here she was, basically at his mercy. Where did she even start?
She held her hands in the air to show her confusion. The action also showed her surrender. She’d basically raised her white flag when she arrived here, an unspoken agreement to put the past behind them. But could she really do that? She let out her breath slowly. “I don’t know where else to go. I can’t go to the police. I think these men would kill Josh and David if I did.” She glanced at her hands, now in her lap. “I thought maybe you could help.”
Christopher leaned forward. He’d aged since Ashley had last seen him. He used to have the boy-next-door look about him. He’d been all-American with his tousled blond hair, easy smile and friendly green eyes. What had changed besides the fact that he was beefier now, more man and less boy? He was still chiseled and defined. He carried himself with his head raised high and his eyes wide and alert. He was confident, capable and tough.
But right now, whenever he looked at her, a strange emotion loomed in the depths of his eyes. Weariness? Hardness? Apathy? She didn’t know.
“Why would someone abduct your brother and his little boy, Ashley? That’s what doesn’t make any sense to me.”
She shook her head, grief clutching her heart again as their parting images filled her mind. “I don’t know. Josh had been working on some big projects for his company. He never told me any details, though, as to what exactly he was doing.”
He shifted but kept his gaze on her. “He’s some kind of computer genius, right?”
She nodded. “He’s absolutely brilliant when it comes to anything to do with technology. There’s nothing he can’t do.”
He rubbed his hands on his jeans and shook his head. “How about his wife? Have you talked to her? Does she know about any of this?”
“She died three years ago. Cancer.” Her heart panged as she said the words aloud.
“I’m sorry, Ashley. You said they had a son? I knew they’d been trying.”
Ashley’s throat burned as she nodded. She remembered all of the Sunday brunches Christopher had shared with her family. He’d seemed to fit right in. That part of her life seemed so long ago. So much had changed since then. “David. He’s eight, and he’s a wonderful little boy.” Her voice caught. “I’m so worried about him, Christopher.”
Christopher stood and ran a hand over his face. “I’m not an expert at tracking down missing persons, Ashley. Terrorists, maybe. But this...I want to help. I really do. I just...”
“Please, Christopher. I don’t know where else to go.” She looked up at him, hoping her eyes conveyed her desperation. She would have never come to him unless she was desperate. He had to know that.
He was silent a moment before nodding. “Let me call some of my friends at Eyes. Maybe they can—”
“Eyes?”
He nodded. “They’re a private security contracting firm.”
“I’ve heard murmurs about them in the area. I didn’t realize you worked for them now. Karina just said that you were a contractor for the Department of Defense.”
“That’s right. I’m a training specialist. It’s a nice change from what I was doing. I’m sure someone there can help us. The men who run the operation have connections...well, everywhere. Local law enforcement, FBI, CIA, you name it.”
“That sounds perfect. Thank you.” A touch of hope filled her for the first time since all of this had happened.
He pointed outside. “In the meantime, the apartment over the garage isn’t much, but you can stay there tonight, if you want.”
She shook her head harder than intended and started to rise. “I can’t even think about sleeping. I need to go find them, Christopher. Now. Don’t you understand?”
His hand covered her arm, and he pulled her back down onto the sofa. “Ashley, I know you want to go out there and search, but we have no idea where to even look. We need a plan. We at least need a clue. If we go out there right now, all we’ll be doing is driving around in circles. It’s best if we get a good night’s rest and start fresh tomorrow morning.”
The truth of his words washed over her. It wasn’t what she wanted to hear, but he did make sense. If they left tonight, where would they go? What exactly would they do? She had no idea.
Finally, she nodded. “You’re right. I can call a taxi, though. Go to a hotel for the night.”
“Don’t be silly. You should stay close, just in case.”
Just in case what? Her throat burned, but the question wouldn’t leave her lips. Instead, she said, “Okay. I hate to impose, but I don’t have a lot of choices right now.”
Her cell phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw that she had a text message.
Tell anyone and the boy dies
She gasped and dropped the phone. They wouldn’t really hurt little David, would they? She squeezed the skin between her eyes and began praying.
* * *
“What is it?” Christopher leaned down and picked up the phone. The words he read there made his blood go cold. He glanced up at Ashley and saw that her face was deathly pale. The woman looked as if she were on the brink of a breakdown. Who wouldn’t be, in her shoes? Two of the people she loved most in the world had been snatched right in front of her, and she was sure to feel helpless about what to do.
A tear trickled down her face. She looked so alone with her arms pulled across her chest. Christopher put her phone on the table and impulsively pulled her into his arms in a feeble attempt to offer comfort.
She stiffened in his embrace. Bad idea, he realized. Really bad idea.
He released her, his throat tight with emotion. “I’m sorry, Ashley.”
She sighed. “I am, too.”
The way she said the words made him wonder about their meaning. What was she sorry about? That he was the only one who could help her?
Her eyes met his, and he could see the emotions pulling at her.
“I didn’t come back to rekindle a romance, Christopher,” she whispered. “You know that. Right?”
He nodded, picking up on the compassion and sensitivity in her words. “Of course.”
Part of him had never forgotten about Ashley, but he knew she wouldn’t forgive him for calling off their engagement. It was just as well that way. At least their rift would help them both keep their distance.
He pointed toward the back door, ready to end this conversation. “How about if I show you upstairs?”
Maybe some time away from each other would be just what they both needed. Put them in the same room for ten minutes and fireworks had begun exploding—and not the good kind of fireworks, either.
He grabbed some sheets and blankets before they stepped out the back
