“You heard what the kidnapper said,” he reminded her. “The police can’t help us. Besides, I don’t trust them.”
“So, what are you going to do?” she asked. “Wait?”
His jaw clenched as he shook his head. “No. I want these bastards found. If I find them, I’ll get my father back.”
“If you can’t trust the police, who are you going to trust to help you?” she pressed. “Simon, they said to wait for further instructions. Maybe that’s the safest option.” She bit her lip, her brow furrowing as a pensive look settled on her face. “I’m sorry. I’m not much help right now, am I? Forget I said anything.”
“You’re helping. Trust me.” He slid his arm around her waist, desperate to reassure her. Heather might not have all the answers, but she was the only reason he hadn’t started punching and smashing things in a fit of helpless rage. Because the numbness was starting to give way to boiling anger, and only Heather’s presence was keeping that in check. “Look, I don’t trust the police to handle this properly, but I still trust you, Jake.”
“You do?” The security head stared. “I lost your father. This happened on my watch.”
“I know you and the work that Dover’s security team has done all these years,” Simon said. “I overheard you say that the hotel was locked down. That nobody could get in. Do you still believe that?”
Jake nodded. “I do. I believe it so much that security personnel is doing a sweep of the entire hotel as we speak. They’re looking for your father in case he’s still inside somehow.”
“If nobody got in to take Dad, that means you did your job,” Simon said. “That’s why I still trust you to handle this. Plus, you know me. The police don’t know me like you do.”
He knew that his wealth and privilege would make the police work extra hard to rescue his father, but right now he needed people who didn’t have to play by strict rules. He needed the security apparatus that knew him best to solve this. The police had an image to maintain, and even with the advantage of his wealth they’d make decisions based on their public image. Dover security didn’t have to worry about image. They would do what he required to get his father back alive.
“The first thing we need to do is get you out of here,” Jake said. “I can get you safely back home and increase security at your residence. If these people came after your father, there’s a good chance they could come after you. Our next plan of action after that is to go through the hotel’s surveillance footage from tonight and probably even earlier. Security personnel is already on that, so we should get access to it by the time we get you both home. Does that sound all right?”
“I...” His guts started to burn, as if his insides were on fire. “If I leave, I’ll be leaving my father behind.”
“If you leave, you’ll be giving yourself the best chance to get to safety so you can find your dad.” Heather’s soft, gentle voice soothed the ache that had been welling up inside him. “And I’ll be with you every step of the way until we get your dad back. I promise.”
He rubbed his eyes, frustrated at being so utterly incapable of fixing their problems immediately. “Okay. Let’s get out of here. Heather has been staying at my place these past few days, so you only have to make one trip.”
If Jake was surprised by the fact that he and Heather were pretty much living together, he didn’t show it. “I’ll drive,” he offered.
Simon nodded, and tossed his keys to the security head. With his mind still swimming, he was in no state to get behind the wheel and drive all the way back to his apartment.
He didn’t remember a single detail about the ride back home as he walked into his apartment, Heather and Jake trailing in after him.
“Is it okay if I go tell my parents what happened?” Heather asked. “It’s probably breaking news by now thought.”
“Sure,” he said. “Go talk to them.” He reached for her hand as she turned back towards the door. “Just don’t tell Finn all the gory details. He’s so young.”
She gave him a sad smile that cast a shadow over her ey
es. “I won’t tell him.”
As she walked back out of the apartment, part of him felt like she was taking his heart with her. He stumbled into the living room, barely noticing if Jake followed after him. The bow tie around his neck was restricting his air supply. Gripping the fabric, he tore it off and tossed it onto one of the chairs before he slumped down onto the sofa.
His adrenaline was suddenly working overtime. All night, since the kidnapping, he had oscillated between suppressing some volcanic emotion and feeling shell-shocked.
“How about a drink, Jake?” Simon got to his feet, walked over to the wine rack, and pulled out a bottle of brandy. He rarely drank the stuff, but this was one hell of an emergency.
Jake nodded. “Thanks. I appreciate that.”
With the bottle of brandy still in his hand he crossed over to the kitchen, grabbed two glasses, and poured the golden liquid. He knocked back his drink in seconds, the liquid having all the intensity and taste of engine oil.
With a grimace, Simon slid Jake’s glass across the island over to the security head and then poured himself another glass. One drink wasn’t going to do it. Not tonight.
He drained the glass again and set the glass back down on the island’s granite top. “Now what?”
“Let’s wait until Heather gets back before we start dealing with tonight’s footage,” Jake said firmly. “This is obviously messing you up and I need one of you to stay sober.”
Ignoring the judgment in Jake’s tone, Simon headed back into the living room and sat down. He sure as hell didn’t like the judgment, but deep down he knew that Jake was right. Not only did they need someone with a clear head, but there really was no one he trusted more than Heather.