CHAPTERTWELVE
Adam felt sick to his stomach. Like someone had punched him repeatedly in the fucking gut. Every instinct in his body screamed at him that something was wrong with his mate. After flat out running out of the meeting with the council, he jumped in his plane and pointed it straight toward Polar Point.
Though it was the quickest form of travel, it took Adam far too long for his plane to touch down on the runway.
“Adam!” Vicki shouted, running to his plane the second he climbed out and onto the tarmac.
“Vicki, what are you doing here?” he asked, grabbing his bag.
“Something has happened with Joy!” she said in a panic. The devastated look on her face nearly had him on his knees.
“What is it? What’s happened?” he asked, his heart ready to jump out of his chest. He felt like he was going to puke right there on his own fucking shoes. “Tell me, Vicki!” he demanded with a little more force than he ever wanted to use with her.
“Gerri called. She said that Joy is missing. She’s been abducted.” Tears streamed down her face as she said the words. Her entire body trembled. She had been devastated by the news.
Adam felt like the pavement had been pulled from under his feet. He swayed back and forth. Surely, he hadn’t heard her correctly. “Say that again?” he asked, his head spinning.
“Joy is missing, and the police don’t seem to be willing to help. They said there wasn’t much they can do because they don’t know for sure that someone had taken her. She could have left on her own. Gerri tried to tell them that she wouldn’t have left her purse, keys, and phone behind and just fallen off the face of the planet, but they wouldn’t listen. She’s beside herself. I’m beside myself. She’s in danger.”
“What else did Gerri say?” he asked.
“That she picked up the scent of a shifter in Joy’s apartment. It wasn’t someone she recognized, though. There were signs of a struggle, but …”
“Son of a bitch! I have to find her,” he growled, pacing back and forth in front of Vicki.
“Who would do this? Who would want to take her?” she asked, her voice cracking with the worry she had for Joy.
Vicki looked as heartbroken as he felt. In the short time that Joy had been in Polar Point, she had left her mark on everyone she met. She had been easily accepted by all and was a perfect fit into their community in more ways than one. If she had only been able to get over the fact that he was a shifter, none of this would have happened.
“I don’t know who would want to hurt her, but somehow, I will fix this. This is all my fault,” he said. “If I hadn’t been so damn cocky about shifting when she was around, she would still be here with us. She would have never run back to Florida to get as far away from me as possible.”
“Hey, you can’t think like that. We don’t know what would have happened, or who did this, or why,” Vicki said, pulling him into a much-needed hug.
“I need to find her. I need to get to Florida. Now!” he said, a plan forming in his mind. Come hell or high water, he would find Joy. He had to.
“Ted has the corporate jet on standby for you. He said to go find your mate and bring her home. I ran by your house and packed a bag for you. It’s already on the jet,” she said.
“I don’t know what I’d do without you. Thank you and thank Ted for me,” Adam said before he raced to the corporate jet. Giving a quick wave to Vicki, he ran up the stairs and ducked his head as he stepped onto the jet.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Caldwell. Buckle up, and we’ll get this bird in the air. Next stop, Miami International. A Ms. Wilder will be meeting you when we arrive,” the captain said.
“Thanks, Nathan. Just get us there as quick as possible.”
“Of course. I have the route mapped out. We’ll arrive first thing in the morning. Get some rest tonight. You’ll need it.”
Adam went in search of a seat as the final flight preparations were made. Within minutes, they were taxiing down the runway. His heart raced as he felt the nose of the plane lift off the ground. A million thoughts ran through his head as he tried to figure out who would want to harm his mate. It wasn’t like he knew anyone in Florida who would have a beef with him or something like that.
“Vicki and Ted thought you should eat to keep your strength up, considering you’ll be heading into the Florida heat,” the flight attendant said, carrying a tray of food that made his stomach growl.
“Thanks. I can’t remember the last time I ate. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I smelled the food,” he said, accepting the tray.
“There’s plenty more where this came from. What can I get you to drink?” she asked.
“A couple of Coke’s would be great.”
“Here you go,” the flight attendant said, handing Adam two cans of soda and a glass filled with ice.
“Thanks, Beverly,” he said, gratefully accepting the drinks.