by T. K. Leigh
Greg nodded. “What do we do about the video? I mean, is it possible that…?”
“I’m working on it. I don’t want Jolene to live in fear of being snatched from her family ever again.”
“And that’s what you are, Cam. You’re her family…as long as she says yes.” He winked.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
A NAME
CAM DROVE BACK TO Elsie’s apartment, nervous energy flowing through his body. He knew that Jolene loved him and he pretty much already had his answer. He just wanted to make it official. He prayed that what he had planned would meet her standard of being completely swept off her feet. He had a feeling she would be absolutely breathless.
Smiling to himself as he unlocked the door to the apartment, he noticed a faint ether-like smell. “Jolene!” he called out when he walked into the front hallway, searching for her, wondering what her crutches were doing in the foyer. “Where are you? I have your something shiny.”
Nothing.
Silence.
Emptiness.
“Jolene?!” he bellowed, running from the living room into the spacious master bedroom, fear taking hold of him when she was nowhere to be found.
“Fuck!” he yelled, his entire body trembling in dread of what he knew happened. Trying to get his emotions under control, he couldn’t help but feel entirely responsible for leaving her alone.
“Cam?!”
“Elsie!” he shouted, frantic. “Where is she?” He ran to the living room, meeting her as she entered the apartment.
“Who?”
“Jolene!” His eyes searched hers, hoping she would know.
“You mean she’s not here?!”
Cam’s heart sank to the pit of his stomach. Every second that passed without knowing where she was, was another second that she could be in danger. His eyes settled on a small rag in the entry hallway.
Shaking his head dejectedly, he picked it up, cautiously holding it up to his nose. A lone tear fell down his cheek. “Chloroform.”
Elsie gasped. “Who do you think…?”
“I have no idea. How could they get past the security downstairs?”
“They couldn’t,” she insisted. “You can only get in if you’re on the guest list or you have a keycard. Let me call and see if any guests have checked in. That might tell us something.”
“Do you mind?”
“Of course not.” She grabbed her phone and, within a few seconds, a man answered on the other end. “Hey, Bruce. It’s Else. Have any guests checked in today?”
“Why do you ask? Is something wrong?”
Her eyes searched Cam’s and he shook his head, not wanting to get any authorities involved just yet.
“No. Not really. I just heard some yelling and shouting in the hall and I know most of our residents are cognizant of the noise rules, so I was just wondering if I should complain or if it was a guest. That’s all.”
“Well, I have a few on the list for today, but no one has checked in. Everyone coming through so far this morning has had a key card. We’ve just had some move-ins over the past few weeks, but they all looked familiar. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened, except for an alarm on the exterior door of the north stairwell, but I checked the video and there was nothing suspicious. I think it’s just tricky wiring. I’ve already called the electrician to come look at it.”
“Okay. Thanks, Bruce.”
“You got it, Elsie.”
She turned to meet Cam’s eyes, trying to maintain her composure. “Whoever took her definitely had a keycard, and I think they left using the north stairwell. Security said there was an alarm, but the video monitors didn’t pick up anything. Whoever these guys are knew the best exit point so as to not get caught.”
Dispirited, he grabbed his phone, hating that he had let Jolene’s father down already. He had just sworn that he would always protect her and, not even an hour after he gave his blessing to allow him to marry his daughter, he had disappointed him.
“Greg,” he quivered into the phone, his voice soft. “It’s Cam. She’s gone. Someone took her. There was a rag soaked in chloroform…” He let out a small sob.
“Listen to me, Cam. I’ve been through this before and I need you to keep a clear head. It’s the best way that we can help her right now, okay? Do you have any idea who this guy could be?”
“No. I didn’t pressure her for a name and I should have. There’s nothing. Not one fucking clue to go on. No one knows…” He trailed off.
“What? What is it?”
“Shit. I think I may have a way of finding out, if my hunch is right. You work this on your end and I’ll do the same. I’ll call you in a little bit.” Cam quickly hung up the phone before dialing his secretary to schedule an emergency appointment with one of his patients.
“What’s going on?” Elsie asked just as Cam was darting out of the apartment.
“I don’t know the details, but I think one of my patients may know who’s behind all of this. Go back to Benny’s. Stay safe and hidden. I’ll call you when I know anything else.” He ran down the entry hall.
“Cam?!” Elsie called out.
He turned around, meeting her eyes as she fought back tears. “You better find her and bring her back,” she scolded him, her voice heavy with emotion. “Please. I need my friend. And you better not do anything stupid, either. You both better come back to me in one piece, do you understand?”
Cam smiled weakly, trying to reassure her. “I’ll do everything I can, Else.” He dashed out of the apartment building and hopped into his car, speeding off the island and toward downtown Jacksonville.
Within an hour, he was bolting down the hallway in the direction of his office, happy to see Lori in the waiting room. He had her follow him, trying to adjust his frantic demeanor to one of compassion. It had been three years and she was still frightened to name a name. But Cam needed a name.
Once they were both situated in the sitting area of his private office, he turned to her, his eyes pleading. “Lori, I’m sorry that I asked you to come here today. I just want to remind you that, no matter what, nothing you say to me will be told to the authorities. Everything you say in this room will remain confidential.” Taking a deep breath, his expression turned intense. “But I need your help. Several months ago, you were talking about a girl that had escaped, hoping it was one girl in particular. Do you recall that conversation?”
Lori stared at her therapist. “Yes. Jolene.”
His heart dropped in his stomach just hearing the name. “This Jolene…” he said as he reached for his cell phone. Searching the photos, he stopped on one in particular. He had taken it when they were in Key West. She was out on the balcony basking in the morning sun and drinking her coffee. She had a look of serenity on her face and he wanted to capture it. He handed the phone to Lori. “Is this her?”
She gasped. She would know those eyes anywhere. Her hair was brown and wavy instead of blonde and straight, but there was no mistaking who it was. “How…? She got out?”
Cam slowly nodded his head. “Yes. She got out. But she’s gone missing again and we think…” He trailed off, his lower lip trembling just thinking about what could be happening to her at that moment. “We think that she’s back there again, or on her way back there. Lori, I love her. I bought a ring today to ask her to marry me. When I returned, she was gone. I know someone has her, but I need to know who and where.”
“It’ll never work. The only way you’ll even be able to get close to her is the poker room, and that’s invite only. The rest of the time, she’s locked up surrounded by his guards. I can name a name all day, but there’s nothing you can do. The police and FBI are on his payroll. No one touches him. You’ll never get her back.”
“I’m not going to give up without a fight. Please, Lori,” he implored, desperate for the name that she had withheld since she escaped. “You’ve talked about how guilty you felt for getting out. How he’d replaced you with someone else. He’s got the girl I want to m
arry. She got out once. I doubt she’ll be so lucky again. I just need a name. It stays between us. Help to save all those women, not just Jolene. Don’t you wish that someone would have named him to save you?”
“I told you! He has powerful friends. Politicians. Law enforcement. I’ve seen what he does to anyone who tries to turn him in.”
“I have powerful friends, too. I assure you, your name will stay out of this, but I need his name.”
She raised her eyes to his. “Do you promise that your friends can protect me? My identity? My life? I can’t…”
“Lori,” Cam said, his voice strong. “I beg you. You’re my last hope.”
She took a deep breath, hesitant to say the name of the man that invaded her dreams to this very day. The guilt of getting out wore her down. But if she didn’t name a name, would she be signing poor Jolene’s death sentence? She didn’t know if she could handle shouldering that burden, too.
“Anthony Falconi.”
He reeled back in shock. “As in the hotel magnate Anthony Falconi?”
She slowly nodded her head. “He has very powerful friends, Dr. Bowen, like I said. I’m sure he has girls all over the country, but Jolene… She’ll be in Chicago. That’s where he lives.”
He stood up, excited and nervous at the same time, clueless how to even proceed now that he had information. Stopping abruptly before leaving, he turned to face his patient. “Thank you, Lori. I admire the courage it took for you to tell me that name.”
A lone tear fell down her cheek. “Thank you for helping me. Now go make that bastard suffer like he’s made the rest of us suffer.”
“You have my word.” He ran out of the office, grabbing his cell phone. Finding the contact he was searching for, he pressed the call button.
“Alex, it’s Cam. You know all those favors you owe me? I’m cashing in every single one of them right now. My friend’s going to e-mail you a video that I think we may need to use as leverage. I need your help in Chicago.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
FALSE SENSE
THROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF the flight, Cam nervously tapped the tray table, all thoughts of Jolene and what she could be enduring at that moment. He was so stupid and careless leaving her. It was eating him up inside knowing that it was his fault she was taken. Again. He failed to protect her. Again. He had sworn that he would always stand by her side no matter what, and he caused her pain. Again.
“Cam,” Greg said, looking at the worried expression on his face as the plane began its descent into the Windy City. “We’ll find her. We have a name. This is more information than I’ve ever had.”
“I just wish I knew for sure that she’s actually there.”
“I still can’t believe Falconi’s the one behind all of this. The guy donates a huge chunk of his income to charity…to charities that help fight against human trafficking!”
“I know. The bastard was in Jacksonville giving a speech at a fundraiser just the other night. The whole time, he must have been planning on taking her.” Cam glanced in Greg’s direction, hesitant about bringing up something that had been bothering him all day. “Don’t you think it’s strange that Mark left town early yesterday morning? Isn’t it a bit too convenient?”
“No. I think it’s just a coincidence. I understand how you feel.” He met Cam’s troubled gaze. “I’m going through the same thing. You’re trying to find the person who’s behind it all. We know who it is. Mark is a good man and he loves Jolene like a father would. He’d never do anything to hurt her. I’ve trusted him with my life. Truth is, he got a phone call early yesterday morning and was needed back in Chicago for a case he’s been working on. That’s all. I’d be lying if I didn’t think the same thing, too, at first. But then I got my wits about me and realized what I was saying.”
Cam sighed. “I hope you’re right.”
Greg put his hand on Cam’s shoulder as the city of Chicago appeared five thousand feet below him. “Trust me. I am. We have nothing to worry about with Mark. I called him from the airport and let him know that we were coming back to town. He’ll swing by my house later on if he can get away from work. He’s genuinely concerned about how you’re holding up. He’s a good man. A very good man.”
~~~~~~~~~~
“I’M SORRY THAT I can’t take you with me,” Cam said apologetically to Greg as they made their way through the bustling airport. “He told me he doesn’t want to involve anyone he doesn’t know yet.”
“It’s okay, Cam,” he replied. “I completely understand his reasoning. He’s just trying to be thorough and doesn’t know who he can trust at this point. What’s your connection to him anyway?”
“A girl I knew was in love with him. And I helped them both out a few years ago, so he kind of owes me.”
“Just remember to be patient,” Greg comforted him. “From what I know of him and his reputation, he’s very good at what he does. You say he’s putting together a small extraction team to get her out. I trust that he’ll be able to follow through on his promises. Just know that I’m more than willing to lend a hand, if need be.”
“Thank you, Greg. I promise I’ll get our girl back.”
“She’s your girl now.”
The men shared a knowing look before Cam made his way toward the airport exit, nodding at the driver dressed all in black that appeared to be able to snap a man’s neck with little effort.
“Dr. Bowen. I’m James and I’ll be taking you to Mr. Burnham’s office.”
“He has an office in Chicago? I thought he lived in Boston.”
“Yes. He has branches of his company all over the world. After receiving your phone call yesterday afternoon, he flew in to plan this operation.” He opened the rear door for Cam. “Sit tight. I’ll get you to him as quickly as possible.”
After a painfully long car ride through heavy downtown traffic, Cam was led into a secure glass building. He was rather impressed with all the security protocols in place. He had no idea about the exact details of the type of business that Alexander was involved in but, by the looks of it, business was very good.
After following James out of the elevator on the top floor, he was granted access past another security door and escorted down a long white corridor to an enormous debriefing room.
Upon entering, all talk immediately ceased and he saw his only hope of getting Jolene out safely, his green eyes full of compassion.
“Cam,” Alexander said, raising his six-foot, five-inch frame out of his chair and meeting him, giving him a brotherly hug. “How ya holding up?”
“As good as can be expected, considering…”
“Don’t worry. We’re working on tactical right now. Here. Have a seat.”
Cam followed Alexander to a large table with eight rather intimidating people, seven men and one woman, sitting around it. The table appeared to be one large computer monitor. On the screen were photos, bios, building blue prints, the works. Cam didn’t know what to make of any of it and was glad that Alexander was there to head the operation.
“Okay. So what we’re looking at,” Alexander began, talking to his team, “is a mostly unarmed extraction from a building that will have hundreds of civilians present. Cora,” he said to the only female, “you’ve secured employment with the cover ID we set up for you?”
“Yes,” she responded in a thick Spanish accent. “I’ll be working as a room service attendant. I did a preliminary survey of the layout and the kitchen may be a solid exit point. There is a service entrance, as well as an elevator just beyond the door leading to the outside. I’m not sure about access, but I’ll know more after my shift tonight.”
“Perfect. Toby…” He turned his attention to a tall man with dark hair and a dazzling smile who looked more like a bachelor playboy than someone that was retired military. “You will check in tonight. Your cover ID is being worked on right now. You know the drill. Observe comings and goings, security protocols, shift changes, anything that could be important. Martin and I will go in on th
e day of extraction…”
“Hold up,” Cam interrupted. “Day of extraction? Shouldn’t that be today?”
Alexander sighed, running his hands through his dark hair in mild irritation. “We have to be patient, Cam. We’re going to have one shot at getting this right. One shot to get your girl out of there unharmed. This will take planning. We need to know everything about that building. No detail is too small. Toby and Cora will be doing just that…watching security, the staff, every little thing you can think of. They’ll get the layout of the building. They’ll time the elevators. This all requires a little patience on all of our parts. I know it sucks, but it’s the best chance I can give you of getting your girl out in one piece.”
He turned his attention back to his team. “Now, we just have to find out where he’s keeping her and be able to get in there and get her out without raising too much suspicion, if possible.”
“The poker room,” Cam said under his breath. “That’s going to be your best chance.”
Alexander scrunched his eyebrows at Cam. “What goes on in there?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know too much, but the best way will be to get someone into the poker room so you can bid on Jolene and be guaranteed to get her alone.”
“How do you get into the poker room?”
“It’s invite only, so you’ll need someone to vouch for you.”