“Blair, I can explain.”
“No. I already know what’s going on. This was all orchestrated. I’m not here by mistake. You planned this. You wanted me here for some reason, and you fabricated the whole thing with those guys who tried to kidnap me. It was a fake rescue. And that day I bumped into you and spilled your coffee on you… Was that planned too? It was! Wasn’t it!” She looks panicked, terrified, and confused.
“Blair, it’s not like that. It’s…” I don’t really know what to tell her because some of what she’s said is true. But not all of it. “I have no idea who those men were who tried to take you. I mean. I know who they are, but I don’t have any connections to them.”
“Sure!” she huffs, not believing me.
I take a step toward her, wanting to comfort her as her eyes dart nervously around the room.
“Don’t come near me! I don’t even know who you are!” she shouts, sidestepping and running around me. She bolts out of the office, and I don’t try to stop her. I hear her running down the hallway to her bedroom. The door slams closed, and the sound of the lock engaging makes me wince.
All the progress we’ve made just blew up in my face.
I groan and press my fingers into my temple, massaging away the beginning of a headache that has appeared quite suddenly.
Talking to her now won’t help at all. I’ll give her a little time to cool down, then go see if I can help her understand.
***
It’s almost nine when I finally head up to her room and knock on the door.
“Blair? Can we talk?” I ask gently.
There is no reply.
“We can talk through the door if it makes you more comfortable. I just want a chance to explain myself. I promise you, I never intentionally put you in danger,” I tell her.
Silence rings back at me.
Sighing, I try the door handle, and to my surprise, I find it unlocked.
“Blair,” I say, pushing the door open slowly to try to avoid another incident like we had last time.
One light is on. The soft glow from her bedside light casts warm shadows across the room.
“Blair?”
The bed is made. The room is neat and quiet… and completely empty. She’s not here.
My heart constricts, pulling tight in my chest as panic surges. I bolt toward the bathroom, but she’s not in there either.
“Blair!” I shout, knowing it’s pointless.She’s definitely not here.
I run downstairs, grabbing my car keys as I pass the kitchen. Bursting through the front door, I yell for one of the security guards. He comes jogging over.
“Check the security footage. Blair isn’t in the house. I want to know when she escaped,” I snap, furious at the entire security team but not ready to waste time telling them that.
The guard’s eyes grow wide in surprise. “Yes, sir, right away,” he stammers, backing away from me.
I reckon there is only one place she would go. I just hope I get there before anything bad happens to her.
