Thirty Two

***Dominic***

“We can’t just burst into there Dom, we have no idea who we are dealing with. How about we just let Grace go anyway,” Dave suggested after giving off a deep sigh. “We just don’t need to excessively tape her. There is this small, more like tiny device the cops use these days.
We attach it to Grace, capture the kidnapper’s visuals and audio and run it on the force’s database. A few of my men could stay around the place incase anything goes wrong.”

Already feeling very stuffed, I nodded in agreement. I wouldn’t want a scenario where both Ruby’s and Grace’s life will be endangered. “Grace will be elated to know this.”

A short smile formed on Dave’s lips. “I certainly did not miss the look on her face when you said she shouldn’t go.” As he closed his laptop and proceeded to gather his things, he continued, “You really like her, don’t you?”
My eyebrows answered the question with a little quirk as did the corners of my lips. “Good,” his hands stopped reaching for things as he faced me squarely. “,don’t destroy what you have with her.”

“Why would you think I would want to do that?”

“Well, considering that it has been a while since you dated anyone, the chances of you ruining things is very high.”

“Just because I left the game for some while doesn’t mean I don’t know how it works. Let’s just go get Ruby. Grace,” I looked back to face her but all I met was a distraught Mark- who I choose to adequately ignore- and the regular looking room. “,where on earth is she?”

“She said she was going to the bathroom.”

A little frown graced my face as my neck craned towards the staircase. “What on earth could she be doing for that long? I should go check on her, make sure she is fine.”

Dave hands went back to his things, “I’ll just finish packing up.”

I gave a short nod and made for the stairs, but I was soon stopped by Dave’s voice. “Uh… Dom, Grace’s phone,” I turned to face him. “,it is no longer here. I can’t find it anywhere. You don’t think she…”

My eyes slowly widened in realization, my heart thumping harder as my earlier caged fear was beginning to release itself, I raced all the way to her room. Barging in, I was met by pure silence. “Grace?”
I pushed open the bathroom door. “Crap. What the actual heck Grace!”

Immediately, I rushed downstairs, Dave’s eyes leaving his laptop as I got there. “Well?”

“She is not here. She has gone. I don’t believe this. I told her not to.”

“She took her phone also. But I should be able to track it as long as there is no jamming,” Dave replied me as he sped his work on the laptop.

“We just have to go with the first plan, don’t we?”

“We have no other option. Especially now that Grace is also in danger.”

“Will you please tell your men and the cops to be careful? I can’t lose either of them.”

He looked up at me, his signature, *‘are trying to say I don’t know my job?*’ look on his face. “Dom, trust me with this one, okay? We are going to bring the both of them back home safely.”

Nodding in response, my feet dragged me to a nearby couch as I was beginning to feel weak. Within me, I started to reason out if there was anyone apart from Diane and Regina that I have gotten personally entangled with, even for a while. But I just couldn’t reason anything out.

My mind just kept blurring as I further searched.

“Hey! I got her location. She is presently at that old bakery.”

Immediately I jumped up, grabbed my phone and took long strides towards the entrance. “Come on Dave, nothing must happen to the both of them, or else I’ll freaking kill you.”

*********

“It is so quiet here.”

“Well, it is called abandoned for a reason.” The cop assigned to the case replied Dave. As I resisted the urge to give both Dave and the extremely tall man whose bold face looked a bit creepy, (probably because of the moles on both side of face) an irritated look, I got down, my eyes studying the bungalow-like built structure.

“Stay behind me Dom, this person must not sniff you at all.”

I took a step back, saying, “You think I don’t know that?”

“Alright, let’s do this,” The cop who wore the name tag; CONNOR, started. “Dave and I will go in first,”

“I am coming with you.”

“Didn’t you hear me Dom? Your presence smells trouble for both Grace and Ruby,” Dave petitioned.

“I meant, I will be behind you in case anything happens.”

“Dom, wait here. We are going in now. Hey you,” Dave motioned to the man at the driver’s seat of the Honda. “, keep an eyes on him.”

“Are you sure he won’t move?” I heard Connor ask Dave.

“Of course he will, he is a stubborn man.” I smirked at Dave’s words as I watched them approach the entrance. I was actually going to adhere to Dave’s words… for like five minute tops, so I stood there, the corner of my eyes on the assigned cop who had found his stance just opposite me.

Five minutes, which seemed a lot like five days passed and there was nothing coming from the building. And, since my waiting time was over, I just have to find my way into the place.

“Hey,” I called the attention of the uniformed man whose eyes was busy scoping the environs. “,I’ll be going in now.”

“Sir, you are not…” My feet did not even allow him to complete the statement, I was already halfway away from the rusty entrance. As I pushed my way into the empty building, I was met by some quiet words exchange between the two men.

“Are they here? This place is so empty.”

“Well, not totally empty.” Dave moved his body slightly so that my line of sight could fall on the contents on the floor. “This proves that Grace was here,” Dave said as I moved closer to the cash laying carelessly over the floor.

“Where on earth could they be now?” I could hear a part of my voice cracking as the fact that we were not even close to finding either of them weighed on me.

“We found a rod, we believe it was used to hit someone and…”

“Daddy?” Ruby’s tiny, familiar, warming voice filled the room.

“Ruby?” My eyes began to scan the room frantically. “Ruby, where are you?”

“Daddy!” Her cry became louder making me realize she was closer than I thought. My eyes lit up, my heart lightening a bit as the small stature raced her way towards me.

“Ruby.” I engulfed her into my arms, my crouched self feeling relieved as the physical contact was very real.

“Daddy, Grace… they took her. I heard them take her away.” With a slightly shaky breath, I brushed through her hair with my hands.

“Who, Ruby? Who are they?”

“I don’t know, they didn’t let me see.” As soon as I noticed tears building up at the corner of her eyes, I hugged her to my chest.

“It is okay baby. You are fine. You are going to be fine. No one is taking you away. And I am going to find Grace and then we will all be happy, together.”

“Promise?” The little child asked solemnly.

“Promise.” I planted a kiss on her forehead as my smile assured her.

“Uh… Dom, Connor, this is strange. The tracker is saying that Grace is at the Penthouse.” Ruby glued to my side, I got up, surprise all over my face.

“But… but it said she was her moments ago.” Connor sighed as though regretful. “Why do I feel like we have been tricked.”

“Well, yes we have been tricked but we are not being lied to. Grace is at the Penthouse.”

“What the hell are we waiting for then, let’s get going. Officer Connor, please let Ruby stay with one of your men for the main time.”

“Definitely. Let’s just hurry because, since Grace is the original target, this person might not be all so patient.” He lifted the bagged rod in his hand. “I will send this to the lab for prints, if we are lucky, we can know who our guy is.”

I exhaled deeply as I took in everything. “Ruby darling,” Her head tilted up to meet mine. “,you will have to stay with someone that is going to protect you, okay? Daddy wants to go save Grace, so promise me you are going to be safe.”

“I promise Daddy.”

“Never forget that…”

“… Daddy loves me.” Her randomly set teeth came into display as she completed the statement.

“I love you kiddo. Okay, let’s go.” I motioned to the duo and soon, Ruby was well secured with two police officers driving her to the police station and Dave, Connor, a couple men and I were on our way to the hotel.

Apart from saving Grace, I desperately also wanted to know who on earth it is that is so obsessed with me that kidnapping my daughter to get Grace to fall into her trap, was something he or she did without thinking twice.

Moments passed and soon we all were on our way to the Penthouse. As discussed amongst one another, I was to go in first to check for any random person that might be looking obsessed about me. They all did not agree with my plan at first, but then I made them see that I could talk down whoever it is.
“You know what to do when you get in there.” I nodded in response to Dave’s reminder.

Mark was no longer in the room to my relief, so I started searching as quietly as I could for any sign of Grace. After checking the kitchen and closet to no avail, I made for the stairs.

On getting to the top, I began to hear muffled noises and since I was certain my imagination was not at work at that moment, I hurried towards Grace’s room. “Grace?”

“Why are you here?” A female screech met me, stopped my steps before I could even make it close to the room. As I eyed slowly, the lady in front of me, I realized that I had no idea who she was. “You should not be here.”

“Who are you? And what do you want with Grace?” I asked sternly.

“You don’t remember me?” She slowly moved closer, her face wearing deep, sad frown.

“Listen lady, we can talk things out. We can strike a deal, but please leave Grace out of this.”

She ignored my words, her steps even a lot closer. “I can’t believe that you don’t remember me. I am that lady from that party, two years ago. The party your friend hosted?” Already getting freaked out by her growing proximity, I began to take steps back.

As soon as she made it very close to me, her scent hitting my nose, her voice turned into a whisper. “Don’t you remember Dominic?” The look in her eyes. It can be described as that of one very hungry for something to the extent that she wouldn’t stop till she gets it.
“Don’t run away Dominic Powers.” My backing steps stopped. “I need you to remember. I was in a very sexy red gown,” She brought her lips closer to my ear. “,wearing a bold red lipstick. I was on fire that night.”

As her voice was, her chuckle came out whispering. “Remember? Remember that I walked up to you, um…” She sniffed me to discomfort. “,I pulled you aside and I whispered my name into your ear.”

“Listen, enough of these…”

She ignored me. “I whispered my name. I remember saying with a sultry voice,, *my name is Samantha Shepherd.*”

********