“So, I’m guessing things are getting worse with Fiona’s stalker if I’m getting sent photos,” Ortiz asked, taking a seat on the porch step. Now that they had gotten the first fiasco over with, they could focus on Fiona’s stalker.
“I’m having Squeaker look into it. It’s been going on since before she left for the Congo.”
Ortiz swore. “Damn stubborn woman.”
“She was trying to keep her family out of it,”Vincedefended. “She thought if she ignored them, they would go away.”
“Terrible idea. So, what did they want? I never asked.”
“To fuck with her, she says. I think they want her, though.”
Murderous intent returned to Ortiz’s eyes. “Over my dead body.”
“And mine as well,”Vinceagreed. “Fiona went to a bar before it all began. The way she explained it, it sounds like someone spiked her drink. I’m having Squeaker go over the surveillance footage so we can catch the bastard.” He left out that Fiona had gone home with the guy. Ortiz didn’t need to hear all the sordid details.
“I’m going to tear the son of a bitch apart limb by limb.” Ortiz’s hands clenched.
“We have to catch the guy first.” Speaking of. He hadn’t heard from Squeaker yet.Vincepulled his phone out of his pocket to see it was turned off.
Ugh, idiot. He had turned it off when he had taken Fiona out to dinner.
Vinceturned it on and instantly it started ringing, with Squeaker’s name across the top. “Squeaker,” he answered.
“It’s about fucking time. I’ve been trying to get ahold of you forever. I couldn’t even reach Fiona. I didn’t know where you were staying so I couldn’t track you down. You both need to learn to keep your phones on.” Squeaker was panting by the time she was done with her tirade.
“Sorry, Squeaker. It won’t happen again.”
“See that it doesn’t.”
“So what did you find that you’ve been blowing up my phone for?”
“I found the footage,” she practically shouted, piercingVince’s eardrum and forced him to pull the phone away from his ear. Ortiz raised a questioning eyebrow, to whichVinceonly shrugged. When Squeaker found something, she got excited and got loud.
“And,” he prodded her. “Don’t keep me in suspense. Did you find the bar guy? Did you catch him drugging her?”
“I did but it’s not the guy she went home with that did it. It was another guy following her around all night that was slipping something in her drink. I had to replay the tape a lot because he was really sly about it. She seemed to know him because she was all smiles when she saw him standing close.”
Vince’s heart began to pound. There was only one other person she was with at the bar that it could be. “Did you get a name?” Please tell me I’m wrong.
“David Carlos. Works at a law firm.”Vincedidn’t hear any more.
“Thanks, Squeaker,” he said before ending the call.
“What? What is it?” Ortiz asked, instantly on alert.
“It was David who was stalking her and blackmailing.”
A rage unlike anything Vince had ever seen before cam over Ortiz’s face. “I’m going to kill him.”
“We have to warn Fiona. She admitted she called him a few days ago. I think that’s how he knew she was here. He’s the one who took the photos last night.”
Ortiz raced to the door, only to come up short when the door wouldn’t open. “It was unlocked when I came out.” Ortiz looked for the hidden key, but it was gone. “Fiona.” Ortiz began pounding on the door.
“I’m going around front,”Vinceannounced, running around the house. A feeling of dread settled in the pit ofVince’s stomach. He had a bad feeling David was in the house with Fiona. He just hoped that he got to her in time, before David did something to her.
Vincesighed in relief when he found the front door unlocked. He opened it to see David struggling to lift an unconscious Fiona over his left shoulder. She didn’t appear to be bleeding, but extracting her from David without causing her injury would be tricky. The back door continuously rattled. Ortiz was beating it down.
As soon as the door opened, David froze, before he fumbled for something behind him and pulled out a gun, aiming it at Fiona’s side.Vincethought his heart might stop. He had been in hundreds of dangerous situations, but none had been as scary as right now, seeing the woman he loved being held at gunpoint.
