“But she’s also got to deal with some difficult problems herself right now. She’s got a lot to think about.”
“And I didn’t want it to be difficult for her, Dave. I really didn’t.”
“You can’t save everybody,” he said.
“I know. But I’d like to save those who helped me.”
“Well, speaking of that, an awful lot of guys are on their way here.”
“They don’t need to do that,” he said, turning to look at him. “I’ll be heading home.”
“That’s an awful lot of traveling, and honestly I’m not sure you’re up for it yet.”
Bullard glared at him. “Where’s the jet?”
“You mean, your friend’s private jet?”
He stopped, thought about it, and said, “Oh, yeah, that’s right. I saw trips in a private jet and assumed it was mine. But now the puzzle pieces are falling into place on that. I don’t own it, do I?”
“Nope. But you have some very grateful people around you, people you have helped. They made certain you have equipment available to you whenever you need it.”
“Right,” Bullard said. “I saved his daughter, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you did,” Dave said, with a smile. “And his second wife.”
“Interesting,” he said. “Funny how we block things out.”
“You blocked a lot of that one out regardless,” he said. “Some of it was too painful.”
“Did I get hurt?”
“No,” he said, “but we had one of the only two deaths we’ve ever had in the business.”
Bullard winced at that. “Pierre. It’s all coming back now, and that was a long time ago.”
“Yeah, it was. So, back to the jet, he only uses it once or twice a year, but he keeps it because it’s kind of like his first car. He doesn’t want to let it go, so you get to use it whenever because he rarely uses it himself.”
“Sounds like a good deal to me.” Looking puzzled for a moment, Bullard scratched his head, then looked up to the cabin again. “Something’s off.”
“Oh, your instincts are back up to snuff, are they?”
“Not by a long shot,” he said, “but something isn’t right.” Immediately he walked toward Leia’s cabin.
“If you’re not quite up to par, maybe you shouldn’t be barging in there,” Dave murmured.
“Maybe not, but I also don’t feel very good not checking things out.”
“Well, we could always …” Dave trailed off because Bullard wasn’t listening anymore.
“Something’s wrong, Dave.” He bounced up the few steps to the porch outside her place and stepped in. It was completely empty.
“Where would she go?” Dave asked. “Where would she go on the island?”
“Anywhere,” he said, “but she wouldn’t have left for long without checking in with me.” Dave looked at him, and he shook his head. “Don’t give me that look. I know this woman. You don’t.”
“No, I don’t,” Dave said. “What is it you think has happened?”
Bullard turned to look around, then frowned. Then he pointed out footprints. “Look, a man’s boot print.” He looked over Dave.
“Not mine,” Dave said, “because I haven’t been up there.” He walked over to the other footsteps and pointed out, “Looks like a bit of a scuffle here, Bullard. And deeper footprints afterward.”
“She’s been forcefully taken,” he said in shock.
“Looks like it,” Dave said, as he turned and headed down, following the tracks. Bullard joined him, and the two of them tracked the footprints to a small bay on the side.
“I didn’t even know this little bay was here,” he said. “God, I’ve been living in this idyllic prison, one so gentle and soft that I let my instincts down. And now some asshole’s come in and snatched her.”
“But you don’t know that it is related to you,” Dave said quietly. “And we don’t know that’s what happened. I’ll keep tracking these prints.”
“Who else would it be related to?” he said, glaring at Dave.
“There could be all kinds of things in her own history, remember? It’s not as simple as it might have once looked.”
Bullard stopped at that. “Did you hear back from Ice?”
“No, not yet.”
Bullard held out his hand. “Let me see the phone.” Dave immediately passed it over then turned to follow the tracks. Ice was one of the automatic numbers at the top. He quickly punched it, and moments later she answered.
“Dave, how is he?”
“Ice,” he said, and for the first time, possibly in his whole life, he felt the tears creeping up his throat as he heard her voice.
There was split second of silence, and then she gasped. “Oh my God. Bullard, is that you?”
“Yeah, it’s me. Damn, it’s good to hear your voice.”
“Oh my God. We’ve been searching for you for so damn long.” And this time, there was no hiding the tears. She was busy choking them back, as she tried to call out, “Levi, it’s Bullard.”
Immediately another voice joined the call. “Bullard, what can we do?”
“Dammit, Levi, I just want to hate you, but I can’t do it. You’re far too good of a man.”
“Love you too, bro,” Levi said, his own voice choking up. “What can we do to help you from here?”
“Earlier Dave sent a message about Leia, the woman who rescued me and kept me alive for the last few months,” he said. “Have you gotten any information at all?”
“I’ve got a call into my dad, but he hasn’t answered me yet,” Ice said. “Is it urgent? What’s going on?”
“It is now. She’s gone missing.”
“Missing?” He quickly filled them in on the little bit he knew. “She could be just emotionally traumatized because you’re looking at leaving,” Ice said cautiously.
“Yeah, I get that,” he said. “She could be and likely is, but she’s not a runner.” There was silence on the other end. “What?”
“Well, she did run,” Ice said quietly. “When her world broke up, that’s exactly what she did.”
“I think it was more a case of walking at that point, walking away from everything important to her.”
“Wait, my dad’s on the other line,” she said. “Hang on and talk to Levi, I’ll be right back.”
Levi said, “Do you need a ride? Have you got everything in place to get yourself back home?”
“Dave’s here with me,” he said looking up as Dave returned a hard look on his face. Bullard’s heart sank. That’s all the confirmation he needed.
“Oh, good,” Levi said, “I imagine half the team’s headed that way.”
“They shouldn’t be,” Bullard growled. “On the other hand, if something has happened to Leia, I’ll need them.”
“Exactly,” he said. “Keep your head.”