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Panic filled him and his heart raced. “Where is she? What did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything. She was ruining our fun.” Claire put her hand on his chest. “We don’t need her around.”
“Claire,” he said, his mind reeling. “Let’s go find Dani. Then I’ll go out with you. Okay?” He hooked his arm around her and began leading her to the door.
She stopped and stamped a foot like a child. “No. I don’t want to find Dani. She’s no fun.”
“Please? For me?” He gave her what he hoped was an encouraging smile. “Then we can go out. Just the two of us.”
Claire shook her head. “I don’t want to.”
He cupped her face with both his hands and looked into her eyes. They were vacant. She wasn’t really in there. But he had to do anything he could to find Dani. “I want to spend time with you.”
“You do?” She blinked.
“Yes. I really do. I just can’t go out with you unless I know where Dani is. Come on. Will you show me where she is?” He spoke softly, gently coaxing her to the door.
“All right. But then we can go out?”
“Yes. Then I’ll take you out.”
He took Claire outside, motioning to the guard as he passed. The man understood his non-verbal communication and followed them. Claire walked down the sidewalk and past the hot tub area. She continued past the garden to the far end of the resort. “Are you sure she’s this way?” he asked.
Claire nodded. “She’s fine, you know. She’s just sleeping.”
Her words sent a chill through him. She’d better be fine. He didn’t know what he would do if she wasn’t.
They rounded a corner and Austin saw Dani’s shoes peeking out from behind the resort wall. He ran to her and found Dani passed out on the ground. He put his fingers on her neck to find her pulse. Relief flooded through him when he felt the heartbeat. “Call 9-1-1,” he said to the guard.
Claire tugged on his arm. “She’s fine. Let’s go now.”
“Just a minute.” He scooped Dani up into his arms. “I need to get her to the hospital.”
“No,” Claire wailed. “You promised!” Claire grabbed him, but the guard rushed to her and managed to get her off Austin.
“Ma’am, come with me.”
Austin didn’t wait to see what happened with Claire. He rushed to the resort lobby, Dani in his arms. She was breathing, but he had no idea what Claire had done to her. She needed medical attention, and fast.
* * *
Dani becameaware of bright lights shining on her, and a throbbing headache, before she realized she was not at home. She wasn’t in her room at the resort either. Her eyes flew open. She was in a hospital bed. What had happened?
Her memories flooded back to her. Claire! She’d been with the insane woman. She’d been drugged.
She sat up, and Austin rushed to her side. “Dani? Are you okay?”
She moaned and put a hand to her head. “Yeah. I think so.”
“Are you hurt?”
Austin’s worried gaze sent a wave of compassion through her. He really did care. “I just have a headache. That’s all.”
“I’m so sorry I didn’t take the notes seriously. This is all my fault.” Austin scrubbed a hand down his face, his skin pale.
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. Claire was off her rocker. She did this to you. I don’t know what I would have done if…” He let his voice trail off.
