There was a full day ahead of him and he was going to face it head-on.
When he came down the stairs fifteen minutes later, Vince, the detective and a couple of other guys Gage didn’t recognize stood around the kitchen drinking coffee and munching on donuts someone brought in. Vince must have used his key to get in and let the others in.
“Hey,” Vince said, walking over to him. “Sounds like last night was pretty awful. You should have called me.”
“It was a crapfest,” Gage corrected as he poured himself the end of the coffee. Jonquil’s words the previous night echoed in his head. “I was too tired to move by the time we got back here. Jonquil went down with me.” He took a sip of his coffee and fought back his emotions, needing to be in control today, at least. “Let’s focus on today. One step at a time. We’ll get Natalie home safe and go from there.” Jonquil had been right, it was the only way to deal with what lay ahead of him.
Jonquil called to check on him around nine and Blake and Joel showed up with the full hundred grand in twenties and fifties as directed. The duffel they brought with them was smaller than the one he took to the gym, and weighed about twenty pounds.
“Any news yet?” Joel asked as his eyes automatically quartered the room, checking out the men and equipment they’d brought with them.
“Nope or you would have heard.” Gage was glad Vince was handling phone calls and text messages from concerned friends, though it left Gage with too much time to worry. He cracked his knuckles. “I’m all tied up in knots. I want to be doing something.”
“All right, then let’s do something.” Joel pulled him aside. “I know the cops are going to try to do the drop-off for you, but if the guy on the phone doesn’t let you do that, we should discuss a few things to watch for.” Joel went on to run Gage through several scenarios that could happen, what could go wrong, and the kinds of things he could control to prevent that.
Gage would have expected the discussion to make him more uptight, but it calmed him instead, giving him something to focus on, something he might be able to handle and control—at least a little. All the same, he hoped one of the cops could do the drop off instead of him. He was afraid he would screw something up that would get Natalie killed.
When Jonquil arrived at lunchtime with a selection of food from the hotel kitchens, Gage’s anxiety about the call had risen again from waiting and was reaching the breaking point.
“Thanks for bringing food in,” he said when she had set down her load and walked over to join him.
“No problem. Rosemary organized it all and packaged it up for you.” She slid into his arms. “Everyone’s sending you positive thoughts or prayers or whatever works for them.”
“Thanks. I can use it.” He pulled her close, appreciating the warmth and comfort she so easily offered.
“Have you contacted people about your mom? Do you need me to make calls or anything?”
“Vince and Jeremy helped me call close family and a couple of her friends. They’ll spread the word for me.” He couldn’t think about that right now, though, needing to focus on today instead. “When do you have to go back to work?”
“Not for a few hours. We got everything set up except for a few last-minute items and my assistant is handling that. I’ll go back before the ceremony for a last check tonight. Let’s get you something to eat.” She pulled him back to the counter and they filled plates for him and the rest of the men.
Another hour was coming to a close and Gage was pacing the living room when the phone finally rang.
He waited for the second ring before answering it—the call was from a blocked number. “Hello, this is Gage.”
“Do you have the money ready?” the male voice from yesterday asked.
“Yes, I’ve got it. You said I could talk to my sister.”
“She’s right here.” There was a moment of silence and Natalie’s voice came on the phone, high pitched and scared. “Gage, I’m fine, they didn’t hurt me yet. But they will if they don’t get the money. Please pay them.”
“I will, it’s okay. I—”
“That’s enough,” the man’s voice interrupted. “You know she’s okay, so you’re going to follow my directions exactly, aren’t you? You and nobody else. I better not see any cops.”
“I understand. Where do you need me to meet you?”
“There’s a maintenance road on your ski resort. It passes over the stream and then moves into a clearing with a stand of maple trees.”
Gage knew the area he was talking about. Maples weren’t common in that area and these turned a flaming red against the yellow aspen leaves every fall. “I know where that is.”
“Good. Drive through, drop off the money in the clearing. As soon as we have confirmation that the money is in the bags, we’ll release your sister on the south side of town.”
They wanted the money first? “How do I know you’ll really do it and not keep her or something?”
“You’ll have to trust me.”
“Not good enough. I need to know she’s going to be all right.”
“Too bad. I have her. I’m in charge. We’re doing it my way. Meet me in fifteen minutes and come alone. Don’t be late.” The phone call ended.
Gage swore several times before shoving the phone back into his pocket. “That part of the resort doesn’t get cell reception because of the hills on either side.”
“Then they’ll have radios,” Deputy Oliver said.
“I’ve got your resort up on Google Earth. Show me where the spot is,” the detective said.
Gage moved to his screen, shifting the view and then pointing to the spot. “The trees make this area totally cut off from everywhere else. If you were going to watch, you’d have to be there already, you can’t possibly have backup there this fast.”
“Take me with you,” Joel said, looking over Gage’s shoulder.
Gage shook his head. “He said to come alone.”
“You can drop me over here, out of sight,” Joel pointed to the map. “I can come in the back way to cover you.”
“You’re not going in,” the detective denied. “It’s the job of the police.”
Joel turned his dark, fathomless eyes on the detective. “You ever do something like this before? I know you’ve trained now and then, but it’s not the same. I’ve done it dozens of times with my work as a SEAL. I can slide in without being seen and get out on my own if I need to. I know what I’m doing.”
“One of my men—”
“I can’t take the chance of having a cop there.” Gage checked his Glock in the holster at the small of his back while he considered Joel’s offer. “I can drop Joel there,” he pointed to a bend in the road that would make the hike in pretty short. “But that’s it. He’s just there to cover me, not to take any risks with my sister’s life. And if they see you, they could kill her.” He shot Joel a dark look.
“You think I don’t know what I’m doing?” Joel’s face was flat and expressionless.
Gage shook his head. “I know you do or you wouldn’t be coming. We have to go if I’m going to get there in time.”
“Take these radios.” The detective fitted Gage with an earbud that was almost invisible, then handed a similar one to Joel.
“Thanks.” Gage shot Jonquil a glance, saw her smile and nod, and knew that would have to be enough.
They went out to the garage and Joel slid down in the back seat so the kidnappers wouldn’t know he was coming along if they had someone watching the house. When they got out on the road, Joel sat up on the back seat and adjusted the radio. “Look, they just want the money. If they wanted more, they would have asked for it to begin with. Hand it over and everything should be fine.”
“Yeah, so you say. We didn’t cover this scenario this morning.” Gage’s hands clenched on the steering wheel.
Joel patted him on the shoulder. “It’ll be fine. Just follow their directions and remember, I’ve got your back.”
Gage nodded and focused on g
etting to the drop-off location on time.
The dirt road could stand to be re-graded—though with their other expenses, that wasn’t happening for another year. The washboard surface had Gage clenching his teeth as he rushed over it, checking his watch and wondering how much longer it would take to arrive. He slowed and let Joel out around a bend, then continued in the rest of the way, taking it slower to give Joel a chance to get into position on a rise to the north of the clearing.
He stopped the car in the middle of the narrow road and looked around him. He didn’t see anyone or any signs of people around. Slowly he opened the door and stepped out. “I’m here, on time.”
He waited a moment, then opened the back door and pulled out the duffel bag of money. “I’ve got the money,” he said as loudly as he could. “Twenties and fifties like you asked for. Non-sequential.”
A figure stepped forward a little in the trees to the left of Gage’s vehicle. He was covered with a ski mask and wore a heavy coat and gloves despite the heat. “Set it on that tree stump,” he directed in a gruff voice. It wasn’t the guy from the phone calls. Not unless he was disguising his voice.
“Joel?” Gage asked in a whisper as he bent forward to pick the bag back up off the ground.
“Almost there. Take it slow and easy. You don’t want him to get twitchy.”
“Right.” Gage carried the bag twenty feet to the stump, then backed away, keeping his gaze on the other man.
“He’s in my sights,” Joel said. “Get back in your car and go. Send someone back to get me from the parking lot in a little while. I’m going to see if I can track this guy through the forest to his car.”
“You have the money. I expect my sister to be released,” Gage called out to the other man.
“Get in your car and go. When I have the money, she’ll be freed.”
Gage nodded and got back into his car, frustrated.
“It’s all yours,” Gage muttered into the small microphone when the door was closed. “Be careful.”
“I know what I’m doing,” Joel reassured.
Gage hoped so. He put the car into drive and continued down the road, seeing the man reach the money through his rear view mirror just as the road curved and the clearing disappeared from sight.
“Good job,” this came from the detective, who must have been on the radio the whole time, though he’d been silent. “Just head back to the main road. Hopefully we’ll have Natalie by the time you reach the south end of town.”
Gage’s heart pounded, though he hadn’t realized it until he was headed back down the mountain and his breathing had turned ragged. It took all of his concentration to stay the speed limit as he hurried to the edge of town.
Would they really release his sister?
Gage’s cell phone rang as he hit Main Street. “Hello?”
“We’ve got her. She’s safe and she looks okay.” Vince’s voice came on the line offering reassurance. “I’m with Deputy Oliver at the Dairy Queen and she walked right over to him.”
Relief poured through Gage’s system. “Thanks, Vince. I’m only a few minutes out. Wait for me there?” His voice was a little shaky. He had been so close to losing his whole family. But Natalie was still alive.
“We will. She’s fine, Gage. It’s okay.”
“Thanks. I owe you.”
“Forget it. I still owe you. See you in a minute.” Vince hung up.
“Did you hear that, Joel? They’ve got Natalie.”
“Glad to hear it. Ah, there we are,” Joel said back in the radio system. “It’s a red four-door. Looks like a Ford Escort maybe. Late model with a… pale blue license plate. It’s not a Colorado plate. Kansas, maybe?” He read off his GPS coordinates. “The road is south of me and they’re headed west.”
“Good job, Joel. Head back to the ski parking lot and we’ll pick you up.” This was the detective again.
Gage pulled into the Dairy Queen parking lot and bulleted from his car to the deputy’s truck where Natalie waited. He yanked open the door and she fell, somewhat disheveled, into his arms.
“Gage, I knew you’d get me out of there. They’re crazy. They hurt Mom. Is she okay?” Tears rose in her eyes and she grabbed his shoulders. “I’ve been so worried. She was laying there, so still.”
Gage’s heart ached as he held her tight. “You’re okay, let’s focus on that for now. I’m so glad they let you go.” He leaned back a little and looked her over. “Did they hurt you?” Her hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed in a while, she wore no makeup, except for streaks of mascara on her face, and her wrists were red and irritated, as if she had been tied up, but she didn’t look bad.
“I’m fine. They didn’t hurt me. What about Mom? Is she okay? I need to see her.”
His heart broke all over again, but he couldn’t ignore her question if she was so insistent. “She’s not, Natalie. We got her to the hospital and she had surgery and she was doing better. We thought she would be able to come home today, but then she had a heart problem last night. They don’t know what happened. She was healing and then she just… wasn’t. She died last night.”
Natalie’s face crumpled and she leaned against him, crying on his shoulder. “How? I mean, she was so vibrant and healthy and now she’s gone.”
The release of stress at having Natalie back, the sorrow of losing his mom—both piled on him so he lost the tight leash he’d been holding on his emotions. They stood like that for a long while, both of them grieving, Gage glad that at least his sister was back.
Trent finally interrupted them. “We should take Natalie in to be checked by a doctor. We need to document everything in case they catch the guys who abducted her.” His voice was gentle and, the light Southern accent softened as he spoke.
Gage released Natalie slowly and nodded. “Right. We need to get you in so they can look at these.” He lightly held her hands, taking a closer look at her red and swollen wrists, which had his gut clenching.
“I tried to get loose,” she said in a low voice, bowing her head a little. “But I couldn’t do it. They kept me locked up in a room in the basement the whole time. All I could see were rocks and a couple of trees.” She grew hoarse as she spoke, tears clogging her voice. “They threatened me, but they didn’t follow through.”
“You’re safe now. Shhhh. It’s okay.” He’d always been the one to fix things. He had her back, but he couldn’t change what happened to her. “Come on, let’s have you checked out. Do you want to ride with me or the deputy?”
She looked between them, as if torn. “I want to be with you,” she finally said.
“Okay. Come on, we’ll take you to the hospital in Otter Creek.” She was safe. He reminded himself of that as he helped her into the passenger seat of his car. As he removed and handed the radio buds to Trent, he said, “Tell the detective thanks. Tell everyone thanks for me. Are you following us to the hospital?”
“Yeah. I still have some questions for her when she’s a little calmer.”
“Thanks.”
Vince stood by Gage’s car door when he got back there. “I’m so glad she’s all right.”
Gage nodded. What did that mean, being “all right?” After something like that, were you ever really “all right” again? “Thanks for everything.”
“No problem. I think your woman is probably waiting at your place. You want me to take her back to work?”
“Jonquil. Right.” He’d forgotten she was stuck at his place. She’d taken his car home the previous night—the car he was currently driving. “Yeah, if you would. Tell her thanks for everything. When I get Natalie back to town I’ll call.”
“Okay. Glad this worked out. Call me if you need anything.”
“Thanks, man. I will.” Gage settled into the driver seat and started the car.
“What was that about Jonquil?” Natalie asked as they headed for the canyon road that lead to the closest hospital.
“Oh, we were,” making out while Mom lay dying on the floor? “together w
hen the ransom call came through. She’s been really great to be there for me through all of this the past few days.”
“This is one of those DiCarlo girls you’re talking about, isn’t it? The youngest one?”
“Yeah.” His response came out a little defensive.
Her brow furrowed and she wrapped her arms around her stomach. “I thought you hated her.”
He thought about how great she had been the past few days. “I thought so too. Guess I was wrong.”
Natalie’s voice grew curious. “Are you two getting serious?”
“No, no, of course not. It’s been like, a week. Me get serious with someone? Not happening. Especially not her.” But a little voice in his mind asked why not?
Natalie usually hated going to the doctor, so Gage knew she must be shaken up if she capitulated so easily to the deputy’s suggestion. Things were slow at the small-town hospital and they got in to a doctor quickly, but the only injuries Gage was aware of were to her wrists which had been chaffed by the ropes they’d been tied with. If there was more, she told the doctor privately while Gage was in the next room, filling out paperwork.
When they walked back out to his car after everything, Natalie looked around her nervously, as if afraid she would be abducted again.
“Don’t worry. You can come back to my place tonight,” he said. “I have that guest room. The housekeeper has been in to clean things up at mom’s place but there are still a few things that need to be done before you go back.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Natalie got into the car and stared out the front window, a pensive expression on her face. “I think maybe it would be better if I faced my demons and went home tonight.” She said hesitantly when he got in at the driver’s side.
“Don’t be stupid. Stay at my place,” Gage insisted. “I’m happy to have you stay with me for a few days. You’ve been through so much, and with mom gone…” He couldn’t finish the sentence. He still hadn’t come to terms with his mother’s death, too preoccupied with what had been happening with his sister.
The Last Bride (DiCarlo Brides #6) Page 16