Kidnapped (15 page)

“Better believe it.” Mark looked toward Caroline. “Take care of her too.”

Luke smiled. “I will.”

* * *

Sharon found the TV worked, but they were blocking any channels that might give her news, might give her a clue of what was happening—it was infuriating to have old movie channels and reruns but no news. She finally settled on the channel showing upcoming programs; at least it gave her the time. Four p.m., and from the show listing, it was still Saturday afternoon. The headache had eased to the point she could turn her head without nausea. She found a coloring book and a blue crayon and used the inside cover as a notepad, trying to think.

• Who grabbed me?

• Is Benjamin safe?

• Where am I?

• Am I really going to be left here alone, or are the men coming back? I need a weapon if they return.

• Can I get out of here? There has to be a door to this room.

• What is in this room I can work with?

• If it is a kidnapping, how does Mark get money on a holiday weekend?

She eased herself from the narrow short bed, knowing a weapon was her first order of business. She had to be ready to stop them.

A weapon, but also an impenetrable defense. I've got the bathroom I can hide in. If I can block the door and their ability to get to me . . . they can't shoot me if they can't see me.

Sharon started in the corner of the room. Food, books, movies, supplies—she ignored those, looking instead at how the shelves had been built. One of those two-by-fours would make a great bat. She'd love to give one of those guys the headache she had.

She pounded on the walls, but the dull thuds told her the soundproofing around this room was thick. She was stuck inside a framed-in box. Since she had power and TV, there might be a way to get access to the wires into the wall, maybe even tug in the two wires of a phone. She didn't know if she was in a basement or an attic. Sharon systematically began taking apart the room.

Chapter Sixteen

C
aroline was sound asleep in the front seat of the car, Benjamin asleep in the back. Luke shut off the vehicle and rested his head back against the headrest, more than ready to join them. “Caroline, we're at the condominium.” She stirred.

Luke walked around the car and opened the back door. He didn't try to wake Benjamin, just picked the boy up. He walked with Caroline over to the elevator.

The officer monitoring the phones met them at the condominium door, and Luke nodded his thanks.

“Where's Benjamin's room?” Luke asked Caroline.

“Back this way,” Caroline said, and showed him. Luke laid Benjamin down and she moved to take off his shoes and get the boy settled.

“Go on to bed, Caroline. I'll wake you if there is any news. Jackie will be here, or one of the officers, to listen for the phones.”

“You'll get some sleep too?”

“As soon as I check in with Jackie.”

He waited until she closed the bedroom door before he dialed his partner. “We're in Atlanta and settled. Where are we at, Jackie?”

“Not much new to report. No leads on the van, and we're still working on tracing the phone call to Mark's car. Get some sleep, Luke, while you can. We're going to get a call from whoever is holding Sharon.”

“I just hope it's soon.” Luke looked at his watch. “I'll call in four hours.”

Luke hung up the phone and went to find somewhere to collapse.

* * *

Caroline stirred, awaking suddenly with the awareness something was wrong. The light from the window reflected city lights; it had to be the middle of the night. The shadows slid off a quiet still figure beside her bed. “Hey, Benjamin.” She reached out and took his arm as she pushed herself up on one elbow.

“I miss Mom.”

She shoved pillows behind her and helped him climb up on the bed beside her. “I do too. Where's Luke?”

“Asleep on the couch. He snores.”

“I imagine I do a bit too.” She hugged him and looked over his shoulder at the clock. “Getting hungry? We can go raid the kitchen, maybe call the hospital and ask Trish how your dad is doing.”

“Can we fix a pizza? I don't remember dinner.”

“Tonight, I think we can do whatever sounds good. See if you can find me my fuzzy slippers to go with these sweats.”

Benjamin slid off the bed and opened the closet doors. He brought back her slippers. Caroline tugged on a sweatshirt over her T-shirt. “Lead the way.”

Caroline followed Benjamin to the kitchen. She opened the deep freezer. There were several pizza options. “Hamburger? Pepperoni? Or something that looks like your mom's idea of Canadian bacon and pineapple.”

“Is there just a cheese one?”

“Somewhere in here.” She dug one out. “Set the oven to 400.”

She got out the milk and chocolate syrup while Benjamin got plates and glasses for them. She was liberal with the chocolate syrup and then slid the tall glass over to him.

“Thanks.” He found a straw and settled on the chair to drink the chocolate milk. “How long before they find Mom?”

“It may be a few days.”

“They want Dad to pay money?”

“We don't know yet. But I expect that is what they'll ask for. Your dad was talking with Luke about that earlier at the hospital.”

“Dad can have what's in my saving's passbook.”

She reached over and ruffled his hair. “I know he'll appreciate that offer. Your dad will be able to put together whatever is needed. Did you set the timer?”

“Twelve minutes.”

“Why don't you get out a tray and extra plate so you can take the officer covering the phones a late-night snack.”

“Good idea.” Benjamin slid from the chair to find a tray.

Caroline got up. It was clear Benjamin would be wide-awake for a while. She opened the side cupboard and got out the checkerboard.

“I thought I smelled something really great.”

She turned and saw Luke leaning against the kitchen doorpost.

“Pizza,” Benjamin told him.

“A man after my own heart.” Luke pulled out a chair beside the boy. “Got some more of that chocolate milk?”

“We do,” Caroline said, smiling. She got down a glass for him. Luke had slept in his clothes and looked rumpled and tired. He'd slept, but not enough to look rested. They needed a few hours of calm to settle the enormous stress of the last thirty hours.

When the pizza was done, Luke helped Benjamin cut it. The boy took a tray to the officer monitoring the phones. Benjamin came back and tugged his chair up to the table. He blew on his piece of pizza to cool it. “I hope Mom isn't hungry.”

Luke reached over and rubbed his back. “You can fix her pizza when she comes home. She'll like it just like we do.”

“She'll want the one with pineapple on it.”

Luke laughed, the sound a bit rusty. “We'll save it for her then.”

* * *

Mark fought the tug of the drugs. Someone had done this. Someone had wanted to take Sharon from him and had done it for money.

Sharon had to be okay. He wouldn't be able to look at Benjamin if something happened to his mom because she'd married him. Sharon was out there somewhere. Who wanted money that badly? Who wouldn't care who they hurt?

He worked for many who thought money and profit were everything, that the size of the home they built determined their worth, that the size of the company they ran determined their place in society. Was it someone he knew?

He started to think of names. None seemed likely, but at least they were names. He pushed the button beside his hand and held it down until Trish came hurrying in. “Paper. And a pen. Write down the names I tell you.”

She was ready to protest but he looked at her, his hand gripping hers, and she nodded. She tugged over a chair. “Go ahead, Mark.”

* * *

Luke shared a look with Caroline over Benjamin's head, and she pushed back her chair and reached across the boy to pick up the last piece of pizza crust. “Come on, buddy. It's bedtime again if you can roll that way. You ate like five pieces.”

Benjamin pushed back his chair and patted his tummy. “I'm really full. Can we have pancakes for breakfast?”

“To bed, you bottomless pit,” Luke replied, laughing as he lifted Benjamin to his feet. “Only good dreams allowed for the rest of the night.”

Caroline went with Benjamin to tuck him in with a story.

Luke picked up plates and cleared the table. He bet the boy would fall asleep before Caroline finished a few pages of the book. Mark was blessed to have such a good kid as a son.

Jesus, why haven't we received a ransom request?

Twenty-four hours was a bad sign; by tomorrow there would be real doubt Sharon would be found alive. How was he supposed to carry his family if it came down to telling them that kind of news? Caroline would make it as easy on him as she could, and Mark would take it because he had to, but Benjamin—he'd lost a father to a tragedy and found the ability to open his heart to a second dad and love Mark. But if Benjamin lost his mom . . .

Luke washed out the rag and laid it across the sink. Even if Caroline did everything she could to fill the void, she would still only be the aunt Benjamin loved.

Lord, in twenty-four to forty-eight hours optimistic people will instinctively know it's been too long. The optimism will fade and people will start to grieve. I have to do something to move things along before then. I need some hope; I need the phone to ring. And I'm helpless to make that happen. I need a miracle.

Tomorrow was Sunday: more searching, more waiting, more struggling to keep hope. It would be a rough Sunday.

Caroline came back to the kitchen. Luke turned. He wasn't surprised to see the smile she had kept in place for Benjamin fade. She looked so burned-out. “Sit for a while.”

She pulled out a chair. “He'll be asleep anytime.”

“That's good.” Luke poured her a glass of orange juice and set it on the table. “You're coping quite well considering.”

She gave him a tired smile as she rested her head in her hands. She hadn't brushed her hair since going to bed earlier, and it tangled around her shoulders. The sweatshirt must be borrowed from Sharon, for the sleeves had to be pushed back lest they slide past her fingers.

“Can we talk?”

He pulled out a chair across from her. “Sure.”

“I need some answers.”

“I don't know that I have them.”

“How are you coping?”

He blinked. “I'm okay, Caroline.”

“Mark is hurt. That can't be easy to deal with.”

He pushed his hand through his hair. Tonight she wanted candor and emotions from him, and it was the last thing he had to give. Luke picked up his drink. “I feel guilty I got Mark back before your sister.”

“Luke, it's okay to be relieved.”

“I about lost him once before to a fall at a building site. His life is proving more risky than mine. About the only thing I've done is get shot in the foot.”

“Jackie will never be able to apologize her way out of that, will she?”

He smiled. “It's nice to have something to rib her about. And we at least caught the guy we were chasing that night.”

She spun the ice around in her glass. “Benjamin came home with only bug bites.”

Luke held her gaze, then leaned over and gently squeezed her shoulder. “He was really glad you were there.”

She leaned her cheek against his hand for a moment, then sighed. “Sharon isn't going to be so lucky, is she?”

“I don't know, Caroline.”

“Thirty hours ago we didn't know what had happened; now we do. That's progress.”

“And we'll work every lead we have and find ways to generate more.” Luke got up, needing to pace. “They will be in touch, Caroline. They wanted money. No matter what has gone wrong with their plans, none of it changes the fact they still want money.”

“You're going to get her back alive, too.”

“I'm going to try.”

“I hate this tightrope of waiting, with emotions that bounce from despair to hope one minute then back again.”

“I know. It's going to get even harder tomorrow.” He sighed. “One word of advice? Don't fight the emotions. Work through what you'll do if the worst comes to pass, then let yourself feel hope and work through the steps you'll take if she is found alive. You need this time to prepare for both. Because when we get a break in this case, things will likely move very fast. You won't have much time to adjust.”

“How long before we know one way or another?”

He didn't want to answer that but she deserved the truth. “If there's going to be a ransom demand, it will come in the next forty-eight hours. After that—this is just a search.”

She blinked, took a deep breath, and nodded. “Thanks for being honest.”

“I wish it were a better answer.”

She offered a slight smile. “Hope or despair. For this moment, I'll think positively. We'll get a call. We'll get her back alive. And if we get a miracle, she won't be hurt any more than Benjamin is.”

She pushed back her chair and pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket. “I am glad you're here walking through this with me.” She slid the piece of paper toward him. “For you. I like lists. We'll be starting tomorrow at the FBI office here in Atlanta?”

“Yes.”

“I'll see you in the morning.”

“Good night, Caroline.”

He watched her leave before he leaned over and picked up the paper. He opened it.

TEN REASONS I'M GLAD LUKE FALCON IS HERE

1. His voice is calm even when he has bad news to tell me.

2. He keeps going and going even when he's exhausted.

3. He knows how to find me candy bars.

4. He loves Benjamin.

5. Benjamin loves him.

6. He doesn't promise more than he can do.