Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Noah watched as Lindley went into the bathroom. Danica was still inside.
He was trying not to get overly concerned by her sudden change in mood. She’d been under a tremendous amount of pressure and had been trying not to show it. That was just Danica’s way, but he understood the impulse.
For someone who didn’t know her well, she might even seem unfeeling. But Noah could tell how much it all had been getting to her.
He wished she’d told him what was wrong. Let him comfort her. But even that, it seemed, was more than she wanted from him.
Noah went to the bar for a glass of seltzer with lime. The bubbles popped on his tongue as he both kept an eye on the bathroom door and studied the room. The donors continued to chat and enjoy themselves.
But Noah’s attention caught on a newcomer. Someone he hadn’t noticed before.
This guy was walking along the edge of the lobby, carrying a glass of champagne.
But he wasn’t drinking it. He wasn’t talking to anyone, either.
Instead, he was staring into the distance with a focused expression.
He had on thick-framed glasses, but somehow they seemed wrong for his face.
Like they were borrowed from someone else.
He wore a tux, but he didn’t move like one of Danica’s rich donors. He moved with purpose, like a man who knew just how dangerous he was. It was a look Noah had seen plenty of times before.
Noah held the glass in front of his mouth as he spoke. “Tanner? Do you see the guy on my ten o’clock? Blue bowtie. I’m not liking the looks of him.”
His friend’s voice came through the earpiece. “Yeah, I had my eye on him as well. He just walked in. I didn’t see where he came from, but I don’t think he was here before. Rex?”
“Didn’t come in from the patio area.”
Noah looked back toward the bathroom. He’d only been distracted a minute, maybe two. He still didn’t see Danica.
But he noticed that Rosie wasn’t outside the bathroom anymore. And Lindley was back in the atrium, chatting with the partygoers.
“Tanner, keep an eye on blue bowtie,” he said. “I need to check on Danica.”
“Copy that.”
Noah went over to Lindley. She smiled as she saw him approaching.
“The boyfriend. What can I do for you?”
“Do you know where Danica is? I thought she was in the bathroom, but her bodyguard isn’t outside anymore. Did they go somewhere else?”
Lindley shrugged. “Last I knew, Danica was in there. She was waiting for a phone call.”
“A phone call? From whom?”
She hesitated. “I really don’t know what it was about. You’ll have to ask her.”
“I get that you’re trying to respect her privacy.” To her, Noah was just Danica’s boyfriend. Not her bodyguard. “But Danica could be in danger. I need to know where she is.”
Lindley relented. “How about I go over and check the bathroom. See if she’s still there. Maybe Rosie went in with her.”
Noah followed her. But after a few seconds in the ladies’ room, she came back out, looking worried. “They’re not here. I really have no idea where Danica could be.”
Shit. This felt wrong. Especially with the appearance of that guy just a few minutes before. “Thanks,” he said. “I’m going to look for her.”
“Do you really think she’s in trouble? With all this security everywhere?” Lindley sounded like she was starting to panic, which wasn’t going to help.
“I’m sure it’s fine. But if you see her, tell her to stay in the main lobby area. Don’t let her go anywhere else.”
“Yeah. I will.”
He spun, heading down the hallway.
“Do you want us to help look?” Tanner asked in the earpiece.
“Negative. Stay in the atrium with blue bowtie and watch for Danica there. I’m going to check the exhibits. Rex, you check the museum’s front offices. Make some excuse if security tries to stop you.”
“Got it, Cap,” Rex said.
Noah’s shoes echoed as he strode down the hallway into the exhibit area. His chest loosened slightly when he saw Rosie. She looked over at the sound of his footsteps.
“Where’s Danica?” he asked.
Rosie pointed her thumb into the exhibits, which were on the other side of a velvet rope. “She asked for privacy.”
“And you left her alone? Are you kidding me?”
She bristled at his strident tone. “This area is secure.”
From deeper inside the exhibit halls, there was a scream. Immediately, it cut short.
Every cell in Noah’s body surged with fury in response.
The metal stand holding the rope clattered to the floor as he pushed past. Noah started running.
He had to get to Danica. Now.