Page 31 of The Mouse and the Maestro

“My tonsils have already been removed.”

“Then I’ll find some new ones and paste them on you. Quit stalling.”

“We got taken.”

“Okay, I’m going to go ahead and assume that either you got free again or your kidnappers have a liberal cell phone policy,” Ridge said.

“We got free.”

“Who took you?”

“No idea. They knocked me out. Before that I saw black masks. I don’t think Jane saw them either, but you’d have to ask her. They talked to her, so maybe she heard something identifiable.”

“Get to the part where you lost her,” Ridge urged.

“I didn’t lose her; she lost me. Rather, she left me bound and barefoot at the airport after she stole a car like friggin’ MacGyver.”

There was silence on the phone so long, Blue thought Ridge had hung up. Then he heard Maggie’s voice. “Hello?”

“Hello.”

“Blue, what did you say to Ridge? I’ve never seen him laugh so hard.”

“Nothing.”

“Tell me.”

“No. You’ll end up the same way.”

“I don’t think that’s possible. He’s about to rupture something internal. Can you crack an appendix from laughing?”

“Promise you won’t laugh,” he said.

“I’ll try,” Maggie said.

Blue took a breath. “Jane stole a car and left me barefoot and bound at the airport.”

It took a second. He could practically picture her trying to push back the laughter, but of course she didn’t succeed. She erupted like Mt. St. Helen’s. “Pfffft,” was all he heard as she sputtered and dropped the phone.

“Good talk,” he yelled. “I can always count on you two for support.” He ended the call, Ridge and Maggie’s laughter ringing in the background. He had barely enough time to shower, pack his things, grab a cup of coffee and a pastry, and hail yet another taxi back to the airport. It was a good thing the trip was for work or he would have to take out a small loan for taxi fare. He was up to almost four hundred dollars now and counting.

The airport was as busy as it had been a few hours ago, if not more. Blue made it through security with no problems again and boarded his plane on time. He sat and stared at the empty seat beside him, expectantly waiting for Jane to arrive. When she didn’t, he felt antsy and anxious, wondering what had become of her. For the first time in a few hours, he had a chance to reflect on the events of the past day and night.

What if Janehadstaged the kidnapping? That would certainly explain how she got them out of it with such ease, and also why she had disappeared after. But if she was the forger, what had been her motivation for the kidnapping? And why was Blue seemingly the only person who found her suspicious? And how was it possible he was both equal parts distrustful of and attracted to her?

Wherever she was, he hoped she was okay.

Chapter 15

Back in DC, Jane let herself into her apartment and leaned on the door, sighing with exhaustion and too many other emotions to name. She plopped onto the couch, not bothering to shed her borrowed finery.

Nick emerged from the back and jumped in surprise at the sight of her. “I thought you weren’t due home for hours.”

“Change of plans,” she murmured.

“What are you wearing?” he asked.

“Clothes from the airport lost and found.”

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