Page 83 of Cold Silence
Travis didn’t want to believe her, but she seemed to be telling the truth. He’d met Eric and hadn’t suspected the guy, so why wouldn’t a woman blinded by love fail to notice his duplicitous behavior? Either way it didn’t matter.
Eric had Claire, and Travis needed to find her. “He would take her someplace private. Anywhere come to mind?”
Julie tapped a finger on her chin as precious seconds ticked by.
“Think!” Travis shouted, making her jump. “Where would he take her?”
“His family has a private compound on the outskirts of Orlando.”
“Tell me about it.”
“They have several thousand acres with a few cabins near a lake. His parents have their own plane so there’s an airstrip. The rest of the land is swampy.”
The perfect place to hide someone—and maybe even dispose of someone.“Tell me how to get there.”
She rattled off directions. “It’s very remote with only a narrow lane leading to the cabins. If he’s there he’ll see you arrive.”
“Which might make him panic.” Travis ran over the scenarios he might employ for a rescue. “You said there’s an airstrip. How close is it to the cabin?”
“Maybe a half mile.”
“Far enough away for someone to parachute in without being seen?”
“I guess so.”
Travis dug out his phone to call his CO and arrange for a helicopter to the compound.
Let me be doing the right thing here. And keep Claire safe until I can get to her.
Eric freed Claire’s ankles, and she wanted to rub away the rough patches from the scratchy rope, but he left her wrists bound.
He pulled the rag from her mouth. She coughed and tried to swallow, but her mouth was desert dry.
“Don’t bother shouting for help or screaming.” He smirked. “My parents own several thousand acres around here, and no one will hear you.”
Several thousand acres.Where in the world were they, and how was anyone going to find her?
He jerked her out and set her on her feet.
She tried to get moisture back into her mouth. She could barely swallow, but she forgot about it for a moment to take in her surroundings. The long driveway led up to tall tropical plants surrounding a cabin. More like a large house with a cabin design.
The other direction led to a swampy area that had raised walkways heading somewhere she couldn’t determine in the darkness of night.
He jerked her forward, dragging her up the stairs, where he tapped a code into the keyless entry pad. He flipped on lights to a large vaulted family room with a big dining room and kitchen abutting the open space.
He shoved her into a chair at the dining table. “I’ll get you some water.”
She thought to run, but she knew she couldn’t outrun him, and she needed to keep hydrated for when the opportunity presented itself for her to take off.
He retrieved two expensive-looking bottles of water from a commercial-size stainless steel refrigerator. “If you promise not to try anything, I’ll untie your hands.”
She wouldn’t promise any such thing and mean it. “Okay.”
He freed the rope, and it fell to the floor.
She brought her arms around, the muscles screaming in agony.
He gave her the water.
