Texas Ransom

“Does this mean you’ve found the shooter?” Graham asked as the special agent escorted him to the front entrance.

“Let’s just say, we no longer think the suspect is in the building.”

“Why?”

“We have our reasons.”

Graham wondered what those reasons were, but he decided that for now it was best to say as little as possible. Until he could find out what was going on with Kendall, the last thing he needed was Delacourt’s continued interest.

“What about the ambassador? How’s he doing?”

“Holding his own. That’s about all I can say.” Delacourt nodded to another agent in the lobby. “You haven’t remembered anything else that might help us out?”

Graham shrugged. “Like I said, there was a lot of confusion. I didn’t even know Garza had been wounded. I didn’t hear a gunshot, although I suppose it could have been masked by the falling tray. I thought at first he’d collapsed from a heart attack. And then I saw the blood on the floor beneath him. That’s all I remember.”

“What about the waiter who dropped the tray? You said he had dark hair, an average build. Any distinguishing marks? Scars, moles anything at all that you can recall?”

Graham shook his head. “Nothing more than what I’ve already told you. I didn’t really get a good look at him. After he dropped the tray, everyone around him scrambled to get out of the way. And then a second or two later, I saw the ambassador lying on the floor.”

The agent fished in his pocket and brought out a card. “Details sometime come back once the adrenaline settles. If you think of anything, no matter how insignificant it may seem, give me a call at this number.”

Graham pocketed the card and nodded. “I will.”

He started to walk away, but Delacourt said suddenly, “Hey, what about your wife? Have you heard from her?”

“No, not since earlier. I guess I’m meeting her at home.”

As Graham walked away, he resisted the urge to glance over his shoulder. He had a strange feeling that Delacourt was standing there watching him. And that he would be hearing from the agent again very soon.

AS GRAHAM climbed behind the wheel of his BMW a little while later, he started thinking again about Kendall’s strange exit from the reception. And he thought about the way she’d left all those years ago, with only a note to explain her sudden departure. She’d disappeared for months with barely any communication. Graham had had to learn from his best friend that she’d moved to Mexico.

Back then, Kendall had been a woman he barely knew. A gorgeous, restless creature who had grown tired of her husband’s fifteen-hour workdays. And it wasn’t as though Graham hadn’t seen it coming. He had. He just hadn’t done anything about it. And now this.

What if she decided to leave him again?

He cut himself off. He wouldn’t go there. Not until he talked to her.

The other guests had long since left the building, and the parking garage was nearly deserted. As Graham backed out of his slot, he took out his cell phone and started placing calls.

He checked the hotel first. He and Kendall had booked a suite at the Warwick for the night so they wouldn’t have to drive all the way back to Austin after the reception. She’d asked to meet at home, but it made more sense that she meant their hotel room.

But she didn’t pick up in their suite nor had she left a message. Graham tried his brother’s house next and when Ellie answered, he quickly explained why he was calling.

“She left without saying anything? That’s odd,” Ellie murmured.

“You didn’t see her?” Graham asked anxiously.

“I looked for both of you before we left, but after the shooting everything was so chaotic. I was scared to death that some madman was going to open fire into the crowd. It didn’t even occur to me at first that it was an assassination attempt…” She trailed off, and Graham could hear the tremble in her voice. “I can see why you’re worried about Kendall. I’m still so shaky I don’t want to let Terrence or the girls out of my sight. But you say…she left before the shooting? Why would she leave without telling you?”

“I don’t know. I was hoping you could tell me. You said she seemed quiet at lunch today. Did she say or do anything that might give me a clue?”

Ellie sighed. “I’m afraid I can’t help you, Graham. But I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about. She’ll turn up. She may even be back at the hotel waiting for you now.”

“I just tried the suite. She’s not there.”

“Well, then, she may be on her way. You’ve called her cell?”

“Of course, I have. It’s turned off.”

“Do you want one of us to drive over to the Warwick and check the suite?”

Their house in the Museum District was only a few blocks from the hotel, but Graham was already pulling onto the street. He was waylaid for a moment by a police officer at the garage exit who checked his ID, then waved him on.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m on my way over there now. I’ll check it out for myself.”

“Let me know if you hear anything.”

“I will. Thanks, Ellie. I’m sure you’re right. It’s probably nothing. We just got our wires crossed.”

But if it was a misunderstanding, he would have heard from her by now. Besides, a simple mix-up wouldn’t explain her sudden departure from the reception or the phone call a few minutes later. I’vedone things, Graham…

He drew a breath and wondered why he hadn’t told Ellie about that phone call. Maybe because he didn’t want to attach too much importance to it, but how could he not? The ominous conversation had been playing in his head for hours, niggling at his peace of mind.

Kendall was gone. And for all Graham knew, she might not be coming back.

He slammed his palm against the steering wheel in frustration. The downtown traffic was still heavy even at that time of night, and he suddenly felt as if every minute that went by put him further away from Kendall. His first impulse was to drive straight home to Austin where she’d promised to meet him, but he wanted to check their room first.

When he pulled up in front of the Warwick, he didn’t bother parking, but instead jumped out and tossed his keys to the valet, telling the young man that he would only be a minute.

He called the room again on his cell phone as he hurried toward the elevator. Still no answer.

As he let himself into their darkened suite, Graham could no longer deny that something was very wrong. He’d been trying for hours to convince himself there had to be a logical explanation for everything that had happened.

But now, standing in the room with the scent of his wife’s perfume lingering in the air, he finally admitted to himself that she wasn’t just gone. She was very likely in trouble. And he didn’t know what in the hell to do about it.

Even though he knew she wasn’t there, he went through the suite, calling her name, checking the bedroom, the bathroom and finally the closet. The clothes she’d brought for their overnight trip were still hanging from the rod, her shoes lined up neatly on the floor and her suitcase tucked away in a corner.

She hadn’t been back to the room. All her things were exactly the way she’d left them, including the silk robe she’d tossed on the bed earlier as she dressed.

Graham lifted the silk to his face. Her presence in the room was so palpable he expected her to come walking in at any second.