Page 79 of The Library on Plum Island
“Alex?” Daniella called, ripping off her mask, as she started walking toward her car, ignoring the sound of something calling her name from behind her. “Alex?” Her voice rose, and an officer stopped her at the police line.
“Is there a problem, Doctor Thornton?” the young woman asked.
“Have you seen Alex Blackwell?” Daniella didn’t care that her voice was filled with panic or that her eyes must’ve been wild with concern. “He came through here long before the last blast.”
“Yes,” the officer nodded. “I saw him walk toward a car.” She craned her neck to see over the crowds. “I didn’t see him come back, though.”
“Could he have slipped past the barrier during the blast?” Daniella’s eyes widened, and her heart was quickly climbing up her windpipe.”
“No, I was here the entire time,” the police officer assured her. “My partner was here too. He took off to help not long after the blast, but I’ve been keeping guard of it.”
“I’ll go check my car as I asked Alex to bring my doctor’s bag from it,” Daniella didn’t know why she was explaining herself.
“Would you like me to go check?” The woman’s brow furrowed.
“No,” Daniella shook her head. “You have a duty, so I’ll go.” She smiled. “Thank you for offering, though. And you’re doing an excellent job.”
The woman beamed at her and cleared the gathered crowd to allow Daniella a clear path through them. Daniella’s pace picked up speed to a run as she neared her car.
“Alex?” Daniella called as she rounded the side where the door hung open, stopping near the precarious dip down to the rocks below. She held her breath and forced herself to check to see if Alex had fallen, as she could not shake the feeling that something had happened to him.
Daniella popped her head inside the car, but there was no sign of him. She looked in the back and found her doctor’s bag was gone. Daniella’s heart rate picked up speed, and while the roaring in her ears from the blast was starting to fade, another started from the blood pumping through her veins. She carefully edged her way around to the back of the car and stopped dead in her tracks.
Her doctor’s bag looked like it had been dumped on the ground. Luckily, the lock was sound, and it hadn’t burst open. She bent to pick it up and found a rag lying close to it. Daniella’s hand shook as she reached for it and brought it to her nose. Her senses immediately went on high alert from the distinct smell of chloroform. Fear spread through her veins like sharp shards of ice aimed at her heart and brain from its cold attack.
Daniella straightened, her doctor’s bag in one hand and the rag in the other. She turned around to scan her surroundings as she thought Alex had been taken. The shed blast must’ve been a carefully calculated distraction, as Daniella’s ominous shadow had waited for the perfect moment to set it off—the perfect moment to quire his real target.
The warning written on her nightstand flashed through her mind, making her feel sick.
You won’t be able to fix what gets broken next.
That same clawing panic and fear that had flooded her when Ron Jackson had taken Emily hit her like a tidal wave. Only this time, Ron Jackson’s intent for the person he’d kidnapped was a lot more sinister. Daniella stood, trying to clear her mind and think about where Ron could’ve taken Alex. Suddenly, the small community felt way too big as she realized there were a lot of places and towns surrounding them. Ron had a considerable head start, and he could’ve taken Alex anywhere.
Daniella felt for her phone and realized she didn’t have it. It was in her purse in Jennifer’s car. She was about to run back toward the house when a boat sailing in the direction of Cobble Cove caught her eye. It was the Black Ocean, Alex’s superyacht. Daniella glanced at the rag in her hand, her eyes widening in realization. Ron had Alex on the boat, and Daniella had to get to him to save him. Trade herself for Alex’s life if she had to. It was her fault Alex’s life was now in danger.
While Daniella wasn’t sure how she was going to save Alex, as her mind hadn’t thought that far ahead, all she knew was that she had to get to him. Her mind spun, trying to figure out how to stop a superyacht, and she caught sight of Finn’s brand new pickup, which he’d managed to park close to the police line. Her eyes darted toward the superyacht, slowly sailing further away with every second that passed. If Daniella was going to act, she had to do so right away.
She looked at the crowd in front of her. There was no way she’d be able to get through all that in time to get to the lighthouse. Daniella needed a plan B and thought she would use the surf lifesaver’s shack near the Beach Hut. There was a dinghy in there with a motor. Without thinking, Daniella started to run toward the Beach Hut but was stopped by a surprising fast Harriet, who caught up to her with the speed of the Road Runner catching up to Wile E Coyote.
“Daniella!’ Harriet breathed heavily as she pulled Daniella to a stop. “Where on earth are you going?”
“I have to get to the lifesaver’s shack!” Daniella knew she was babbling and making no sense, but Harriet was delaying her. “Now move, Harriet. I have to save Alex.”
“What?” Harriet spluttered, holding Daniella back by the shoulders. “Where’s Alex?”
“I think Ron’s taken him,” Daniella said, handing Harriet the cloth. “I found my car open and this on the ground near it, with Alex nowhere in sight.”
“A cloth made you think Alex was taken?” Harriet looked at her in confusion.
“It has chloroform on,” Daniella explained, turning and pointing to the Black Ocean, now almost a blip on the horizon. “And I’m sure Alex’s yacht is not sailing itself.”
Harriet’s gaze flew to where Daniella was pointing. When she looked at Daniella again, her eyes mirrored the fear and panic she was feeling. “We can’t run to the Beach Hut; it’s too far, and Ron will be long gone. Are there any other options?”
Daniella nodded. “Finn has a speed boat moored at their private dock at the Lighthouse.” She swallowed as her throat was dry and raw. “He also volunteers to help the Coast Guard so the boat’s ready at all times.”
“Then let’s not wait another second,” Harriet told her.
“How are we going to get through that!” Daniella pointed to the crowd and police barriers.
