Page 137 of Maddy's Justice

“Okay,” Paxton said.

Carvelli took out his phone and dialed a number from memory. On the fourth ring a man answered.

“Do you know what time it is?” Dan Sorenson asked.

“Maddy’s been taken.”

“Again? Who, how, when, what the hell?”

Carvelli gave him a quick version of the event then said, “Do you have Melanie Stewart covered?”

“Yeah, I just came off at midnight.”

“Was Marc there?”

“Yeah and the woman, Connie.”

“I need you to get up and get moving. Did I wake Marge?”

“No, I went downstairs. She’s still asleep.”

“Get on the phone. Get some people moving. I want two guys on Marc and Connie each. But don’t tell him what’s up.”

“You haven’t called him?”

“Not yet. But get them covered.”

“I know where Marc lives, but not Connie,” Sorenson replied.

“I have her number. I’ll wake her up, tell her what’s going on and get her address.”

“Have you called Vivian? She’s gonna want to know,” Sorenson said.

“Soon. I’ll get Connie’s address first and call you back.”

Carvelli had Connie’s number in his phone. She answered it on the second ring.

“What’s wrong?” she immediately asked without saying hello.

He gave her the same brief version and told her about the protection he wanted for her.

“Why? Do you think that’s necessary?” she asked.

“I don’t know. But I have a feeling it’s got something to do with your client, the law firm. Let’s get you and Marc protection.”

“You should tell Marc.”

“I will. Not right now.”

Carvelli called Sorenson back with Connie’s address then told Sorenson what he wanted him to do. He made two more calls. One to Vivian Donahue and one to his hacker friend, Paul Baker. The call to Vivian was the most difficult.

“Not again,” she quietly said.

They had been through this once before when Maddy was taken. She came close to being killed by a dangerous criminal. It was also when Marc declared his love for her while Maddy was lying on the ground, badly wounded.

“I hate to ask…”

“Anything you need, including ransom money,” Vivian quickly said.

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