Page 87 of Wanted

The empty garment bag that is hanging in a corner of the dressing room tells me she certainly prepared for our date tonight. My theory grows stronger.

And that terrifies me.

“Mark is on his way,” Sanders informs me, who seems to have run up the stairs.

Mark is a co-owner of Cole Security Forces, and Charlie, his wife, are aces of intelligence. I will find the answer to what is happening soon with their help.

“Two patrols are looking for her around the neighborhood,” he continues, explaining the measures they are taking right now. I know all of that is in vain, Stella isn’t here.

Something deep inside tells me.

I take her phone, which I have in my pocket and unlock it. I try to find whether she installed any application to request rides or used it to call a taxi.

Nothing.

The last thing I find is a message sent to Alison forty minutes ago with a photo of her ready to go.

My heart wants to come out of my chest and suddenly, I realize two things. First, she looked more beautiful than I could ever imagine in my dreams.

And the second is that we have wasted too much time.

Stella could be anywhere right now.

Fuck.

My mother. She was the only person who left the house tonight, but she hates my wife. I can’t see them working together. Much less, I couldn’t imagine Stella asking for her help to leave.

Especially if she did it after hearing us arguing.

Mark meets us in my office. I’ve taken off my jacket, my bow tie, and I’ve pulled my sleeves up to my elbows. Tonight’s images keep appearing on my computer screen, I keep trying to find a blind spot, an escape route.

I see the taillights of my mother’s car driving away, and in the house not a single movement.

“We have her,” says Mark as soon as he enters my office in his penguin suit. He was obviously preparing to attend the CJJ event with his wife before receiving the call from Sanders. “She just boarded a flight to Miami, her final destination is San Juan.” How the hell did she get out of the house?

Couldn’t she choose somewhere closer?

Of course, Stella doesn’t do anything half-ass, she had to go to the other side of the country.

I already have the phone to my ear, ready to ask Hadley—my assistant—to rent me a private plane to get out of here as soon as possible.

“She’s ahead of us,” Mark announces as he reads the train of my thoughts. “Right now I’m sending one of my men from Virginia Beach to intercept her as soon as she disembarks in Miami.”

That’s true, it’s a long flight from here, around five hours. Considering I can take off within the next two, I wouldn’t be on time.

My chest is heavy, preventing me from breathing. All I can think of is her. Stella, Stella, Stella.

All alone on a plane to a city where she has never been before weaving a tangle in my mind.

I want to kill someone.

“My assistant is already renting a plane.”

“It isn’t necessary, the company’s jet is on stand-by at the airport. You can go change your clothes, we have a few minutes.”

Clothes don’t matter to me, all I want is to get to Stella and beg her for the chance to just talk.

If she had stayed we would have already solved this and we would be celebrating at the party or naked in our bed.

---