“Natalie, I will be a little late tonight. I’m meeting Gregory for a drink.”
“Gregory? Why? I thought you hated him.” She asked.
“No, I don’t hate him, I hate him pursuing you. I don’t even want him looking at you.”
“Noah! You sound ridiculous.” She giggled.
“Call it what you like, but I mean it.” I’d beat him if he ever tried to hit on Natalie again. Gregory knew very well, as did anyone who spent a second in our company that Natalie was mine, yet, he still insisted on testing the waters. He’d send her a text out of the blue asking her how she felt and if she needed anything. He wouldn’t just shut that door and keep it closed.
“So why meet him for a drink?”
“He has business venture he wants to run past me, but I won’t be late.”
“Okay, Noah, be careful.” I knew what she meant when she told me to be careful. These days when Natalie and I were apart, we felt unprotected. The lingering fear that hung over us left us feeling vulnerable unless we were with each other.
I hung up the phone and grabbed my keys. I said goodnight to my secretary and headed out. Ever since Erin’s accident, I hadn’t felt comfortable using my driver. Not because I feared to get into an accident, but because I wanted my car in case I had to be somewhere quickly.
I plugged the bar’s address into my GPS and drove. Gregory picked a bar in a remote part of the city.
When I arrived, I walked in and looked around, but Gregory hadn't arrived. I texted him, and he texted me back.
He was on his way, so I sat and ordered a scotch. A few minutes later, a woman sat down next to me. She had that familiar hard look wearing too much makeup and the smell of too much cheap perfume I became used to after years of fucking escorts.
“Hi there.” She said as she sat way too close.
“Hi.” I moved away and looked at my watch.
“Waiting for someone?” She breathed out.
“Yes.” I was in no mood for small talk.
“A friend.” She asked with a questioning tone.
“Nope. I wouldn’t call him a friend.” I looked at my phone.
“Are you married?” She rubbed my forearm, but I pulled away.
“Engaged.” I looked towards the front door still no sign of Gregory.
She looked down at her cell when it binged. Then she moved closer. “What’s your name?”
“Noah.” I didn’t bother asking her name.
“Don’t you want to know mine?” She rubbed her hand across my back.
“No.”
She took a sip of her drink then leaned into me. “You don’t remember me, Noah.”
I studied her face. What the fuck was this chick up to? “No. Should I?”
“I bet Natalie would recognize me.” She moved away from me.
“How do you know Natalie? Who the fuck are you?”
Her ominous laugh cut through me. Then I realized what was happening.
“Who the fuck put you up to this?” I jumped up, grabbed her by her arms and shook her. “What the fuck is going on?”
Her depraved eyes sent chills up my spine as she threatened me. “I’m one of your whores, and now I’m your worst nightmare.”
I grabbed my keys. “It’s Gregory! Tell me! It’s that fucking asshole!” I dialed my cell and listened to the ring on the other end.
She took a sip of her wine and then looked at me. “He paid me more for this job than you ever did to fuck the living shit out of me.”
Everything stopped. I frantically ran from the bar to my car. Natalie’s phone kept going straight to voicemail. I sped through the streets to get home. I called my security team. “Tom, where’s Natalie?”
“She’s in the house,” Tom answered confusion sounded in his voice.
“Are you sure?” I yelled into the phone.
“I’m looking at her car as we speak. You sound frantic.”
“Please check. I’ll wait.”
I waited for him to come back on the phone. He took too long. I was almost home, and I would find out for myself.
I sped up, parked the car but left the engine running as I jumped out. There was a car I didn’t recognize parked in my driveway. I barged into my house. I knew something was wrong when I saw my security team checking the property.
“Natalie!” I yelled out once inside the house.
“Sir, we’re up here.” One guard called from upstairs.
I took the steps three at a time. Three guards stood in my daughter’s room. Erin and Pam sat on the bed crying. One guard questioned Pam.
I ran over to my daughter and scooped her up in my arms. “Erin, honey what happened?”
She was sobbing and hyperventilating. “Honey calm down and breathe. Breathe baby.” I wiped the tears from her face and cradled it. “Tell Daddy what happened. It’s very important, honey.”
Between sobs, she spoke. “That man from the Gala came here and locked us in the closet.”
“What about Natalie?” I drew her face closer to mine.
Still sobbing, “I don’t know. Daddy, he was rough with her.”
“Erin, stay with Pam, I need to help Natalie.” I frantically looked around the room. I didn’t know where to start. How could I find Natalie?
The guards gathered around to update me on what they knew. I heard sirens and voices downstairs. We were just about to walk out of the room when Erin yelled out.
“Daddy, wait! Natalie wanted me to tell you about our game.”
“What sweetheart?” I asked.
“We played Kangaroo.” Her voice was low. “Call Natalie.”
“I tried calling her; she didn’t answer. I don’t think she has her phone on her, honey.”
“Sure she does.” She was sniffling and wiping at her nose.
Everyone stopped and turned back into the room.
“Erin, how do you know Natalie has her phone on her?”
“Because right before that mean man came into the house, we were playing the Kangaroo game.”
“The what game?”
“Natalie hides things in that big funny elastic waistband on her jeans because her belly reminds me of a Kangaroo’s pouch. And right before he came in, she hid her phone, and I think the television remote and gummy bears may be in there too.”
I whipped my head around to the guards, and simultaneously we all said, “Track it.”