by Leanne Tyler
“No.”
“Don’t you think you should have?”
The woman chewed on her bottom lip for a moment. “Yes. I guess we should have. Or I should have, but after speaking with his daughter, I felt it was up to her to pursue matters further. Not the hotel.”
“Of course you would. After all, calling the police in and having to admit you allowed housekeeping to clean a possible crime scene of any evidence left behind would have surely looked like you had been trying to cover up something.”
“That’s unfair, Mr. Donovan. At that point we had no idea that Mr. Reid was even missing. How could we have known the room could be a potential crime scene? He was due to check out.”
“I’m sorry. You are correct. That was highly off the cuff and unfair for me to say. We should all have hindsight. Still the man has been missing now for close to a month and no one is the wiser because it wasn’t reported to Washington PD. If his daughter hadn’t taken it upon herself to come looking and reported to us, this little investigation wouldn’t be happening now. This could be a cold case due to negligence.”
“Negligence? You don’t think Ms. Reid will try to sue us?”
A lawsuit wasn’t the button he was trying to push. He’d only wanted the woman to realize she should have called authorities immediately.
“I can’t speak for Ms. Reid, but I believe what she really wants is her father safely found.”
“Let’s hope. Is there anything else you’d like to know?” Ms. Mitchell asked.
“Did you look at security tapes around the time Mr. Reid stayed here to make sure he wasn’t abducted outside the hotel? Or from his room?”
“No, we didn’t.”
“I don’t suppose I can take a look at the tapes from the time he stayed?” Liam asked.
“You could, but they are recycled after thirty days.”
“Of course.”
But it hasn’t really been thirty days.
“Thank you for your time. I do appreciate it. If I need to follow up on anything I may drop back by,” he said.
“Sure. We really wish Mr. Reid well, wherever he may be.”
He left the hotel and walked to the corner, taking the alley down to the back of the hotel and checking for ways anyone could get into the establishment without being seen. He spotted the surveillance cameras, so the place was covered, if Reid was abducted it would have be on the video footage. If the hotel didn’t rerecord over it every thirty days. Sixty would be a better policy, but he wasn’t in charge.
Satisfied with what he found, he headed back to the street and to the closest metro station. He stopped at a newspaper stand and picked up the day’s edition, since he had a good ten-minute ride to his next destination.
He purchased his fare at the kiosk and went through the turnstile before going into the tunnel to wait for the train. Then he got on the red line that would take him to Metro City and his destination. He settled in for the ride, looking through the paper until he found and article on Lincler Technologies and Securities that interested him. The company name sounded familiar and he wasn’t sure why, until he saw a former marine buddy, Sam Jensen’s name in the article. According to the reporter, Jensen was a junior executive there, proving he’d done well for himself after Helmand. He’d not been injured during deployment and when the tour was over, he’d been discharged and moved on with his life.
Liam pulled out his notepad and jotted down Sam’s name as a reminder to follow up with him if he got a chance before leaving town. He continued reading the article and discovered that the securities division did much the same as the Brotherhood Protectors, except without employing wounded veterans.
He wouldn’t waste his time dwelling on what could have been. He’d made a fresh start after recovering with Hank Patterson and the Brotherhood team. He didn’t regret for a minute accepting the strange offer he’d received while at Walter Reed from Leigha Nipton, his physical therapist who’d acted as a recruiter, for lack of better name for it. She’d worked with him until he was ready to manage on his own, then she’d approached him about working for Hank. The next thing he knew, Hank was there in person talking up the Brotherhood Protectors and how Liam could come to The Better Days Ranch to finish recouping and get his strength back before starting to really work for him.
Looking back, it all still seemed too good to be true yet it had been three years since he joined up. Another eight months before he met Brand and Will. Wyatt had been the last of their crew to come along, having spent time training as a counselor for those suffering from PTSD after suffering from it himself.
A light blinked above the door on the metro car, flashing the name of the station they were coming into and Liam folded up the newspaper ready to get off. He made his way to the escalator leading to the street level and crossed at the first available light.
He walked a block and then entered one of the taller buildings on the block. According to Simone’s notes this was the location of her father’s last meeting before he went missing. Clayton Reid had met with Testerman International about shipping and receiving of goods for one of his clients, Samwell Brady.
He walked to the large directory of businesses located in the building, but didn’t find Testerman International listed. There was a blank space as if a name had recently been removed from the felt board behind the glass pane. He turned and looked at the security desk, then double checked his notes that he was at the right address before he bothered the guard on duty.
“Excuse me, sir, but could you tell me if I’m in the right building. I’m looking for Testerman International.”
The guard grinned. “You and half a dozen others that come through here. They were a short-term lease and they cleared out of here faster than any legitimate business I’ve ever seen.”
“So you are saying they weren’t on the up and up?” Liam asked.
The man shrugged. “Appearance is what it is.”
“Maybe you can tell me if you ever saw this man come through here before Testerman left the building. I know it might be a long shot. You have to see hundreds of people walk in here daily.” Liam pulled up Clayton Reid’s photo on his phone and showed it the man.
“There was a girl in here last week asking about him. A real pretty young woman too. Said she was his daughter. I told her I remembered seeing him and I’ve thought about it since then and I’m certain I saw him come here three times. Once right after Testerman moved in. Another two months later.”
“And the last?” Liam held his breath afraid of when the man would say.
“I think it was about a month ago. Right before Testerman slowly slipped out of the premises. But if you are really interested in knowing more about Testerman, you should talk to the building manager.” The guard opened up a desk drawer and pulled out a card. “Tawanda Ford at Lincler Properties.”
“Lincler?” Liam said.
“That’s right. Lincler is the new kid on the block, and the hottest commodity right now in DC. Lincler has its hands into everything.”
Hmm. Lincler Technologies and Securities? Lincler Properties? Not a coincidence from what the guard was saying, so there was definitely a connection. Maybe he needed to make sure he paid his old pal Sam Jensen a visit for sure while he was in DC.
“Thanks for the card and the tip. I’ll be sure to check in with Ms. Ford. You have a good afternoon.” Liam put the card in his pocket then headed to the street and the nearest coffee shop. He needed caffeine and to mull this information over. He also needed a quiet place where he could give Clayton Reid’s administrative assistant a call.
Finding a coffee shop wasn’t difficult, since there were several to choose from, one every other block. But, he decided to hop on the metro and head back toward the hotel so he’d be close when he finished for the day.
He took the blue line toward McPherson Square and went to one called Zeke’s, because it reminded him of another marine buddy that didn’t make it out of Helmand. Zeke’s proclaimed to roast their coffe
e beans in DC. It was a small shop with stools and high top tables. Liam got his coffee and found a spot away from the few people in the shop so he had privacy to make the call.
Edna Kravitz answered on the second ring. “Clayton Reid’s office, Edna speaking.”
“Hello, Edna, my name is Liam Donovan, I’m with the Chicago PD’s Protection Task Force. I am trying to track down Mr. Reid. I understand he has not been in the office in several weeks. Can you answer a few questions for me?”
“Why is the Chicago PD interested in the whereabouts of Mr. Reid? Oh, it’s his daughters doing, isn’t it? I told her when I talked to her that it wasn’t unusual for him to go off the radar for weeks at a time, but I could tell she wasn’t happy about it. I’m sure he will turn up eventually. He always does with a new account to his credit.”
“So you believe this is all in the nature of business? That he isn’t really missing, but pursuing a new client lead and forgot to check out of his hotel in DC? He just left his belongings at the Palomar?”
“Well…I can’t speak to that, but he has always turned up in the past. One would assume that would still be the case now.”
“Edna. You do know what they say about people who assume?” Liam said, pausing for effect.
“Mr. Donovan, I do. All I can tell you is his business practices are unique and unlike any other man I’ve worked for in my thirty odd years as an administrative assistant, but he is fair and compensates me well for my time. I can’t complain.”
“Can I leave you my number in the event he should show up at the office? I am in DC trying to track him down. I’d like to speak with him at the earliest if he should happen to walk through the door.”
“Certainly.”
“555-276-4663.”
“I’ve got it, Mr. Donovan.”
“Thank you, Edna. I know Simone appreciates it.”
He hung up and drank his coffee, rereading the article on Lincler Technologies and Securities, keeping in mind what the security guard had told him about Lincler having its hands into everything. He did a quick search on his phone and came up with a number for the company. He jotted that down beside Sam Jensen’s name in his notebook before he headed back to the hotel.
Chapter 9
Simone rushed through the door of the junior suite, about to hyperventilate. She couldn’t get her breath no matter what she did. It was a wonder she had been able to make it back to the Hamilton without passing out after receiving the video of her father gagged and bound by the kidnappers. Thankfully, her meeting with Webster-Reynolds had already ended for the day, so they weren’t any wiser to her personal life crashing in around her.
She kicked off her heels and fell onto the sofa, flopping backwards, starring up at the ceiling. It took several moments for her heart to stop pounding and for her to be able to breathe normally. Tears ran down her face, but her voice was inaudible. She couldn’t move. It was like she was frozen and her chest hurt something fierce, like an elephant was sitting on it.
The door to the suite opened and she prayed it was Liam coming in and that she hadn’t left it ajar for a stranger to walk in on her in this vulnerable state. She couldn’t protect herself if someone were to attack her at that moment. It was humiliating that Liam had to see her like this right now, but he had already found her having a meltdown in the shower.
“Simone? Are you okay?” Liam called from across the room. “Simone, are you asleep?”
She tried to move her head to look at him, but it was useless. A single tear rolled from her eye, back into her hairline and down her neck. It hung there for the longest time before it dropped. As if setting off a ripple effect, her cellphone slipped from her fingers and onto the carpeted floor. She hadn’t even realized she was still holding it.
A shadow moved close to her, but she couldn’t look away from the ceiling where her eyes were focused.
“Simone. Can you hear me?” Liam held her phone in her line of sight. “I’m looking at your phone, so don’t get mad at me. I’ve warned you before doing it.”
He kicked the small coffee table and she heard him curse under his breath before he came back into sight. He was standing over her, closer this time so all she could see was his face. “Breathe. Just breathe. You’re going to be okay. It’s a panic attack. I’ve had them before, after my accident in Helmand. You’ll get through this. If you don’t breathe, I’m going to have to call for an ambulance and that means I’ll have to cancel our dinner reservations tonight. And I really wanted Italian food.”
He was grinning when he said that so she knew he was joking, trying to get her to smile, but she also saw the concern in his warm brown eyes and heard it in his voice.
“Honey, come on now, you have to breathe through it. It won’t pass it if you don’t.”
She tried, she really did. She’d been trying ever since this ‘panic’ attack started.
He made a phone call and she thought he really was calling for an ambulance, but then she heard him say “Wyatt.” He walked far enough away from her that she couldn’t make out what he was saying. Besides, she was having a hard enough time focusing on breathing at the moment, because the elephant on her chest had gained another hundred pounds.
Images of her father flashed before he eyes, gagged and blindfolded, and the kidnapper’s voice telling her she had twenty-four hours to get one million in unmarked bills to them, and not to go to the authorities or her father was dead. She knew that Liam had that information now, because he’d watched the video and he was talking to Wyatt. That meant Will and Brand would know soon enough. How was she supposed to keep the authorities from getting involved when Liam was working for the Chicago PD? Sure he was in Washington DC, but she doubted Chicago had much jurisdiction in another state, let alone the nation’s capital.
The thought of her father being killed because they didn’t follow the kidnappers’ instructions freed her from the invisible bond that had her immobile. She sat up and screamed. “NO!”
Liam dropped his phone. He pivoted around, forgetting about Wyatt on the line and rushed over to the sofa where Simone sat, screaming at the top of her lungs. He didn’t know if she was hurt and from what he recalled from his own therapy for panic attacks, nothing like this was ever covered. Wyatt had had very little time to advise him on anything.
He pulled her to him and tried to comfort her, rocking her back and forth. “Sh-h-h. It’s gonna be okay. We’ll find your father. We’ll get the money somehow and we’ll meet the kidnappers’ demands. Don’t worry. I’ve been on hostage recovery missions before. I know what to do.”
She stopped screaming, but shook her head. “No authorities. They said come alone.”
He placed his hands on her cheeks, holding her head still, so he could examine her eyes to make sure she wasn’t in shock and that she was comprehending what he was saying. Her pupils looked normal, no dilation. “You can do it alone, but I am with you on this one. Don’t forget that.”
“How? How are we going to pull it off without the kidnappers finding out and killing him? How?” She blinked several times and sniffled, which was a good sign for someone who had been frozen stiff a few moments ago.
“Let me worry about the how. You worry about nothing right now except continuing to breathe in and out. Turn around, put your feet up on the couch and relax while I go finish my call to Wyatt.”
“He can’t get involved—”
“I didn’t call him about your father, Simone. I called him about you, to ask what I needed to do to help you through the panic attack.”
“Oh.”
Hearing that put her at ease. She wilted against the sofa, not saying another word. He waited a couple of heart beats before he left her in the event she should reconsider, but she didn’t. Thankfully, the line was still active.
“Are you still there?” Liam asked, putting the phone to his ear.
“Was that Simone screaming? Is she okay?”
“Yes and yes. I called about a panic attack she was having,
but she broke through it right as you answered the phone. Sorry about that. We received rather disturbing news this afternoon about her father.”
“I see. Anything I can do to help?”
“No. I’m sure you have more than enough to deal with on your end. Are you still residing at the hospital with Colleen?”
“Actually we are heading home this evening. Or rather we have an evening flight to Montana. I’m taking her to Better Days to recuperate. I think a few days with my Ruby will do her some good.”
“Not to mention that Montana mountain fresh air.”
“Don’t make me homesick,” Wyatt said.
Liam grinned, turning around to check on Simone. She had her eyes closed and her breathing looked normal. He had a funny feeling she may have dosed off to sleep. He was going to have to cancel their dinner reservations, but that was okay. Perhaps they could go another night before they left town.
“Sorry buddy. I know how much you like it there.”
“I thought you were liking it too?”
“I was. I do. It’s different from Oklahoma, but I’ve found I can make home wherever I lay my head, too. You call if you need anything. I’ll be on the next plane out, even if I have to drag Simone with me.”
Wyatt snorted. “I can just picture that now.”
“My dragging her with me?”
“Yes and her at Better Days trying to fit in.”
Liam thought about it, too. The picture of her in faded blue jeans and a t-shirt with her hair braided in pigtails, sticking out from under a straw cowboy hat while she sat on a horse was appealing.
“You never know. It could happen.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” Wyatt said. “I better go. The nurse just came in with the discharge paperwork. It looks like we’re finally outta here.”
“Travel safe.” Liam ended the call and did a quick search for the Palomar so he could cancel his dinner reservations. When he finished he turned around and found Simone staring at him.
“Why’d you do that?”
