Page 20 of Intangible
When that fell through, due to the senator’s unwavering morality, Curtis adjusted the plan to pull the senator away by revealing the location of his daughter at the time of the vote. The senator would be away on a wild-goose chase and the contract would be approved. Simple.
Or it should have been a simple operation. However, thanks to the two men that had tracked her to the cage in the cellar, the plan had turned into an operational nightmare. Watching the news coverage from the hospital the girl was at had made Curtis furious. Failure did not sit well with him.
Realizing he had already kept his boss waiting too long, Curtis pulled open his office door. He was doing pretty good in life to go from a shithole apartment and babysitting rich, spoiled debutants to an office on the executive floor of a major corporation and a condo with a doorman.
Walking across the reception area, he got a perverse pleasure out of watching the secretaries lower their eyes in apprehension. Just as it should be. Chances were good they knew what he did for the company. Rumors always ran wild in an office this size.
Knocking once on the door, he opened it to find his boss sitting behind his desk.
“Ah, Curtis. Sit.” Curtis took a seat across the desk from Mr. Roberts. He had grown used to waiting until his boss was ready for his report. Finally, Mr. Roberts put down the paperwork he had been studying and turned his cold gray eyes on Curtis.
“I shouldn’t have to explain to you how important this assignment is. I won’t tolerate another failure on your part.” There was no need for Curtis to answer, his boss wasn’t expecting one. All the man expected was the successful completion of Curtis’ assignment.
He listened for a few more minutes as Mr. Roberts reminded him of the potential windfall if they won the contract before being dismissed.
Returning to his office, he picked up the phone, calling his best man in the field. He ordered a twenty-four-hour watch put on all of the parties involved. It would be expensive, but nothing like losing out on twenty-eight billion dollars.
Now to catch the senator’s daughter alone again.
Chapter 7
Thayer squintedin the light when they emerged out of the cellar before burying her face back in Memphis’ shoulder. Knox was waiting with an offer to help carry her down to the ambulance. When Knox placed his large hand gently on her shoulder, Memphis felt her cling even tighter to his neck. Flinching, Knox withdrew, leveling Memphis with a stern gaze.
“Keep her turned away,” Knox growled with a swipe of his hand toward the two bodies that lay on the ground. Memphis moved one of his hands from her back up to cradle her head.
He fought his way back down the hill to where the emergency vehicles, police vehicles, and a handful of nondescript black SUVs were parked. He shook his head slightly at the EMT, who rushed forward to help him. Understanding dawned on the man choosing instead to take Memphis’ arm to help him into the waiting ambulance.
In a panic, Thayer whimpered at the change of motion, digging her nails into his back.
“Easy,” Memphis said softly. “We’re in an ambulance. I need to set you down so they can look at you.” He set her on the gurney, kneeling in front of her with his hands holding her arms until she opened her eyes.
“I’m right here,” he said as she stared at him with wide eyes. “You’re okay.”
Slowly, Memphis sat back across from her as the doors closed. Two EMTs surrounded her, gently hooking up an IV as they checked her for injuries.
“Can you tell me your name?” one of the EMTs asked her.
“Thayer Kent.”
“How old are you?”
“I’m twenty-one now. My birthday was two days ago I think.”
“How about a little harder one. Where do you go to school?”
“Amherst.”
“Perfect. Just try and relax. We’ll be at the hospital soon.” The two attendants laid warmed blankets on her before they found seats where they could easily monitor what was going on but weren’t in her face.
“I’m sorry,” Memphis said. Thayer’s eyes found his again.
“For what?” she asked, watching him.
“For not knowing it was your birthday. For not finding you sooner. For not being able to protect you from them.” Memphis watched as her eyes slowly closed. He assumed they put something in her IV to make her sleep. Or maybe she was just so tired she couldn’t fight it anymore.
“Memphis,” she slurred, reaching out her hand. Memphis leaned forward, taking hers. “You found me. You kept your promise.” Thayer opened her eyes again, desperately fighting the obvious fatigue that threatened to pull her under. “Your eyes are so green. I’ve seen them somewhere before.”
“We gave her something to help her rest. It can make her a little loopy,” the EMT said with a laugh when Memphis raised an eyebrow at her in question.
