A Billionaire's Redemption(34)

If only she hadn’t led such a sheltered life in such a small town. If she had known anyone outside of Vengeance, had any friends who didn’t come from the town’s inner circle of moneyed elite, if she’d had ties to anything at all outside of Vengeance, he could have thrown caution to the wind and continued his relationship with her.

He passed a hand across his face, tired beyond belief. He hadn’t slept a wink last night and he’d been going hard all day at the office. He felt every one of his forty years keenly tonight. Yet another reason to set Willa free. She was still in her twenties. Plenty young enough to find herself a great guy, settle down and have some kids. The family and normalcy she craved.

Funny how his wealth and extravagant lifestyle were the exact opposite of what she wanted. He’d always assumed that if he got rich enough, he could have any woman he desired. Who’d have guessed it would drive away the one woman he really did want? Another day, the irony might have amused him darkly, but tonight it just pissed him off.

His cell phone rang, and he didn’t recognize the number on his vehicle display. Why would some security company call him at this hour? It was too late for solicitors to be bothering him. Annoyed, he answered the call.

Dawson, here.”

Sorry to bother you, sir. I’m calling from Elite Security Services. We’re currently working for Senator Merris, and we’ve got a little problem. We were hoping you could help us.”

At the mention of Willa’s name, Gabe’s blood ran cold. “What’s wrong?” he snapped. His foot levered downward on the accelerator and the Cadillac leaped forward. Toward Willa.

We’ve lost the senator.”

Lost her? How the hell did that happen?”

There was some sort of altercation between the senator and her mother. Senator Merris left her mother’s home rather abruptly and my men were unable to follow her. Their cars were blocked in. By the time they got out, she was gone.”

A hum of alarm set up shop low in his gut. Something was wrong. Very wrong. “How long ago did she leave the Merris mansion? You’ve checked her place?”

She disappeared approximately two hours ago. Her house was the first place we checked. I’ve got a team waiting there now in case she shows up. We were hoping she might be with you.”

I’ve been in business meetings all day. Let me check my condo. I’ll call you back in a minute.”

Gabe quickly dialed the phone number to his downtown pad and waited impatiently through the recorded message. “Computer, this is Gabe.”

Good evening, Mr. Dawson. What can I do for you?”

Is there anyone in my apartment?”

No, sir. Your residence is currently unoccupied.”

What time did Willa leave this morning?”

She left at 9:31 a.m., sir. She exited the elevator at the lobby level of the building.”

Dammit. “Thank you, computer. Text my cell phone if anyone arrives at my apartment.”

Of course, sir. Shall I prepare a hot bath for you?”

No.” Gabe wasted no time on niceties with the machine and hung up on it. He dialed back the security firm. “She’s not at my place in Dallas,” he announced. “Have you checked my house in Vengeance?”

Second place we checked, sir.”

He didn’t know whether to be relieved that Willa’s security team knew her behavior so well, or chagrined that the two of them hadn’t done a better job of hiding their liaison. Gabe frowned. That hum in his gut was turning into a full-blown chorus of wrongness. “Can’t you guys track her cell phone or something?”

Only law-enforcement authorities can legally access cell-phone signals.”

Then do it illegally!” he exclaimed. “I’ll take responsibility for it if you get caught.”

With all due respect, sir, we wouldn’t get caught. My men are very good.”

Then do it, already. Call me back when you get a location on her.” He was still about a half hour out of Vengeance. His foot pressed down on the gas even harder. “I’ll be in Vengeance in twenty minutes.”

We should have her signal isolated by then,” the security man said briskly.

He bloody well hoped so. He was going to start hurting people if they didn’t find Willa, and soon. He pulled up in front of his house in eighteen minutes. By what miracle he’d managed to avoid any speed traps or the vigilant Vengeance police force, he couldn’t say.

He charged into his house, shouting, “Willa? Are you here?”

Only the echo of his worried voice answered him. He swore freely and dialed the security company again. “Where is she?” he asked without bothering to identify himself.

We lost her signal west of Vengeance.”

What do you mean, lost it?”

The signal stopped. She must have turned off her phone.”

He sat down heavily on his sofa. Why would Willa run away like this? It was totally unlike her. Not only was she not a rebel by nature, but she had nowhere to go. To his knowledge, she didn’t know anyone in the next county over. Her whole life centered around Vengeance, Texas.

Where was she headed? It was possible she’d headed for the Vacarro oil field, which was about seventy miles west of Vengeance, but surely she knew better than to go to an oil drilling operation by herself. They were dangerous places if a person didn’t know their way around an oil rig.

There wasn’t anything else west of Vengeance but farms and grazing land for hundreds of miles. Was she just driving around randomly? Working things out in her head? He’d been known to do that from time to time. Although it didn’t particularly seem to be her style. Worried, he paced his living room and did his best to ignore the fat lady bellowing a veritable opera of alarm in his gut.

C’mon, Willa. Come home to me. At least call me.

Although, why should she? Despite her effort to put a happy spin on it, fact was, he’d abandoned her last night. He’d been the worst sort of cad and walked out on her after making love to her. She deserved so much better than that. Than him. Was that why she had run? Was this his fault? He swore at himself. How could it not be his fault?

If she was out there somewhere, alone and upset, he owed it to her to find her and make it better. He grabbed his car keys and headed out to his truck. Texas was a big place, but he’d find her somehow. And when he did, he owed her an epic apology.

He headed west toward the hilly area where the security firm had last pinged her cell phone. A series of deep valleys and high bluffs ran north-south through the western part of the county. His geologist’s trained eye identified it as ancient river erosion. Cell-phone coverage in the area was terrible. If she’d gone there, she might not have turned her phone off at all. She could’ve simply lost a cellular signal. The rift ran for nearly fifty miles north and south of Vengeance. She could be anywhere in it. Determination to find her anyway steeled his jaw as he pointed his truck at the area.

The sun had dipped below the west rim of the first valley already, and deep shadows striped the road. Tall deciduous trees, protected down in the valley from Texas’s vicious winds, crowded the asphalt and created a mysterious emerald ambience all around him. He could see Willa coming to a place like this to find comfort.

The security man had mentioned she and her mother had had a fight. Gabe sincerely hoped it hadn’t been over him. Yet another cross for him to bear if he’d come between Willa and her mother.

He’d just topped the rim and was starting down into the next gully when his cell phone rang. He was impressed that he still had coverage out here and snatched it up hopefully. “Willa?”

No, sir. This is Agent Delaney of the FBI. We have news regarding your wife.”

He really wished they’d quit calling Melinda that. “What news?” he asked quickly.

We’ve found Dr. Grayson. An operation earlier this evening to liberate her from her captor was successful.”

A week ago, that news would have made him the happiest man alive. But now, he could barely spare attention for the news in the midst of his panic over Willa.

The FBI agent was speaking again. “If you would like to meet me at Vengeance Hospital, that is where your Dr. Grayson is being taken.”

She’s hurt? How badly?”

I don’t have that information.”

Dammit. He really wanted to stay out here and look for Willa. But Melinda could be seriously injured and traumatized. He weighed Willa being alone and upset against Melinda definitely hurt and traumatized. Heavily, he turned his truck around and headed back toward town.

As the valley retreated in his rearview mirror, he murmured, “I’ll be back for you, baby. I promise.”

* * *

Willa blinked, but her eyes weren’t working properly. Everything was unfocused in shades of gray around her. Like it was getting dark. Or maybe she was dying. She became aware of pain. Too many places on her body hurt to list, and they all blended into an overwhelming ache that made it hard to think. She was too sleepy to concentrate and figure it all out.