Page 137 of Ozzie

John kidnapped her and took her to a hotel? The thoughts going through my head aren’t good, and I’m trying not to think the worst. He’s supposed to be in jail, so how the hell did this happen?

“Hey, wewillget her back.”

I shake my head. “I thought John was in custody. What the hell happened? How could he have gotten to her again?”

“After we get her back, we can ask all those questions. Hey, I can do this without you if I need to.”

I glance up and see genuine concern in Lightning’s eyes. “I love her.” It just comes out, but it’s true.

He smiles. “Have you told her?”

I shake my head. “We haven’t even had a real date yet.”

“Really? I thought you two hung out quite a bit.”

“Hanging out with Durango is not a date.”

“Yeah, good point. Well, we will get her back safe, and you two will have your chance. All right?”

I nod. “We have to.”

She has to be okay. I can’t imagine if something happens to her. No, I won’t let my mind go there.

Lightning leads the way and gets us in a taxi. Less than ten minutes later, we are walking into the lobby of the hotel. I text Durango.

Ozzie:We’re in the lobby.

Durango suddenly appears beside us. “Let’s go.”

Once we are on the elevator and alone, he fills us in.

“John was in custody, so we felt safe for Piper to walk home from work two nights ago. She begged me to let her. I got a text from her that she was near home but wanted to walk a couple more laps. That’s the last thing I heard.”

My heart is beating so hard it’s almost all I can hear. I don’t get worked up like this, but this isn’t an ordinary assignment. I don’t know what I’m walking into here or what Piper has been through.

“John was in custody when she disappeared?”

“Yes, I’m not sure who took her, but someone did. Trip checked John’s friends and parents and all of their cell phones are still pinging in Montana. There are no credit card charges for any of them outside of Montana, either. John was released yesterday, and Trip discovered a hotel room registered in his name. I know she’s in there.”

“But there is a chance she isn’t?” Lightning asks.

“A small chance,” Durango says.

The elevator door opens, and Durango puts his fingerto his lips, so we stay quiet. He leads us to the room, and as we approach, there’s a grunt followed by a curse.

It’s not Piper.

The door is open, and there is a cleaning cart in the hallway. Durango steps in first, followed by the two of us.

A woman is scrubbing a chair. The room smells of cleaner and piss. “Who the hell are you? Did you do this?” she asks.

I glance around, looking for any sign that Piper had been here, but the room appears to have been cleaned except for the chair.

“Where is the woman who was in this room?” Durango asks.

The woman steps away from the chair. “I have no idea. I came in and found someone had peed all over this chair.”

My gut tells me that’s where they had Piper, likely tied up. How scared she must have been to pee herself. My mind goes to why she would be so scared.

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