Page 35 of More Than A Boss

9

Waiting until after dark, Zane and Darcy, dressed all in black, circled around to the back of the motel. Both carried their weapons close to their sides, on the alert for any unusual movements. Camilla had not returned and there had been no word or demands from anyone, so they were playing the waiting game. They swiftly knocked on the door of room number 143 and called out to Will. He cracked the door with the chain still on to peer out, making sure it was Zane. He quickly unlatched the lock and they entered.

Three pairs of dark brown eyes stared widely at Zane and Darcy from one of the double beds. The baby had been crying a moment before, but the surprise at seeing these two strangers in the room distracted him enough to stop. The room was complete chaos, but with a family of five basically living in a 13’ by 25’ room, there was not much they could do about it. The beds were unmade and in shambles, with the spreads more on the floor than the bed. There were empty food cartons on the bedside tables and gallon water jugs scattered about. Towels were hung to dry over doors and chairs. The television was blaring with a cartoon on the screen. A few toys lay around on the floor. If one were not aware of the circumstances, it might look like a family vacation.

“Any contact yet?” Darcy asked, taking charge.

“No!” Will replied. “I want to trade myself for Camilla.” He repeated his earlier plan. “I should have gone to the store myself. I never should have let her talk me into her going out alone. The kids were fussy, and the baby was asleep, so we didn’t want to haul them out. She felt like I could protect them here better than she could, and we really didn’t think they knew where we were hiding. She was so insistent that she be the one to go. I really messed up!” He buried his face in his hands, crying quietly.

“You’ll drive yourself crazy thinking about the ‘should haves,’” Darcy said. “I should know—I’m a pro at it! Stay strong, Will. We will hear from them.”

“For now, we just wait,” Darcy continued. “Zane and I will be outside in my van watching your room. We have been discussing this, and we may need to play along with your idea, trick them into thinking you are giving yourself up in order to get to Camilla. So far, they must not have been able to get Camilla to give up your location. We hope that it stays that way.”

She rustled around in her backpack and pulled out a UHF radio transmitter listening device. “I’m going to set this up, in case they try to contact you. The call will be transmitted to our receiver, which is set to this frequency. We’ll be able to hear everything. All you have to do if you get a call is to make sure you answer with your speakerphone on and, of course, mute the sound on the TV.”

“One of our concerns is that we don’t know how many flunkies Duvall has at his disposal. We have two of my men watching the front for any suspicious activity, and we’re all set up with two-way radio transceivers. I still wish you would consider bringing in the cops, but at this point I don’t want to make that call for you. I’m just glad you let us get involved,” she said worriedly.

“I’m trying to hold it together for the kids, but I feel like I’m ready to crack!” Will’s voice was edgy.

Darcy took another look at the three little ones and put her gun down on the small desk. She went over picked up the baby and began cooing and talking baby talk. “Hey, little one.” Looking at the oldest, who was four, she asked, “What’s your baby brother’s name?”

“Nicolas,” he said shyly.

Looking at the middle child, a beautiful girl who looked to be around two, she said, “What is your sister’s name?”

“Isabella,” he replied again.

“Can you tell me your name?” she asked gently.

“Daniel,” smiling shyly.

Darcy sat on the edge of the bed, still holding Nicolas, and wrapped her free arm around the tiny shoulders of Daniel. “You’re being such a good big brother, Daniel. I see that you’ve been playing with your little sister. What is your favorite thing to play?” she asked.

“Hide and seek. Do you want to play with us?” he asked hopefully.

“I would love to, but I can’t right now. I will take you up on that another time. Do you know how to play “I See Something in This Room?” she asked.

He shook his tiny head, with the dark mop of curls bouncing.

“I think we have time for that.” Looking at Zane, she raised her eyebrows in question.

“Sure we do, Buddy!” he said, sitting on the second bed facing them.

“I’ll go first,” Darcy said. She looked around the room, trying to find something obvious to a four-year-old and found just the thing. “I see something in this room, and it is pink and white and soft. It has long ears, too.”

Daniel scrunched up his brow and looked around the room until he lighted upon the pink bunny sitting on a chair. “THE BUNNY!” he exclaimed, excitedly pointing at the stuffed animal.

“You got it already! Wow, Daniel, are you sure you haven’t played this before?” Zane asked.

“No, I promise,” he said innocently. “Can I do one now?”

“Sure,” Zane said.

“I see something in the room and its red!” he said, staring right at Zane’s red knit hat. Darcy and Zane pretended to look around the room while Daniel’s eyes sparkled with delight.

“Red, huh? I don’t know about you, Darcy, but this one has me stumped,” Zane said.

“Me too!” Darcy said, while exaggerating her perusal of the room.

---