Chapter 35
35
VIOLET
I haven’t been able to get a hold of Lincoln all night or this morning.
I’m on the verge of calling the hospitals.
“Good morning.” I tap my fingers nervously against the hotel reception desk and force a smile at the receptionist.
I slide the key card for Lincoln’s private hotel room across the black wooden desk.
“You kindly gave me a spare key for room 358 a couple of weeks ago. My boyfriend’s father and his family are staying in the presidential suite here, but my key my boyfriend’s room doesn’t appear to be working this morning.”
“Let me just check that for you.” The cheerful gentleman picks up my card.
After a few moments, he says, “Ah, yes, Mr. Black checked out in the wee hours of this morning.”
Panic climbs my throat and it feels like the devil’s claws are scraping along the bottom of my gut.
“I’m sorry, say that again?” I blink a few times. He’s got that wrong, surely. His flight doesn’t leave until tonight .
“It says here he checked out at three this morning as his flight plans had changed.” The receptionist lifts his head and when he sees my face, his smile disappears.
He knows I didn’t know he’d left.
I try to remain calm. “Is his family still here?”
“Violet.” Someone calls my name from behind me. “He’s gone.”
I slowly turn around to face the voice I know so well now—the voice that just confirmed my worst fear.
Knox.
He looks tired.
“I couldn’t talk him into staying. He made up his mind. I’m so sorry, Violet.” Knox holds out his hand for me to take. “Please come with me. We need to talk.”