Trove (The Katie Walsh Mysteries) (30 page)

He was on her in an instant. His height meant his stride put him on top of her before she could flee. One hand covered her mouth while he pulled a cloth out of his jacket pocket with the other.

“No!” She started to scream into his hand, twisting her head side to side, trying to break the seal over her mouth. For one instant her mouth was free. “FIRE! FIRE” she yelled, knowing she was more likely to rouse someone with the threat of fire. She kicked at his shin and

started to run, but he caught up with her easily. He whipped his arm around her waist and hauled her body backwards, slamming it against his. His hand clamped down, smothering her with the cloth. She tried to scream but only ended up breathing in the nasty smell.
My God
,
it’s chloroform
.

Alec swept his arm swept back and forth across the sheets trying to find Katie, draw her close to his body, wanting to smell her sweet scent as he nuzzled her neck. Only the sheets were cold, very cold. His eyes flew open. She wasn’t in his bed and she wasn’t in the other one. It was still fully made. His heart raced as he flung the covers back and raced into the bathroom, hoping to find her, but somehow knowing she wouldn’t be there.

He tore back into the main room. He eyes swept over to the table. Her laptop was gone. His eyes dropped to the floor. Her duffel bag was gone.
She was gone.

He dragged his jeans on over his naked body. He pulled his sweater on and slipped into his shoes. He grabbed his cell phone and raced down the stairs.

Alec burst into the lobby, frightening the young woman at the front desk. “Has a woman, about this high,” he asked, as placed his hand against his chest, indicating Katie’s height, “with a laptop bag and a duffel bag come through here?”

She shook her head. “Nae. I’ve been on duty for almost an hour and you’re the first guest I’ve seen.”

He glimpsed the clock behind her. It was just past seven. “Dammit, she’s been gone at least an hour if not more.” He braced his arms on the reception counter. “Is there any transportation off the island?”

She nodded. “Aye. There’s a bus that heads back to the mainland but it doesn’t leave till midday.”

“That’s all?”

She nodded again.

Alec relaxed a bit. She was still here on Skye. “What about a car rental? Do you have that here?”

She shook her head. “Nae, though we do have private drivers for hire. But they wouldn’t be available until nine.”

“Where the hell could she be?”

“Sir?”

“The woman I was here with, she’s gone. I’m trying to figure out where she might be.”

She shrugged. “She can’t have gone too far since she must be on foot. I’m sure she’s all right. It’s a safe place for women to walk alone.”

His mind raced. How would he find her? Someone might have seen her. She’s was probably having breakfast nearby. “Are there any breakfast places near?”

“Yes, about a half dozen. I have a list right here for the guests,” she said as she slid a paper towards him.

Alec scanned the page, noting the places marked on a small map. They were all within a few blocks. He grabbed the page, stuffed it into his pocket and raced out the door.

After a frantic search, his heart sank as he entered the last shop on the list. He scanned the small dining room looking for her, but she wasn’t there. He left quickly after the waitress confirmed that she hadn’t seen Katie when he asked between ragged breaths.

His heart was as heavy as his feet as he plodded back to the hotel. Maybe she’d be there waiting for him in the lobby or in their room. As he rounded the corner to the main street, he glimpsed a seagull swooping and gliding. He sucked in his breath as it passed near a lamp post. Attached to the pole was a camera, a damn bloody closed-circuit camera. He knew they had them in the bigger cities to monitor people, identify trouble before it got out of hand.

For the first time since she’d disappeared, he had hope. He knew he’d find her. He had to find her. A plan was forming
as he headed back into the hotel. A small grin formed on his mouth.

Alec raced up the stairs and into the reception area. The woman behind the desk was smiling at him. “Did she come back?” he asked.

She shook her head. Her smile disappeared. “I thought that was why you were grinning.”

“No, but I think I might know how to find her. Those cameras, the closed circuit ones on the poles along the street, are those controlled by the police?” Alec asked.

She nodded. “Not much goes on here, but the government insisted they be installed on the main thoroughfare.”

“Where’s the police station?”

She pointed to the left. “One block over and about a quarter mile.”

“Thanks,” he said as he started down the stairs. He stopped at the landing and headed back to the desk. He grabbed a piece of blank paper off the desk and jotted his cell phone number down. He handed it to the clerk. “Call me if she comes back before I do.”

****

“I’m sorry, Dr. MacGowan, but I kinnae let you see the tapes. Your lady friend has nae been gone long enough to be called missing. And I’m constrained by the law,” the officer told him in a noticeable brogue.

Alec ran his hands through his hair. This was his only hope. “Look, I need to find out where she went. I have to make sure she’s all right. Surely you can understand my need. She’s my colleague and I know she wouldn’t take off without telling me.”

The officer shook his head. “I’m sure she’s just exploring our wee town. She’ll be back soon.”

“No, I don’t think she will. She had her personal stuff with her.”

“So she left you. I’m sorry, Dr. MacGowan, but it seems she does nae want you to know where she went.”

Alec’s shoulders slumped. He needed to see those tapes. He was sure the answer was on there. How the hell was he going to get to them? He turned and left the police station. As he headed back to the hotel, he searched the faces of people on the street, hoping to spy Katie’s freckled nose among them.

He climbed the stairs back into the hotel. A group of women gathered around the reception desk, waiting to check out. The clerk shook her head in response to his silent question.

He plodded up to his room. He opened the door, knowing she wasn’t there, but hoping she was. He stepped in and scanned the surroundings. Everything was as he left it. There was no sign of her. No sign she’d ever been there with him. He sat on the bed and laid his head on the pillow as he tried to think what to do next.

He rolled over, over to the side where Katie should be. He lifted the sheet and buried his face in it when he caught her scent still layered on the linen. “Where the hell are you, Katie? Help me find you.”

The shrill ringing of his cell phone jarred him back to his present problem, finding Katie. He grabbed the phone from his pocket and checked out the screen. The caller was Willie Jones. Willie Jones, of course. He should’ve thought of him earlier. He could help, would help. “Willie. Talk to me.”

“Alec? I was hopin’ to talk to Katie. She said to call your phone. Can I speak to her?”

Alec started pacing back and forth at the foot of the beds. “No, you can’t. She’s not here.”

“Can ya have her call me when she gets back?”

“No.” Alec hesitated. “I can’t. She’s… she’s missing, Willie.”

“
Missin’
? What do ya mean she’s
missin’
?”

“I woke up this morning and she was gone, and so was all her stuff,” Alec said.

“She didn’t leave a note?”

“Nothing. It’s like she was never here.” Alec exhaled and slumped onto the bed.

“When was the last time ya saw her?” Willie asked.

“It was probably just before midnight.”

“Was she upset, mad?”

“No, we were in bed…” Alec stopped.

“Ya were in bed together?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Willie snorted. “Well, ain’t that somethin’. Must be somethin’ really special about ya, if she got into bed with ya.”

“Willie, I need your help. I know you’re ex-Special Ops and I saw her emails to you about determining the source of the nasty email.”

“Yeah?”

“So I’ve been to the police trying to get them to let me see the closed-circuit camera data from this morning. After chasing down every other lead, I’m left with the video as my last hope.”

“And?” Willie prompted.

“They wouldn’t let me see it, said it was against the law. They think she left me, but I know Katie wouldn’t do that. Even if she was mad, she’d let one of us know she’s all right.”

“You’re right. How can I help?” Willie asked.

“Two things. First, I need you to get a copy of the video, and second, can you check to see if any of her credit cards have been used?”

“I’m on it. Call ya back in a few,” Willie said before he ended the call.

Alec jumped up and began pacing the room. “Think, MacGowan. What would have happened that sent her out of here in the middle of the night? Was it a phone call? No, her phone
was busted and I would’ve heard the phone ring since it was next to my head. My cell phone? No. It was still plugged into the charger when I got up and the log showed no incoming or outgoing calls since early last night, before we made love.” He punched one fist into the palm of his other hand. “What the hell made you run away from me, Katie?” He paced back and forth, punching his hand until his knuckles were raw. And then it hit him. The emails. Someone must have emailed her. But what could’ve been in them to make her up and leave?

He yanked his cell phone from his pocket and dialed.

“Hello, Katie,” Laura answered.

“Laura, it’s me, Alec. I need your help.”

“What’s up?”

“Katie’s gone.”

“What do mean
gone
?” Laura asked, her voice rising.

He explained all he knew and added that Willie was trying to get the video feeds.

Laura swore quietly. “She’s got to be all right. So help me if she’s not…”

He swallowed. “I know, Laura. I feel the same way, but I need your help.”

“Just tell me what you need.”

“Can you access Katie’s email? I’m convinced that she received an email that upset her and sent her running. If I can see it, I might be able to figure out where she’s gone and why,” Alec said.

“Um, that’s a tremendous violation of her privacy. I’m not sure I feel comfortable doing that, never mind forwarding it to you.”

“I know about the picture. She showed it to me yesterday. She told me Willie’s trying to figure out who sent it. She doesn’t keep secrets from me, Laura, if that’s what’s bothering you.”

“Just suppose it’s something really personal. I don’t think she’d appreciate me sharing it with you. I don’t want—”

“Dammit, Laura,” he said, his tone turning sharp, “her life maybe in danger.” He needed her help, not an argument. He rubbed his hand over his chin. “Did she tell you she was almost abducted the other morning in the North End?”

“
What?
No, she didn’t,” she said, her voice faltering. “She never said a word about it.” She whispered, “That changes things.”

“I guess she does keep some secrets,” Alec snapped. “Now are you going to help me and forward any emails that came in overnight to my email account?”

“Yes, you should have them in a few minutes.”

“Thanks, Laura.”

“Keep me informed, Alec. She’s like a sister to me.”

After two minutes, Alec checked his email. Nothing. He waited another two minutes and still nothing. At the five-minute mark, his cell phone rang. It was Laura. “Tell me there’s something there, Laura.”

“Oh, there’s something there, you
asshole
.
You lied to her, deceived her.
No wonder she left without telling you anything,
” she screamed at him.

“Whoa! Slow down. I don’t have a clue what you’re looking at, or what you’re talking about. Want to fill me in before you rip my head off?” he snapped.

“You’re despicable. I don’t know what Katie saw in you. You just used her. She didn’t deserve that, Alec.”

“Laura, what the
hell
are you talking about? Give me a clue at least.”

“I forwarded the only email she got overnight, other than one Willie sent her. And just so you know, Alec, if something happened to her, I’ll make you pay,” she promised before she cut the connection.

He sank into the chair, puzzling over Laura’s threat as he retrieved his email. His heart pounded as he read the forwarded message. “Oh, my God, I’m so sorry Katie,” he said as the impact of his betrayal hit him.

“She thinks I knew about the connection from the beginning, that I was here only to use her any way I could.” He exhaled as he dropped his head into his hands. “It’s all on me, She always says she wants people to be direct. Yeah, she would’ve probably belted me across the jaw, but she would have eventually calmed down enough to realize my motives were good, honest. Even if she chose not to help at that point, I could understand that. Though I don’t think she’d stop and leave me without help. I can tell she has a strong sense of right and wrong, of justice needing to be served. Her parents’ deaths were a horrible accident, not deliberate. Murder, know that’s deliberate. No one deserves to be murdered and no murderer deserves to walk free. But I lost sight of the collateral damage, just like Robert had warned.” He rubbed his hands over his face. “But that’s not the real reason she ran, because I was keeping Josh’s identity from her. She ran because I lied to her. That’s why she ran from me and straight into danger.
It’s all my goddamn fault.
”