Snatched (Coronado Series Book 2) (23 page)

“I’m not sure man, she texted me that she didn’t need a ride from the airport. She said she would text me later on and find out about dinner plans. I never heard from her, so I figured she was tired from the traveling. I was in the office this morning for our meeting and she never showed up. I don’t know what hotel she is staying at, so I can’t go check on her. Can you get me some Intel so I can find her?”

“What the fuck, how could this happen? I have been tracking her all over the country and she has been fine and following the itinerary very closely. Give me ten minutes and I will have everything sent to your computer.”

“I will be ready to go as soon as I get it - don’t worry man. Maybe she is just tired and taking a day off. Rorke called me yesterday to let me know that she was at the airport and said she seemed a little tired and never really ate anything. Maybe she caught a bug and is just resting up in the hotel room.”

“Let’s hope so, I can’t let anything happen to her. I’m going to marry her.”

“I got your back - just get me some Intel and I will be out the door in five minutes.”

Max got up from his chair and yelled for Frank and Derick, he slammed into their office and they both looked up. “What the hell happened?”

“Rory is not following her itinerary, and I just got a call from Joel and she is a no show.”

Derick spun around in his chair and started working his key board, “On it - give me a couple of minutes.”

Max pulled his phone out and dialed Rory’s mom. He needed access to their jet so he could get his ass to Florida by tonight.
 

Derick worked his computer, and Frank pulled up the info on the tracking device that she had in her purse and briefcase. “It looks like she is in the Miami area, but the signal is very faint. If there is too much cell activity, it’s going to slow down our ability to pinpoint her location. I knew we should have upgraded to the new software.”

Max got off the phone with Rory’s Mom, “The jet is going to be ready in an hour. I can be in Florida by tonight. I’m going to grab my go bag and supplies and I will have the sat phone, so I expect immediate updates. Let’s treat this as a snatch and grab until we have further information. Send everything to Joel, he’s ready to leave his office as soon as you get him the Intel.”

Frank turned to Derick as he let his computer run down the location on the tracking balls that were tucked away in Rory’s things. “Should we run facial recognition on the security cameras in the airport?”
 

“It’s running right now.... unfortunately it takes a while. I don’t want to hack into the federal database unless we absolutely have to.”

Max walked back into their office as he was tucking a gun into the waistband of his pants, “Keep me updated, I’m on my way to the airport. I will give you my eta once I speak with the pilots.”

When he was airborne, he started receiving updates from Frank and Derick. Apparently she was at the Eden Roc Hotel which was not where her initial reservation was booked. She also used her personal credit card and not the corporate one that she had been using for the last two weeks. Something was up and he was going to fucking figure it out. He had left a message on her cell phone, and of course she hadn’t called him back yet. The advice that Birdie gave him last week was running through his mind as he sat back in his chair. He was going to use it when he saw Rory.

It had taken Derick longer than he would have liked before he could get Rory’s room number. Joel was finally on his way over to check on her. Max didn’t want him going in the room and scaring her to death, so he had him do a quick sneak and peek and confirm she was there.

The good news was that she hadn’t used her credit card at any other locations. She had checked into the hotel and hadn’t left. At least that’s what he was praying for.

His sat phone rang and he quickly answered, “Hey Joel, please give me some good news. I’m about two hours from landing in Miami.”

“I’m not sure what kind of news I have for you.”

“Just spit it out.”

“I know the security guy at the hotel, so I was able to confirm with him that it was Rory who checked in. I checked the security footage when she checked in and it was definitely her. I went up to her room and listened, and all I could hear was moaning. I’m not sure what kind of moaning though. I checked the security cameras in the hallway and it doesn’t look like anyone went into her room. She has the do not disturb block on her phone and hasn’t ordered any room service or anything. My guy says we can’t go into her room unless they are absolutely sure she is in danger.”’

“It’s not what you think.”

“I’m not thinking anything man. Let me know what you want me to do?”
 

“I want you to sit there until I get there, update me with any changes. I will see you in a couple of hours.”

“You got it. See you when I see you.”

Max sat in his seat and was very still. He analyzed all of the information he had and knew in his heart that Rory was not with another man. She was probably sick and needed him to be with her. He didn’t care what she said before she left, they were going to be together and that was that. He took a deep breath and went into combat mode; quiet breathing, clear thought and swift action.

***

Max stood in front of his friend in the hallway, “Anything new?”
 

“No, a little bit of moaning and maybe crying. It’s been quiet for a while.”
 

“Thanks man, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this.”

“It was nothing. Hell, you saved my life when we were on that op in Somalia. You want me to hang out for back up?”

“No thanks, I will call you tomorrow. You can tell the team that we are clear, and I’ll call them later to thank them.” They shook hands, he turned towards the door and let out a big breath. He needed to mentally prepare himself for whatever he was going to see.

He knocked lightly on the door before he slipped his key card in the door. He slowly walked in and called out her name so she wouldn’t be scared when she saw him in the room. The sliding doors were open and he could smell the ocean and something else. He looked at the bed and saw the woman of his dreams asleep. He looked around and saw her clothes were on the bathroom floor. He noticed the smell again and realized that Rory had been throwing up. He went back to the bed and looked at her and realized how pale she looked. He decided not to wake her up. He went back to the bathroom and gathered her clothes and put them in a plastic bag and rinsed out the sink. He quietly slipped out of the room and called for a dry cleaning pickup and went down to the vending machines, and got a bucket of ice and some ginger ale from the machine. He walked back into the room and noticed Rory was still asleep.
 

He set the ice out and had the drink ready for when she woke up. He looked in her purse and noticed that her phone was dead and so was her Ipad. She also had a box of saltine crackers in her bag and sour gummy worms. That was strange - he had never seen her eat candy. Her suitcase was on the rack and she hadn’t unpacked anything. He texted everyone a sit rep so they wouldn’t worry and decided to lay down next to her. He was damn glad he flew across the country and was here now to take care of her.

He got out of his clothes and called her name as he laid down next to her. As his body hit the mattress she rolled into him and mumbled something. He wrapped her up in his arms and breathed her in and felt like his heart had finally taken a normal beat for the first time in two weeks. “It’s ok sweetheart, I got you. You’re ok.”

“Max, too early…. not time to wake up.”

He kissed her head, “Sleep baby.” She slept against him with her head on his chest and her hand around his waist and he felt his world click right back into place. He hadn’t slept much since she left and he found that he was exhausted. Having her wrapped up in his arms allowed him to finally fall asleep.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Rory woke up against a hard hairy surface and didn’t know where she was for a moment. They were not at home and she was sleeping in a robe. She tried to lift herself up, but Max had his arm securely around her anchoring her against him. She smelled the ocean but knew they were not at his condo. She pushed him, “Max wake up, I’m disoriented.”

His eyes flew open and he looked at her and smiled, “Good morning sweetheart.”
 

She sat up and looked around and then flew off the bed towards the bathroom.
Was it something he said?
He heard her throwing up and immediately got up and went into the bathroom. She was leaning against the toilet and throwing up viscously. He went over and held her hair up and rubbed her back. He sat down behind her and supported her weight. “I’m here baby, I got you.”

She waved at him in between bouts, “I don’t want you to see me this way.”

“Too late baby. I’m here and I’m not leaving.” Before she could say anything else she started throwing up again. He was starting to get worried, because he knew that she had not eaten anything in two days. She finally had nothing left and all that was left was dry heaves. He managed to get up and get a wash cloth wet to wipe her face and neck. He handed her a bottle of water and she managed to take a sip and spit it out. “Max please, I don’t want you to see me like this.”

“I’m not leaving you, so just lean back and rest. I’m going to call a doctor. How long have you been throwing up?”

“I don’t know…. maybe two weeks. It’s my new morning routine, and I’m not really enjoying it. I think I caught a bug or something. It hit me really hard when I got off the plane in Miami. The smell of jet fuel had me losing my crackers in the bathroom at the airport. I barely made it to the hotel before I became sick again.”

“Do you want some ginger ale or seven up?”

“I don’t know if I can keep it down, but maybe I should try. What day is it?”

“It’s Friday.”

“What day did I get here?”

“You got here Wednesday evening.”

“Wow, I must have really been sick. I remember throwing up and then sleeping. I have been really tired.”

“Are you okay to stand up? Let me help you to the bed.”

“I want to wash my face first and brush my teeth - I will be out in a couple of minutes.”
 

He left her alone in the bathroom and went to get his phone, he texted Joel and asked him for a recommendation for a good doctor.”

He heard the shower go on, he went back into the bathroom and, watched as Rory stepped into the shower. He quickly got rid of his boxers and stepped in right behind her. He was glad he did, because she started to weave a little. He quickly grabbed her and brought her flush against his body. “Max, I don’t feel so good. I feel a little dizzy.”

“Let me help you baby, sit her and let me wash your hair.”

“I’m ok to stand just let me lean against you.” He held onto her as he let the water fall against her hair. He pulled her back up and she leaned her head against his chest as he washed her hair. “Thank you for taking care of me. I love you.”

He stilled as he heard her words, he wasn’t sure if he heard her correctly. He didn’t want to breathe in case she changed her mind. “I’m happy to take care of you, that’s all I want to do. I love you Rory, and I’m sorry I went so crazy before you left.”

He looked down because she was so quiet and he realized that she was almost asleep. She wasn’t kidding when she said she was tired. He finished her hair and washed her body as she tried to stay awake. He missed being this intimate with her - he missed all of her actually.

He got them out of the shower and dried her off and, then wrapped her in the hotel robe and put her back in bed. “I’ll just take a short nap.”

He kissed her head and thanked God he was here to take care of her. He went in the bathroom and got cleaned up and checked his phone. Joel had given him the name of a doctor and he called to see if he could get an appointment for the afternoon. He also called room service and gave them an order to be delivered in an hour. He knew he needed to get some food in her and probably a lot of liquids too. She might be dehydrated at this point. He went back into the room and found the coffee maker, he brought it into the bathroom and made coffee. He didn’t want her to think he forgot that it was his job.

He got the coffee made and got dressed and went out to the patio and looked at the view. He had not been in Florida in over a year and had never spent any real time in Miami Beach. He sat down with his phone and iPad and started researching stomach flues.
 

About a half an hour later, he heard Rory start to move around, and he watched her stretch out on the bed. She laid there very quietly and didn’t move, he got up and walked in, “How are you do baby?”

“I’m waiting to see if I feel like throwing up again. I’m not going to move until I can decide.”
 

“Here, let me give you some water and let’s see if you can keep it down.” He gently lifted her up with her back against his chest and gave her the glass of water. She took small sips and waited to see if it was going to stay down. She was able to drink half the glass and it didn’t seem like it was going to come back up.
 

“I think it’s going to stay down, so let’s go sit on the patio.”

He pulled her up and wrapped his arm around her and guided her out, “I’m not an invalid. I can walk on my own.”