Page 43 of Sensual Nights

"Ten-four. I hope to see you and the woman you've managed to dupe into marrying you soon."

Ethan's laugh was the last thing he heard before the call ended.

A sheet of paper blew past his truck, and his brows furrowed. Heaving out a breath, he stepped down from his truck and moved toward the paper. Just as he picked it up, another paperblew toward him. Grabbing that one, too, he looked down at the papers and saw they were real estate sheets. His head jerked back, and he moved toward Carley's SUV. He looked inside and saw the usual accordion file she carried with various real estate documents inside. She was neat and organized all the time. But she'd never let them blow out of her car.

He walked around the passenger side of the SUV and didn't see anything lying around. As he rounded the driver's side, his heart nearly stopped. Her purse lay on the ground, half under the vehicle. The brown folder she carried was also on the ground...he glanced at the documents in his hand and one was an Offer to Purchase.

His stomach twisted. He picked up her purse and the brown folder and then ran inside the building. "Carley."

He hurried down to Unit Five and twisted the handle. It was locked. "Carley?" He knocked on the door.

Fear. Real fear slammed into his chest and his breathing grew shallow. He could barely take a breath.

He pulled his phone out and tapped her number. His vision grayed and he leaned against the wall. He listened to her phone ring, and then the acid in his stomach multiplied when her purse rang. He closed his eyes. "Fuck!"

The door to Unit One opened. "What's going on here?"

"Call the police."

"What?"

Mason took a deep breath. "Please call the police. My girlfriend has been kidnap..." He swallowed and tried breathing. He couldn't say it. He shook his head. "She's gone."

The man, his neighbor, came to stand across the hall from him. Mason tried to listen as he felt the panic attack trying to take hold. His neighbor called the police, and Mason's shaking fingers tapped Jace's number.

"Hey, Mason, what's up?"

"She's gone. She's not..." He tried to breathe. "Carley... her car's here. Her purse and notebook were lying on the ground next to her car. She's not here." He sucked in a deep breath. "Panic. I'm hav..."

"Where are you?"

Mason struggled but managed to say, "Home."

"I'm on my way."

He pressed his back to the wall and felt his neighbor stand near him. "It's alright man. I'm here with you. How about we slide down the wall, so you don't fall?"

He felt like he was floating. The room came in and out of focus. His neighbor said, "My name is Asa. I just moved into Unit One. I get these attacks too."

Mason nodded once and rested his head back. Asa kept talking to him. Then he heard Jace's voice.

"Mason. It's Jace. Take a deep breath and when you're ready, take a sip of water."

More voices came toward him, and his breathing returned to near normal. His focus cleared, and he looked into Jace's eyes. "She's been taken. She's not here. Her purse and her files were on the ground by her car. We have to find her."

Jace looked around and saw the purse and files. He swallowed heavily and looked up at someone else. Mason turned his head to see Tray Fielding and a female officer standing in the hallway. Tray knelt down. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Mason told him what had happened as far as he knew it. Then he remembered... "Call Quinn Kurtz and see if he had the security system completed this week. We may have video."

Jace nodded. "Great thought." Jace stood. "Can you stand?"

Mason nodded. Jace held out his hand and pulled Mason up as much as he propelled himself up. He leaned against the wall and the officer with Tray held out her hand. My name is Erin Moody."

He shook her hand. She nodded, "How about if we go sit at one of the tables in the front and you can tell me again what happened?"

Mason nodded. He always felt tired after an attack, but wanted to be out looking for her. He followed Erin Moody to the common area. She motioned to a chair for him to sit and he shook his head. She smiled. "Please sit down."

He asked, "Did you find the man who put the note on her windshield the other day?"

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