Page 38 of Her Billionaire Hero
I had made a conscious decision about Baldwyn though. He hadn’t led me anywhere. We arrived at a mutual decision about becoming a couple; no one led anyone in our relationship. And I needed to try my best to stay alive so we could get back to that.
As more light came through the window, the items strewn around the floor became more visible. My father’s cell phone lay face up. My heart leapt when I saw it.
Wiggling over to it, I used my nose to try to turn it on. Swiping up, the screen finally brightened and the password box came up. I put in my birthday, but it wasn’t right. I put in his birthday. That one wasn’t right either. “What did you use, Dad?”
Mom’s birthday came to mind and I entered it. Success!
I had to get to the place where I could input a number and managed to press 9-1-1. “Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?”
The attic door flew open and Preston stood there with dirt on his clothes and smudged on his face. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“Help, I don’t know where I am but I’m in grave danger! Ping this phone!”
Moving fast, Preston kicked the phone away from me. It hit the wall with a loud bang and for a moment I thought it was broken. “Hello?” the dispatcher called out.
Preston looked at me. “So, what will it be, honey? Life with me? Or no life at all?”
“Help me!” I screamed.
“Ah, no life at all then.” He walked over to where the phone lay on the floor and stomped on it until it was in pieces.
Chapter Twenty-One
Baldwyn
Waiting at the building I’d followed Sloan to a few days earlier, I kept an eye on the front doors, waiting for someone to open them. It was only six in the morning, but I hadn’t been able to get any sleep anyway. And I wasn’t going to miss the chance to talk to her father.
The doors opened at seven and I went inside to sit outside his office door until someone arrived who I could talk to. Things had simmered inside of me—the shooting adrenaline had calmed and my head wasn’t quite as bad as it had been. But I wasn’t exactly operating at full capacity.I’ve got to find her.
Two hours later, a woman came in through the front doors, making her way to me. Her eyes were on me as she approached the door. “How may I help you?”
“I’m looking for Richard Manning.” I stood and shoved my hands into my pockets as my palms had begun to sweat. The anxiety reared its ugly head again and threw my body way off.
“He hasn’t been in during the last couple of days. I’m not sure he’ll be in today either.” She unlocked the door then went inside, letting me follow her in.
“Is it unusual for him not to come into the office?” I asked. “Did he let you know here he is? I’m his daughter’s boyfriend and she sort of disappeared yesterday. I’m extremely worried about her. I thought he should know she’s missing. Or he might know where she is and can ease my mind a bit.”
She took a seat behind the desk, turning on the desktop computer. “Mr. Manning doesn’t confer with me about his daily activities. I never know when or if he’s coming into this office. For all I know, he’s gone back to Greece. I highly doubt that though, since the police haven’t finished their case yet.”
“So, do you have a number I can call for him?” I asked. “I’m really very worried about his daughter.”
“I can’t give that out.” She tapped her fingers on the desk then picked up the office phone. “But I can give him a call myself to let him make that decision.”
Relief spread through me as she made the call. “Thank you so much.”
“Hmm.” She hung up the phone. “It went straight to voicemail.”
“Is that unusual?”
“It is.” She tried to call again and hung up once more. “I tell you what, leave me your number and I’ll call you as soon as I get through to him.” She pushed a yellow sticky note pad toward me. “Put your name down too.”
Hurrying to write things down, I wasn’t sure how to feel. I was accomplishing something, but not nearly as much as I had hoped. “Please don’t hesitate to call me with anything you find out.”
“I can see that you’re very worried, Mr. Nash.” She looked at the note I’d written. “I will call you as soon as I talk to Mr. Manning.”
“And if you talk to Sloan, please let me know that too. Even if she tells you not to, please let me know. If she doesn’t want me to bother her, I won’t. I swear that to you. I just need to know that she’s okay.” Desperation filled my voice and I hated the sound.
“I will let you know.” She’d done all she could do for me. “Try to have a nice day, Mr. Nash.”
