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“No, she’s not. I saw Hannah leave earlier, but…” Her voice trails off and I frown, not liking the strange look of concern that passes over her wrinkled face.
“But what?” I ask warily, walking closer. “Did something happen?”
The woman hesitates and I try to make her feel more comfortable.
“I’m Hannah’s boyfriend, Vincentius, and you’re Liza, right? Hannah’s mentioned you to me.”
“That’s right. I’ve seen you around here.”
I nod, encouraging her to keep talking.
“Hannah is a good girl. She hasn’t smiled much since her mom died. But she smiles with you.”
My heart clenches within my chest.
“She was with a man and I didn’t like the looks of him.” She crosses her arms firmly beneath an ample chest. “No, siree, not one little bit.”
“Why not?” I ask, suddenly feeling ill as the old lady began to describe a man who could only be Caleb Durant.
“And then it looked like she didn’t want to get into his fancy red car, but he forced her, anyway. I almost called the cops, but then didn’t. My son says I need to let people live their lives and stop getting into their business.”
“In this case, it’s okay, Liza,” I assure her, “because the man who took Hannah is a very bad guy and I need to know exactly what you saw so I can find her.”
“There’s not much else to tell. I was watching from inside, so I couldn’t see too much. But, I do remember him grabbing her, far too roughly, and they seemed to have a bit of a scuffle on the sidewalk.”
The idea of Caleb manhandling my woman makes my blood boil. I’m going to find that asshole and bury him for touching her. With a sharp nod, I thank Liza and hurry down the stairs and outside. My gaze sweeps the area, looking around and imagining how the situation with Caleb and Hannah played out. And my fury increases.
On a whim, I try calling her phone again. From somewhere close by, her phone’s ringtone fills the air. It’s slightly muffled, but close, and I spin around, listening closely, trying to figure out where it’s coming from. My gaze dips and I spot the edge of her phone sticking out from beneath the bushes. Leaning over, I swipe it up and examine the screen’s cracked surface. I also see all of my missed texts and calls. Dammit.
A horrible sense of dread washes over me and panic has me yanking my phone out and calling Miceli.
“Hey, Vin,” Miceli answers. “How’d it go with?—”
“She’s gone!” I interrupt, unable to mask the alarm in my voice.
“What?”
“Caleb took Hannah and I don’t know where they went and I’m freaking the fuck out.”
“Okay, calm down,” Miceli says in an even voice. “We’ll figure this out and find her.”
“I have a really bad feeling,” I continue, the pit in my stomach growing. “She needs me, Miceli. I think she’s in trouble and I have to find her!”
“We will,” he states firmly. “I’m going to have my men start looking, but I need all the details you can provide that might help.”
“I talked to her neighbor—it sounds like Durant abducted her right outside her apartment building. He has a red BMW, the sporty kind that costs way too much money.”
“I’m going to have Leo start checking CCTV footage, see if we can pick up their trail. And I’ll have my men start scouring the city.”
“Okay. I’m going to drive by where the bastard lives.”
“Keep me posted, Vin, and keep it together. We’re going to get your woman back.”
After hanging up with my brother, I jump into my car and realize I don’t even know where Durant lives. “Fuck!” I slam my fist against the steering wheel. Forcing myself to calm down, take a deep breath and think logically, I consider what I do know. And I know where his office building is—it’s a big, ugly brown building downtown near the docks.
Something deep in my gut tells me to go there. I have no idea why and I don’t question it. My gut is always right and has never let me down before. Right before I caught Cynda cheating on me, I remember having little niggling feelings of doubt. At the time it didn’t make sense; but, with hindsight, it makes perfect sense.
Hitting the gas, I turn my car toward Caleb’s office building. It’s probably locked up tight because it’s the weekend, but wouldn’t that be a perfect place to take Hannah? It’s quiet, empty and who knows what he might do?
