Read Online Found Missing (Decorah Security Series, Book #14): A Paranormal Romantic Suspense Novel by REBECCA YORK - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: REBECCA YORK
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why she wouldn’t level with him. And now what was he going to do when he found her. Hug her in relief that he’d caught up with her or try and shake the truth out of her?
Maybe it would be better if Mack was the one who located her. That might give Grant time to cool off.
Up ahead was a medium-priced national chain. He slowed and pulled into the parking lot, then stopped under the covered entrance and sat for a minute. They’d rushed out of the Decorah facility so fast that he hadn’t thought about his approach.
At that moment, Mack contacted him, and he was glad of the distraction.
I’m coming up on a Holiday Inn express. How are we going to work this?”
Well, I was thinking I’d ask if Lily Wardman had registered, since that’s the ID she has, and she probably looks enough like Lily to get away with it.
The hair color’s wrong.
Women change their hair color all the time.
True. If they don’t have Lily Wardman registered, we can describe her.
And why are we looking for her? Mack asked.
Grant thought about it. The reason had to be urgent, but he didn’t want to say Jenny was a fugitive from the law—or an escaped mental patient. How about, she has a serious medical condition and needs to report back to the hospital.
What hospital?
The Decorah In-Patient Treatment Center. If they need confirmation they can call Lily.
Okay, Mack agreed. I’ll phone Lily and tell her she might be getting calls from desk clerks wanting to make sure they’re not talking to an abusive husband.
With the procedure worked out, Grant went into the motel and strode purposefully toward the desk.
A short, dark-haired man standing behind the desk looked up. His plastic name tag said Chuck. “Can I help you?”
“I hope so. I’m looking for a woman who might have come here during the past . . .” He stopped and looked at his watch. “Past hour and a half.”
It was hard to believe that so much had happened in such a short time, but there it was. Introducing Jonas Corker into the VR had looked like a catastrophe. It had been a snap to contain, compared to this.
When the clerk waited for Grant to go on, he said, “She was a patient in a hospital facility, and she has a life-threatening condition.”
“Then why did she leave?” Chuck asked.
Grant kept his gaze steady. “She didn’t want to acknowledge the seriousness of her illness.”
“Which is what?”
“That’s confidential medical information. But I can say that time is of the essence. Could you check to see if she’s registered?”
“I’d want some confirmation from her doctor,” the clerk said.
Grant dragged in a breath, realizing that he had a problem he hadn’t even thought about. “She took her doctor’s identification.”
“Oh yeah?”
“When you call the hospital, Dr. Wardman will answer. She’s standing by.”
The guy gave Grant a long look, like he was trying to decide if all this was for real. When he shook his head, Grant was sure he was going to tell him to get the hell out. Instead he dialed the Decorah facility, and Grant could tell he was talking to Lily.
She must have answered and made the case sound urgent because the man hung up and turned to his computer. After checking his records, he shook his head again. “Not here under that name.”
Still, Grant pressed on. He gave a description, including that the patient would probably have looked sick and shaky.
“No. I’ve been on duty for the past three hours, and I haven’t seen anyone like you’re talking about.”
“Okay.”
Chuck hesitated for a moment before asking, “Are you looking for her because she has a mental problem.”
“No.”
“She’s physically sick?”
“She was in a coma until recently,” Grant answered evenly before turning on his heel. As soon as he’d said it, he wished he’d thought of a different answer, because that was a clue someone else could follow.
Back in the car, he dialed Lily.
“Was she there?” his sister-in-law asked
Maybe it would be better if Mack was the one who located her. That might give Grant time to cool off.
Up ahead was a medium-priced national chain. He slowed and pulled into the parking lot, then stopped under the covered entrance and sat for a minute. They’d rushed out of the Decorah facility so fast that he hadn’t thought about his approach.
At that moment, Mack contacted him, and he was glad of the distraction.
I’m coming up on a Holiday Inn express. How are we going to work this?”
Well, I was thinking I’d ask if Lily Wardman had registered, since that’s the ID she has, and she probably looks enough like Lily to get away with it.
The hair color’s wrong.
Women change their hair color all the time.
True. If they don’t have Lily Wardman registered, we can describe her.
And why are we looking for her? Mack asked.
Grant thought about it. The reason had to be urgent, but he didn’t want to say Jenny was a fugitive from the law—or an escaped mental patient. How about, she has a serious medical condition and needs to report back to the hospital.
What hospital?
The Decorah In-Patient Treatment Center. If they need confirmation they can call Lily.
Okay, Mack agreed. I’ll phone Lily and tell her she might be getting calls from desk clerks wanting to make sure they’re not talking to an abusive husband.
With the procedure worked out, Grant went into the motel and strode purposefully toward the desk.
A short, dark-haired man standing behind the desk looked up. His plastic name tag said Chuck. “Can I help you?”
“I hope so. I’m looking for a woman who might have come here during the past . . .” He stopped and looked at his watch. “Past hour and a half.”
It was hard to believe that so much had happened in such a short time, but there it was. Introducing Jonas Corker into the VR had looked like a catastrophe. It had been a snap to contain, compared to this.
When the clerk waited for Grant to go on, he said, “She was a patient in a hospital facility, and she has a life-threatening condition.”
“Then why did she leave?” Chuck asked.
Grant kept his gaze steady. “She didn’t want to acknowledge the seriousness of her illness.”
“Which is what?”
“That’s confidential medical information. But I can say that time is of the essence. Could you check to see if she’s registered?”
“I’d want some confirmation from her doctor,” the clerk said.
Grant dragged in a breath, realizing that he had a problem he hadn’t even thought about. “She took her doctor’s identification.”
“Oh yeah?”
“When you call the hospital, Dr. Wardman will answer. She’s standing by.”
The guy gave Grant a long look, like he was trying to decide if all this was for real. When he shook his head, Grant was sure he was going to tell him to get the hell out. Instead he dialed the Decorah facility, and Grant could tell he was talking to Lily.
She must have answered and made the case sound urgent because the man hung up and turned to his computer. After checking his records, he shook his head again. “Not here under that name.”
Still, Grant pressed on. He gave a description, including that the patient would probably have looked sick and shaky.
“No. I’ve been on duty for the past three hours, and I haven’t seen anyone like you’re talking about.”
“Okay.”
Chuck hesitated for a moment before asking, “Are you looking for her because she has a mental problem.”
“No.”
“She’s physically sick?”
“She was in a coma until recently,” Grant answered evenly before turning on his heel. As soon as he’d said it, he wished he’d thought of a different answer, because that was a clue someone else could follow.
Back in the car, he dialed Lily.
“Was she there?” his sister-in-law asked
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