“Alright, Tate. Thanks anyway,” Kevin said.
“Don’t do anything foolish, Wilson. I don’t have time to train another partner before I quit this shit.”
“I wouldn’t dream of making you go through something so horrible,” Kevin retorted before ending the call and contemplating his next move. He had to find the link between Ski, Derek Jameson, and Lucy - and he had to do it soon. These were bad people and if they had Lucy, she might not have much time.
Kevin pulled up the browser on his phone and searched for Derek Jameson. He wasn’t hard to find. He popped up in photo after photo, the head of a business in the next town. Kevin put the car in drive and headed toward the address listed on the website.
He was surprised to find himself at a large glass and chrome high rise rather than some simple little operation. Wolves were usually low key with their activities, especially if criminal. Jameson seemed to be intent on flashing his criminal enterprise. It didn’t get more cliché for dealing drugs than owning an import/export business.
“I need to see Derek Jameson,” Kevin told the receptionist.
She eyed him coolly, taking in his street clothes and dismissing him as anyone important.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No.”
“Then you will need to make one. What is the nature of your business?” she asked, her finger poised to push buttons on the phone.
“I don’t have time for an appointment and the business is personal.”
“I’m afraid that you’ll have to give me more information for Mr. Jameson’s assistant if you want her to make you an appointment,” she said.
“I don’t have time to make an appointment. I need to see him now.”
“I’m afraid that is just not possible.”
“Tell his assistant that I’m here about Mr. Jameson’s daughter and it can’t wait,” he barked at her.
“That’s still pretty vague,” she snarled at him.
“Grace, I’ll take care of this,” a man said from nearby.
Kevin turned to see a man walking toward him, flanked by two burly looking men in suits. He could smell them before they reached him, so he knew they smelled him too. He knew from the photo on the website that he was looking at Derek Jameson. He didn’t waste any words with him.
“Are you Lucy Jameson’s father?”
“I am. Has something happened to my daughter?”
“Yes. She’s missing.”
He saw genuine alarm in Jameson’s demeanor, but it was quickly pushed aside. He turned toward the two men behind him and motioned for them to go away.
“Follow me to my office and tell me what is happening, officer.”
Kevin should probably be surprised that he knew he was a cop, even in his plain clothes, but he wasn’t. What it did tell him was that Jameson kept tabs on his daughter and anyone associated with her. He might be of more use than expected.
“Grace, get Ski in here and send him to my office immediately,” he told the receptionist as they passed.
Already, some pieces were falling into place.CHAPTER FIFTEENLucy
Lucy woke up in heavy shackles designed to prevent her from shifting without considerable pain. Even if she managed to shift without breaking multiple bones in the process, the noise created by the chains would send a warning that she was doing so. She’s going to need another plan if she intends.
Once again, there is water beside her bed to combat the dry throat. She turned it up greedily before stretching out, as best she could with the chains. Staring up at the ceiling, she realized there were tiles up there. The room was all concrete, but overhead, there were tiles. If she could get up there, maybe she might find her way out through the ceiling somehow.
She was still contemplating this when the sound of the door opening caught her attention. One of the men had come to bring her food. She tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t speak. He merely sat her food down and left again.
She ate a little, but had lost her appetite. Her joints ached from the drugs and the chains. She closed her eyes and thought about Kevin. How long had she been here? Was he looking for her yet? Would he look for her? She had told him she needed space, but hopefully he would have tried to talk to her by now and found she was gone without explanation.
Then, there was Sasha. She’d note that she didn’t show up for girls night after calling to say she was on her way and then didn’t make it to class when the time come. She’d honestly lost all sense of time due to the drug induced blackouts. She had no idea if she’d been here a couple of days or much longer. She wasn’t sure who took her, unless it was the man who’d been watching her.
She tried to focus on the moments before everything went black. She’d not heard him until he was on her, so he was quiet. More importantly, she’d not smelled him, which meant he was human and that took her back to the man in the car. Kevin had a photo of him. Hopefully, it was a clue and not a dead end. She was forced to admit that he had been right to be concerned.