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“Okay.” Luke nodded. “Caden and I can start talking to the patrons inside, especially the ones sitting at the tables near the corridor that leads to the restrooms. Maybe someone saw something. Anything will help at this point.”
Everyone went their separate ways, giving Luke a small sense of relief that at least something was being done toward finding Orly.
A while later, Luke and Caden had questioned everyone in the bar, but no one seemed to have seen anything. When Martin came back inside, Luke felt a small spark of hope. “Your truck is totaled, but I get how that’s the least of your problems right now. Any news on Orly’s whereabouts?” Martin asked.
Luke shook his head, his hope quickly turning back to worry.
“Thanks for your help,” Caden said to the couple he’d been talking to before they turned their attention back to the flat screen over the bar. “Well that was a bust,” Caden said to Luke and Martin. “I’ve never met a more unhelpful group of people. Did you get anything from anyone I may have missed?”
“No,” Luke said, just as Tanner joined them.“Please tell me you have something.”
“A few witnesses saw a vehicle speeding out from the back alley, but none of them got a good look at it,” Tanner said.
Luke cursed under his breath just as his phone buzzed with an incoming call from Garrett. “Yeah,” Luke answered. Whoever had taken Orly obviously knew what they were doing. They’d planned this, and she’d fallen right into their trap.
“The only vehicle that peeled out of this area in the last hour had stolen plates. I tracked it to the freeway and then lost it. I’ll keep looking,” Garrett said.
When Blake emerged from a back room with a pensive glare, Luke swallowed, knowing it was going to be bad news, but he had to know, regardless. “What did you find?” Luke asked, ending the call with Garrett.
At this point anything would be welcome. Not knowing where Orly was or if she was hurt was pure torture. Worse was not being able to reassure her. Comfort her. He was so used to having Orly close by, in his mind or in his arms. Not being able to reach her felt like he was missing a huge part of himself. Of his heart. But all he could do was work the case like any other case. Except this wasn’t any other case. This was Orly. He knew the odds of finding a kidnapping victim alive diminished the more time went by, but he wouldn’t let his mind go there. Not now. Not when he knew she was still alive. She had to be.
“You’re going to want to see this,” Blake said.
Luke was moving before he even had the chance to think about it. He followed Blake into a back office with Caden right behind him. Martin and Tanner brought up the rear. It was a small room with a large desk against the wall. On either side of the desk were two large shelves filled with overstock liquor and office supplies, but Luke’s attention immediately went to the two large monitors on the desk.
Skyla sat in a worn office chair and turned as the men entered, waving them over. “I found the footage from earlier, but it doesn’t show much, and since one of our servers called out sick, I’ve been out on the floor helping the staff most of the night.”
“Anything you’ve got could help,” Luke said. He appreciated having his friends surrounding him, but he couldn’t help the growing pit in his stomach that was only getting worse with every passing minute Orly was missing.
Skyla played the video on the screen closest to Luke. It started with Caden walking away after Orly entered the ladies’ room. Moments later, she came back out and rushed to the back door. The entire clip lasted less than fifteen seconds.
“Dammit!” Luke roared. “She just walked right out. There has to be something we’re missing. Play it again.”
Skyla did. And then at Luke’s insistence, she played it a dozen more times. But it was no use. All they saw was Orly walking out the back door. “What about outside?” Luke asked. “Do you have any coverage outside?”
Skyla looked remorseful as she gave a quick shake of her head. “Sorry. I’ve been meaning to put up a camera out there, but haven’t gotten to it yet. We had a few complaints about handsy men groping at the women as they went in and out of the restroom, so I rushed to have this one set up last year.”
“This footage isn’t helping us.” Caden ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Fuck.”
“Easy,” Tanner said. “We’ll find her. Don’t forget, she’s a resourceful woman. She hasn’t survived on her own all this time just to be killed by an asshole now.”
Luke clenched his fists at his sides. He was ready to take apart anyone who stood in his way of getting to Orly. He hated that she’d knowingly put herself at risk. And for what? To protect him? Caden? That was bullshit. They were grown ass men, armed, and perfectly capable of taking care of themselves.“There’s got to be something we can do,” Luke demanded.
“We’ll keep canvassing the area,” Tanner offered. “I’m sure someone saw something.” Tanner left the room, and everyone except Caden and Skyla followed him out of the small office.
“I should really get back out there,” Skyla said, referring to the bar. “Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help. I really hope you find your friend.”
Luke gave her a quick nod of thanks and she too left the small office space, leaving him alone with Caden. “We’ll find her,” Caden said.
“When?” Luke demanded. At the moment, he was putting all his energy into blaming his friend for what had happened, but deep down, he knew it was his own fault. He never should’ve caved into taking Orly to Madigan’s tonight after her mysterious run in at the grocery store. Especially not after finding out about the bounty. But he’d just wanted to make her happy, and he felt bad for keeping her cooped up inside all the time. That big beautiful smile she’d gifted him when he’d let her have her way nearly had his knees buckling. She was so stunning and brave, and not having her here with him was ripping his heart out.
“I get it,” Caden said, not really answering Luke’s question, but clearly picking up on the anger behind it. “If you want to blame me, take a swing at me, I won’t stop you. But I also won’t leave your side, so don’t ask me to.”
“You didn’t even acknowledge her when she came back from sticking it to that asshat,” Luke said, not even trying to keep the accusation out of his tone. “She -”
“- Is amazing,” Caden interrupted, meeting Luke’s gaze with a swirl of emotion in his eyes. “No one’s ever done anything like that for me in my entire life, and I honestly didn’t know what to say. I’m so happy she’s in your life. In all our lives. And we will get her back. Whatever it takes.”
Luke hadn’t even realized how much he needed to hear those words from the man he considered to be his best friend. They’d been through a lot together, but this was different. This was Orly. He shook his head. “I’m just going out of my mind with worry. Where the hell could she be? And why won’t she answer me?”
