Defenseless (Salvation, #5)(68)

Dominic is over on the left, opening a control panel. He turns some lights green and then nods.

“So, how have you been?” She asks with a smile.

“Good.” My voice is even, though I feel anything but. They’re family members who have lived this life. They’re not stupid, and I’m sure Charlie’s father prepared them.

“We’re fine now,” Dominic says.

You can actually see Priscilla’s entire demeanor shift. “Where is she?”

“That’s what I came to ask you.”

“You were the last person she was with. She called me from Virginia Beach. Told me she was with you, and would call me when she got back. Now you’re here without her, and Dominic had to trigger the codes?” Priscilla’s brown eyes are almost black. She spits each word as I can imagine terror grips her.

I step closer, letting her see through my eyes. “She left my house nine days ago. I followed her to DC, but she was hell bent on getting rid of me. We argued, and as far as I knew, we were done. At the gala you hosted, she was drugged.”

“I assume these are connected?” Dominic asks.

“I think so. I don’t know, though. The guy who told me about the waiter and the information was keeping tabs on Charlie after I left her that day. He was concerned for her safety.”

“Nine days since you last heard from her,” Priscilla muses aloud. “But she hasn’t contacted any of us. We have one more day to wait. One more day, and I open it.”

Again, I’m slightly amazed at the lengths this family has gone to in the matter of what ifs. “Open it?”

Dominic takes Priscilla’s hand and walks her toward the couch. “We have to turn it back on. Five minutes is almost up.”

Jesus, these people are amazing. I mean they know the amount of time to keep coms down. How to trick the equipment. I should’ve been raised by them, not my cookie-baking, porn-stealing mother.

“I need to know what you have to open,” I press. Time is running out.

Priscilla’s eyes glisten a tiny bit before they turn to steel. “We have a protocol. If she goes out of contact, and we think she’s been taken, we wait ten days. Then we open the file. If we open it, though, chances are she’s dead. The last person we opened it for was . . .” Tears start to form again. “My husband. But we have to act as if this is normal. That she’s on a mission. No one can know we’re worried.”

“Okay.”

I’m not a parent so I can’t understand her emotions. I’ve never lost a spouse, so I can’t picture the movies that must be going through her head. But I love Charlie. For some unbeknownst reason, that girl got in my heart. I don’t know if we ever had a chance at fighting it off. But if I lose her like this—I’ll never recover.

Dominic shuts the lights back to red and nods so we all know. It’s no longer safe to speak freely. We have to play the part that she’s off doing whatever and we’re not concerned. All the while, we write notes and burn them in the fire. Dominic suspects she went to a safe house. Priscilla throws that notion out because she would’ve contacted her once she made it.

My thoughts circle round and round. If she went to a safe house, why no contact if they have this timeline set up? It all seems a bit coincidental to me. So, I think. What would I do if it were me? First, if I knew my house was compromised . . . I’d leave. Which we know she did. Next, she went where she could disappear . . .

“I need to go to my hotel. I’m exhausted,” I say and get up.

“I should get home, too. I have a busy day tomorrow.” Dominic gets to his feet and gives me a look. I’m sure he sees I’m full of shit, but he keeps his mouth shut. I shake my head so he doesn’t get any ideas.

This has to be done solo.

“Mark, stop by tomorrow. I’d love to talk more about the charity and what visions you have going forward. It’s great that one of Charlie’s friends is so involved. I’m sure she truly appreciates it.” Priscilla stands and walks both of us to the door. “Call me tomorrow, Dominic. None of your crappy politics when you’re working on the hill this week. I want you to do what’s best for everyone, not just you!”

“Good night, Mother.” Dominic kisses her cheek, and then he walks to where I stand, smiling. God, she must drive them insane. “I used to worry someone would kidnap her, then I realized they’d give her back after five minutes.”

We both laugh. “She’s something else.”

“You have no idea. That woman would give anyone a run for their money. I feared her as a kid. My dad was the easy one.”

“I doubt that.”

“Yeah, true. I was raised by two of the most intelligent and cunning people. It’s no wonder why my sister and I went into our professions.” Dominic smiles.

I like him. He’s good people. Even if he’s a politician, he has his head on straight. You can see this thing with Charlie has him worried, but he was smart enough to identify it. I know I’m being watched. We have proof of that from Frank. I can’t react, though. I have to act normal, which is hilarious because I’m sure they’ve figured us out.

“I’m heading back to my hotel. Maybe we can grab a beer tomorrow?” I offer because it feels like the right thing. No matter what, I’m getting Charlie back, and her family will be a part of my life. Because this woman is mine.