Page 62 of Fighting for Tawny

“Like you, I wasn’t here,” Moira argued. “When I left on Friday, Dee and Barbie gave no indication that they were planning to run.”

Whitcomb spotted everyone watching the drama unfold and pointed at Tawny. “You! Get your ass over here! Now!”

Tawny ambled toward him with deliberate slowness. “Is something the matter?”

She taunted him with her teasing tone and half smile. His face reddened even more. He clenched his fist, probably itching to punch her.

“You’re the undisputed leader of these fuckin’ women. Where are Dee and Barbie?”

“This is pointless. Let’s call for a transport van and take them back to prison.” Macintosh’s threat made no impression on them.

“You don’t have the authority,” Moira pointed out. “That’s my decision, and I stand by my Titans. They haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Yeah, and two escaped,” Macintosh reminded Moira in a caustic voice.

“Are you sure?” Tawny interjected. “Have you thoroughly searched the bunkhouse to see if they took anything with them?”

Whitcomb and Macintosh shared a significant glance and bolted toward Bunkhouse B.

While they waited, Moira addressed Tawny. “What in God’s name happened this weekend?”

“Captain Finnigan, don’t be mad at Tawny,” Yolanda spoke up in Tawny’s defense. “It’s not her fault that Dee and Barbie were kidnapped.”

Moira’s jaw dropped. “Kidnapped? What the hell?”

Just as Tawny began to explain, Whitcomb and Macintosh rejoined them and looked far less choleric. In fact, fear and confusion shone in their eyes.

“Dee and Barbie didn’t flee from the camp,” Moira deduced.

“Not likely,” Whitcomb admitted with reluctance. “Nothing is missing as far as we can tell.”

Except for a packet of heroin, which we’re not supposed to know about.

“One of you, or all of you, knows something.” Macintosh swept his arm toward them, but his suspicious gaze pinned Debbie and Susan.

“All we know is that when we woke up this morning, they were gone,” Debbie explained.

“It’s time to report this.” Moira pulled out her cell phone and pressed a number on it. She’d been left out of the loop, and Tawny could tell she was furious by the fire in her eyes and rigid posture. “Yes, this is Captain Finnigan. I’d like to file a missing person’s report. No, it hasn’t been twenty-four hours! Dee Rogers and Barbie Lewis, two of my team members in the fire program went missing between eleven p.m. last evening and eight a.m. this morning.”

She provided a brief description. “I’m sure they didn’t leave voluntarily because all their personal belongings are still here.” Moira paused. “Any sign of a struggle? I don’t know.” Whitcomb and Macintosh shook their heads. “No. All right. We’ll be expecting them.”

Moira ended the call. “They’re sending investigators.”

Whitcomb and Macintosh shot uneasy glances at each other and moved some distance away. Whitcomb took out his cell phone and made a call.

Moira instructed everyone to head inside. “Somebody talk.”

Their heads swiveled in Tawny’s direction. “Okay, Captain. Here’s the God’s-honest truth. That dumb but sweet guard took a nap in his car Friday night, and Dee and Barbie were snatched while he slept.”

Understanding dawned. Ire flared again in Moira’s eyes. “A phone call would have been nice.”

“Captain, we didn’t want you to get in trouble,” Yolanda explained. “That way, you have…what’s it called? You know, from the movies… Oh, yeah. Plausible deniability.”

Moira quirked her eyebrow. “Very considerate of you. We’ll be lucky if they don’t shut us down after this.”

“They won’t,” Tawny responded. “Not now.” She gazed in turn at each Titan. “We stick to the story we agreed on. When you’re questioned, don’t embellish, and don’t volunteer anything. Got it?”

They nodded.

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