Читать книгу 1 Law 4 All - Gator - Billy Angel - Страница 15

Nancy peeked into Juan’s office. As she did, he gave her a dagger stare. She eagerly calls out, “Annie is on line one. She thinks she found the dark Ford SUV carrying Dominica.”

Juan holds up one finger in her direction. He looks back to the video-conferencing group. “We may have a lead to Dom’s whereabouts.” He quickly told the group. “Since we have no objections to taking F&F on as a Foundation client, we’ll move forward. I’ll contact Lucy and Sean with our decision.”

The group heard Nancy in the background say something about Dominica. They knew whatever Nancy said reordered Juan’s train of thought. One by one they gave their thumbs-up approval, again.

Juan hurriedly dismissed his presence from the conference. “Go,'' said Mac. “We’ll figure out how to attack this situation individually. Then we can conference again tomorrow at this time.”

Jimmy added, “Watch your backs. The Russian guy I smashed may have friends.”

Mac finished by speaking with Kitiona. “Let’s get rid of these bums and chat ourselves. I have some ideas where to stay in the Keys.”

Jimmy and Juan disconnected on their end of the conference. Carol hung around until Kitiona stared privacy-please eyes at her. Carol excused herself with an “OK, I’m leaving to start dinner for ONE!”

Juan answered line one in his office. “Annie, where are you? What’s happening? Is Dom ok?”

“Slow down cowboy,” she says. “I think the SUV that Dom got into is in front of me. We’re on U.S. Highway 301 heading north. We’re coming up on Lawtey. I hope they stop for gas. I’m running low.”

Juan’s Mr. Spook-like demeanor from Star Trek fame kicked in. “Do you guys know anyone that owns a dark Ford SUV? Logically, Dom would be riding with someone she knows.”

“No,” Annie said. “I think I can get close enough to get the license plate number. And maybe I can see if Dom is in it. The SUV’s rear windows are tinted black.”

Juan, eager to help says, “Get that license number. I’ll forward it to my local detective contact, a Mike Rizzo. He’ll trace it for us. When you know if Dom is in the Ford, text me immediately. I’ll hit the road right behind you. Call me every half hour or so. I'll figure out our next move. Don't get caught following them."

“No problem,” Annie says as she presses end on her phone. She notes that her battery was getting low so she plugged it into the car charger.

Annie’s cell phone tracking app shows Dom is a few miles northeast of her position. She motors on. She enters Lawtey’s city limits and slows. Half way through town she spots a dark blue, Ford SUV refueling. She pulls her Miata alongside a row of gas pumps on the opposite side of the SUV. She scans her credit card in the pump’s reader and starts to gas up.

She's eyeballing a muscular man pumping gas when she faintly hears crying. Her heart starts pumping faster. She's about to go between the gas pumps and investigate when the Ford’s side door opens.

Annie recognizes Dom but not the stocky woman holding her arm. Then she sees Dom's hands duct taped while partially covered by a windbreaker with a St. Simon’s Island hotel logo. Instantly her family’s worst fear became reality. Dom was being kidnapped.

She questions whether she should confront the kidnappers or what? She decides to follow the couple to see where they're going. She realized the couple was walking to the stations outside bathroom access. She waits a few yards from the door Dom and the woman entered.

The woman's bathroom door opens. Annie and Dom's eyes lock. Dom quickly signals 'no but help' with slight side to side head movements. Annie frowns. "You have problem," the stocky woman asks Annie as she feels Dom's hesitation.

Annie forces a response, "No problem. Is that bathroom clean?” She wanted to get the woman into a conversation about dirty gas station bathrooms. The woman shakes her head and speaks in some foreign language. Annie continues into the bathroom.

She takes a quick pee giving the Ford time to depart. When she comes out, she watches the SUV turn north.

Gassed up and ready for the chase, Annie pulled out onto U.S highway 301. In the SUV Dom felt somewhat relieved. Another person knows exactly where she is and what’s happening to her. Annie will call Juan and maybe her father, too. Dom settled into the ride planning how to help any rescue attempt.

Annie mulls over one bothersome dilemma. If she tells Juan about Dom's tracking device, she'll break her BFFs promise. If she doesn't tell Juan, Dom may not be around to appreciate her keeping the promise. She needed an aspirin. The worrying gave her a headache.

She decides to call her father, Frankie “Hands” Bianca. She pressed speed dial number one. Frankie, a burly man with curly black hair in his early 60s, sees Annie on his caller ID. In a rough, deep voice demands, “How’s my beautiful daughter?” Before she answers, he asked, “Has Dominica changed her mind about marrying that non-Italian boy?” Her father and his brother Nickolas Bianca referred to Juan as that ‘non-Italian boy’.

“Yea,” she says defiantly. “But we have a problem. I think Dominica is riding in a SUV against her will.”

Frankie switches his dislike from Juan to a SUV carrying his niece. “What SUV and who’s driving it?” he demands. Annie knew she just pulled her father’s emotional hair trigger. She prepared for the integration.

After several minutes of intense drilling, Annie finished relaying the morning’s events. Frankie wanted more. “Are you sure you don’t remember anything else?”

Annie thought back to Dom getting out of the van. She wore a windbreaker. She recalled a logo. Frank half-yelled, “Annie!” Annie spat out, “Dom was wearing a windbreaker over her shoulders with her hands taped in front. I think the logo advertised a hotel on St. Simon Island. I think it’s called The Sea Golf Lodge. That’s in Georgia.”

Her father orders Annie like she was part of his crew. “Follow that van at a safe distance. Don’t let them spot you.” While they were talking, Frankie activated his cell phone’s tracking app. He sees Annie’s and Dominica’s dot near Lawtey, Florida. “Are you near Lawtey?”

Annie thinks, ‘Unbelievable, her uncle Nick’s tracking implant idea was working’. “Yes,” she answers and continues driving north.