And then it hits me, just as I reach the front door.
I disconnect from Cruce without another word, pulling up the tracking app I installed. It’s connected to the devices in her purse, phone, and in the earrings I gave her. Christ, was she wearing the earrings today? I can’t remember. Her hair was loose and covered her ears, but I’d told her to always wear them. Surely, she had, right?
“What is that?” Saint answers as he steps in to look closer at my app.
“A tracking device.”
“He’s got your woman?” he asks.
“She apparently got in his car willingly because he said he’d taken her manager,” I grit out, furious still at Joslyn but also incredibly terrified at the same time.
“Says a lot about your woman,” Saint remarks, and I glare at him. He just shrugs. “She must have a lot of love and loyalty to have done that.”
Yeah… She sure as fuck does, but I’m furious at her for being that way.
I tap on the icon that will connect to the signal in Joslyn’s earrings. The purse and phone are out of play, but with my breath caught in my throat, I wait for a red flashing circle to come up on the Google maps the app integrates. I get nothing in return.
“Shit,” I mutter.
“What’s the signal distance?” Saint asks.
“Ten miles.” That was the problem when we had the earrings created on such short notice—we were only able to use readily available technology. The size of chip we put in the earrings has only so much strength in its signal.
The lack of a signal tells me something particularly important, though.
Which direction he is headed.
If he was headed south toward Joslyn’s house from the Four Seasons, I would have picked up the signal. It’s proof he’s headed either north or west, which at least gives me a starting point.
I spare Saint a glance to say, “Sorry, buddy. Interview’s over. We’ll have to pick this back up some other time.”
“I’d like to help,” Saint says. “I can’t learn a damsel is in distress and just walk away.”
I nod gratefully, quickly disarming the security panel so we can exit the house. “I’ll shoot you the link so you can download this app. Follow me in your car to the Four Seasons. Once there, you, Cruce and I will branch out to search for her.”
In seconds, I’m in my car headed to the Four Seasons. I place a call to Bebe.
I come to appreciate her efficiency even more when she answers my call by giving me an immediate update. “I’ve already talked to Cruce. Rachel and I have the map up. Once her signal comes online, I’ll sync it to the app so everyone can have access to it. In the meantime, I’m running the partial license plate Cruce was able to get. I had to hack the California’s Department of Motor Vehicles so if I get caught, you have to bail me out.”
“I’ve got your back, Bebe. Thank you for jumping on this so fast.”
I disconnect the call, driving like a bat out of hell… knowing the clock is ticking way too fast.CHAPTER 26JoslynI come groggily awake for what feels like the third or fourth time, struggling to keep my eyes open. Wherever I am, it is almost pitch black around me. I can tell I’m in a chair with my hands tied behind the back. Moving my legs is impossible. It feels like my ankles are tied to each of the front legs of the chair with rope.
I’m also really cold, and I think my clothes have been removed.
In front of me is a thin, bright line running horizontally where I believe the floor meets the doorway. I’m feeling incredibly tired, my eyes wanting to drift shut again. The darkness presses heavily upon me, making me want to give back to sleep.
But then I hear something. Or perhaps I just feel a presence.
Horrible wrenching sounds—like metal is being ripped apart—screech through my ears, then white light floods the darkness.
It’s so bright that pain shoots through my head, and I have to snap my eyes shut against it. I can feel a thin veil of warmth hit my body, so it must be sunlight. When I manage to flutter my eyelids open, a person is silhouetted in the doorway.
Without a doubt, it’s him.
He stands there facing me. Even though I can’t see the details of his face, I can’t bear to look at him. My head drops and I take in my body, noticing I am indeed naked except for my bra and panties. My legs are spread slightly due to the fact they are tied to the front chair legs.
No clue what he has done to me.
I try for an internal evaluation to see if I’m feeling pain anywhere.
I’m not, except for a dull headache. I don’t feel anything throughout my body as I try to flex muscles, but it doesn’t mean he didn’t rape me. Still, I have to believe if he had, he would have just left me naked. At least that’s my hope, but I can’t dwell on that now. I have more important things to worry about—like staying alive.