Page 10 of Intangible
But wasn’t there better ways to get national secrets than kidnapping a senator’s daughter even if he was on the SASC? It didn’t make any sense. In the end, would he simply leave her to the assholes who were supposed to be taking care of her?
Memphis settled against the opening to the tunnel. He was at least skilled at watching over someone. He was sure Knox would be pissed by how long it was taking, but he would just have to wait. Memphis knew he couldn’t leave her.
Chapter 4
“What the fucktook you so long?” Knox barked out when Memphis finally came back with a gasp. He would feel bad about growling at him if he wasn’t so worried about Thayer, the guy looked exhausted. Senator Kent had joined him, leaving the rest of the men back at the hotel. While Knox had paced, the senator had sat quietly with his eyes glued on Memphis’ blank face.
“I think I might have an idea of the area where they’re keeping her,” Memphis said, trying to get up to walk to the kitchen. “I need something to eat.” With a strong arm, Knox pushed him back into the chair, leaning over until he was glaring menacingly close to Memphis’ face.
“Answers first,” Knox said.
“Get away from me,” Memphis growled, shoving at Knox. It was the first time Knox could remember not being able to intimidate someone.
“Here,” Knox growled back, handing him a bottle of water.
“Knox, get him something to eat,” the senator said, placing a hand on Knox’s forearm. When he snorted in disgust, standing back up, the senator continued. “Where do you think she is?”
“I think maybe she is in the Appalachian mountains somewhere.” Memphis took off his glasses, rubbing his eyes before continuing. “The guys holding her have accents similar to Knox but even more hillbilly.”
“I don’t sound like a hillbilly,” Knox grumbled, tossing a bag of chips at Memphis. “That’s what, over two hundred thousand square miles? Might as well just say she’s east of the Mississippi River for all the good it does.”
“If you’ll stop acting like a douche and listen to me, I can narrow it down,” Memphis said. “I think we can rule anything north of the Pennsylvania border out, and it doesn’t sound like a Tennessee accent. More near the Smokies. Their accents don’t roll like North Carolina. My guess is West Virginia or Kentucky. You’re from Kentucky, right?”
“Yeah, so?” Knox answered warily.
“There you have it, asshole hillbillies. Must be from Kentucky.”
“I will knock your head clean off next time,” Knox growled. He had grown up in the shadow of Fort Knox, Kentucky. You could disparage anything about him you wanted, except for the beautiful state of his birth.
“Wait, that’s a long way from her school to transport her,” the senator said, ignoring Knox. “Did you see who took her?”
“I saw the men paid to watch her, but they had ski masks on. Thayer said the men who transported her were a different group. She said they were more professional. The guys bringing her food seem to be strictly hired idiots. There’s also another man who’s pulling the strings, probably the one who contacted you.”
Memphis stood, walking on shaky legs into the kitchen. Setting Murphy’s bowl with kibble in it on the floor, he picked up an apple, biting into it.
“I think she’s in a root cellar or some kind of bunker. West Virginia is actually my best educated guess based on their accents and what Thayer described of her impressions of the time she was outside.”
They were all quiet for a few minutes, mulling over the new information. Finally, Knox broke the silence.
“I think we need to move our focus to that area, Senator. I also think you need to return home.” When the senator shook his head, Knox quickly added, “You need to be there in case he tries to contact you again. We’re going to head to the mountains to start our hunt. Pack your bag, you’re going with me,” he said, looking at Memphis.
Memphis glared at Knox. “I’m not going with you. I can help from here and I have people who rely on me to tend to their animals.”
“How I see it is you have two choices,” Knox said, pulling his taser gun out of its holster. “The nice way or the silent way.”
“Put it away, Knox. I know you want to find her as much as I do, but this isn’t the way,” the senator said. Turning to Memphis, he said, “If you can make the arrangements, I will gladly cover any expenses at the vet clinic. Thayer is all I have. Her mother passed away when she was a girl, so I raised her on my own with the help of Knox. Please help us bring her home.”
Knox could see Memphis mentally wrestling with the decision before letting out a weary sigh.
“Let me make a phone call,” Memphis said, putting his glasses back on.
“I’ll also happily pay for someone to watch your dog.”
“The dog comes with me. That’s a deal breaker.” Memphis stood resolutely, staring at the senator with his arms crossed until he nodded.
Knox had already guessed that Murphy served as a kind of therapy dog for Memphis based on the interactions he witnessed between them. If he had to guess, Murphy helped Memphis wake from nightmares that still plagued him.
The senator crossed to the door, pulling it open.
