Page 46 of The Facilitator: Part 3
“What did you tell them?”
“That I had business to attend to.”
We ran through the small building and out to a waiting car with Alex standing beside the rear door.
I pulled him into a hug. I’d never seen the man so wrecked. His eyes were red and sore and his body shook. I patted him on the back and then we parted. He pulled Lauren into his arms and kissed the top of her head.
“I’m so glad you’re both here. Gab needs you, Lauren. I’m all over the place, figuratively and literally. She’s beside herself,” he said.
Lauren didn’t look at me, and I wished she had so I could smile and apologize. Of course Gabriella would need her. Lauren, however, being the woman of substance that she was, didn’t do the,I told you so.
Lauren left her bag in the car when we arrived, she opened the door and flew to the house. Both women fell into each other’s arms and sobbed. Lauren coaxed Gabriella back to the sofa and they sat. Vivienne,Gabriella’s mother, stood holding her hands over her mouth. I came to a shocked stop. She had aged significantly. She didn’t have the perfectly made-up face or hair and the clothes she wore look days old. I walked over to her and she lowered her hands. Tears ran down her cheeks. She held out her arms and I wrapped my arms around her.
“I was meant to be minding him, Mackenzie. This is my fault,” she said, hiccupping through.
“It’s not your fault, Vivienne,” Alex said, rubbing a circle on her back.
Charlene, the housekeeper, hovered not knowing what to do. “How about we get some cold drinks?” I asked her, she clearly needed something to do. “And maybe something to eat. Has anyone eaten?” I asked. Everyone shook their heads.
“Right, you catch Mackenzie up-to-date and I’ll help Charlene,” Lauren said, standing and handing my best friend to me. “Vivienne, how about we get you all dressed up as well?” she said gently.
Vivienne took her hand; she looked so frail. “Charlene, I’ll come and help in a minute,” she said, leading Vivienne to the stairs.
“How could he have done this? That is his nephew. He must be hungry. Oh, God help me. Mackenzie, my baby needs me. He’s hungry and scared,” she rattled off. I encouraged her to take a breath and I held her.
“Shush, baby. Breathe, okay? We’ll have your baby back, I guarantee,” I said.
I watched Alex take yet another call. It seemed the police were always one fucking step behind. The call he wanted, however, the one to tell him where to meet with the bag of money that now sat in the hallway hadn’t come in.
I didn’t want to leave Gabriella, but I also needed to talk to Alex alone. “Hey, why don’t you go and help your mom?” I asked gently. She nodded.
Once she was out of earshot, I stood. “What exactly do we know?”
Alex told me the make of car, the investigators he had employed to find him, and what the police had said so far. There wasn’t a property registered to Daniel and he drove a beat-up sedan. He appeared to be heading north and Alex confirmed there was no family that way, none that would take him in, anyway.
“Friends?” I asked. He had a baby in a car he was driving. He had to have planned to snatch Dominic, and I hoped he had adequate seating for him. I didn’t think him of sound mind enough to have done that. I picked up my phone and scrolled, I made a call.
“Addison, do you know where Daniel is?” I asked, not offering a greeting.
“Mackenzie, how nice to hear from you. Are you in the States? You sound so clear,” she said.
“I don’t have time for chat. Do you know where Daniel is?” I asked.
“You know, if you just tried to be pleasant—”
“Daniel has kidnapped Gabriella’s baby. Do you know where the fuck he is?” I asked slower, and with all the aggression I could muster despite my exhaustion. I fucking hated her but I needed to know that one thing.
“He’s done what? Oh my God, Mackenzie. I’m so sorry. I haven’t seen him for months. Honestly, since you had your fight and he left. I know you think I might have harbored him then but I didn’t…”
“What, Addison?” I said, as the women came back into the room. “Why did you pause?”
“Daddy has a hunting lodge, a new one. Daniel visited there one time. I’ll get the key, I’ll bring it to you with instructions,” she said, and then she cut off the call before I could tell her not to come to me, I’d meet her somewhere.
I relayed what she’d said and then we deliberated. Did we tell the police or not?
“No,” I said, as did Alex.
“No,” said Lauren, to my surprise.
