“Thank you, kind sir,” I tease with a mock curtsy before sliding into the seat. Cruce is just one of those guys who is easy to like and joke with.
He shuts the door and I fish my phone out of my purse, wanting to send a quick text to my mom to let her know we’re on the way. It’s a short five-minute drive from my house to the Four Seasons.
I swipe up on my screen, let the facial recognition do its thing, then move to my texts. On our way. Be there in five.
A reply chimes almost immediately, too soon for my mom to have responded. It’s from an unknown number and I almost don’t read it, but the first line not only catches my attention, but it also holds me hostage with mind-numbing fear.
I have your manager, and I will kill her if…
Tapping on the message, I bring the full message up.
I have your manager, and I will kill her if you don’t do exactly as I say. When you get to the Four Seasons, head through to the north end of the lobby. There’s an alcove with phones near a service entrance door. Go out that door. Turn right. Walk through the employee parking lot. I’ll be waiting for you.
A photo of Lynn is the next message to pop up.
Oh my God.
She’s tied to a chair in a semi-dark room with duct tape over her mouth. Her hands are bound behind her back, and she looks terrified.
I make a small sound of distress deep in my throat.
“You okay?” Cruce asks affably.
“Um… yeah,” I reply dismissively as another text comes in below the picture.
Time is of the essence. I am following you right now. If you don’t come to the spot I’ve described immediately, I will leave and kill Lynn.
Jesus, no. No, no, no.
I glance over at Cruce, noting his right hand propped casually on the wheel. Do I tell him what’s going on? There’s no way in hell he’ll let me meet this lunatic. He’ll hold me back, insist on calling Kynan in, and Lynn will die.
I don’t dare turn around to search for the car my stalker is in. I don’t doubt him for a second.
I read through the messages again. As I study Lynn’s face, I know I cannot let her die.
Shakily, I type a quick message back to him. Okay.
Good girl, he responds.
The Four Seasons is up ahead. I quickly type one more text, but I don’t send it.
My heart is galloping out of control as we pull up to the front entrance. I can see my mom coming through the lobby to the front doors. Making a split-second decision, I hop out of the car, slinging my purse over my shoulder. “I have to use the bathroom, Cruce. I’ll be right back.”
“Wait a minute,” he calls through the open door. “Let me just park and I’ll go in with you.”
I give him what I hope is a charming, carefree smile. “What… you think my stalker is waiting in the lobby of the Four Seasons on the off chance I’ll be strolling in? I’ll be fine. Be back in like two minutes.”
“Joslyn… damn it. Just wait a second and let me park—”
After I shut the door, cutting him off, I hold up two fingers, mouthing the words, “Two minutes.” I can’t hear him, but I can see him cursing.
But I don’t have time to spare him another glance. I hop the curb, trot to the lobby doors, then make my way inside just as my mom arrives.
“Joslyn…” Beaming, she opens her arms wide. We just had dinner last night, her and Darren having flown in on a late-afternoon flight, but no one would know it by her greeting.
Giving her a hard, quick hug, I whisper fiercely in her ear. “I love you.”
Laughing, she squeezes me. “I love you, too, honey.”
After I release her, I give her a tiny push to the door. Cruce is out of the car, trying valiantly to hand the keys off to a valet attendant who is trying to get in another car, and I need to hurry.
Pivoting to my mom, I urge her along. “Go out there and tell Cruce not to bother parking the car. I’ll be right back out, okay?”
“Okay, sweetie,” she chirps, then disappears in a cloud of Chanel perfume.
Half-walking, half-jogging, I make my way across the expanse of red tiles in the lobby. Straight to the alcove he described.
I don’t break stride, continuing right to the service door he’d said would be there. Gripping my phone hard in one hand, I push through and blink at the bright sunlight. I’m disoriented a moment, forgetting what he told me to do.
Then it hits me.
Right.
He said turn right.
I do, blindly moving past a stucco half wall housing several HVAC units that are blowing loudly. The thundering of my heart within my own ears almost drowns it out, though.