Page 31 of Missing Marcus

“Hi Gabby. What’s up? Did you settle into the new apartment yet?” Alabama answered.

“I need to ask you a favor,” Gabby said as she sat on the cold metal bench. The wind mixed with the misty rain, making her damp, but she didn’t care. She didn’t feel anything but numb.

“What do you need?” her friend asked.

“Please tell me the truth. It’s important. Did Knight mention to you or the men the reason behind our divorce?” she asked sadly.

Alabama hesitated, and Gabby knew the answer to her question.

“Please, Alabama. I need to know the truth. What did he say?”

“We saw him at the bar one night shortly after you two separated. He sat alone and Abe and Wolf spoke with him. I’m telling you this second hand because Caroline and I had already left. Abe came home and mentioned Knight telling him you cheated on him during his deployment. Abe encouraged him to speak with you if it makes you feel any better. We didn’t say a word to anyone. That isn’t like you, Gabby and we hoped you and Knight might work out this misunderstanding.”

“Thank you for telling me the truth, Alabama. I appreciate it. I’ll call you soon.” She hung up the phone.

She dwelled a bit longer in the museum, debating if her apartment might be safe since whoever searched for her ransacked it already.

Feeling restless, Gabby crossed the street and walked toward Pike Place. Tourists moved from stall to stall, admiring the local artists. She stopped to admire the dried flower arrangements before watching fish thrown in the air and caught by the fish mongers. She shivered as she walked to the lower level, searching through the tourist items.

Feeling weak and with her arm throbbing, she bought a decaf coffee and a ham and cheese croissant. Wishing she remembered her meds, she threw away her trash. Gabby walked to the drugstore to purchase more acetaminophen, hoping to ease the pain. Paying cash, she exited the store, took two tablets and washed them down with the remaining cold brew. Unsure of where else she might go and afraid to use her credit cards, she debated how safe it might be to withdraw cash from an ATM and then dash away.

Thinking this was her best option, she walked to the ATM and withdrew five hundred dollars. She planned to clean out her bank account and start over somewhere else the following day. At least for tonight, she hoped to find a cheap hotel and hunker down for the night, while she devised a plan.

Gabby passed a sandwich shop. If she purchased something now, she didn’t need to go back out. Entering the store, she scanned the menu. She ordered vegetable soup and a sandwich, hoping wherever she stayed contained a microwave.

The rain started, and she stood under an awning as she waited for the cab. She searched hotels and found one decent enough to stay in. She entered the address to have on hand.

A man stepped out of the shadows and started walking toward her. As if judging the distance between them, he increased his pace. Gabby turned and started walking in the opposite direction. She glanced behind her to find him jogging toward her. She held her belly and ran, noticing another man across the street running parallel to her. Her heart raced as terror gripped her. She searched for a more public place, but with the rain, everyone seemed to dissolve inside the buildings. She turned the corner and crouched down behind some shrubs. Thunder rolled, and lightning lit up the sky, making her sink lower to the ground. She shivered and bit at her collar trying to bring the coat further up as if to shield her.

She heard the men approach not far from where she hid.

“Did you see her?” one of them demanded.

“No. She must’ve gotten into a cab. Call Ivan and tell them where we lost her. Hopefully, they can pick up her trail.”

The other man cursed in Russian, saying something she didn’t understand. She stayed down until they left and slowly moved in the opposite direction. A motel sign blinked in the gray sky and she hobbled over to it. It didn’t appear too bad, but at this point,if it hid her from the men hunting her, she didn’t care.

When she procured a key, she hung onto the wall and walked the distance to her room. Of course, the only room available was at the end of the long hall.

Pushing the door open, she sobbed as she closed and locked it. Heading to the bathroom, Gabby ran hot water, washing her face and removing what mud she managed to reach.

The bedding appeared dingy but clean. Gabby pulled down the blanket and crawled inside, hoping to catch some warmth. Her body trembled and shuddered. She closed her eyes, wishing the nightmare of the last few months to go away.

“Ivan’s menlast saw her running here.” Shadow pointed to a grid map of Seattle. “They’re checking with cabs, buses and trolleys.”

Knight stared at the area he pointed to. “Let’s assume she didn’t use one. Gabby can’t run far. She’s smart. She might hide instead.”

Taco drove to the area she was last spotted. Saint and Knight got out while the others drove around.

They walked the perimeter and then turned the corner to see the hotel sign.

Saint glanced at Knight.

“If she felt they chased her, she might get a room to disappear.” Knight jogged, then ran toward the hotel. Something in his gut told him she hid there.

The clerk glanced up as he walked inside. “Sorry buddy. We’re all filled up.”

“I’m searching for a pregnant woman. She has a broken arm,” Knight blurted out. “It’s important I find her.”

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