Page 77 of Unraveling an Enigma
“I have to go; I have to get back to Jenni and Jasper,” Nick murmurs, pacing to the door. “Ryan is coming to interview Jenni later.”
Just before he exits my office, I call his name. It feels like I’ve been sucker punched when he locks his eyes with mine. His blue eyes are brimming with unshed tears. They are the same pair of eyes that looked up at me when he gave me the gift of life. The same pair of eyes I promised to protect.
“I’ll take care of this; you don’t have to worry. Megan will never hurt them again,” I solemnly swear.
The strain tainting Nick’s face eases from my statement. After dipping his chin, he walks out of my office. I suck in much-needed air before pressing my cell to my ear.
“Boss.”
“Take her to my warehouse in Hopeton,” I instruct.
“My guy is still en route to the motel. I'll let you know when he gets there.”
“Good.”
I snap the phone shut, not waiting for Hunter’s response. My eyes drift to the photo of Isabelle I placed on my desk as I gather my jacket from the coat rack. As I finalize doing up the last button, my cell phone rings in my pocket. My fast heart rate lessens when I realize it is my sleek black iPhone and not my emergency phone. The screen displays it is a call from Hugo.
“Yes, Hugo,” I say.
“Hey, are you guys taking the long route home?”
My brows furrow. “What?”
“It’s nearly five-thirty and you haven’t shown up yet,” he responds. “I thought maybe you went parking.”
I freeze. “I dropped Isabelle off at her apartment over forty-five minutes ago.”
“She never arrived at her floor. I’ve been waiting by the elevator.”
A stretch of silence crosses between us as dread overwhelms me.
“Find her, Hugo,” I demand. “Find her now!”
After exhaling a deep breath, I return my cell to my ear.
“He is still en route,” advises Hunter not even two rings later.
“I need your help on another task; I need you to find Isabelle. I dropped her off at her apartment over forty-five minutes ago; she hasn’t been seen since then.”
“Hold on, I’ll log into the security system of her apartment building.”
I pick up the framed photo of Isabelle on my desk. My staunch grip nearly shatters the glass. My stomach is in a twisted knot. Something doesn’t feel right.
“What time did you drop her off?” Hunter asks.
“Around a quarter to five.” Panic echoes in my voice.
Hunter doesn’t reply, but I can hear him tapping his keyboard. “Okay, I have her entering the elevator at the underground garage at 4:43 PM,” he responds. “She exited at the lobby a minute later.”
My brows scrunch. “She was supposed to go straight to her floor. Why would she stop in the lobby?”
“Hold on, I have to switch from the elevator camera to the lobby,” he mutters, his voice as anxious as I feel.
Hunter breathes harshly down the line. “Brandon was in the lobby. She left with him five minutes later.”
A commotion outside of my office gains my attention. Blood rings in my ears when I see Brandon yanking himself out of the front door bouncer’s firm grasp. “She is here,” I advise into the phone before shutting it down.
My quick strides have me crossing the nightclub floor faster than a heartbeat as my eyes study the environment. I can’t see Isabelle anywhere.
