Page 2 of Dark Memories
“We have a delicate situation. A child has been kidnapped. I’ve told the father that he needs to contact the FBI, but he’s adamant that he wants you on the case and only you.”
“Me?” A child had been kidnapped? Of course she wanted the case. It was her thing. But weird that someone was asking specifically for her.
“Yes, and as much as I don’t like it, Zach Jamison gets what he wants. You have heard of the CEO of Jamison International, right?”
Harry forgot how to breathe.
* * *
Zach Jamison stared at the phone in his hand, willing it to ring. Was Kali crying, asking for her daddy? Was she being hurt this very second while he stood in the middle of his state-of-the-art, oversize office filled with all the best money could buy? He eyed the gleaming bar with its crystal glass cabinet doors and imported Italian marble countertop, tempted to drown his fear in the finest whiskey flown in especially for him from Scotland.
But that wouldn’t bring Kali back. He needed to be alert and at the top of his game if he was to find his daughter. He’d already made a list of who either hated him enough or was desperate enough to kidnap a helpless seven-year-old girl. There were four people on it, including his ex-wife and one of his three brothers. Although it could be five if he could bring himself to admit that his mother would dare such a thing. He considered it, decided she would dare if Robbie was in trouble again and needed money, and added her name. He glanced up when his personal assistant walked in.
“There’s a Harry Harrison here to see you, Mr. Jamison.”
Zach frowned. The only Harrison he wanted was Delaney. He’d spoken to her captain first thing this morning, making his wishes clear and giving her instructions that Delaney wasn’t to tell anyone she was a detective when she arrived. Apparently there was more than one Harrison at the Dark Falls police department. Had Delaney’s boss been confused by which one he wanted?
“Tell him I’m busy, Jackie.” He picked up his phone, intending to call Captain Scanlon and demand she send Delaney.
She glanced behind her. “Ah, he’s a—”
“She,” Delaney said, walking past Jackie.
“Delaney,” he said, thankful his voice hadn’t betrayed him. God help him, she was even more beautiful than the girl he’d loved. He noted that she still wore her hair in a tight ponytail low on her neck. One of his favorite things to do when she’d get home from a shift was to pull the band off, letting that glorious hair fall around her shoulders as he welcomed her back with a kiss.
“Mr. Jamison.”
So it was to be like that. He hadn’t seen her in eight years, but he’d thought of her every damn day. The three months they’d been together had been the best of his life. After his company had outgrown the office space he was renting in a strip mall, and he’d realized it was time to decide on a permanent location and buy a building, he’d stayed in Dark Falls because of her.
Zach Jamison was a man who prepared for all contingencies, and although he’d never expected to have her in his life again, he hadn’t moved to a bigger city like Denver… just in case the day came when his most fervent wish came true. But not like this, not because his daughter was missing.
“Jackie, I’m not to be interrupted unless the building is burning down.”
She glanced from him to Delaney, her eyes bright with curiosity, obviously not missing that he had called her Delaney, not Harry. His personal assistant, a grandmother of twin boys, had been with him for five years, knew him well, and thought it her job to mother him.
Mostly he was okay with that, sometimes reveled in it. No surprise there since his own mother hadn’t cared enough about him to worry. Well, until he was rich, and now he was on her speed dial. But he didn’t want Jackie nosing her way into his and Delaney’s history. If she thought he had any feelings for the woman standing in the middle of his office, looking like she’d rather be anywhere but here, she’d instantly go into matchmaking mode.
He waited until Jackie realized she wasn’t going to learn anything more and left, closing the door behind her. There were so many things he wanted to say to Delaney, but as of this morning, the only thing that mattered was his daughter.
“Delaney—”
“It’s Detective Harrison, or if you insist, then Harry.”
“In a million years and with a gun held to my head, I will never call you Harry.” He strode to his desk, taking refuge behind it. Seeing her again was harder than he’d thought it would be. He was rattled, a feeling he didn’t like. He was a man who’d come from nothing, built a billion-dollar company with nothing but blood, sweat, and determination. Partly because of her, but she’d never know how much he’d wanted her to be proud of him.
“Have a seat,Delaney.”
Her eyes narrowed, showing her irritation, but she sat without comment.
“My daughter was abducted this morning on her way to school. No ransom note has been sent, but I received a text on my personal phone, a number very few people know, telling me further instructions would follow. I was warned not to contact the police or the FBI if I wanted to see my daughter again. They used one of those apps that hides the messaging phone’s number.”
He brought the text up and handed her his phone. “I have to believe the motive is ransom, meaning they won’t hurt her.” It was the thought he was holding on to, the one keeping him sane.
She handed his phone back after reading the text. “You need to contact the FBI.”
He took it as a positive sign that her eyes had softened. “No. You read the message. They said they’ll ki…” He stumbled over the word, unable to saykillin connection with his daughter. He swallowed hard, then cleared his throat. “Jackie doesn’t even know she’s missing, and I trust her more than anyone.”
“She won’t wonder why a detective is here to see you?”
