Authors: Adelle Laudan
The butler eyed them both, seeming to be assessing the situation.
Jack wished he’d known about their aliases before now. “Very good, gentlemen, if you’ll follow me.”
If a home’s décor reflected the personality of its owner, Howard Meed had the charisma of a rock. Not one painting or photo hung on the long hallway the butler led them down.
The man came to an abrupt halt, rousing him from almost running right into Charles’ back. Jack’s adrenaline surged through his veins, and he made a concerted effort to curb his rising anger.
Charles’ pulled at the lapels of his suit jacket, and quickly exchanged a knowing look before the door was opened.
“Mr. Meed? David Stern and his partner, Brian Swank, are here to see you.”
Howard sat with his back to them, pecking at a keyboard with two fingers. “Take a seat. I’ll just be a second.”
Jack hurried over to the phone on his desk as planned, and ripped the cord from the wall.
The man spun around in his chair. “What the fu—”
Charles slammed the laptop shut on his fingers. “Come on now, Howard, you can’t be surprised to see us. You didn’t really believe you’d get away with it, did you?”
Meed yanked his hands free and stood face to face with Charles. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. The two of you best get out of my office if you know what’s good for you.”
Charles pushed the man down to sit in his chair. “If you’re smart, you’ll keep your fat yap shut.”
Howard turned his head to glare at him. “And just who the fuck are you?”
“Where are my manners? This is Jack Davis. I believe you know his girlfriend, Jenna Blackburn?”
His jaw dropped.
Jack had actually visualized lunging over the desk and closing his mouth for good. “So, you’re the perverted dick Jenna’s father expected her to marry? What a joke!” Jack shook his head. “You can’t be surprised to see us here. I mean, you must’ve known I’d want to meet you face-to-face, especially after the motel incident.” He clenched his jaw, gritting his teeth.
“What motel incident? I don’t know what you think I did, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Before Charles could intervene, Jack had the moron by the collar, his face inches from his. “Wrong answer, asshole.”
Howard pushed him away and quickly opened his desk drawer, but not fast enough. Jack grabbed him by the fingers and bent them back until he cried out in pain.
Charles opened the drawer and withdrew a hand gun. “And just what do we have here?” He turned the gun over in his hand before aiming it at the suddenly mute idiot’s head.
“Just what were you planning on doing with this?”
Jack put a hand on Charles’ arm. Shooting the guy would land him in jail for murder. It would kill Jenna to see either of them behind bars.
The corner of his friend’s mouth lifted as he lowered the gun and proceeded to remove the bullets, dropping them in a large fish tank beside the desk. “Now, you can either keep your mouth shut, or I’ll have to find something to fill that big mouth of yours.”
Howard raised his hands in defense. “Okay, okay, say what you have to say.”
“I’m not going to pussy foot around. My girl, Jenna, was drugged the other night and set up in a motel room so I’d find her in bed with another man.” The palms of his hands itched to wipe the smile forming on the asshole’s fat face.
Meed chuckled. “Trust me, if Jenna spent a night in bed with me, she’d never leave.”
Jack saw red, and punched him square in the face. Blood spurt from his nose.
“You asshole, you broke my nose!”
He grabbed him by the shirt collar and hoisted him half-way across his desk. “I’d love nothing more than to leave you laid out on the floor with a whole lot more broken than your nose.”
Charles stepped in front of him, and pulled out a stack of Polaroids from his suit jacket pocket. He then fanned them out across the desk.
Howard stared at the snapshots, his mouth agape, seemingly lost for words.
Jack rubbed his knuckles, enjoying the trail of blood dripping from the man’s pocked nose. He and Charles had gone back to the motel to talk to the owner. When the man opened a drawer for his log book, Jack caught a glimpse of these photos. It seemed the owner had an obsession for taking pictures of his customers.
After a whole lot of talk and a few hundred dollars, they left with at least twenty images of Howard Meed with a variety of different girls. Six of whom were
very
young. Having sex with a minor carried a rape charge and stiff penalty that included a minimum of ten years behind bars.
“I strongly suggest you tell us the whole truth, beginning with Daniel drugging Jenna.”
Jenna sat up in bed and stretched. The warm sun on her face held promise of a nice day.
Is this a good omen my visit with Angel will go well?
She’d wrapped her sister’s gift with wrapping paper covered with pictures of horses on it. One of them looked like the black one Jack had taken a liking to.
Jack.
Even a fleeting thought of him made her heart hurt from missing him so much.
Nobody knew of her plans to visit Angel today...not even Jack. In fact, he’d called the previous night, and she’d painfully let it go to voice mail. If she talked to him, there was no way she wouldn’t have told him. She wasn’t going to let anyone change her plans...not even him.
Daniel doesn’t know I’m coming so he’ll have had no time to orchestrate another sinister ploy. I won’t put myself in danger. In fact, I hope to visit my sister without anyone being the wiser.
“Knock, knock!”
The aroma of coffee accompanied Edna into her room, where she set a steaming mug and toasted bagel with cream cheese on the small table by the window.
“I swear you have psychic powers.” Jenna laughed as she got out of bed and slipped into her housecoat. “How did you even know I was awake?”
Edna winked playfully. “I have my ways.” She walked over to the wrapped gift. “Who is this for?”
“It’s for my sister. I bought her cashmere sweaters.”
She nodded. “I see. Do you have any idea when you’ll be able to see her?”
Jenna quickly dropped her gaze and shrugged. “I’m hoping sooner rather than later.”
Her dear friend meandered over to her and raised her chin to look into her eyes. “What are you up to?”
“Please, Edna, don’t ask me that question.”
“You can’t be planning on going to the ranch alone?”
She huffed resignedly. “No, I plan on taking John with me.”
Edna shook her head. “John’s not here.”
“Where is he?” Charles was out with Twyla; Jack was probably chasing after the escaped puppy again, and now John. Uneasiness settled upon her. “Has he found love as well?”
Edna blushed. “You could say that. I believe his name is Michael.”
“You mean Michelle.” She chuckled.
“No, I mean
Michael
.”
Jenna’s gaped. “Are you saying our John is gay? How did I not know this?”
The housekeeper shrugged. “It’s been a well kept secret. If your father had found out...well, you know what would’ve happened.”
“Yes, my father would not have hesitated to fire him.” A slow smile came to her lips. “I’m so happy he doesn’t have to hide it anymore. Everyone deserves somebody to love.”
“Speaking of love, does Jack know what you’re up to? I highly doubt he’d approve.”
Jenna frowned. “Don’t you have something to do other than interrogate me?” She waggled her eyebrows. “Please.”
Edna threw up her hands. “Okay! Have it your way, but don’t come crying to me when Jack or Charles find out.”
She got up and put an arm across Edna’s shoulders, ushering her to the door. “He’s not going to find out from you…right?”
The housekeeper mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key.
Jenna kissed the top of her head as she left the room, and closed the door behind her. Feeling like she was racing against the clock now, she dressed in jeans, a black silk blouse and riding boots. She thought about straightening her hair, but seeing as her sister didn’t take too well to change, she opted not to.
A guilty conscience led her to call Jack, and she breathed a sigh of relief when he didn’t pick up. She left a short message and headed out to get her car.
Walking past the empty bay reserved for the Rolls told her John hadn’t come back yet. Jenna grabbed the keys for the Sedan and set Angel’s gift on the passenger seat before backing out of the garage and setting course for the ranch.
The entire drive out there, she had the should-I-or-shouldn’t-I battle, of which she declared a tie upon riding under the Rolling Hills Ranch sign. She looked in all possible directions before parking and getting out of the car. There were several empty spots reserved for staff, including Daniel’s.
Dare I declare the asshole isn’t even here?
With her confidence rejuvenated, she grabbed the present and crossed the parking lot. Her heart pounded in her chest as she paused briefly before rolling back her shoulders and opening the door.
Barren hallways and an unsettling silence greeted her. She caught herself tip-toeing past Daniel’s office and laughed.
She reached Angel’s room, totally excited to see her and give her the present. “Angel? It’s me, Jenna. Can I come in?”
Silence ensued, prompting her to turn the handle and push open the door. She froze.
What in God’s name is going on here?
Everything was gone…not one trace remained of Angel living there for the past twenty-odd years.
Goosebumps covered her flesh as she dropped to the mattress and set the gift beside her before putting her head between her legs until the nausea passed.
Flashes of Angel at the mercy of Daniel quickly chased away her initial shock, and she darted from the room, coming to an abrupt stop at Dr. Gilmore’s office. The half-open door revealed the room had also been cleared of any sign the doctor had ever been there.
Jenna darted down the hall to Daniel’s office, bursting through the door only to stop dead in her tracks. The decorum had changed, and the black man behind the desk definitely wasn’t Daniel.
“Can I help you?” The man towered above her.
“Can you help
me
? How about telling me who the hell you are, and what you’ve done with my sister?”
The man put a hand up between them. “I think we need to start again.” He held out his hand as he left his place behind the desk. “I’m Damon Knolls, acting CEO of Rolling Hills Ranch”
Jenna dismissed his hand. She grabbed a corner of the desk, suddenly light-headed and weak in the knees.
Knolls grasped her arm—her pale complexion a stark contrast against his dark skin.
“Please, have a seat. Can I get you a glass of water?”
Jenna waved him off.
He returned to his chair behind the desk and opened a leather-bound ledger in front of him. “Now, let’s see if I can help you, Miss…?”
“Jenna Blackburn.” Her patience grew thin.
“Miss Blackburn? Your sister’s name is?”
“Angelina Freeman.” She blinked rapidly and straightened in her seat. The barrage of events and emotions in her head slowed down enough to think reasonably straight. “Where’s Daniel?” Jenna wanted to scream, frustrated beyond belief.
Damon raised his head. “Mr. Meed has taken an indefinite sabbatical, for personal reasons.”
“No way.” She shook her head. “Daniel would never leave his position here willingly.”
“Yes, it’s true. I came to take over his duties the day before yesterday.”
“What about my sister? All of her things are gone from her room.”
Please don’t let her be alone with Daniel.
He shifted his attention back to the ledger; his finger travelled from line to line. “Here it is…Angelina Freeman was discharged at approximately the same time Daniel took his leave.”
Jenna sprang to her feet. “What do you mean by
discharged
? Where the hell did she go, and exactly who discharged her?”
“Let me see...it appears Daniel signed her out just before he left.”
Panic kicked in full speed. “Did Angel leave
with
Daniel?”
Please say no, please say no, please, please…please God.
The black man shook his head “I’m sorry, Miss Blackburn. I don’t have any answers for you. I wasn’t here when she left. See for yourself, here’s Daniel’s signature.”
Jenna lunged from the chair to his desk and gaped at his uneven scrawl. Anger consumed her. “Now you listen to me, Mr. CEO. You had no right releasing Angel to anyone but me.” She balled up her hands and smacked the desktop. “I suggest you pick up that phone and find out where Daniel took my sister...now!”
“Take it easy. Losing control and name calling won’t make it any easier finding answers.”