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“I’m not nervous,” Snow said. “At least, not about the show.” She was ready to move forward with things, to be done with this threatener and have her life back. She was ready to date who she chose—not who had been chosen for her.
She was more worried about Hunter and Kassie than anything else. Again, she wished she could have gone with him. Maybe she should have. She was contracted to see this through—what would the producers do if she disappeared?
“Humor me,” Eloise said. “See that mirror? When I’m feeling worried, I find it helpful to look at myself. To reassure myself all will be well. I’m a big fan of positive affirmations. And when I’m feeling presentable, it’s like I can handle things better.”
“So, you want me to be with you while you look in the mirror?” That sounded a bit too vain for Snow’s taste. She was all for positive affirmations, though. Repeating constructive, uplifting mantras had helped her a time or two, especially before a performance. Perhaps this was what was making Eloise so nervous, too. Though really, what did she have to be anxious about?
“Plus, you really want to make sure you look your best before you go on.”
“Oh—May just did a makeup check. I trust her.”
Eloise stepped forward and put an arm around Snow’s shoulders, guiding her until the two women faced the mirror together. “It’s okay. Just take a few minutes. Tell your troubles to the mirror. It’s great at keeping secrets,” she added with a laugh. “I’ll give you some time.”
This was getting weirder and weirder by the minute. “I don’t need to talk to your mirror, Eloise,” Snow said.
Eloise was already at the door. “I’ll be right out here.”
Snow felt beyond weird, but she lingered as Eloise left her alone in her office. She peered at the mirror only for moments before a noise sounded behind her.
“Eloise?” Snow turned, ready to leave as well, but someone approached her from behind. A strong arm trapped her across the torso. Snow’s instincts kicked into gear. She wormed against her captor, attempting to free herself. Just as she opened her mouth to release a cry, a cloth covered her nose and mouth.
* * *
Hunter sentKassie at least twenty texts during his mad dash from the studio to the Elir across the street, but she didn’t respond. He called her over and over in between and was tempted to take the stairs all the way up to their suite except it wouldn’t be any faster than the agonizing wait for the elevator to descend to the lobby, and he would be far too winded by the time he actually got there.
He fumbled for his keycard and then practically slammed it against the reader, having to redo it a second time because the strip didn’t read. He wedged the door open and burst into the suite.
“Kassie,” he called, barging toward the seating area. “Kass, where are you?” He thought maybe she’d decided to come home to him and hadn’t told anyone. She’d mentioned how much she missed him the last time they’d spoken the night before. He missed her too. He’d promised they’d be together soon.
Any minute, she’d pop out of the room he slept in, youthful face smiling. She’d give him a hard time for the number of texts he’d sent. She’d tease him or sing something silly. But she made no appearance. He checked behind the couch, around the kitchen area, bulldozed through the bedroom, and overturned blankets to assure himself she wasn’t sleeping.
His fear increased with every step. This was every parent’s worst nightmare. Desperation crept up his throat. Kassie. Where would she have gone? What had happened? What could he do to find her? His hands trembling, he sank onto the edge of the bed and yanked his phone free from its pocket before dialing 911.
To make matters worse, the moment he ended the call with the police, another message came from Hector in the studio.
Come quickly. Snow is gone.
The phone slipped from his hand. The strength left his knees, but he managed to remain upright. “No,” he said, backing himself against the wall for additional support. He glanced around the empty space once more as his breath caught in his chest. How could this be happening? Snow couldn’t be gone too.
Though it felt as though his heart was going to explode through his chest, he steadied himself. Freaking out now would do no good. They needed to get to the bottom of this.
Still, dizziness swept over him, making his limbs shake and blanking out his mind. Hunter sank to the floor, lowering his head between his knees. Kassie missing first. The woman he was falling for next. What were the chances they’d both go missing on the same day?
A prickling suspicion came over him. It was no coincidence that Kassie was declared missing just before Snow did.
“They took her to get me out of the way,” he said. Blood coursed through him with renewed energy, and he pushed himself to his feet. “My Kassie girl. They took her because they knew it was the only way I’d leave Snow’s side.”
He checked for the key before closing the door to his suite and made for the stairs. A new purpose fueled him. He had to get back to the station, to speak with the police there. Because he was sure that the search for his daughter would also lead them to Snow.
23
Snow’s shoulders ached. Her head was foggy, and she blinked a few times, working to clear out the cobwebs and orient herself. Dim lighting filtered in through a small square window located too close to the ceiling. Cinderblock walls surrounded her, and on the opposite wall was what looked like one of those fold-down beds.
She stretched her back, but the restraints around her wrists rubbed against her already chafing skin, and she released a wince. Where was she? And who had bound her up like this? From the look of things, she was still wearing the little black dress May had provided for her for the show’s last episode.
“Hello?” she called, fear seizing her heart. She pushed aside the memories of the last time she’d been conscious. Standing in Eloise’s office, waiting to look in the mirror. “Hello? Is anyone here?”
“I’m here.”
