Page 147 of Waiting to Lose
JAKE’S HANDS PLASTERED into his hair as she slammed the door. There was more to his meeting with Dave then she knew. Ang would be there too, and he had a lot he needed to discuss with her.
The car angled onto the street and toward his office. He knew Madi just wanted to help, but she was so damn infuriating. He knew he’d been defensive and difficult the entire day, but he had so much on his mind. He promised himself he’d make it up to her when he got home tonight.
Greg led him up the stairs to his office, and Dave and Ang were waiting in the conference room.
“I know it’s Christmas, and it’s late. I’m sorry for taking you away from your families,” Jake said.
Dave and Ang shot each other a look that Jake didn’t understand.
“Am I missing something?” he asked.
“Well,” Ang started. “We were actually spending Christmas together anyway.”
“What?” Jake asked with amusement.
“We’ve kind of been seeing each other since Australia,” Dave added. “I hope that’s not a problem.”
Jake smiled wryly. “You dog!” he laughed, slapping Dave on the back in humor.
Ang placed her hands to her face and chuckled. “Now don’t start,” she said, scolding him.
“I couldn’t be happier. You’re two of my favorite people in the world, and you deserve some kind of joy in this mess.”
Ang rubbed her hand along his back. “Does Madi have a clue?” she asked.
“Not one,” he replied.
After two hours of poring over details of Peter Markum’s possible whereabouts and Jake’s plans for Madi, Jake let out a huge yawn.
“You’d better get going,” Ang told him. “Dave and I can handle the rest.”
Jake’s phone rang, and he reached into his back pocket and grimaced at the caller.
“Is she giving you a hard time?” Jake laughed.
“She fucking snuck out the window.”
“What?” Jake asked, bolting to his feet in attention.
“When she got home, she went into her bathroom and closed her bedroom door. I could tell she was angry, so I didn’t bother her. After two hours had passed, I decided to check on her. I opened her door and felt the breeze from her window. She went out the fire escape.”
Jake tried to control the panic and anger that threatened in his voice. “Check the receiver. Do you hear her?”
“That’s just it. It’s on her bed.”
“Where the fuck would she go? How could she be so damn irresponsible? I’m leaving. I’ll be there in thirty minutes. I want to you to go look for her. Do you hear me?”
“I’m going now,” Rob responded.
“Jake, what’s going on?” Ang pleaded as she grasped his shirt.
Jake covered the phone with his hand as the fear gripped him from inside out. “Madi’s gone.”
***
