Chapter 20 #2
As the door slammed behind him, she tried to put herself in her sister’s place. If Diana was terrified, where would she flee? Paul. Back to Paul, her refuge, her love. Every minute Diana remained missing, it meant she could be in horrible danger.
She scrolled through her cell phone and pressed Paul’s number.
He answered straight away. “Allison? What’s going on? I’ve been trying to reach Diana and it goes straight to voicemail.”
“I don’t know.” She swallowed hard. “I was hoping you had heard from her. She’s gone.”
Paul released a low curse. “What... Where do you think she’s gone?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think this is wedding jitters. This feels more sinister.”
She refrained from telling him about the bloodied veil and the engagement ring. “Paul, I can’t help but wonder if your uncle had something to do with this.”
There. It was out in the open.
A deep breath. “Hector? Why would he? But damn, you may be on to something, Maybe she got scared off because she was afraid of upsetting him after all the money he’s spent on the wedding.
It was a mistake to let him throw us a lavish wedding.
I kept telling Diana it wasn’t worth his involvement.
I haven’t been close to him, tried to keep him at a distance.
It was all her idea to have the wedding at his estate.
But she wanted a huge, beautiful wedding and knew your parents were strapped for cash. ”
Stunned, Allison gripped the phone so hard her hand hurt. “Paul, you should get up here and look for her. She loves and trusts you more than anyone. Even me.”
“I already booked my flight for tomorrow. I’ll see about changing it. Damn it, Allison, why did you have to take her with you? She was nervous enough as it is. She’d have been better off staying here with me in Miami.”
At a loss for words, she could only mumble, “I only wanted a last nice sisterly trip with her, Paul.”
His voice softened. “I get it. Di would do anything for her big sister. I know you love her. I’m just upset. Sorry. Let me know if you hear anything, anything, okay?”
“Yes, of course. You do the same.”
She hung up, lifting her gaze to meet Rafe’s angry expression. He’d returned to the cabin so quietly, she hadn’t even heard the door close.
“I told you not to call him, Allison. If you’re going to work with me, don’t work against me.”
“I had to tell him! What if Di returned to him and all this worry is for nothing? Why didn’t you want me to tell him?”
“Because there’s nothing to tell him yet, except the fact she’s missing. And if she was with Paul, don’t you think she’d have called you by now to let you know she was safe?”
He was right. She sighed.
“Where would Diana go if she didn’t leave the area? Sleep overnight in the forest near here? There’s miles of forest for hiding.”
Allison shook her head. “I can’t see Diana camping in the woods. She fretted every time she broke a nail. My sister’s idea of roughing it is a motel without room service.”
“Then we’ll start at the hotels. Text me her photo.”
After doing so, she mustered her strength. “You mean I’ll start at the hotels searching. Not you.”
“I’ll go with you.” The determination on his face she knew well. This was Rafe with laser-focused attention on catching the bad guys.
“You’re suspended.”
“Tough.” He muttered something in Spanish and then gestured to his bike. “Grab your helmet and get on.”
Allison felt a tug of gratitude mingled with alarm. Rafe still thought Diana was in cahoots with Hernandez and smuggling drugs. If they found her sister, would he call the police and arrest her?
Rafe’s bike was bigger than hers, but he handled the machine with expertise.
The engine rumbled beneath her, the seat vibrating as she wrapped her arms around his lean waist. Her fingers gripped his leather jacket for reassurance more than balance—she trusted him with this at least.
Rafe was a good biker. She turned her head, studying the landscape as they headed into town and the hotels. Allison pulled the helmet’s visor up to study the pedestrians ambling on the sidewalks, browsing the shops, talking and laughing and shopping. No one looked familiar.
Her breath came in short, stabbing pants as anxiety built.
Allison focused on the steady thrum of the motorcycle and moved her hand upward to rest on Rafe’s chest. The rhythmic beat of his heart calmed her.
He was a rock in a turbulent sea, and even though she knew their differences were too vast to overcome, she needed him now.
Wind rushed past her, tugging at the edges of her jacket and swirling around her legs. Cool air caressed her face as she snuggled closer to Rafe. The fresh and clean scent of the open road filled her senses, grounding her in the present.
He pulled into the parking lot of the first hotel Allison knew Diana liked.
After he parked out front, they went into the lobby. Double glass doors with brass knobs gave the hotel an air of elegance, much like the marbled lobby did.
A bored clerk glanced up from a computer screen at the front desk. “We’re full,” he said.
“We’re searching for a young lady,” Allison began.
The clerk rolled his eyes. “Isn’t everyone this week? Go take your funny business elsewhere.”
Rafe approached the clerk. “We’re looking for this woman. Diana Lexington.” He held up his cell phone photo of Diana Allison had texted.
The clerk barely glanced at the photo before shaking his head. “Haven’t seen her.”
“You didn’t even look.” Allison’s temper shot up. “Look again, chump.”
Ignoring her, his attention dropped back to his phone. Sounds of a video game ensued.
Enough of this crap. Allison hoisted herself up and vaulted over the counter.
She grabbed the startled clerk by his starched lapels.
“Listen, you asshole. It’s my sister. She’s missing and I’m losing patience.
Take another look before I break your cell phone in half and maybe your fingers in the process. ”
Squeaking, the clerk looked at the photo she had on her phone.
“N-no. S-sorry. Haven’t seen her. There’s been...a lot of people coming and going! I got on shift a short while ago. I can’t be expected to memorize their faces.”
Allison grabbed the man’s cell phone and tossed it onto the counter. Her fingers wrapped around his. “Look at your register. She’s from Florida. Her name is Diana. Did she check in last night?”
“I can’t do that.”
Allison tightened the pressure on the man’s hand. “Oh?”
He squealed and threw Rafe a helpless glance. “Please, I didn’t do anything. Get her off me.”
Rafe looked amused. “Sorry, buddy. Once she gets started, it’s hard to stop her. I suggest you cooperate.”
With his free left hand, the clerk accessed the computer registry and scrolled through it. “No Dianas here. Most of our guests are men.”
“Ally,” Rafe said softly. “Let him go.”
With some disgust, mainly for herself for losing it, she released his hand and returned his phone. “Here. Sorry.”
The mumbled apology didn’t wipe the scared look off the clerk’s face as they walked out. She gazed up and down the street.
“Di, where are you?”
Rafe looked into her eyes, his resolve unwavering. “We’ll do everything we can to find her, Allison. I promise.”
But hours later, the search proved fruitless.
At the last bar past the edge of town and down a side road, Allison knew Diana wouldn’t have been here.
The Dive Bar was run-down, with a neon sign with the r blinking.
Grime coated the windows. They trudged inside.
Her nose wrinkled at the smell of cigar smoke, beer and something unpleasant.
Rafe slid onto an empty bar stool and beckoned her to join him.
“I’ll be right back,” he murmured and headed to the restrooms.
It was barely past eleven. By the time Rafe emerged from the bathroom, a man with a crew cut and a friendly smile came out of the kitchen and stood behind the bar.
“Can I help you? Lunch isn’t served until twelve thirty, but the beer is always on tap and icy cold.”
Though he appeared relaxed, Allison sensed a different vibe coming off Rafe. She decided to let him do all the talking.
“Two cold beers,” Rafe told him and pointed to a popular domestic brand on tap. “What’s your name, friend?”
“Andy. I own the place. Reason why lunch isn’t served for a while. Most of my staff got trashed last night. I’m the only one who made it to work.”
When the beer was served, Rafe raised his glass. “To your sister and her intended. May they have a happy life together.”
Dutifully she clinked glasses, wondering what the hell he planned.
“A wedding, huh?” The bartender wiped down the counter in front of them with a rag that seemed dirtier than the counter. “So you’re not here for the Teddy Bear Run?”
“It’s serving double duty,” Rafe said. “Though I suspect the bride may be upset at the motorcycle rally getting all the attention. She’s a bit of a drama queen. She got a little drunk last night and didn’t make it home yet. Any chance she was here last night?”
Rafe showed the cell phone photo of Diana. Andy nodded and grinned. “Yeah, she was a little trashed. I offered to let her crash at my place, but I got busy and when I turned around, she was gone.”
Allison’s heart raced. “What else do you remember?”
“I remember her because she was a real looker and she was the only person here driving a car. Everyone else was a biker.”
Allison sat up straight, trying to mask her hopes. “Oh? Did she say anything? She’s my sister. Please. I need to find her.”
The bartender’s grin dropped. “Not much.”
“What did she say?” Rafe asked, setting down his beer.
The bartender averted his gaze. “She said she wished you had let go of her hand that day in the river.”
Allison’s heart raced. Damn it.
Rafe, bless him, didn’t let up. “What else? Where was she headed? And why?”
But the man shook his head. “Sorry, buddy. It was busy.”