Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 144628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 579(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144628 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 579(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
“Why would you climb stairs?” He didn’t like the thought of the elevator being out. Vanessa had worn heels today. They were little kitten heels, but they were still heels. “Did you talk to the manager?”
“There’s something wrong with your security system, and apparently it’s screwed with the private elevators,” Tessa said over the line. “Don’t worry about it. I can get it back online in no time.”
His heart rate ticked up. He hadn’t gotten a message that the system had a problem. If there was a security issue with the system, the guys who monitor it should have let him know. “Let me talk to Vanessa.”
“She’s downstairs,” Tessa replied. “But it’s okay. I left her in the lobby with Chelsea, and the manager’s got the whole place in lockdown. He won’t even let workmen up in the building.”
Oh, his every sense was flaring now. He looked at Deke. “My security system is down.”
Deke’s shoulders went back, his whole body going on alert because he would understand the issue. Tessa might know the system, but she didn’t understand the controls he had put in place. “I’ll go check.”
Deke jogged out of the conference room.
MaeBe pulled her cell phone out and dialed a number.
“Tess, I need you to get back to the lobby,” Michael ordered. “I know Chelsea is trained, but she’s been out of the field for a decade, and her daughter has to be her priority. Something’s going on. Something’s happening, and I think it’s about Vanessa.”
“I’m on it. I’ll call you as soon as I’m on the ground and have her in sight.” The line went dead.
“I can’t get Vanessa to pick up, but it’s ringing,” MaeBe said. “It’s not going straight to voicemail, so it’s still on. What’s happening?”
“I don’t know, but I want her found now.” His gut was in a knot. Something was happening, and he wasn’t putting all the pieces together. They were all laid out for him, but he hadn’t snapped them into place yet.
MaeBe turned to her laptop and started hitting keys.
Kyle moved in behind her, his hands on her shoulders. “You do what I think you did, nosy little hacker?”
MaeBe didn’t look up. “Of course I did. I do it to everyone I like. Let me get a connection.”
“What did she do?” Michael asked.
Kyle’s head tilted, eyes turning Michael’s way. “MaeBe likes to track people via their cell phones. You know how you can turn that function off if you like? Well, MaeBe can turn it back on without you knowing it. Even if Vanessa looked on her phone, she would have no idea that MaeBe’s still got access. She could have been a supervillain.”
“I only use my powers for good.” MaeBe frowned at the screen. “I think she’s moving. Like in a car. Her phone is heading north on I75. Is she coming here?”
Michael moved in so he could see the screen. Sure enough, MaeBe had pulled up a map of Dallas, and there was a small icon moving down the major freeway that ran close to the MT building and led north. This wasn’t the app a person could use to check up on their wayward teens or make sure grandma was where they’d left her. This was all MaeBe.
She really would have made a good supervillain.
“So we know at least her phone is on the move.” Though he would bet a lot of his wealth that Vanessa was in close proximity. “Where are they going? Can you pull up the traffic cams?”
“Of course, but as long as they’re on the freeway I won’t get much,” MaeBe admitted. “I need her to exit or get on a toll road.”
Michael heard a dinging sound that let him know he was getting a text. He pulled out his phone. It was from Vanessa.
I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore.
That was it. A chill went down his spine as things started to fall into place.
Junior had paid someone a quarter of a million dollars and tried to hide his trip into town.
Ashton went on television and declared that Vanessa was fragile and known for hurting herself.
His security system went south long enough to separate Vanessa from her guard. She should have been safe in the building, but the management system used a janitorial service, and the turnover was high. It wouldn’t be hard to slip someone in.
They would need a place to carry out their plan.
The gates at Vanessa’s community were open, and suddenly all the security cameras were down. No one would notice a car pulling in. They would all be trying to get their power back on.
Ashton had claimed Vanessa had tried to kill herself before.
“Fuck, they’re setting her up.” He knew where they were going. “That car will get off at the next exit. It’s going to Vanessa’s house.”
“Why would they take her there?” Kyle asked.