Page 47 of Rescuing Sara

“I need to let my brain rest,” Danni said. “My thoughts are too jumbled to be of much use.”

“Then let’s go have a nap,” Patrick suggested.

“You think I can sleep after that?” she demanded as he pulled her up from her chair.

“Who said anything about sleeping?” Silver lights danced in his dark eyes. “I know just the thing for anxiety, but it does involve lying down.”

CHAPTER 17

Later Sunday afternoon

“Mrs. M., how is it going?” Danni asked. “I’m sorry to not have spoken to you since Friday.” She’d texted the older woman to tell her about the meeting with Silas, him remembering her and Sara and his gift of the hat.

“I know you’ve been busy,” Fiona McGillicuddy said, her voice raspy. “But is there any way I can come see you?”

“I’m not at my house,” Danni said, trying to recall just how much she’d shared with Mrs. M. since this nightmare week had started. Seven days that had turned her world upside down. Who knew what the next week would bring? “But I think it will be okay if you come to where I am. Maybe you can stay for dinner and try out Patrick’s wonderful cooking. I don’t know what’s exactly in the crock pot, but it smells heavenly.”

“Someone is with you, right?” Mrs. M. demanded. “No one can get in to hurt you?”

“Hardly,” Danni laughed. Even with Patrick and Kristopher doing one of their brutal workouts in the gym downstairs, they were just a phone call away. “Here’s the address. It’s the first building out of three, but I’ll be outside to meet you.”

“Be there shortly,” Mrs. M. promised, sounding more and more chipper. “Five minutes?”

“Can’t wait,” Danni told her, ending the call. She hurried to brush her hair and teeth and pulled on socks and gym shoes. This carpeting had really spoiled her for going barefoot.

She was downstairs in minutes and stood at the head of the small sidewalk leading to the Safehouse. A few minutes later, Mrs. M.’s 2010 Toyota pulled to a stop and Danni hurried forward. “Hey, Mrs. M.,” she called. “Let me show you where the garage–”

The back door popped open just as she reached it, and strong arms pulled her inside and slammed the door.

And then came a sweetly sticky smell and all was darkness.

“But where thehell could she be?” Patrick shouted for the third time, punching the keyboard on Danni’s phone. “And why isn’t Mrs. M. answering her phone?”

Kristopher spread his hands. “You got me, Patrick. But Danni left her phone behind. If the last call she received was from Mrs. M.–”

“They’ve got her. I know they do. I feel it in my gut. Maybe they’ve got them both.” Patrick swore under his breath as he dialed Grant Miller. “C’mon, Miller. Answer.”

“Couldn’t you be jumping to conclusions?” Kristopher asked.

“No way.” Patrick glared at him as the phone continued to ring.

“Grant Miller,” the cool professional tone answered on the third ring.

“They’ve snatched Danni, Grant,” Patrick bit off his words. “I think someone used Turner’s housekeeper as bait ‘cause her number is the last one on Danni’s phone and she left it here.She must have stepped outside to meet Mrs. M. when someone grabbed her.”

“Where were you?” Miller’s question was almost a shout.

“In the Safehouse gym, but there’s no way Danni would have left the property without telling us,” Patrick defended them. “And Mrs. M. isn’t answering her phone and I’ll bet someone has disabled it so we can’t trace her that way.”

It was Miller’s turn to swear. “Get down here as fast as you can, and we’ll set up a command central. It’s getting colder by the minute, and it will be dark soon.”

“Roger that.” Patrick ended the call and looked at his friend. “Ready in five minutes?”

“To change clothing?” Kristopher was already headed for his room. “Two at the most.”

Five minutes later they were in the garage and headed toward the downtown precinct. The sun was almost gone, and Patrick was glad he’d grabbed his coat. Miller was right. It was very cold.

“Someone must have gotten to Mrs. M.,” Patrick spoke his thoughts out loud. “Made her call Danni and then when Danni told her where she was, brought her and grabbed Danni as well. If it was Ed Turner, I’m gonna tear off his balls and make him eat them.”

---