had been playing her from the beginning.
"You shouldn't tell my parents where I am, aren't there invasion of privacy laws, or something that protect me? I am an adult." The little blonde chimed up as she squeezed Orlando's massive arm.
"They think you were kidnapped; allowing your parents to believe your life is in danger is pretty irresponsible." Leaning back against the tiny sofa, she crossed her arms and waited for a good explanation.
"I'm twenty-three years old, but they think of me as their baby still. I love Orlando and I will be with him." Her once meek voice turned powerful. "We are very much in love and meant to be together. They have no right to keep us apart." Frustrated tears welled in the girls eyes.
"I tried to speak to her parents but they didn't approve." Orlando methodically stroked her hair, calming her.
"So instead of trying to gain their trust and respect, you run off into the night with their daughter?"
"Haven't you ever been in love?" Cassie asked Danielle.
"No." Her response was quick with no need to think. Love got in the way of her work and complicated things. There was a time in college she'd dated and had a little fun with a guy, but that's all it was, fun; no strings attached and no feelings too strong to keep her from walking away. At least on her part, Jamie's last letter had implied that he might have felt more.
As she answered, she couldn’t help but feel she was lying; couldn't help but feel that there was a great love in her life, too distant to grasp. She was confusing herself.
"Look, I have no doubt you two are in love. But I was hired to bring you in, and I don't get paid until that happens." She fished the cuffs out of her purse and flipped them open. "Most likely this whole thing will blow over when the cops see that you are fine and left willingly."
Orlando whispered in the girl's ear then stepped toward Danielle, hands raised ready to be shackled. That was too easy. Just minutes before they were protesting, then suddenly he's handing her his wrists, it didn't make sense. Squinting her eyes, she looked between the two lovebirds and slowly slipped the metal around is wrists.
"So where's your charming friend?" She asked after calling for a taxi and leading him down the stairs.
"What friend?" He asked confused.
"Your cohort? The distraction? Michael?" He stopped midstride forcing Danielle to spin toward him.
"Michael is not my cohort, or friend."
"Ah, so he just happened to appear to "help" me find you, then you just happen to appear during our date, then he just happened to disappear moments before you show up again?" The sarcasm dripped from her words. "Yea, that's believable."
"Our relationship is…difficult to explain." He began walking again, looking down at the girl to reassure her.
"Try me." Dropping subjects that intrigued her was not something she did easily.
"I have something he wants." Orlando stared at her, jaw clenched.
"And what's that?" People who talked in riddles, only giving tidbits of information pissed her off.
"You'll know soon." It sounded like a threat but she brushed it off. Somehow he'd tell her, if she had to use some of her more tricky interrogation skills, so be it.
Chapter Five
The haze surrounded the couple embracing, suitcases at their feet. Michael strained once more to hear the conversation but still the words came out warbled. Pacing the room, he avoided the hazy beams of sunlight filtering between the blinds as he readied himself for the next round. He was stuck in the room until dusk, which gave him plenty of time to struggle with the sound in his visions. Flipping open his cell phone, he increased the volume, waiting for word from Danielle; she might have had better luck last night. Whenever she was near, he felt calm and he suddenly craved that feeling.
Shaking his head he pushed her to the back of his thoughts and began to concentrate on the ink scribbled across the page.
"I won't let them hurt you." The voice boomed
"You shouldn't tell my parents where I am, aren't there invasion of privacy laws, or something that protect me? I am an adult." The little blonde chimed up as she squeezed Orlando's massive arm.
"They think you were kidnapped; allowing your parents to believe your life is in danger is pretty irresponsible." Leaning back against the tiny sofa, she crossed her arms and waited for a good explanation.
"I'm twenty-three years old, but they think of me as their baby still. I love Orlando and I will be with him." Her once meek voice turned powerful. "We are very much in love and meant to be together. They have no right to keep us apart." Frustrated tears welled in the girls eyes.
"I tried to speak to her parents but they didn't approve." Orlando methodically stroked her hair, calming her.
"So instead of trying to gain their trust and respect, you run off into the night with their daughter?"
"Haven't you ever been in love?" Cassie asked Danielle.
"No." Her response was quick with no need to think. Love got in the way of her work and complicated things. There was a time in college she'd dated and had a little fun with a guy, but that's all it was, fun; no strings attached and no feelings too strong to keep her from walking away. At least on her part, Jamie's last letter had implied that he might have felt more.
As she answered, she couldn’t help but feel she was lying; couldn't help but feel that there was a great love in her life, too distant to grasp. She was confusing herself.
"Look, I have no doubt you two are in love. But I was hired to bring you in, and I don't get paid until that happens." She fished the cuffs out of her purse and flipped them open. "Most likely this whole thing will blow over when the cops see that you are fine and left willingly."
Orlando whispered in the girl's ear then stepped toward Danielle, hands raised ready to be shackled. That was too easy. Just minutes before they were protesting, then suddenly he's handing her his wrists, it didn't make sense. Squinting her eyes, she looked between the two lovebirds and slowly slipped the metal around is wrists.
"So where's your charming friend?" She asked after calling for a taxi and leading him down the stairs.
"What friend?" He asked confused.
"Your cohort? The distraction? Michael?" He stopped midstride forcing Danielle to spin toward him.
"Michael is not my cohort, or friend."
"Ah, so he just happened to appear to "help" me find you, then you just happen to appear during our date, then he just happened to disappear moments before you show up again?" The sarcasm dripped from her words. "Yea, that's believable."
"Our relationship is…difficult to explain." He began walking again, looking down at the girl to reassure her.
"Try me." Dropping subjects that intrigued her was not something she did easily.
"I have something he wants." Orlando stared at her, jaw clenched.
"And what's that?" People who talked in riddles, only giving tidbits of information pissed her off.
"You'll know soon." It sounded like a threat but she brushed it off. Somehow he'd tell her, if she had to use some of her more tricky interrogation skills, so be it.
Chapter Five
The haze surrounded the couple embracing, suitcases at their feet. Michael strained once more to hear the conversation but still the words came out warbled. Pacing the room, he avoided the hazy beams of sunlight filtering between the blinds as he readied himself for the next round. He was stuck in the room until dusk, which gave him plenty of time to struggle with the sound in his visions. Flipping open his cell phone, he increased the volume, waiting for word from Danielle; she might have had better luck last night. Whenever she was near, he felt calm and he suddenly craved that feeling.
Shaking his head he pushed her to the back of his thoughts and began to concentrate on the ink scribbled across the page.
"I won't let them hurt you." The voice boomed
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