“I’ll do it.”
“No!” Cole snaps again.
“Where is he, Mark?” I ask.
“Downstairs.”
Cole springs to his feet and lunges at Mark, sending Scoot hissing under the couch.
Daniel jumps up and gets between them.
Downstairs! Where?
“Cole, sit!” Daniel pushes him backward.
“Even if we did allow you to speak to him, it wouldn’t matter. We need to get you out of here,” Frank says, standing.
I stand too, shaking my head. I head for Cole’s office, where I know he keeps my file, having seen where he put it on the day I first met with him. I return with it a few moments later and hand the file to Frank. He looks puzzled but opens it.
“If you’re saying I need to leave here, then you can toss out my agreement, and I’ll go home.”
“No! Savannah!” Cole shouts, coming toward me. I hold up my hand to stop him.
“If you’re saying that me staying here is going to make it unsafe for these guys, and the location of this house might be compromised, then I want to go to New York.”
“I don’t think you understand how big this is,” Frank says, surprised by my reaction.
“You’re right, I don’t. I’d love some answers, if you’re willing to provide them.”
“Frank, give her some.” Cole looks pale. “She needs to understand how serious this is.”
Frank tosses the file down on the table as he sits. “Please, Savannah, take a seat.”
Cole reaches out and grips my arm, pulling me down next to him.
Frank lets out a deep breath and leans his arms on his legs as he studies at me. “Someone contracted to have you kidnapped. We’re not entirely sure who yet, but we have a few theories. One being your father’s right-hand man, Luka.”
I keep shaking my head. Luka has been like an uncle to me forever.
“The others?”
“I don’t want to go there yet.”
I feel like I was hit in the stomach by a hammer. My meal is threatening to shoot up my throat like one of those high strikers you find at the carnival to test your strength. “My father’s one of them, isn’t he?”
“Savannah, everyone is a suspect right now,” Cole says quietly.
Frank sighs. “After you were taken byLos Sirvientes Del Diablos,they found out something and decided to turn the tables. They were ordered to kill you after the first day, and that’s when we realized you weren’t involved.”
I jump to my feet. I’m pissed. “Pardon me?”
“There was the possibility that you and your father planned this. He’s up for re-election, and it gave him a ton of attention with the press, but—”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I hiss, turning to Cole. “Did you believe that too?”
Cole shakes his head. “Savi, your case just keeps growing. Yes, before we got you, it was a possible thought. Once we had confirmation you were still alive and still under their watch, we realized there was something more going on.” I feel sick. “We’re sure they’re blackmailing your father with something.”
“Oh, my God,” I whisper, fighting the spins.