Rescuing Melissa (ALPHA TEAM: Guardian Hostage Rescue Specialists)

45. Video

FORTY-FIVE

Video

CJ

CJ crowded into an elevator along with a family of four, an elderly couple, and two teenage lovebirds. By the time he reached the eighteenth floor, he was alone.

A small crowd had gathered, and police tape blocked the way to Melissa’s room. Down the hall, he spied Mac speaking to a cop. His friend waved and came toward him.

“How are you holding up?”

“Give me an update, and I’ll be doing much better.” He released a pent-up sigh.

“We found something.”

“What?”

“You need to see this.” Mac led him to the hotel room, holding the ribbon of yellow tape out of the way. A local cop stood outside the door and gave them a nod.

“And no sign of a struggle?” CJ rubbed his jaw.

“None. Looks like she let whoever it was in, so I figure she knew him.”

“Do you think it was her ex-husband?”

“We don’t think so.” Jenny turned as they entered the suite. The look on her face telegraphed her concern. “Charlie is downstairs with security. We’re checking to see if Patterson was anywhere in the building. She’s getting the tapes as we speak; the problem is they don’t monitor the halls.”

“Shit.” He rubbed his hand over his head. “Show me what you found?”

“Your little lovebird is a smart cookie; she left us a crumb. I have to say I’m impressed, but you’re not going to like it.”

“What did you find?” Breath tugged into his lungs. Had she been hurt?

“I found her phone.”

His pulse jackhammered. They wouldn’t be able to GPS her phone.

“She set the video to record, then shoved it under the bed,” Jenny said. “Good thing, because this guy did some clean-up work, but missed her phone.” Jenny sat him down on the couch. “You ready to see this?”

No.

He took in a measured breath and used it to calm the tension wound in his body.

Focus on the clues. Don’t worry about the unknown.

Sage advice he’d given to those he’d trained, but hard as hell to accomplish when the victim was someone he cared about.

“Yes,” he said.

His palms were a nervous mess, cool and clammy; he wiped them on his pants. His normally slow and steady heart chugged along like a freight train, and breathing deep wasn’t helping.

She pulled out Melissa’s phone and queued up a video. The footage jerked all around, but Melissa was lying on the floor. A flash of brown wrapped around her wrists, and what looked to be a chain lead ran down her legs where there were more cuffs.

He leaned forward, pulse-pounding with the need to punish whoever had done this to Melissa.

“Just wait,” Jenny soothed. “Watch.”

All he could see was Melissa’s ragged gasps, but he forced himself to remain professional and focus on the details.

His mouth went dry as a pair of men’s shoes moved into the frame. It was hard to tell because the lighting was terrible.

Melissa moaned, struggling to free herself.

Then a man’s voice sounded.“Shh, don’t fight. Don’t worry. I have you.”

“What? What are you doing?”Melissa’s voice sounded slurred, drugged perhaps.

“It’s all going to be all right.”

The man knelt. Impossible to tell what he was doing, except Melissa struggled before going still. And fuck it, but there wasn’t a clear view of his face. All they had were his damned shoes.

“He drugged her,” Jenny said. “Easier to get her out of the room.”

CJ nodded. It made sense.

The man moved around the room. Something big and white flapped, then a door opened and shut.

“That’s how he got her out,” he said.

“Exactly. It looks like a laundry or valet cart. It’s the only thing large enough to put her in.”

“And no one saw anything? You said the security cameras don’t monitor the guest hallways?”

“That’s what they told us. But they monitor the exit points and common areas. Charlie is working on getting us copies.”

“We need to look at their delivery docks, and canvas the cleaning staff about anyone pushing a cart who didn’t belong. Someone must have seen something.”

“Already on it.” Jenny pulled out her cell phone.

“And we need to show these around.”

CJ handed her the sketches. The video wasn’t much, but the strength of foresight Melissa showed in setting the phone to record amazed the hell out of him.

Jenny examined the sketches. “Charlie has the security folks wrapped around her finger. They’re cooperating. Who is this?”

“A man the girls’ mother was talking to at the park. And I’ve seen him before. He was at the hospital when I picked up Melissa.”

Jenny tapped her finger over the paper. “I’ve seen him too.” She squinted. “Now, where have I seen this guy?” She glanced at the ceiling, frustration edging her tone. “I hate it when this happens.”