Page 53 of Perfect Match
I don’t doubt her gut instinct. I remember Tori telling me once that, as twins, they feel a unique connection.
I continue to stare down at Charli’s phone, which is ominously quiet though still connected.
“Do you know where she was?” I ask, surprised that I can speak when my heart is galloping at an alarming rate.
She takes a deep, shuddering breath before answering, “On her way home. She was probably nearly there or maybe already there. She definitely wasn’t on the subway.”
Ryan takes the phone from her shaky fingers and passes it to me, then hands her his cell. “Call Sadie and check.” His voice is calm and controlled, and Charli appears to visibly settle as she calls Sadie.
Almost immediately, Sadie answers on speaker and confirms that Tori isn’t at home. She adds that Tori messaged about ten minutes ago saying she was just off the subway and asking her to order the takeout.
“The subway is only two blocks from the apartment.” Sadie’s voice is clear through the speaker. There’s a metallic scraping sound before Sadie adds, “I can’t see her on the street, but I’ll go downstairs and check.”
We all stand looking at the phone. Hoping and praying that Sadie’s voice will come back with good news. She comes back on breathing heavily. “I just found her gym bag on the street.” The last few words catch on a sob.
“Fuck.” I slump back into the chair. Absently, I hear Ryan tell Sadie to come to the club and Charli begin to cry into Ryan’s shoulder.
“Okay, let’s see if we can locate her phone,” Ryan says, his Navy SEAL training making him a natural leader.
My head springs up. “I know people who can do that,” I state, and both sets of eyes turn to me. “It’s all legal. But if someone has done anything to hurt Tori, I plan on contacting my other not-so-nice friends too.” My tone brooks no argument, and Ryan’s only response is to nod his agreement.
“Can those other friends start checking the local streets near her apartment? I don’t want to involve the police yet until we know for sure what’s happened.”
I call a friend in the NYPD first, asking him to trace the call, which amazingly is still showing as connected on Charli’s phone. Then I call my cousin to get some of his associates to start combing the streets between the subway and Tori’s apartment. Scrolling to a photo of Tori that was taken in Florence months ago, I send it to him.
Who would want to kidnap Tori? The thought that it’s someone wanting to get to me fills my gut with dread.
Tony comes through the door. “What do you need me to do?” he asks as he moves to stand before his boss.
Tony is also a former Navy SEAL, and I’ve never been more glad to have them both here. Ryan loosens his hold on Charli, who is tucked into his arms, and leads her over to the sofa before filling Tony in.
Chapter twenty-four
Tori
Pain arcs through my head, emanating from behind my right eye, and it’s so piercingly sharp that it feels like I’ve been stabbed. My shoulders curl into my chest. A low moaning sound pounds in my eardrums, before I realize that the sound is coming from me. Slowly, I peel my eyes open to squint into the dark room, needing a minute for them to adjust to the unfamiliar surroundings. Pins and needles radiate from the tips of my fingers to my wrists, which are tied in front of my body with what feels like zip ties.
My hands move as one to touch my head, expecting my fingers to come away with blood, but while it’s wet, it appears to just be water, though it’s hard to see in the low light. Next, I run my fingers over my face, checking for injury, wincing only when I touch a nasty graze on my right cheek, with what feels like a bruise already forming beneath it.
How did that happen?The effects of whatever I’ve injested is making it hard to pull any memory from my fuzzy brain. I shiftmy position, and my nose wrinkles in distaste. The sour, moldy smell from whatever I’m lying on wafts up, making me gag. It smells like something died here.
It’s then that the true reality of my situation hits me. I’m tied up in some dark hellhole, and I’ve no idea how I’ve gotten here.
Where the fuck am I?
Flashes of memory filter through with each heavy beat of my heart.
Walking along the sidewalk. Calling Charli.
Yes, I was calling Charli, and my hands fumble at the waistband of my leggings. My phone is still tucked against my belly, although the buds that were in my ears are long gone. I unfurl my body enough to wiggle it out. It’s not easy with my feet also tied, but it eventually pops out onto the rancid mattress that I’m lying on.
An electronic lifeline in a fucking desperate situation, and I thank God that my attacker was a fucking idiot for not bothering to check for a phone. The screen is smashed, but when I squeeze the button on the side, it still manages to flicker to life. My eyes close briefly in a prayer of gratitude to some higher being for keeping me safe so far.
The previous call to Charli had disconnected at some point, and I quickly swipe to reconnect. It’s answered immediately, but instead of the reassuring voice of my sister, it’s Ryan. “Tori. Where are you?”
Tears leak uncontrollably down my cheeks, even though I know now isn’t the time for them. It takes every ounce of inner strength to squeeze back more from falling. “I don’t know, Ryan.” Blinking to clear my watery view, I focus on my surroundings. “It looks like I’m in a bathroom, tiled walls and floor. The mattress I’m on is pushed into one corner, and there are a couple of sinks beside me and cubicles in front. Theredoesn’t seem to be any windows, and the only light is coming from a gap under the closed door.”
“That’s good. Now, what else can you tell me? What can you hear?”
