Page 3 of Playing For Keeps
Shit.
How am I going to tell Jamison I used Dorothy as bait and screwed it up? White heat not only courses through my veins but also hails down on my shoulders.
I’ve never fucked up something so bad in my life. The fact I did it and Dorothy has become collateral damage is enough to kill me.
Aiden and I were stupid to not cover every scenario. What did my mother do with her? Where the fuck did she take her?
Those thoughts take me straight to my surveillance team. I yank my phone out and dial their number.
Sirens shriek in the distance, coming our way.
My surveillance team doesn’t answer. I hang up and try again. Nothing.
I get a sinking feeling my mother’s been miles ahead of me this entire time. Something tells me she has her hand in my team’s disappearing act. Every second, this situation gets worse.
I march to the window and peer out, searching for any clues for Dorothy.
Police cars speed up to the front of the building with an ambulance following. An unmarked car comes to a stop, and Aiden jumps out.
My heart thunders in my chest. My stomach takes turns tightening and bottoming out. I’m so out of control right now, and I have no idea how to fix this situation.
I turn toward the door as heavy footsteps race down thehall, coming closer to Dorothy’s loft. Aiden’s the first one to round the doorway.
His eyes wildly scan the place. “What the fuck happened?”
“Dorothy left Jamison’s apartment without telling me. My mother must have seen her and figured it was an easy time to grab her.” I point to Tom as emptiness undulates under my skin. “They beat the shit out of Dorothy’s bodyguard. That’s all I know.”
Aiden stomps farther into the loft as police barrel in. “You said you had this under control.”
“I thought I did.”
Aiden stomps to me and grabs my shirt in his fist. His green eyes spit fire. “Not good enough. You were supposed to keep her safe until she got to the airport and onto your jet.”
“I couldn’t foresee her leaving my complex. She told me she would be waiting for me at Jamison’s place.”
Commotion ensues behind Aiden as the medical responders race to take care of Tom. A half-dozen police officers sweep the loft.
Aiden pushes me as he releases my clothes. “Fuck! This couldn’t be any more fucked up.”
He curses under his breath and paces in front of me. The police gather around and look to Aiden for some kind of order.
I lower my head. “My mother must have gotten to my surveillance team because I tried to call them to see if they would be able to track Dorothy, and they aren’t answering their phone.”
Aiden spins back to me. “You can’t be serious. How the fuck did your mother know about them?”
I raise my gaze to his glare and admit the embarrassing truth. “She’s better at this than I am.”
“Obviously.” Aiden turns and flashes his FBI badge at the cops. “Knock on every door and get out to the street and startasking people if they saw something! Anything you find out, report directly to me.”
They scurry away and break off in all directions. Dorothy’s landlord stays in the kitchen tucked into the corner. She shakes and cries as a police officer approaches her.
The emergency responders continue to work on Tom. He’s in terrible shape. I’m surprised he can talk.
“Aiden, we’ve got to find her.” Hot spears electrocute me with every word.
He glowers at me, his face red. “No shit. You need to think long and hard. Where would your mother take Dori?”
“The only place I know of is a farmhouse out of the city. It’s about an hour away. I met with my mother there not too long ago.”
