Chapter 45: CRISIS!

Maryanne frowns when she picks up her phone that is vibrating against her desk, echoing within the library. Geneva? Why would she be calling her right now?
“Hello,” she answers after bringing the phone to her ear.
The maid sounds like a whimpering mess. Maryanne can hear through the phone that she has been crying by the wilt in her tone, “Oh Miss, I am so sorry. I don’t know what to do. I called the police, they’re on their way. I haven’t told Mister Ryder yet. I don’t know what to do.”
Tension tightens its grip around Maryanne’s heart.“ Geneva, slow down. What are you talking about?”
It takes a moment before Geneva is able to compose herself, “It’s Riley, Miss. She’s gone.”
Dread causes Maryanne’s entire complexion to pale and her chest to fall into her stomach, “What do you mean, she’s gone?”
“I can’t find her anywhere. The back door is broken, the window shattered, and her room is a wreck. I just cleaned it before she took a nap, so it shouldn’t have been so messy.” Geneva stops on another whimper. Her sobs are muffled.
Maryanne stands from her desk slowly, not sure what to do. “Are you sure she’s not hiding anywhere?”
“I checked everywhere Miss. Jeff has helped me too. We were both in the kitchen preparing for dinner tonight. Neither of us heard anything.”
Maryanne is barely able to make out her words as her own emotions overwhelm her, “Someone kidnapped Riley?”
“Yes, Miss, I believe so.”
Swallowing past the lump of fear in her throat, Maryanne asks, “You haven’t told Max yet?”
“No, Miss, I wasn’t sure what to say.”
She nods as she is grabbing her purse, “I’ll call him. You wait for the police.”
As she hangs up the phone, she grabs her jacket and bolts out the library, finding Max’s contact information in her messages.
“Max,” she gasps out as soon as he answers.
His voice is cautious, concern dripping on every word, “What is it Maryanne?”
“It’s Riley,” Maryanne is unable to finish her sentence, though, as a sob wracks her chest.
Now Max’s own voice is tight, “What’s wrong, is she okay?”
Maryanne shakes her head even though she knows that Max can’t see her. She reaches her car and slides into the driver’s seat. “No, she’s missing.”
“What?”
His one word has Maryanne trembling.
Fighting down her emotions, she says, “Someone broke in and kidnapped her.”
“How is that even possible?”
There is rustling on Max’s end, as though paperwork is being shuffled or falling.
“I don’t know. Geneva and Jeff were in the kitchen and didn’t hear anything.”
Maryanne puts her car into drive and tries to remain calm, although her hands are shaking and her muscles are tense to the point of pain.
“I’m on my way. I’ll be home as fast as I can. Did you call the police?”
“Geneva did. They should be there at any moment. I’m five minutes out.”
“Okay, good. I’ll be there soon.”
“Okay,” Maryanne nods and ends the call as she changes lanes and speeds up. Is Riley safe?
Once she arrives, she slams on the brake and all but jumps from the car. There are two police cars on the other side of the driveway, but they are empty. Geneva meets her outside before she can reach the front porch.
“Miss Maryanne, the police are here.” The maid’s eyes are swollen and red, tears still clinging to her eyelashes.
She allows Geneva to lead her just inside the house, where the two officers are standing in the foyer.
“Hello, Miss, I am Officer Ben Hernandez, and this is my partner, Noel Jacobson. Geneva here told us what happened. We will do our best to get Riley back safely.”
“Thank you,” Maryanne nods and shakes both of their outstretched hands without breaking down.
The man steps back, replacing his hand on his holster, “Is there anyone that might want to harm Riley?”
After a moment of thought, Maryanne shakes her head, “No, she barely sees or talks to anyone else other than those who live and work in the house.”
“Is there anyone that holds a grudge against you or Mister Ryder, the owner of the house?”
“Not that I know of. Max owns a large corporation, so I’m not sure if he would have a lot of enemies or not.” Maryanne tries to take a deep breath in, but the fear has her on the brink of a breakdown.
The officer nods, before prodding, “You wouldn’t have any would you?”
Maryanne once again shakes her head, simply stating, “There is a woman at work that I haven’t seen eye-to-eye with, but I don’t think she would harm Riley just to get back at me,” she shrugs.
Both officers raise their brow and glance at each other, “What’s her name, ma’am?”
“I really don’t think she could do this.” Maryanne laughs softly, unsure of what else to do.
“All the same, we should ask her questions before ruling her out as a suspect.”
“Um,” Maryanne swallows her nerves and blinks her tears away. Licking her lips, she says, “Her name is Shelley. Shelley Anderson.”
Officer Hernandez nods, “Thank you, ma’am.”
“I don’t know if she would do this, though,” Maryanne quivers with the terrorizing thought that Shelley could’ve kidnapped Riley. What would be her reason for it?
“We have to track down all possible leads. Where is Mister Ryder?”
“I called him. He’s on his way home, but he works in the city. I don’t know how long it will take him.”
“We will have one of our detectives stay behind to ask him some questions, but we are searching everywhere for Riley, alright? Are you sure there are no other individuals that come to mind that you think might have been able to do this?”
Maryanne barely even thinks about her answer. It is simple, “No, I don’t know that many people.”
“That’s okay, thank you for your time, ma’am.”
She shakes his hand once more before they both leave and another man enters. He is in plain clothes and talks to the officers before approaching her. She is unsure his name as she shakes his hand, since her mind is zoning out, worrying about Riley.
It takes Max another forty-five minutes before he makes it home. His car squeals to a stop right before he barrels through the door, his eyes crazed.
“Maryanne,” he swoops her up into his embrace, his body trembling.
“Max,” Maryanne finally allows herself to break down, her tears coming in waves. The comfort of his arms is what she needed.
To the side, Geneva is a sobbing mess, her hair falling form her bun around her face, “I am so sorry, Mister Ryder, I should have been paying closer attention.”
Max reaches out to her and pats her shoulder, “Geneva, it’s not your fault. You were supposed to be safe in here.”
He tightens his grip around Maryanne, kissing the top of her head.
When he notices the detective standing across the foyer, he asks, “Do you have any new updates?”
“Not yet sir. Is it alright if I ask you a few questions?”
“Yes, of course.” Max peers back down at Maryanne, rubbing her back. He whispers in her ear, “Maryanne, I am sorry I wasn’t here. We will find her.”