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“Jason, the room is empty and both women are missing. They’re searching the hospital now and they have it on lockdown,” Matt’s voice reported.
“Shit,” Andrew said as he ran for the hospital doors. A guard was shaking his head ‘no’ at Andrew through the locked glass doors, but Jason and the others caught up to him and Jason’s credentials got them through the door.
Chapter Forty-Six
Jill kept her head down but listened carefully to thepingof the elevator as it traveled up the floors.
Why isn’t anyone else getting on the elevator? This is crazy.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Theresa move. She was holding something, but Jill couldn't see what it was.
“Time for a little cocktail party for you, Jill. I think this is a sedative. I hope so anyway. Snagged it from one of the nurses. Time to knock your ass out so you can’t cause any trouble while I figure out how to get you on the roof.”
Now or never. Please let this work.
Jill hit the alarm button on the elevator panel and shoved the wheelchair back as hard as she could, using her legs to push off the wall in front of her. It wasn’t a direct hit, but her captor went flying against the elevator wall just the same.
Jill stood and turned, but her legs were weak. She mostly stumbled into the woman, wrapped her arms around her waist and pushed her into the wall again. Jill managed to raise her arm and grab the kidnapper’s hair and slam her head into the elevator wall before Jill fell, her strength depleted.
As Andrew listened to hospital security explain that they were searching the floors of the hospital – all ten floors with a staff of six security officers – he knew they needed a better plan. It would take forever to find Jill and who knew what Theresa might do to her in that time.
He slipped from the room. Screw waiting around like they’d been instructed. Jack and Chad exited the room with him. Jason gave him a look and continued to chat up the head of hospital security, hopefully distracting him long enough for Andrew, Chad, and Jack to find Jill on their own. Kelly and Jennie were waiting out in the hall and approached as soon as the three men left the room.
“All right, Andrew. Your gut has worked for us on this so far. Turn on your Jill homing signal and tell us where to look,” said Chad.
“Sorry, I don’t have shit. I have no idea where to look now.” Andrew had never felt so hopeless as he eyed the clock on the wall wondering how much time Jill had left.
“Let’s think like a crazy chick,” Jennie said. Everyone turned expectantly and her face clouded. “What, me? Why do I have to pretend to have the crazies?” She received pointed looks in answer and waved a hand. “Okay, okay. Good point.”
Jennie shook out her arms and legs as if getting into character and stared at the ceiling. Then at the floor… Then the ceiling… Then the floor.
“Roof or basement. That’s where I’d go. Roof or basement.” Jennie nodded her head at the group.
“Good,” Andrew said. “Chad, take the basement. Jack and I will hit the roof. Jennie and Kelly can you stay here and call us if these guys find anything?” Andrew jerked his head toward the security office.
The three men took off running. Just as they arrived at the bank of elevators, the alarm went off in one of them. All three men shared a silent look that spoke volumes. They homed in on the elevator that was making all the noise and checked the lighted number above it.
“Fourth floor. Jack, call me if it starts moving again,” Andrew said and he and Chad ran for the stairwell. Even in the stairwell, the men could hear the tinny ring of the elevator alarm. When they hit the third floor the alarm stopped.
Andrew’s phone rang seconds later.
“Talk to me, Jack. Which way?” Andrew asked.
“Up,” came Jack’s voice through the phone. “They’re going up.”
Chad and Andrew continued to run the flights.
“Let me know if it stops,” Andrew said into the phone and then pressed his body into high gear. Chad was ahead of him, taking the steps in triple time without breaking a sweat. Andrew’s legs burned, but not as much as the pain in his heart at the thought they might not make it in time.
Up and up and up. Andrew pictured Jill waiting for him. Praying for him to get there. He just hoped she could hang on long enough. Panting, he lifted the phone to his ear and spoke.
“Anything, Jack?”
“No. They’re still going up. They’re on nine now but still going up. Get to the tenth floor.”
The last floor marker they had passed had said eighth floor. They were two behind.
“On tenth, Chad. They’re almost there,” Andrew said, picking up his pace, putting everything he had into it. Chad did the same.
