“You know.With your wreck and all, we had no way of knowing how serious your injuries might be.”
He frowned.“I wasn’t in any wreck.”
Her hands fluttered around her throat as his words sank in.“But Mrs.Justice said you’d had a wreck.She raced out of here in a terrible state.”
Suddenly there was a knot in the pit of his stomach.He didn’t want to think about what this might mean.“When?”.
Nola Sue glanced at the clock.“Oh, at least an hour ago, maybe longer.”
A muscle jerked in Ryder’s jaw.“Who told her something like that?”
She shrugged.“I don’t know.I just know that someone called her on the private line.You know, the one the family uses.”She blushed.“I heard it ring.The walls aren’t all that thick.”
Damn, this doesn’t feel right.“I want to look inside heroffice.Would you come with me?You’ll know better than I would if something important is missing.”
Nola Sue followed Ryder inside, and together they made a thorough search of the place.
“No, I’m sorry, sir, but everything looks the same.”
Ryder tried a smile.“I’m sure we’re just borrowing trouble.She’s probably at home, cursing the fact that someone sent her on a wild-goose chase.”
Nola Sue nodded.“I’ll bet you’re right.”
Even though he suspected it was useless, Ryder continued to stand in the middle of the room.He kept thinking that they’d missed something.He could almost feel it.
When they’d started their search, her top desk drawer had been half-open, but Nola Sue had said nothing was missing.There was a pad of paper and a pen right by the phone, just like—
He froze.The pad.Maybe she’d written something on there that would give him a clue.He raced to the desk, then dug a pencil out of the drawer.Carefully, he rubbed the side of the lead on the blank piece of paper, going from side to side as he moved down the page.Inch by inch, a set of directions was slowly revealed.
Nola Sue leaned over his shoulder.“Oh my goodness.That’s way out of town.In fact, if I remember correctly, that’s out in the marsh.”
His gut kicked, reminding him that fate was not kind.“Call the house.See if she’s home.”
Nola Sue did as she was told and, moments later, gave him the bad news.No one had seen her since early this morning.
Ryder looked down at the pad, afraid to consider where his thoughts were leading, and picked up the phone.
“Where are you doing?”she asked.
“Calling the police.Something’s not right.Someone has played a pretty sick joke on Casey, or her life could be in danger.Either way, I’m not waiting to find out.”
* * *
Casey woke up with a start.Several things became obvious to her all at once.She couldn’t see.She couldn’t move.Her arm was sore and there was a bitter taste in her mouth.And, she remembered why.She took a deep breath and heard herself sob.
“So, girlie, girlie, I see you’re comin’ around.”
She froze.Oh God, I am not alone.
“Please, let me go.”
He laughed, and Casey felt like a fool.It had been a stupid thing to ask, but she’d had to, just the same.
“Now, we can’t be doin’ that.Not until your people come up with the dough.We went to a lot of trouble to set this all up, you know.Don’t you think we ought to be paid for our time?”
Dear God, I’ve been kidnapped!“They’ll pay,” she said, and then choked on a sob.
He laughed again.“And why the hell not?It ain’t like you’re short on dough, now, is it?”
