25
Maria!” Frantically, Angel searched the hallway near the x-ray room. Where were they?
Footsteps ran toward him, and he whirled around. The deputy, Wade Hatcher. “Where’s Bailey and the girl?”
“I told Bailey to stay in the dressing room. Isn’t she there?”
“No. Why did you leave them?”
“We had a sniper—I had no choice.”
Angel scanned the hallway. “The shooter, where is he?”
“Gone. One minute he’s shooting, and the next he’s disappeared, like a ghost.” Hatcher jerked his cell phone off his belt and dialed. “Ben, Bailey and the girl are gone.” He listened, then hung up. “He’s on his way from the parking lot.”
“How do you know the shooter isn’t inside the hospital? He could be on any floor.”
“The hospital went into lockdown while he was still shooting. All entrances except the emergency room are closed—and it was guarded. No one could get in—only out.”
Angel’s heart sank. An accomplice had been inside the hospital. And now they were gone. He searched the dressing rooms. “Where is everyone?”
“In hiding. It’s protocol.”
He turned as footsteps stomped down the hallway. Danny.
“Did you find them?” Anger flashed in Danny’s eyes.
Angel shook his head. “Someone has them. I’m sure of it.”
“What happened?”
“We were getting ready for Maria to go to x-ray and a man called. Said he was from the business office and I needed to make arrangements for Maria and Solana’s bill. Bailey said she would take Maria to x-ray—that Wade would go with her.” Angel shot the deputy a dark look. “I was anxious to get home, so I agreed.”
“And there was no man in the business office,” Danny said.
“No. And when I heard the gunshots, I knew what had happened. They’re gone, and I don’t know where to start looking.” He turned in a circle. People gathered in small pockets in the hallway.
“Maybe someone who works here saw them leave,” Ben said. “Wade, you take the offices, and I’ll interview the people in the hall.”
Danny went with Wade, and Angel accompanied the sheriff. Time ticked away as, one after another, no one remembered seeing Bailey and Maria, until finally a janitor nodded.
“I saw a woman and small girl leave with this redheaded dude.”
Hope sparked in Angel’s chest. He looked at Ben. “It has to be Joel.” He scrolled to his brother-in-law’s number and called. The call went to voicemail. Next he dialed Danny’s number. “They left with Joel.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“What kind of car is he driving?” Ben took out his phone and dialed.
“Some kind of small SUV. White. It’s a rental.” Angel nodded as Danny approached. “What kind of car was Joel driving?”
“Toyota 4Runner.”
“Did you get that, Maggie?” Ben asked. A frown creased his brow. “What?”
Angel exchanged glances with Danny. What was going on?
“We’ll be waiting for the ambulance.” He ended the call. “One of my deputies responded to a call about an abandoned car on Malone Road, near here. Only it wasn’t abandoned. The driver was found beside it, unconscious. Driver’s license identified him as Joel McDermott.”
Angel swayed as blood drained from his face.
Maria sniffed, and Bailey slipped her bound hands over the child’s shoulders, pulling her closer as the van hit a pothole. She wished she could see her, but the men had tied a blindfold around her head. “It’s going to be all right.”
Now if she could just believe what she said. Where are you, God?
Maria’s small hands patted her cheek. “I know, Miss Bailey,” she whispered.
“Can you see where we’re going?”
“No talking!”
The man’s gruff voice sent a shiver down Bailey’s spine. She’d kept her voice down, so he must be closer than she’d thought. Maybe her suggestion would be enough for Maria to pay attention to the countryside. At least the men had not tied Maria’s hands, nor had they blindfolded her.
The implication of that slammed her so hard she lost her breath. If the men weren’t concerned that Maria could identify them, it meant once she was of no use to them, they planned to kill her . . . and Bailey as well.
Thoughts swirled in her head. Jumbled thoughts. There were two kidnappers, and at least one of them spoke Spanish. Probably the same men who had chased them in Chihuahua. If the men were after her, why hadn’t they left Maria with Joel? The last thing Bailey had seen before being blindfolded was his body crumpled to the ground.
The van hit another pothole and lurched, throwing her against the side. Second bad hole they’d hit on an already rough and winding road. Bailey believed they were still in Bradford County since they hadn’t been driving long, but she had no inkling of the direction they traveled. She took a deep breath, smelling the air. It had a moist, earthy smell.
They slowed, and she tried to balance as the van turned again but lost it as they went down a steep incline. She should be able to put the pieces together and figure out where the kidnappers were taking them. The vehicle was creeping now. It stopped, and light seeped through the blindfold as the back doors opened. Rough hands pulled her out into the cold air.
“No! I want Miss Bailey!”
“You will have her, so be quiet, little one.”
A kind kidnapper? No, he probably didn’t want a hysterical child on his hands. Bailey stumbled as someone pushed her forward, and once again rough hands caught her. A door scraped open, and a blast of heat wrapped around her. At least they wouldn’t freeze to death. One of the men guided her as she counted nineteen steps before he stopped, and she heard another door open. “Keep walking.”
“What are you going to do with us?”
“No talking. Sit.”
“Can you take this blindfold off?”
“Shut up and sit.”
She felt in front of her and touched a nubby but soft surface. It creaked when she put her weight on it. A bed. So, they were in a cabin. She sniffed the air again. Not a cabin, since she didn’t smell a fireplace. Maybe a small house or . . . a motel? If only she could see. She reached toward her eyes.
“Leave the blindfold on.”
The bed moved as Maria burrowed in her lap.
“I’m thirsty.”
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry.” She lifted her head. “Can she have a drink of water? She’s been sick.”
“Maybe something to eat as well.” This last was met with silence. She bent her head until Maria’s hair tickled her chin. “Are you hungry?”
“No,” Maria said, her voice small. “I want to go home.”
“Soon, honey. Soon.” She hoped and prayed it would be soon.
Bailey jumped as the door slammed, shaking the windows. If both of the men had left, she could take off the blindfold. “Is anyone here?”
“Quiet!”
El Jefe stared at the number flashing on his cell phone. The insolence of the men infuriated him. Who did they think they were, calling him? He made the calls, not them. Finally the phone ceased ringing. Seconds later, a message dinged.
“We have both the girl and the woman, but the plan has changed. Answer your phone.”
The phone rang again. El Jefe’s hands curled into fists as anger swelled his chest. On the fourth ring, he answered. “Yes?”
“It is foolish to let an opportunity pass. We’re asking ten million for the Montoya girl.”
“Who authorized this?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“The board.”
“I see.” And he did. A chill shivered through him. He pictured each member of the board, trying to decide which one was his Judas. Maybe they all were.
“This is a mistake. Get rid of the Adams woman.”
“The mistake would be in not taking advantage of the situation, and we will dispose of the woman when we no longer need her to care for the girl.”
The line went dead.