Page 55 of Rescuing Riley
A large cherry-stained desk, a credenza with liquor on display, and a wall full of photos of models and photographers decorated the plush room.
Charlie trotted to the closet then sat on his haunches.
“Is someone in there?” Josh wasn’t on a mission, so he shouldn’t have been apprehensive. He studied his dog as he closed his hand around the knob, praying a bomb wouldn’t go off. Josh knew he was overreacting, but that fateful day would always be fresh in his mind.
Slowly, he opened the door and gasped.
Red, or Candace, if he remembered her name, was tied and gagged as tears streamed down her face, cutting a path through her makeup.
Josh made quick work of untying her.
When she was free, she threw her arms around him, practically tackling him to the ground. “I’m so glad you didn’t obey the rules.”
Josh knew she was referring to the fact that he hadn’t listened to her the last time he’d been there. He peeled her off him, needing answers. “What’s going on? And please speak loudly. I’m deaf in my left ear.”
She fixed her hair, which was wild and free, then flicked her fingers over her eyes and cheeks. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” She shuddered.
Try mecame to mind, but instead, Josh said, “I’m looking for Riley. Have you seen her? Or Liza? Has Liza shown up? And where is everyone? This place is like a ghost town.”
She scratched Charlie’s ears, muttering something Josh couldn’t make out because he couldn’t see her lips.
He tapped her on the shoulder. Normally, Josh wouldn’t mind anyone giving Charlie some love, but they were wasting time.
“Sorry,” she practically shouted. “Mr. Gansett and his men took Riley.”
Josh swayed on his feet, silently swearing like a sailor that he would seriously kill anyone who dared to touch Riley. “Come again? You mean Liza’s boss?” Josh had never met the man, but Liza had said the name a time or two and had nothing but good things to say about him.
Candace sat down in one of the wooden armchairs. “Yes.”
“Tell me everything up to the point of how you ended up in the closet.”
“I was just coming out of the bathroom, when I heard Riley’s voice in Liza’s office. I was about to find out why she returned, when Mr. Gansett started talking. He didn’t sound like the nice man I knew. At first, I thought good for him for finally putting his foot down about Riley just walking in like she worked here. But then he said, ‘I’ve been through this office, and you won’t find what Liza is looking for.’ That made me pause. So I listened. Riley and Mr. Gansett went back and forth about a thumb drive. Finally, Mr. Gansett told Riley that she was going to help him get the thumb drive.”
Liza must’ve had it, which was why her place had been ransacked.
Charlie lay down at Josh’s feet. “How did you end up in the closet?”
She wiped the area underneath her eyes. “I heard the elevator ding. So I ducked back into the bathroom then came out as if I’d heard nothing. I was walking back to reception, when two big men, one bald with a goatee and the other with thick black hair and easy on the eyes, stalked down the hall. I smiled and proceeded to sit at my desk. I didn’t know what to do, but I had to somehow help Riley.” She inhaled and blew out a breath. “I couldn’t hear from where I sat. So I got as close to Liza’s office as I could. Mr. Gansett told the men to take Riley and her phone. Then Mr. Gansett said to the men that Taylor probably has the thumb drive. Before I could move, Mr. Gansett came out of the office and caught me.”
Josh shoved his hand through his hair and pulled. He needed to feel pain.
Take a breath, man. Riley is a tough woman. Tough or not, he had to save her. That was who Josh was. He saved people. He’d done it many times on SEAL missions.But you had Intel on where those prisoners were. You had a team of SEALs backing you up. You had tactical gear. And most of all, you were one hundred percent healthy. Besides, you don’t know where to look. You can’t hear well enough to walk into a sticky situation, let alone run with your bad leg.
Josh growled low, and Charlie perked up.
Candace regarded Josh with tears streaming down her face. “We need to find Riley. We need to call the cops. We need to call Taylor.” She wiped her eyes. “What is Liza into?”
The same question Josh had. He waved a hand around. “The entire floor is empty. Am I missing something?”
She swiped a hand under her nose. “Several of the offices on this floor have never been occupied as long as I’ve worked here. Plus, three of the managers are away on business. Josh, thank you. If you hadn’t found me, then I might have died in that closet.”
He doubted she would’ve died. “Do you know where Taylor is or where she could be? Anything?”
“Taylor was fired.” Then her eyes went wide. “I think Mr. Gansett has Riley’s phone. You could try calling it.”
“I have.”
Now it was time to call in the cavalry.
