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She shook her head. “I’m coughing a little now and then, but you said yourself that I’m doing well. I need to check on my father. He’s not answering his phone, and a message from him is the reason I was in that warehouse to begin with.”
“I’ll keep an eye on her, Doc,” Jackson said. “If she gets worse, I’ll make sure she returns to the ER.”
The physician frowned at Rafe. “I assume you want to leave as well?”
“Yes, sir.”
The other man sighed. “I suppose I can’t force you to stay, and we’re expecting patients from a traffic accident any moment. I’ll release both of you as long as you listen to Jackson’s medical advice. If he says you need to come back, don’t argue.” The physician headed for the hall. “The nurse will bring your discharge papers.”
As soon as he left, Kristi reached for Rafe’s hand. “Have you heard anything about my father?”
“Not yet. The Fortress tech says his phone has been turned off.”
“Something is wrong, Rafe. We have a standing arrangement that we don’t turn off our phones without first notifying the other one. I’m afraid something terrible has happened to him.”
He cupped her cheek. “As soon as we’re released, we’ll return to your home and change clothes. After that, we’ll check your father’s home. Do you have the phone number for your father’s administrative assistant?”
She nodded. “Shirley has been with Dad since I was a freshman in high school.”
“Excellent. While we drive to your place, call Shirley and ask what appointments your father had tonight.”
“We could just go straight to his home instead of detouring to mine.”
“We could,” he agreed. “Although you’re beautiful, we look rough at the moment.”
Kristi looked down at herself and wrinkled her nose. “We also smell like chimneys,” she muttered.
“That, too.” He wrapped his arms around Kristi, grateful she was alive and unhurt. “We’ll find him.”
“I can’t lose Dad. Who wants to hurt us?”
“I don’t know, but I’m working on it.” He needed to work faster. The trap was closing around them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
When Rafe cranked the engine of his SUV, Kristi called Shirley Waters, her father’s administrative assistant, placing the call on speaker. The woman answered two rings later. “Shirley, it’s Kristi. I’m sorry to bother you so late.”
“No problem, Kristi. What can I do for you?”
“I’m looking for my father, and he’s not answering his home or cell phone.”
“That’s not like him. I tease him all the time about his phone being attached to his hand. Perhaps he doesn’t realize his cell battery is dead.”
“Maybe.” She doubted it, though. Her father was obsessive about keeping the battery charged. “Do you know if he had appointments tonight? I want to catch up with him.”
“I’m logging into my computer now to check his schedule.” The sound of keys clicking came through the speaker. “He had a dinner meeting with Hugh Ward at 7:00 and a conference call at 9:00. He was going back to the office for the call. I imagine he’s still on the phone. This deal is complicated, and he’s been working on it all day. Do you want me to call him at the office?”
“No, that’s not necessary. I’ll go there. I’m not far from the office now.”
“All right.” Shirley paused. “Is everything okay, Kristi? You sound upset.”
Not nearly as upset as her father would be when he learned of the warehouse’s destruction. “I just need to talk to Dad about something.”
“Does it have anything to do with your kidnapping, sweetheart?”
“It’s possible.”
“Well, let me know if I can do anything to help.”
