Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 67711 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 339(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67711 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 339(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
“He was supposed to be headed back to you. When did he text you?”
My heart nearly pounded out of my chest as I checked my phone and told him the exact time.
“He should have already been out of the city. I’ll figure it out and call you back.”
“Wait! I want to help look for him.”
“No, you need to stay where you are.”
“I can’t do that. If he’s hurt or….” No. No, I wasn’t going to think about the worst possibility. “I need to be there.”
“Not an option.” Carter ended the call.
Did he actually think I was going to sit here and wait to hear something? I might not have the training Ford had, but I wasn’t going to hide anymore. I was going to do whatever it took to see that he was safe.
I shoved my phone in my pocket and ran for the stairs. When I burst into the sitting room, Ford’s grandmother gasped in surprise.
“I need a car.” I blurted the words out like an idiot, but I couldn’t think knowing Ford was missing.
She actually brought her hand to her neck as if to clutch her pearls, but she was only wearing a gold chain. “I could hardly—”
“The men who were after us. They may have Ford. I’ve got to get back to the city.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Ford is in danger.”
“Have you called his friends? Have you called the police?”
“Julia, what’s going on?” Ford’s grandfather entered the room.
“Ford is missing,” I said.
“You said the men who were after you—”
“They’ve likely taken him.”
“How do you know he’s missing?” Senator Wainwright asked.
“He was supposed to be back here a while ago. I just spoke with Carter, and he said Ford left Montgomery’s over two and a half hours ago. He was supposed to come directly here. None of us can reach him by phone or text. I need to borrow a car. I need to be there.”
“You’re in no shape to drive,” his grandmother said.
She was right about that, but it didn’t mean I was going to stay here.
“I’ll get one of our security guards to drive you,” his grandfather said. “You shouldn’t go alone.”
“I don’t—”
“I insist,” he said.
He turned and I started to follow him, but Ford’s grandmother took hold of my arm.
“You took me by surprise,” she said. “I spoke with Ford last night and I….” She looked pained. “I didn’t mean to insult you at dinner.”
Was that her idea of an apology?
“Please be careful. Ford cares about you. Bring him home safe.”
At least she was trying “Yes ma’am. I will.”
She let go of my arm, and I followed Senator Wainwright out to the garage.
The drive into the city felt ten times longer than the drive out had. I kept trying to call Ford. I couldn’t sit still. I was constantly drumming my fingers on the door and tapping my foot, probably making Carl, the guard who was driving me, insane.
Carl hardly said anything the whole trip. He just drove me straight to Montgomery Enterprises’ headquarters, then insisted on going in with me.
I wanted to refuse. The stubbornness in me wanted to do this on my own, but would they even let me in? If someone in Ford’s grandfather’s employ was with me, I’d have a much better chance of getting to Carter.
I tried calling Carter again, but his phone went to voicemail.
“I’ll do the talking,” Carl said.
It took him only seconds to have us on the executive elevator, shooting our way to the top of the building. When the doors opened, we nearly ran into Carter and Miles, who seemed to be headed out. Thank God we’d caught them.
“What are you doing here?” Carter asked when he saw me.
“Take him back home,” Miles told Carl, but true to his word Carl stood his ground.
“He insists he needs to be here, sir.”
“I love Ford.” As I’d guessed those words got everyone’s attention. “And he loves me. I’m not going to leave him. I’m not going to trick him. I’m not going to hurt him. I need to help with this. I need to know that he’s okay.”
“We’re doing everything we can to find him,” Carter said. Miles scowled him, but Carter shook his head. “We’re bringing him in on this.”
Miles sighed. “Alright, you better mean what you say or you’re going to regret it. If you hurt him, I will kill you, then I will bring you back to life and kill you again. Ford has been my friend since we were kids, and I care too much about him to see him hurt again.”
I nodded. “Understood.”
“Ford’s car is parked near his house. We think he must have gone there after he left here,” Carter said. “There are signs of a struggle, and he’s no longer there.”
“So they took him?”
“That’s what it looks like.”
“And no one was watching his house?”