MICHAEL
The lobby is full of the usual tourists, patrons of the gambling gods if you will, but it takes no time at all to recognize Joseph and Lana as they rush up into the casino, both of them looking flushed. I don’t know why they’re together, and part of me wants to find out, but none of that is bigger than what’s happening with Olivia.
“Have you found her?” I ask as I meet up with them.
Lana quickly shakes her head, about thirty seconds away from a complete and total breakdown. “No. Javier’s got her, I just know he does. That bastard took her away!”
I share a glance with Joseph, whose solemn expression centers me. “I’ve already contacted our legal team. Banks is filing the restraining order right this second, and I’ve got the best private investigators on your ex’s tracks. They can find a needle in a haystack—I’m telling you. Why don’t we get you upstairs, while we wait for them to stop by? It shouldn’t take very long.”
Lana pulls at Joseph, taking a step backward. “I think maybe I should be out looking, maybe if I could borrow the car…”
“I don’t think that’s going to help any. Especially if Javier doesn’t want to be found. I think it’s best if we all just go inside, just to try and get a grasp on things. Will that be okay with you?” I ask, trying to keep calm in light of everything. It’s harder than I realize, considering how worried I am about Olivia. I know nothing about this Javier guy, but from the way Lana makes it sound, he’s not the kind of person anyone would want Olivia around.
Her eyes darting all over the place, she finally focuses back on me. “Okay, I guess so. But just until your people show up. After that, I need to be out there. Looking for her.”
--
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve paced the floor, waiting to hear from someone, but when the buzzer finally goes off to the front door, I storm toward it, adrenaline coursing through my veins. If they’re here, that means we can finally do something — anything to not feel so helpless in this situation is better than nothing. “Yes?”
“Mr. Wright, I have Mr. Harris and Mr. Gorman here to see you, as well as Mr. Gerome Banks. Shall I send them up?”
“Absolutely, thank you.” I glance over at Lana who was fidgeting with her hands in her lap, and nod. “They’re here.”
Checking to make sure it’s them, I throw open the door and thank them all for coming on such short notice. Without much preamble, both of the PIs walk over to Lana who’s just stood up, looking rather ashen, while Banks pulls me aside.
“I’ve already got my team at the office looking into everything they can find on the guy. Just give us a couple hours and we’ll know everything we need to know. It’ll probably help if we can get some more information from the mother, though.” He looks over at Lana who’s silently crying, staring straight ahead as she talks to, I’m assuming, Mr. Harris and Mr. Gorman.
“You know where he might have taken your daughter? Anywhere, in particular, he’s mentioned before?” The taller man asks Lana, his tone devoid of emotion.
She swallows hard. “I…not really. The only thing I can think of is probably…the worst-case scenario. Javier he, he was born and raised in Colombia and I’m terrified that he might’ve actually tried to take her there.”
Both Joseph and I exchanged a look. “Columbia? Ohio, or…?”
“No, I mean Colombia. The country.” She slumps forward, her eyes shining. “Olivia doesn’t have a passport though, but I wouldn’t put it past him to find a way around that. He has… pull with that kind of thing.”
I raise a brow. “What do you mean? Why would he take her to Colombia?”
“Because of his family. Javier…he’s the son of the head of a wealthy drug cartel there. It’s always been my biggest fear, that he would somehow get his hands on her and never look back. This is the whole reason why I’ve been trying to keep her away from him, even though I wasn’t sure he would actually try it. I didn’t want to find out…oh God.”
Joseph pulls Lana tightly against him, and I motion for Mr. Harris Mr. Gorman to follow me around the corner. “Whatever you have to do, gentlemen. No stone unturned, understood?”
“Absolutely, Mr. Wright,” the shorter one says with a brief nod. “If you’ll excuse us, we’ll get right to it.”
Behind me, our attorney, Banks, is muttering something about no-fly orders into his cell phone, pointing to the front door. Once he hangs up he claps me on the back. “We’ve got a judge on our side, and he’s already issuing the orders.”
“I can’t thank you enough, Banks. Please let me know if you hear anything, and I’ll do the same.”
The three men leave almost as fast as they came, and I quietly shut the door behind them. The soft sobs coming from Lana bring me to my knees quite literally in front of her, and I lean my forehead against her as Joseph rubs her back.
Being this close to Lana, with Joseph no less, brings back our night together, but I push all of those thoughts down. As much as I want to kiss her, to make her feel better and soothe her, it’s not the time for doing anything other than trying to find Olivia.
“We won’t stop until we find her, Lana,” Joseph says brusquely, something flashing in his eyes. There’s a determination there I’ve only seen when I witnessed him working through his physical therapy.
She sniffs, wiping at her wet face, unable to say anything.
“We won’t stop until she’s home safe, in your arms,” I add.