Page 22 of Dark Memories
“To health and good friends,” Mario said, holding up his wineglass.
Zach clinked glasses with him and Delaney. “Amen to that.”
“This is excellent wine.” Delaney turned the bottle to read the label. “I’ll have to buy some.”
Mario’s eyes crinkled with pleasure. He glanced at her ring hand. “I’ll send you home with a bottle, Miss Delaney. To what do I owe this visit from a beautiful detective?”
“My daughter has been kidnapped,” Zach said. It was still as hard to say those words as it had been the first time. There were moments since she’d been taken that he was sure he was imagining that she was missing, that it was a nightmare he’d wake up from. Then it would hit him that the nightmare was real. That he didn’t know where she was, who had her, and what they were doing to her.
His stomach was sick, his heart was breaking, and his mind felt like it was going to implode. He glanced at Delaney, the only thing keeping him sane so he could put one foot in front of the other. She would find Kali. He had to believe that.
Mario set his wineglass down with a heavy thump. “What is this you say?”
“Someone kidnapped Zach’s little girl yesterday,” Delaney said.
“That is truly terrible news.” He frowned. “You’re not here because you suspect me?”
Zach shook his head. “Of course not.” This might not go over well, but he had no choice. “We have no clue who took her, but I made a list of possibilities.” He met the man’s gaze. “Mario, when Arturo found out I was buying your company, he made threats. I’m not accusing him, but my daughter’s life is at stake. It would be stupid of me not to—”
“Of course.” Mario waved a hand at him. “You must investigate all avenues. I would hope my son wouldn’t do such a thing, but he is a hothead. I know this. For that reason I’m relieved that I can tell you Arturo is on his honeymoon in Italy. Has been there for the past month. I am hoping that marriage will settle him down.”
It seemed that they’d eliminated everyone on his list except for his own family. What if it was no one on his list? How would he find his daughter? It was the second day since she’d been taken, so why hadn’t the kidnappers contacted him with their ransom demand?
The few sips of wine he’d taken burned his stomach as all the unanswered questions mocked him with his impotency to find Kali. But mostly the sick feeling was because he hadn’t protected her the way a father should have.
Delaney put her hand on his leg as if understanding that a firestorm raged inside him. “Mr. Russo, thank you for taking the time to see us.” She plucked an olive from the platter and put it in her mouth. “This is excellent. I’d love to come back someday and enjoy the food here, but right now we need to get going.”
“I understand.” Mario reached across the table and put his hand on Zach’s. “Zachary, you will find your precious child, and when you do, I will rejoice with you. Please bring Miss Delaney and your daughter to dine with me.”
“Thank you, and honestly, I’m glad Arturo isn’t involved.”
“No more than me, my friend.”
“I guess that leaves only two people on my list,” Zach said when they were back in the car, the promised bottle of wine on the floor at Delaney’s feet. If his mother or brother turned out to be involved in this, they were going to be very, very sorry. The hell he would rain down on them would be their worst nightmare.
Chapter Eight
“Ithink it’s time to pay a surprise visit to your mother and brother.” Harry knew Zach was a time bomb waiting to go off, and if they were able to scratch those two off the list, that left them with nothing until the kidnappers contacted him.
At the same time he turned the key in the ignition, his phone pinged with a text. He fumbled the phone trying to grab it from the cupholder in the console. She reached over and turned the key, shutting off the engine.
“It’s them,” he said, rage burning in his voice. He turned the screen toward her.
You will receive instructions tomorrow on where to deliver 10 million dollars.
“That’s all they have to fucking say?” He glared at the phone.
“Text back and say that you’ll pay, but you need proof that Kali is alive and well.”
He jerked his gaze to her at the wordalive, his eyes brimming with tears. “What if she’s not? What if—”
“Don’t even go there, Zach.” She put her hand on his. “They want the money, and they know they won’t get it if they hurt her.”
“Okay. Okay, no Kali, no money.” He blew out a breath. “What if they refuse to let me talk to her?”
“We’ll deal with that if it happens. For now, tell them you want to talk to her.”
He typed in the message, then showed it to her.
