AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Audrey’s hand flew to her face and she gasped out loud as Foster’s face turned a strange shade of pale while his cheeks remained red with anger.
‘You don’t know? Has she had enough of you and just taken off? Or…’
‘She has been kidnapped,’ I said, trying to keep my voice calm and steady while my heart hammered so hard against my ribcage I wondered how everyone in the room couldn’t hear it.
Audrey slumped against her chair, while Foster jumped up out of his. ‘What? How do I not know about this? When? Who?’ he stammered as he started to pace up and down the room.
‘Just over a day ago.’
‘A day!’ he raged at me. ‘Over a whole day and you’re only just telling me. Why isn’t it all over the news? Why isn’t my daughter’s face all over the television?’
‘Because, in my experience, it is much better to handle these things quietly and discreetly,’ I hissed. ‘And not turn them into a media circus or an opportunity to draw attention to ourselves.’
‘You think I want to use her disappearance to help my career?’ he snapped.
‘Well, it wouldn’t be the worst thing you’ve ever done, would it, Carmichael?’ I reminded him.
He lunged for me, but I was quicker than he was and was off my feet before he could reach me. I grabbed him by the throat, pushing him back into his chair. ‘This isn’t helping anyone. So, sit down, and think long and hard about anyone you may have upset enough that they would take your daughter.’
‘You think it was something to do with Foster?’ a small voice from beside me piped up and I realized that Alana’s mother was still in the room.
I turned to her. She was impossibly thin. She looked frail and half vacant. It made me wonder who Alana got her fire and her assertiveness from. ‘It’s a possibility. And I need to explore every avenue we have.’
‘I trusted you to look after her,’ Foster sniped. ‘I can’t believe you let her slip away from under your nose.’
‘Listen to me, you selfish son of a bitch!’ I hissed as I pressed my face close to his. ‘I did not let her slip away. She was taken from me! And I will kill every single person who has ever even looked at her if I have to, but I need her back with me. And so I need you to fucking think!’ I heard my voice crack and it was only then that Carmichael stopped glaring at me.
‘I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head. No-one who would do that. But I will give you a list of the people I may have… upset… in recent years,’ he agreed. ‘And you have all of my resources at your disposal.’
‘I have resources,’ I snapped. ‘Send the list to me as soon as you have it. And let me know if you think of anything helpful. Do not go to the press with this, Carmichael. I am warning you.’
‘I’ll give you another forty-eight hours, Montoya. But after that, I am contacting the FBI.’
I glared at him.
‘She is my daughter!’
‘She was. Until you fucking sold her to me, you narcissistic prick!’ I spat. ‘Get me the names.’
He sat back in his chair again, but I had no doubt he would go to the Feds if I didn’t find Alana soon. If I didn’t find her soon, I doubted I would find her alive. My legs almost buckled beneath me at the thought of never seeing her again. Of never telling her how much I loved her.
I pushed the thoughts out of my head. They served me no purpose right now. ‘Come on. We’ve got a plane to catch,’ I said to Jax.
A few moments later, the two of us were in our car being driven to the airport.
‘Do you think he will come up with anything useful?’ Jax asked.
‘No,’ I shook my head. ‘I don’t think it has anything to do with him. But I had to be sure. Had to look that fucker in the eye myself and make sure this was nothing to do with him.’
‘I understand, amigo,’ he replied.
‘Did you believe him, too?’
‘Yup,’ Jax nodded. ‘I don’t think he has a clue where Alana and Lucia are either.’
CHAPTER 43
ALANA
