Aside from
the fact that Kri disappeared the same day, I’d say a connection is
questionable at best.”
Kadyn
shook his head. “I still think it’s connected. Do you remember Kri’s Vietnam
vet friend from Montana, the one who helped us find her in Trout Lake?”
Phil
nodded. “Dan.”
Kadyn
continued. “He was trying to track down Garcia before we discovered that Morris
was the one who kidnapped Kri. Maybe he has something we can use… possible
destinations or the last place he was seen. I’ll call him after work to see if
he can help us narrow the search.”
“Didn’t
he work as a skip tracer when he came back from Vietnam?” Phil asked.
Kadyn
nodded. “Yes, and he’s one of Kri’s best friends. He’s going to want in on
this, and there’s a good chance he can help. I’ll give him a call after work.
I’m also going to track down the name of the reporter who published the news
story in Portugal speculating on Garcia’s connection to a terrorist network. If
I can locate him, maybe I can obtain some additional information that will help
us narrow our search.”
Phil
narrowed his eyes at Kadyn. “You don’t speak Portuguese, and your Spanish
sucks. You need to pull Cenia in, so she can talk to that reporter. Besides, he’s
more likely to cooperate with a woman than he is a man.”
A
small smile played on Kadyn’s face. “I plan to pull Cenia in, but just for the
record, my Spanish is a lot better than yours.”
Phil
chuckled as he and Kadyn disposed of their trash and returned the trays. He
patted Kadyn on the back. “It’s good to know I can still bait you.”
Kadyn
just shook his head. The two men fell into a companionable silence as they walked
through the miles of winding corridors that formed the Pentagon. Kadyn and Phil
parted ways just before Kadyn reached the art display from the children of the 9/11
victims. An overwhelming sense of sadness fell over him as he stood staring at
the artwork. “Terrorists,” he grumbled as he turned away. Was Kri already in
their hands?
*
* * * * *
Kadyn
drove straight home after work. He changed out of his uniform before walking over
to Kri’s apartment. Her apartment was where they spent most of their evenings
together, so the walk was instinctive.
He
unlocked the door and tossed his keys on the counter. He didn’t bother sitting
down. Kadyn knew there would be hell to pay when he called Dan. He scrolled
through the list of contacts on his cell phone and tapped on Dan’s name.
Dan
answered on the first ring. “Hey, Kadyn. I heard about what happened at the
Pentagon. What the hell’s going on over there? You sleeping on the job?” Dan
chuckled as he ribbed his friend.
“Evidently,”
Kadyn gritted out.
The
phone line went quiet. Then Dan’s voice came across low and menacingly. “What
is it?”
“It’s
Kri. She’s been kidnapped again.” Kadyn moved the phone a few feet from his ear
in anticipation of Dan’s reaction.
“What
the FUCK!” Dan exploded. “How the hell did you let that happen… again ?”
Kadyn
exhaled loudly. “I didn’t let anything happen, Dan. I was on lockdown at
the Pentagon when she was taken.”
“This
happened yesterday, when the bombs were found at the Pentagon? Why am I just
now hearing about this?” Dan asked sharply. “Wait. Are you thinking what I’m
thinking?”
Kadyn
leaned against Kri’s breakfast bar and stared out over the living room. His
eyes lingered on the place where he had found Mickey. “Yes. She was taken by Michael
Garcia. He left the lease officer from our apartment complex tied up in Kri’s
apartment with a message for me. She recognized him from that photo you had Kri
distribute last year.”
Dan
sucked in a breath. “What was the message?”
“He
said he’ll destroy everything and everyone I love if I try to find Kri.”
Dan
swore softly this time. “Son-of-a-bitch.”
Kadyn
pushed off the counter and walked into the living room. “I had to involve
the fact that Kri disappeared the same day, I’d say a connection is
questionable at best.”
Kadyn
shook his head. “I still think it’s connected. Do you remember Kri’s Vietnam
vet friend from Montana, the one who helped us find her in Trout Lake?”
Phil
nodded. “Dan.”
Kadyn
continued. “He was trying to track down Garcia before we discovered that Morris
was the one who kidnapped Kri. Maybe he has something we can use… possible
destinations or the last place he was seen. I’ll call him after work to see if
he can help us narrow the search.”
“Didn’t
he work as a skip tracer when he came back from Vietnam?” Phil asked.
Kadyn
nodded. “Yes, and he’s one of Kri’s best friends. He’s going to want in on
this, and there’s a good chance he can help. I’ll give him a call after work.
I’m also going to track down the name of the reporter who published the news
story in Portugal speculating on Garcia’s connection to a terrorist network. If
I can locate him, maybe I can obtain some additional information that will help
us narrow our search.”
Phil
narrowed his eyes at Kadyn. “You don’t speak Portuguese, and your Spanish
sucks. You need to pull Cenia in, so she can talk to that reporter. Besides, he’s
more likely to cooperate with a woman than he is a man.”
A
small smile played on Kadyn’s face. “I plan to pull Cenia in, but just for the
record, my Spanish is a lot better than yours.”
Phil
chuckled as he and Kadyn disposed of their trash and returned the trays. He
patted Kadyn on the back. “It’s good to know I can still bait you.”
Kadyn
just shook his head. The two men fell into a companionable silence as they walked
through the miles of winding corridors that formed the Pentagon. Kadyn and Phil
parted ways just before Kadyn reached the art display from the children of the 9/11
victims. An overwhelming sense of sadness fell over him as he stood staring at
the artwork. “Terrorists,” he grumbled as he turned away. Was Kri already in
their hands?
*
* * * * *
Kadyn
drove straight home after work. He changed out of his uniform before walking over
to Kri’s apartment. Her apartment was where they spent most of their evenings
together, so the walk was instinctive.
He
unlocked the door and tossed his keys on the counter. He didn’t bother sitting
down. Kadyn knew there would be hell to pay when he called Dan. He scrolled
through the list of contacts on his cell phone and tapped on Dan’s name.
Dan
answered on the first ring. “Hey, Kadyn. I heard about what happened at the
Pentagon. What the hell’s going on over there? You sleeping on the job?” Dan
chuckled as he ribbed his friend.
“Evidently,”
Kadyn gritted out.
The
phone line went quiet. Then Dan’s voice came across low and menacingly. “What
is it?”
“It’s
Kri. She’s been kidnapped again.” Kadyn moved the phone a few feet from his ear
in anticipation of Dan’s reaction.
“What
the FUCK!” Dan exploded. “How the hell did you let that happen… again ?”
Kadyn
exhaled loudly. “I didn’t let anything happen, Dan. I was on lockdown at
the Pentagon when she was taken.”
“This
happened yesterday, when the bombs were found at the Pentagon? Why am I just
now hearing about this?” Dan asked sharply. “Wait. Are you thinking what I’m
thinking?”
Kadyn
leaned against Kri’s breakfast bar and stared out over the living room. His
eyes lingered on the place where he had found Mickey. “Yes. She was taken by Michael
Garcia. He left the lease officer from our apartment complex tied up in Kri’s
apartment with a message for me. She recognized him from that photo you had Kri
distribute last year.”
Dan
sucked in a breath. “What was the message?”
“He
said he’ll destroy everything and everyone I love if I try to find Kri.”
Dan
swore softly this time. “Son-of-a-bitch.”
Kadyn
pushed off the counter and walked into the living room. “I had to involve
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