while Manny stayed at El Lobo to coordinate the search teams’ efforts. Peter offered to drive, but Alex couldn’t stand to just ride. As they drove the twenty miles to the local airport, all he could do was pray and think of Mary Kate being out there alone. He would kill anyone that hurt her. He was so apprehensive he was physically sick to his stomach, and there wasn’t anything he could do. To deal with the possibility of losing her twice was more than he could stand.
When they got to the airport, Alex showed the guards at the security checkpoint their clearance credentials. They were allowed in the security parking, and then into the Homeland Security office of the airport. Once they were inside, a guard took them to the office of the Director of Airport Security to view the videos. Sam Waters came into the room right after Alex arrived and immediately went to work scanning security videos looking for Mary Kate.
Peter shouted, “Alex, here she is!” Alex rushed over to the monitor and began watching the clip that showed her passing through security and then heading for one of the airline gates to the left. The only gates in that direction were Continental Airlines and US Airways.
Alex viewed the video clip with Sam and Peter. They were watching Mary Kate and looking for whoever was with her, but all they saw was Mary Kate. She wasn’t carrying anything but a large purse. Her hair was scrunched up under a baseball cap and she was dressed in a pair of baggy jeans, an oversized top, which covered her shoulder bandages nicely, and a pair of sandals. She looked just like a tourist headed for a vacation at the beach. You wouldn’t have known it was her if you didn’t know Mary Kate very well, which they all did.
“I don’t see anyone with her unless they are watching her from a distance,” Peter remarked as he continued to watch the video clip. “She does look like she is watching for someone or something.”
“Do we know what airline she boarded?” Alex asked Sam who was viewing the clips that were of the area closer to the gates.
“Not yet,” Sam told him. “The airport security personnel are checking the airline manifests on every plane that left after 6:00 am today.”
Alex was on the verge of losing his patience, but he knew that he could not lose control. This was a time when his level of control could mean Mary Kate’s life. “She won’t show up on any manifest. She won’t have used her own name.” The people closest to him could tell the state he was in, because he had worked with them long enough to know. If he didn’t have something soon on Mary Kate’s location and wellbeing, he was going to take somebody’s head off.
Peter moved between Alex and everyone else in the room to act as a buffer and asked Alex if he wanted to look through the manifests himself to keep him focused. Alex just looked at him and walked out of the room and out of the building. Once he was outside he attempted to get himself under control before re-entering the building.
A few minutes later, just as Alex stepped into the airport security central control room a call came into the room from the air marshals’ office informing them she was on Continental Airlines flight 3025 bound for Cancun. At almost the same time, Alex received a text message on his blackberry from Mary Kate informing him she was alright and not to come after her. She assumed that by now he knew where she was and where she was headed.
Alex turned to Peter and before he could ask, “I am already on it Boss, you should be able to get through in just a few minutes.”
With that, Alex began to pace and lit a cigarette and with the look on his face he dared anyone to tell him to put it out, and of course no one did. Even though he knew she was alright, she was still in danger of the Cartel finding out she was alone. She could still open the sutures and bleed out. He was upset with her that she had left the house on her own, alone. He still needed to speak to John to find out why he was at the house last night and what triggered her to run off, if in fact she did this on her own. His mind was spinning in a thousand different directions.
In a matter of minutes, Peter had a line directly into the cockpit of the plane and was talking to the pilot and co-pilot requesting to speak to first class passenger Mary Kate Chavez in seat 1A. Both Pilot and co-pilot recognized the credentials of Gallagher/Chavez Securities International and the Homeland Security clearance that Alex and the entire team held. They also knew exactly who was in seat 1A because of the security clearance she used to board the plane armed.
Within a minute the flight attendant was at Mary Kate’s seat to request her presence in the cockpit for a top security phone call. Mary Kate was deep in thought and listening to her iPod and didn’t hear the flight attendant at first; she had to touch Mary Kate on her hand to get her attention and repeat her request for Mary Kate to follow her to the cockpit.
Mary Kate knew that this call would be coming; she just didn’t think it would be this soon. She got up, picked up her purse and handed it to the flight attendant as
she walked into the secure area of the plane to take the call. Once she sat down the co-pilot handed her the headset, so that she could speak to the very agitated man on the other end of the line.
“Mariah Kathleen Gallagher Chavez, what in the hell do you think you’re doing?” Alex shouted at the radio in the security office. Before she could answer, Sam and Peter began to clear the office for the duration of the call.
“Alex, I know you are on some type of speaker phone or radio and everybody in the world can hear you; if you don’t quit shouting at me I am going to disconnect and go back to my seat,” was Mary Kate’s smooth controlled response, even though she was coming apart at the seams with every emotion imaginable.
In an attempt to gather control of his voice and emotions Alex tried the question again. “What do you think you’re doing sneaking out of the house and running off without saying a word to anyone? Don’t you realize how much danger you are in? I, along with half of the countryside, have been worried sick looking for you.” Alex had to take a deep breath before continuing. “I didn’t know if someone had taken you or something already had happened to you. My God, Mary Kate, what are you doing?” As Alex spoke his voice and emotions became more escalated and stressed. Peter and Sam stepped out of the room, so Alex could have a private minute to get past that lump in his throat that wouldn’t allow him to continue speaking. “Amada, I thought I was going to lose you again.”
With great ardor in her voice she attempted to talk, but her words were barely above a whisper. “Alex, I’m sorry, but I feel like my life is in a downward spiral spinning out of control. I had to get away and go home.”
“Amada, I thought you were home, with me here at El Lobo,” Alex responded to her distressed, shaky voice.
“El Lobo is too crowded, and it is your home, not mine,” came a teary response, “and that isn’t something you can help right now.”
“Amada, no one and nothing means more to me than you, and El Lobo is your home as much as it is mine. I need you with me always and especially right now,” Alex stated with great passion. “What will you do when you get to the airport?”
Before she could answer, Peter came back in the room with a note for Alex telling him that Jaime called to let them know that Mary Kate sent him a message to bring Cougar and meet her at the Cancun International Airport at 10:30 am. He wants to know what is going on. Peter filled him in. Alex nodded.
“I have contacted Jaime and told him to bring Cougar and meet me at the airport at 10:30 this morning, but I’m sure you already know that,” the response came weakly through the radio. “I’ll be safe; I just need a few days to get myself together. I know the guests at the ranch have to be there for their safety; I knew I had the resources and experience to keep myself safe.”
“No one’s safety is more important than yours, Amada,” Alex countered.
“I love you, Alex, please just let me rest a few days and be one less worry for you.”
“What happened to make you leave so suddenly?” Alex wanted her to tell him even though he suspected it had something to do with Christina.
“Alex, I have to go. We’re about to land and I need to leave the cockpit. I love you, my darling,” and she broke the connection.
Alex whirled and found Peter and Sam right behind him. He told Peter to get the pilot and have him prepare the plane to leave for Cancun immediately. He asked Sam to help Manny with things at the ranch and in Cedar Creek, because he was going after his wife.
Alex called Max to tell him what he was going to do, that she was alright at the moment, and for him to tell Maria. The next call was to Manny to give him an update, and then to get in touch with John Maxwell.
The plane was readied for takeoff and a flight plan was filed. Alex and Peter were walking across the tarmac to board the plane when Alex’s blackberry rang. He looked to see it was John Maxwell.
Alex explained to John what happened with Mary Kate and wanted to know why he was at the ranch last night. John was immediately concerned about Mary Kate’s physical and emotional wellbeing, but Alex told him she was alright and in good hands. He also assured John she would be in even better hands before the day was over. Alex made it clear to him that he felt her leaving was related to something that transpired at the ranch last night, and he wanted to know what it was.
“Mary Kate and Christina had a major tiff in the kitchen last night. The result was Mary Kate’s blood pressure went sky high. Also, both Mary Kate and the baby’s heart rate rose to a level of concern. I tried to get her to go to the hospital, and she refused to go. I stuck around until she was sleeping and out of danger before I left.” John was getting more and more concerned by the moment.
“Why in hell didn’t anyone let me know what was going on,” Alex demanded.
“Mary Kate said you were on an assignment and demanded that no one bother you. She was out of danger before I left and forcing her to go to the hospital would have caused more stress than working her through the situation at the ranch. She was fine when I left.” John affirmed.
“What actually happened between Mary Kate and Christina?” Alex wanted to know.
“According to Max, Christina was raking Mary Kate over the coals about trying to turn Max against her, and she threw a glass of wine in her face in the kitchen. Mary Kate was upset and the nurse called me to come to the ranch and evaluate the situation,” John stated as Alex became angrier by the minute.
Alex informed John that he was on his way to Cancun to get his wife and bring her home. He would call John when he got to the compound on Isla Mujeres and assessed Mary Kate. Peter and Alex boarded the Lear jet, and prepared for takeoff. Alex poured himself a brandy and then took his seat and buckled in for the ride. He was still dressed in his denim work shirt, blue jeans, hand-tooled boots, and belt. He appeared worn and stressed with the continuing situation, and very apprehensive. Throughout the flight, Alex sat and thought about the danger Mary Kate was in and how upset she must have been to take the chance of leaving on her own.
As the plane neared Cancun, Alex imagined holding Mary Kate in his arms and reaffirming his love for her. He had to let her know how much she meant to him and that she was the most important person in his life. Alex imagined Mary Kate walking with him across the fields of El Lobo, very pregnant with their child. Her hair blowing in the wind and those beautiful emerald eyes sparkling with delight and happiness.
Two hours after taking off the plane was preparing to land at the Cancun International Airport. Peter and Alex exited the plane, went through customs without delay and were boarding the helicopter for the short jaunt to the compound on Isla Mujeres.
The helicopter landed on the heliport behind the security headquarters about forty yards to the north of the compound. Alex jumped out of the helicopter and headed straight to the office looking for Jaime.
As he entered the office he addressed Cougar. “Where are Jaime and Mary Kate?”
Cougar responded immediately. “They are both at the main house.”
Alex left the office through the side door closest to the house. He walked down the attached walkway and entered the house through the door leading into the kitchen. Jaime was sitting at the table reviewing information and paperwork. He looked up when Alex entered the kitchen, as did Isa.
“Where is she?” Alex demanded.
“Upstairs on the veranda, asleep on the chaise,” Jaime informed him.
“You have less than sixty seconds to turn off the surveillance camera, and do not disturb us until I tell you otherwise,” Alex informed him as he continued his trek through the kitchen and up the stairs.
Jaime radioed Cougar in the main office to get the camera turned off before Alex reached the upstairs. He barely made it in time as Alex walked out the door toward Mary Kate’s chaise where he found her sleeping.
When he peered down at her, the sight literally took his breath away and almost brought him to his knees. His body became taut and aroused immediately. She was dressed in a turquo
ise robe with a sash that was tied loosely just below her breast with beautiful embroidery at the bodice. She was void of any makeup and her face appeared to be more peaceful than he’d seen it in quite some time.
He took a deep breath and forced his legs to move him closer to the chaise where he carefully sat down trying not to wake her. When he was assured that he had not disturbed her, he gently brushed the hair away from her forehead, so that he could see her more clearly.
She made a mewling sound and began to stir slightly, as if she was dreaming. Alex began to untie the sash of her dressing gown and moved the sides away so that her breasts were bare to only him and the sun. He was thinking that God help Jaime and Cougar if they didn’t get that surveillance camera off in time. He bent down to take her lips under his in a soft kiss. It wasn’t long until he couldn’t help himself and the kiss became more ardent and deeper until she began to writhe and move toward him. He wasn’t sure if she was awake or not, but it didn’t matter.
His mouth moved down her neck until it reached her exposed breast and the sutures. He began to take one aroused nipple in his mouth and suckle, then the other until she began to move more frantically as she became more aroused. When Alex moved the dressing gown away from the rest of her body, Mary Kate began to open her eyes and call his name until she became fully awake and was startled by his presence.
Mary Kate was frantic until Alex comforted her by lifting her to sit across his lap so that he could hold her and gently calm her. He lowered his head to her breast to continue suckling until she was fully aroused. Alex removed her dressing gown completely and laid her back down on the chaise and began to remove his clothes. Mary Kate tried to sit up reminding Alex about the security cameras, but he told her not to worry.
Alex removed all barriers of clothing between them and simply stared at her exposed body, and could barely breathe. “Amada, you are so beautiful.”
Twice in a Lifetime_A love story you'll never forget! Page 11
