Bedmates Soulmates
CHAPTER 440

If something happened to her in his hotel, Samson could kiss his dream of collaborating with the M. Group goodbye.

He approached the president with trepidation. 'Mr. Mr. McCarthy."

'Has amone seen her? Austyn didn't look at him

I'm still checking. Um, it would help if I could get a picture of the young lady,

Austyn tell quiet

He had no photos of Kira on his phone.

They'd never taken a picture logether.

After a long moment of silence, he said, 'She's wearing a red silk halter neck dress with hair done up in a bun Age, 22 Height, 162cm Weight, 48kg. Slim build. Black eyes, black hair, no scar or tattoos or distinguishing marka. Samson wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.

Why was Mr McCarthy describing his fiancée like a police suspect?

Kai darw him aside. I have a photo of Miss Hewitt.'

Kai handled the paperwork for Austyn's marriage registration a year ago.

He had a photo of Kira Hewitt on his tablet

Thank you, Mr Scott. Samson was relieved. "That'll be a huge help.

Kal looked a question at Austyn, who nodded, so Kai transferred the photo to Samson.

Austyn stared at Kira's face.

The photo was taken a jezrágo

She had her long hair swept up in a ponytail.

Her face had the gaunt look of the malnourished, but her eyes were bright,

Regret gnawed a hum

If he'd followed his heart and cancelled the party, Kira would not be missing

He should not have brought her here.

Kai stood behind Austyn, feeling just as contrite.

He should have lupta closer eye on Young Madam.

"Captain O'Neill Kai saw Luca approaching. "Anything?

Austyn had called Luca as soon as he confined Kira was missing.

The police captam rushed over with a team of officers and did a thorough sweep of the two-level banquet hall

Mustyn, you should see this. Luce brought him to the narrow passageway connecting the latchen to the hall. We found signs of a struggle here. And this."

He handed over a sealed plastic evidence bag.

In it was a piece of dark blorrag

I'll bring it back to the station to run a test, Luca said. "But the smell tells me pretty much all I need to know. It's GHB, an anaesthetic, commonly used by criminals as a knock-out drug" "So kura was abducted, 'Austyn said in a stony voice.

"I'm afraid so. "Luca pointed to a door at the end of the passageway. "It leads to a stairwell that ends on the ground floor. I suspect that's how they got away without getting caught on camera'

Who could have done such a thing?" Kal was anxious. "Young Madamas enemies, but not the land who would do this."

"There were at least three perps involved, possibly four, Luca assessed calmly. Two to overpower her, one as the lookout and getaway driver. We're canvassing the area and checking surveillance footage from the underground carpark. He looked at Austyn. "You should be prepared. Whoever took her away is going to call you soon, most likely in the next twelve hours.

Austyn fed his gaze on the rag

Was this what they used on Kira to knock her out?

Was she Init?

Good News And Bad News

Austyn had gone on multiple hostage rescue missions back in his army days.

He was found on the task at hand-crcon, beach, eliminate the enemies, tetrieve the hostages, finish the job.

As part of intel gathering, he had to talk to the family members of the hostages.

Some were ablubbering mes; some couldn't string two words together; some yelled at him for not moving faster. Heignored their emotional outbursts and jest grilled them for info

But now that the shoe was on the other foot, he understood how they felt-worned, afraid, so andous that he

Austyn clenched his fts so hard that his knuckles sumed white.

'Calm down, he told himself. 'Panicking 't going to help Kira'

e couldn't think straight.

Samson is going to give you full access to the hotel CCTV footage,' Austyn said to Luca. "The party organiser has a list of names of all the attendants. You know what to do Lucanodded. 'T'll get my men on it."

Austrode towards the exit.

He haired when his phone rang

The shrill ringtone rose everyone in the passageway.

The caller ID showed an unknown number.

Austym rejected the call

Boss, what are you doing? Kai was shocked. 'It could have been the..

The kidnapper calling

I'll go to the police station with you," Austyn said to Luca.

The captain nodded. "Let's go."

He said to Kal who jogged to keep up with them, "Your boss did the right thing. There's no equipment here to trace the call. We'll head back to the 'But the call.

They didn't get to make their demands, Luca said. "They'll call again."

Besides, Austyn's unexpected behaviour would throw them off.

The police cruiser's siren pierced the quiet night

Lucabarked our order to husmen who quiddy gathered the tracking equipment,

station'

"dince they call again, we'll have their name, address and everything else associated with their account. Luca patted Austyn's shoulder, "Don't worry, we'll get her

The second rall came twenty minutes later.

"Shit, "Luca muttered under his bath

The caller number wasn't the same as the last one.

And it was an Interet call.

Luca gestured in his men to start tracing the engin of the Voice over Internet Protocol call.

He nodded at Austyn.

Austynanswered the call on speakerphone.

Mr McCarthy, I was starting to think you were never going to pick up." Sean's raspy voice boomed in the squad room. I presume the police are with you?" "What do you want? Austyn asked coldly

'I want a lot of things. Sean chucked. 'I want you to be dead. But for starters, I thinkça'li just request a face-to-face meeting.

Headded, 'Your lovely wife is with me."

"Address"

Sean gave him the address. Come alone, or you'll never see your beautiful wife again. You have three hours."

He hung up

Anything? Austyn linmediately looked to Luca

"Sorry."Lura slammed a list on the desk, 'The caller address was

was masked by VPN. All I got is a service provider's name."

'call them. Getarging"

Luca shook his head. "It's a company gistered overseas. I'll reach out to law enforcement over there, but cooperation is unlikely. A subporna or warrant can't touch them. Besides he looked at Aust-I don't think Bla has that muchtime." It wasn't a typleal rapnom call.

The onbedeund was for a meeting, not money

"You know the man?" Lucrashed

"I haven't heard his voice before, but he obviously knows in

"Business rival?"

'Could be".

"What do you think he wants? Luca lapped his Limpet on the desk. He knows you have police officers right next to you, yet he gives you the address without prompting, Didn't even linther to change his voler.'

"He's cocker,' Austyn said. 'And he hates me. We can use that.!

outskirts of Stamford, mostly abandoned Lactories and

"Captain." One of the officers approached. "Thecked out the address. It's an old industrial district on the outs warehouses. About two and half hours out."

"Got it." Lura pulled up a map of the district on his computer. "What do you think?"

'mis target is me," Austyn said, "Which means Kita shoull be tine, for now. It won't do anything to her till I get there.! 'Agired

prepared, We're going to need Damian for this one.

Austyn breathed out. 'I'm going to call Damian. The disapper sounds well p

'Good idea. You go ahead. I'll put a team together. See if we can get some aerial surveillance going at that place."

Luckily, Damian had not left stamford.

Austyn brought him up to speed.

"What's your plan?" Damian asked.

Austyn told him.

*All right. Give me half an hour. I'll see what I can find.

"Thanks, Damian."