Chapter 13
Thirteen
Burke
After dropping Clara off at work, I head to the office. Curt calls on the way there, and I put him on speaker.
“Anything?” I ask, watching the idiots on the road.
Curt clears his throat. “No. I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to add security or something without doing anything that makes her feel like we’re trapping her.”
“What about a tracker? Something small. She’s always carrying her purse.”
There are some clicks on the other end of the line. “She’s not stupid. It’ll be found. However, I can put something on her phone. How often does she lose it?”
I swear at the asshole in front of me who decided today would be a good time not to use a blinker, then cut in front of me and carry on at snail’s pace. Checking the mirrors, I manoeuvre around him before returning to highway speed.
“Sorry, often enough. What about her watch?”
“Is it smart?”
“Smarter than I am.” I laugh and take my exit to the office.
“Womp womp. I’ll do what I can.”
He hangs up and I chuck the burner phone into my briefcase as I reach the parking lot. I have a long day of meetings and can already feel the tension settling in my shoulders.
These pictures have shaken us both, but Clara more so, and I don’t know how to fix it. If the motherfucker wanted to, he would already be at the cops, so he’s playing with us instead. I just cannot figure out who he is.
I wish I were better at emotional things. Wanting to fix everything all the time is not the way to be, and often I fall short at helping.
Putting on my best customer-service face, I walk into the building and head up the elevator to my office. Swallowing the dread that consumes me, I smile at the employees before checking out my calendar for the day and getting everything set up.
Loosening my tie, I exhale a long breath as I head toward the car. I am exhausted and want to pick up Clara and cuddle for as long as she will let me.
Nothing out of the ordinary, but with this extra stress on us, I find myself struggling to focus and wave with a fake grin to everyone.
Turning on the burner phone, I find there are several missed calls from Curt. My personal phone shows even more from Debbie. I call her first, and she picks up on the first ring.
“Burke, I’m sorry.”
“What happened?”
Debbie sniffles and her voice quivers. “Clara and Bailey are missing. I was out to the market, and… I don’t even understand, Burke—you know I’d never leave them in danger…
I came back and they were gone. Their bags are here, and Bailey’s cellphone, but not them.
” Another sob escapes her over the line.
My stomach clenches, my heart racing against my ribcage like a wild animal. I’m already dialing Curt before I’ve hung up on her.
“Alright, Debbie. Lock up and close. Don’t worry about the day. I want you safe until I can get there.”
Ending her call, I throw the phone on the passenger seat. Answering the other, Curt says, “Heard. I’m working on it. I’ve tracked her phone and watch. It’s been discarded and hasn’t moved since. Meet me at the location I’ve texted, and from there we’ll see what we can find out and go to the diner.”
He clicks off before I can say anything, and I follow the directions. Pulling up behind his black sedan, I park and rip off my tie before dipping out of the car.
“Anything?” There’s a pit of doom in my stomach, and as badly as I’d like to let my emotions out, I close them down.
“No. I’ve been through this rest stop twice. I found her phone, but I suspect whoever took them threw it out while driving. I set up the watch this morning. The location ends up here near this forest, but then nothing.”
“Do you think there’s anything on the diner tapes?” I pace through the area. Helplessness isn’t a great feeling, and anger roars over the gut-wrenching pain that claws at my soul.
“Maybe. We can go check it out. I think the watch has to be discarded somewhere in the entrance to the forest, but I can’t fucking find it.”
I run a hand over my goatee. “Let’s hit the diner. It’s almost dark, and we’ll get lost in there. Fuck, I don’t want to leave the area, but if the fucker knows it, and we don’t? Plus, Debbie is losing her mind… What if we do a circle and come back?”
Curt puts away the phone in his pocket and nods. Fear crinkles the lines on his face, and it doesn’t help.
Whoever sent the pictures is connected, and I don’t know what I’m going to do. I should have had security put on her without her permission, but that makes me no better than every other man she’s had in her life.
Once we reach the diner, Debbie paces inside. I knock at the door, and she runs over to let us in. “Burke, I’m so sorry.” She’s frazzled and wrings her hands together.
“It’s not your fault. I’m glad you weren’t put in danger. Where are your cameras?”
She leads us back to the office, and Curt and I view the coverage of the store, but the motherfucker has a dark mask on. Why did I envision an idiot stealing my girl? He was quick to come in through the back and inject both of them with something.
Hauling one out at a time, my gut wrenches in knots, and I push away from the desk.
“The only option is the forest. I don’t want to wait. I’ll tear him limb from limb and chew his fucking heart out.” Holding my anger is heavy. I don’t want to be here, and my skin feels like it’s shrinking.
“You’re not going to listen to reason?” Curt asks, and I raise my eyebrow.
“Let’s go.”
Driving back to the forest, I get out and lock the door to the car. Curt hands me a flashlight, and we’re off on foot. After a couple hours, we seem to meet in the middle.
“Where the fuck does this even go?” I tighten my grip on the light.
Curt rests his hand on my shoulder and grips me. “Let’s go home. I’ll find out the lay of the land and we’ll pick it up tomorrow.”
“Clara is out there somewhere with a fucking deranged man who wants to hurt them. How can you tell me to go home?”
“Because we’re not helping right now, are we? If he wanted them dead, he’d have done it at the back of the diner.”
“She’s been through too fucking much. This is my fault—I should’ve protected her better.” I sink to my knees on the forest floor and bang my fists against the dead leaves.
Curt kneels and grabs my arm. I’m weak for acting like this and know I can do better.
“Tomorrow—fuck, basically a few hours. Go home, shower, change, and wait for me. Pull it together for her now. She’ll need you more than ever.”