“Hey,” he said, trying his best to smile. “How are you? Are you hungry?”
Brianna didn’t reply, not that he expected her to. She just blinked at him. But since she hadn't eaten in a while, he decided he would order for her. He went to the wall and pushed the intercom button.
“Yes, Mr. Kane?”
“Hello, Maria, would be kind enough to send up a tray for Brianna, please?”
“Right away, Mr. Kane.”
He moved back over to the bed. “Do you mind if I sit here with you?” he asked gently.
She shook her head, a tiny movement, but he would take whatever he got. At least she was reacting to his voice, now. The day before she would only stare at him when he was in the room. She would not eat, even though he had brought food up for her and tried to feed her himself. He hoped today would be better.
He sat on the bed, and reached to stroke her hair. She flinched, another tiny movement, but he caught it, and it was enough to pierce his chest. He didn’t stop, though, reaching out his hand to place it on top of her head.
Soon enough, the food was brought. There was a knock on the door, and Samuel turned.
“Come in,” he called.
Maria and Lauren, one of the maids rolled in a cart with the food.
“I brought you a tray as well, Mr. Kane,” Maria said as she set the covered tray on a wooden lap tray and then settled it over Brianna’s lap with a smile.
“Thank you, Maria, just set mine on the table over there.” Samuel gestured to the coffee table in front of his sofa.
Maria nodded and she and Lauren left the room, pulling the cart behind them.
He turned back to Brianna. “Try to eat a little more this time, okay?” Samuel said gently.
Brianna nodded, then moved. Immediately, he reached out to hold the tray steady as she adjusted to sit properly. He worried about touching her because he didn’t want her to flinch from him again. Once she was seated properly, he let go of the tray and lifted the lid off her food. When she tentatively held out her hand, he handed her the fork. Then, he watched her as she ate.
She moved slow, but at least she was eating. Samuel could only watch her and feel worried. The evening before, during the gun fight, he’d been so worried about Adrien and what was going on outside that he hadn't spared much thought, or even a glance, at Brianna. Maybe, if he’d been keeping a better eye on her, she might not have gone off to be alone. Camila wouldn’t have followed her, something that he should have done to begin with, and things would be different now.
I can't change what’s already happened, though. I can only have hope for the future and work on getting Bri better until Camila comes home to us. They had to find her. They had to bring her back, alive. He didn’t know what he would do if Adrien harmed her, but it wouldn’t be pretty.
He had hope that the mercenaries he’d hired would at least find something soon. He’d recognized a couple of them when they contacted him, and they were good men. Men who’d only left the military because of downsizing. Now they worked for themselves, doing jobs only they were trained to do, because there wasn’t anything for them in the civilian world. They’d seen too much to go happily into a nine to five job, living a life with a wife, kids, and white picket fence. If he’d had a different life waiting for him when he’d left the military, he’d probably have ended up joining them.
He’d hesitated hiring anyone else, involving them in the investigation, in case too many people working on it had the opposite effect of what they wanted. But he was tired of waiting. He needed answers now.
The longer it takes, the more dangerous it is.
Samuel was hoping for a miracle.
* * *
A few days passed,and with each one, Samuel’s restlessness only grew. Once again, he found himself pacing around in the living room when his phone rang.
“Kane.”
“It’s Jacobs. I’ve got an update. It’s not good.”
Samuel sighed. “Give it to me.”
“We’ve been over the phone logs. Adrien paid off a couple of the guards to smuggle in visitors and not log them or their calls. He planned this almost from the minute he hit the prison. He was well organized, Kane. The men he freed along with him are spilling their guts. He paid them to attack your estate. Gave them strict instructions to keep the gun fight to the front of the property. We weren’t aware any other convicts were involved until last night, but it appears that he was able to pay a few others who got early release to help lead false trails to help him escape.”
“How in the hell did he pull all of this off?” Samuel swore. “Where the fuck did he get enough money to pull this off?”
“He didn’t even pay them much, Kane. Ten grand to each of their families was all it took to buy their loyalty.”