Page 25 of SEAL's Spitfire
“Ugh. Why give us a number if we can’t reach him?”
“It’s the weekend. Maybe he only works Monday through Friday?”
“But he’s in the government. Aren’t they supposed to handle this stuff no matter when it happens?”
“Lizzie, it’ll be okay. I promise. I don’t know what normal procedure is.”
“You can’t promise. We don’t even know if Charlie is still alive.” There was no holding back her tears. She pulled Lizzie into a hug and let her cry. It was like the dam had been opened and the flood waters poured out. She’d held it all in since last night and she needed the release.
All cried out, Lizzie pulled out of her arms and went to the bathroom to grab a tissue. Meghan wanted to throw something she was so frustrated. Why couldn’t she find out anything? They were family, they had a right to know.
Lizzie came back carrying a box of tissues and sat on the bed. “So now what do we do?”
“I’m not sure. I wrote to the general email at the Deliver Hope Ministry. I checked to see if they wrote back while you were in the bathroom. Nothing so far.”
“Unbelievable. I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone. How can no one know anything?”
“I feel the same way. There has to be more to this and that’s why they are keeping it quiet. Do you know the other people in his group?”
“Umm. Yes. Actually, he left me a list with all of their names, where they were going to be and when. I think I have it in my room. Be right back.”
Meghan wanted to go with her to search but she stayed put. It would only make Lizzie crazy if she started tearing the place apart. She’d just have to cool her jets and wait.
“I’ve got it.” Thank God. Meghan was about to lose her mind by the time Lizzie returned and handed her the typed sheet of paper. They’d all learned to be organized from their father. He’d had a mild case of OCD and nothing could ever be out of place.
As she perused the list nothing seemed out of the ordinary until she got to the second to last name. There was something familiar about it. Typing the name into search it took all of one second to give her the answer.
“Sweet baby Jesus.”
“What?” Lizzie pushed over to sit next to her and look at her screen. “Is that Senator Stanhope’s daughter?”
“Yes. I thought the name sounded familiar.”
“Why isn’t it all over the news then? Her father is a senator.”
“Exactly. If they realize they have a senator’s daughter and not just a bunch of preachers, it will be much worse.”
“I didn’t think of that.”
“I wouldn’t if it wasn’t for the job. I look for different angles, think about things differently. And I’d bet a million dollars it’s why there’s nothing out there right now.”
“I want Charlie back. There’s got to be something we can do.”
“We will, Lizzie. We’ll figure out something. Hopefully, Rafe’s friend can help.”
“How can he help?”
“Supposedly he’s some kind of computer genius who can find out anything about anything.”
“He’s a spy?”
“I don’t think so. Rafe said he was a SEAL but lost his leg and was medically retired.”
“He could still be a spy.”
“Maybe, but I don’t think Rafe would have told me about him then.”
“That’s true. Can you call him? Maybe he found out something else.”
