Page 16 of Rescuing You

“Do they go to mosque? Is there a time⁠—?”

“No, no. They are here always. Sometimes more, sometimes less.”

“When are there more? When are there less?”

“I do not…no normal times. Only…inconsistent.”

Again, he was struck by Leila’s thick accent and her inability to find the right words. Her English was normally perfect, her diction better than his.

“Sweetheart, are you all right? Are you hurt?”

“Please.” He heard tears in her voice, and his insides clenched like a fist. “You must help. Will you?”

“Of course. I’ll get you out of there. I’ve been looking for you. It might take⁠—”

“You must hurry. My life is in danger. I am afraid.”

“I’ll make a plan. Try to call back tomorrow.”

“I cannot. You hurry. Please.”

The line went dead.

Michael squeezed the phone in his hand, breathing through panic and the overwhelming desire to call the number back, to ask more questions. But if Leila could’ve told him more, she would have. If she’d had more time, she’d have taken it.

Had somebody caught her using the phone? Was she being harmed right now?

Father. Please, protect her.

He had to go. He’d contact his team and figure out a plan on the way, but he needed to get in the air, now.

He dressed and shoved his clothes in his suitcase. Five minutes after Leila had broken the connection, he yanked open his hotel room door and headed for the elevator.

It was just dumb luck that he heard a distant ding, and then indistinct voices. He strained to listen.

“You don’t think this is overkill?”

Stone?

What was he doing in London?

“I specifically told him not to look for her, and we both know he’s not here on vacation.” Brock’s voice was cool and unaffected.

He hurried in the opposite direction. With Stone and Brock in the hallway, the heavy door to the stairwell would be too loud. Michael slipped into a little room where an ice machine hummed. He listened. And waited.

A knock came from down the hall, knuckles rapping against the door to the room he’d just left. After a moment, another knock was followed by, “Open up, Michael. We know you’re here.”

Michael considered returning to his room. He could still come back from this. Maybe that was the right play.

Brock had promised to keep searching for Leila. Maybe, now that Michael knew where she was, Brock would send the team in to rescue her.

But what if he didn’t? What if he chose to abandon Leila and also prevented Michael from getting to her?

Michael wished he could trust the team leader to do the right thing.

But…but he didn’t. It was that simple. He’d promised Leila he’d rescue her, and he was going to keep his promise.

“Last chance to let us in.” A door opened, no doubt the one to his room, which told him Brock had used his credentials to get the hotel staff to make him a key.