Chapter 111
Zane’s POV
I’m at the head of the conference table when Thomas walks in.
He doesn’t knock just walks right on in. That alone is enough to irritate me.
There are six men seated around the table, with their contracts open and tablets out, numbers are on the screen behind m. The air smells like espresso and expensive cologne.
I don’t break my sentence at first.
Thomas clears his throat and every head in the room turns toward him.
My jaw tightens.
“We’re in the middle of something, Thomas” I say irritation clear in my voice.
“I know p>
“Then get out p>
He doesn’t move though and that’s when I know something might be wrong cause Thomas never interrupts my meetings, he’s under strict instructions not to… not unless there’s blood or fire or someone is dying or something worse.
“It’s important,” he says.
He stepping further into the room.
“I’d rather you not have my head later for keeping it from you p>
I look at the men seated at my table.
“Gentlemen I’ll be five minutes,” I say.
No one dares to argue.
I step away from the screen and toward Thomas. We move toward the corner of the room near the glass wall overlooking the city.
“What,” I say under my breath.
He leans in slightly, his voice is low.
“Elaine’s been taken p>
For a second I don’t process the words.
Taken p>
“What p>
“She left with Aaron. I guess to go to the hospital but they never made it to the hospital p>
The room shifts slightly under my feet.
“Explain p>
“Halfway there, two vehicles boxed them in. Aaron’s down and the car’s gone p>
“Dead p>
“No, not dead, just a Head injury p>
The air I’m breathing feels too thin.
“When p>
“Twenty minutes ago p>
Twenty minutes.
Twenty minutes and I’ve been discussing port acquisitions.
My face stays still even though Inside, something fractures.
“Where is he now p>
“On his way to our private clinic p>
“And her p>
Thomas doesn’t answer immediately.
“We’re tracking the SUV,” he says finally. “Signal cut out near the river p>
My hands feel numb.
“What do you mean you’re tracking the SUV. Where the fuck is my wife p>
“She got hijacjed boss p>
Fuck!fuck!fuck p>
“Get everyone out,” I say quietly, not giving a shit how my board members see me ending the meeting half way is of me.
Thomas turns and addresses the room. “Meeting’s over gentlemen p>
Chairs immediately start to scrape, papers shuffling and them murmuring among themselves.
I don’t hear any of it.
All I hear is a single thought repeating.
She left, I told her to wait because it’s not safe she didn’t.
And now p>
No.
I don’t let the thought finish, she’s fine and she’s safe.
By the time I’m striding out of the building, the lobby is a blur of faces and noise. Security is scrambling.
The front doors slide open and a black car pulls up hard against the curb.
I don’t wait for it to fully stop before I’m in the backseat, door slamming shut.
“Where,” I demand.
Fredick is in the drivers seat while Thomas slides in beside me. Fredrick is a trusted man of mine that I call in when I need Thomas near by.
“We’re heading toward the last known location,” Fredrick says. “We’ve got men fanning out p>
“Who did it p>
“We don’t know that yet p>
“That’s not an answer Fredrick p>
“I know boss but We’re working on p>
I slam my fist against the partition glass, cutting off Fredrick.
Silence fills the backseat.
My chest feels so tight i lea forward, elbows on my knees, hands clasped so hard my knuckles ache.
This is my fault. I knew there was movement. I knew something was shifting.
And I left.
Images start forcing their way into my head, of my sister of when Fuck!
I squeeze my eyes shut and instead of her face, I see my sister’s.
Pale and still. Lying in that bed after my enemies decided to send a message.
I open my eyes.
No.Not again, not like this. I’m not that young boy again.
“She’s not dead,” I say aloud.
Neither Thomas nor Fredrick respond.
“She’s not,” I repeat.
“We found blood,” Fredrick says carefully.
My head snaps up.
“How much p>
“Not a lot p>
“Define not a lot p>
“Enough to confirm struggle. Not enough to confirm fatality p>
My stomach twists.
Aaron’s blood it has to be.
It has to be.
The car jerks to a stop before it fully parks.
I shove the door open and step out while it’s still rolling.
Cold air hits my face.
We’re under the bridge near the riverbank. Police aren’t here and they won’t be.
This is mine.
A tow truck is already lifting what’s left of the SUV from the embankment.
One of my men approaches.
“They forced them off the road,” he says quickly. “Vehicle impact here the second vehicle blocked the front p>
I walk past him.
Under the bridge, the air smells like oil and water and metal.
I see it.
A dark smear on the gravel that’s definitely Blood.
I crouch down slowly and touch it, then smear it between my thumb and middle finger, the blood is still tacky so it’s recent.
“Where,” I say quietly.
“They dragged someone,” the man says, pointing toward the waterline. “There are tire marks heading east p>
Dragged.
I stand.
Two sets of footprints near the edge of the river.
They’re someone else’s boot prints. Lareg and male
The air finally rushes back into my lungs, no smaller prints leading into the water, and no body.
She’s alive… she has to be.
I turn toward Fredrick.
“What the fuck are you waiting for p>
He straightens
“Search teams are moving east. We’re checking cameras along the highway exits p>
“Shut down the bridges p>
“We can’t without drawing attention to us p>
“I dotn give a fuck, I’ll deal with that later. Shut! It! Down p>