Page 54 of Kidnapped in Dark Waters
He ran toward it, his heartbeat pounding in his head and a sense of doom crashing through him. When he reached it, he knew she’d been taken.
The air whooshed out of his lungs and he nearly fell to his knees as he saw the pink-handled knife she always carried for protection on the pavement next to the driver’s side door.
He fumbled and pulled his cell phone out to call Daniel. “She’s gone,” he said. “Dominique has been kidnapped.”
“Where are you?” Daniel asked.
“I’m next to her car in the back parking lot of the café,” Luke replied as despair nearly choked him. “She’s gone, Daniel. She’s gone.”
“Stay put. We’ll be right there.” Daniel hung up.
Luke hoped the whole police force showed up. They needed to find her. He didn’t even know how long she’d been missing. With that thought in mind, he raced over to the café’s back door. When he reached it, he asked to speak to Annie.
The older woman came to the door. “What can I do for you, Officer Madison?” She swiped a tendril of her gray hair back from her face.
“When was the last time Dominique was at work?” he asked.
“Last night. She left here a little after eight. But she didn’t show up to work the mid-shift today. Is she in some kind of trouble?”
“Yes, she’s in trouble,” Luke replied, once again a wild despair spearing through him.
Annie frowned. “Then I hope you can get her out of trouble. She’s family to us here. If I can help in any way, just let me know.”
“Thanks, Annie. We may talk to you later.”
Luke left the back door and returned to stand next to Dominique’s car. As he stared at the knife on the pavement, tears blurred his vision.
He quickly tamped back his emotion. Crying wasn’t going to get Dominique back. He needed to stay strong and focused. And where in the hell was Daniel?
Time was ticking by…precious moments they could be out there looking for her. She had to have been taken last night when she’d left the café. That meant she had already been missing for a full night and over half the day today.
He looked inside the car window but didn’t see anything. He didn’t want to open the vehicle or search it until Daniel showed up. He was afraid of disturbing any evidence that might be around.
Finally, he heard sirens in the distance. Within minutes, Daniel pulled in, followed by two more patrol cars. Daniel andClay got out of Daniel’s car while Officers Sam Summers, Roger Teasdale and Johnny White got out of the other cars.
Luke quickly relayed what he knew to Daniel. When he was finished, he grabbed hold of Daniel’s forearm. “We have to find her, Daniel,” he said desperately.
“We will, Luke. We’ll find her,” Daniel replied.
Luke released his hold on Daniel’s arm. They had to find her, but where did they begin to look? He watched as Daniel instructed Sam, Roger and Johnny to begin processing the car and surrounding area. Daniel then got on the phone and instructed two other officers to go to the swamp and check out Dominique’s shanty.
“Clay and Luke, let’s head into the station,” Daniel then said.
Luke wanted to protest. He wanted to bang on doors. He wanted to tear apart every house in town and every shanty in the swamp to find her. Ultimately, he recognized they needed to go to the station and form a plan. That way they wouldn’t waste more precious time.
Once again as Luke followed behind Daniel’s car, his emotions roared to the forefront again. It didn’t matter that she didn’t love him. It didn’t matter that they would never be together. All that mattered was finding her safe and sound.
Unfortunately, there was no way to know what the kidnapper was capable of. The strangled, dead bird indicated the person was capable of a brutal act. So, it was possible Dominique’s very life was on the line.
Chapter Thirteen
Consciousness came slowly. The first thing she became aware of was a pounding headache. She winced and tried to climb out of the dense fog that seemed wrapped around her brain.
She attempted to open her eyes, but it was too much of an effort. What was wrong with her? She tried to gather her thoughts. She’d worked the late shift at the café. So, what had happened after that?
Suddenly, memories flooded through her brain. Walking out to her car…the masked man jumping out from behind the dumpster…the prick in her arm…and then nothing.
She gasped and sat straight up as her eyes flicked open. She released another gasp as she looked at her surroundings. She was in a bed, covered with a pink spread.
