Chapter Twenty-One

Caspian

Ezra entered the dining room, pressing his hand to the middle of his back. "I've been thinking we should move a bed into Rissa's room. That recliner is uncomfortable as fuck. My damn feet hang off the end."

"At some point, we'll have to start trusting her."

Ezra raised an eyebrow. "You think leaving her alone at night is wise? What if she tries to run away or, worse, tries to kill one of us?"

"It's a chance we'll have to take. If she knows that we trust her, it'll make her think more about what this man did to her. She's been doing fine since we removed the straitjacket and started bringing her out of the bedroom."

Ezra shook his head. "I don't know. It hasn't been that long." Ezra went to the coffee decanter at the buffet and poured himself a cup, then brought it back to the table and took a seat.

"But she's remembering. I can see it in her eyes. I think she's more confused than anything right now. She has to be thinking about what that man did to her. He may have brainwashed her, but we were with her a lot longer than him. She remembers."

"I'm not sure it will be enough."

Mindy came to the doorway, wringing her hands. I wondered what had upset her. Clearly, it was something. "Is everything all right?" I asked.

"We're not sure, sir. Gina is never late. She stops at the coffee shop on her way to work, but even then, she's never late. It's probably nothing, but it's just not like her. She would've at least called. I tried calling her, but she's not answering her phone."

"You did the right thing by coming to me. I'll see what I can find out."

She let out a relieved breath. "Thank you, sir."

"I'll let you know if I find out anything."

She nodded and left the room.

"It's probably nothing," Ezra said.

"Maybe, but I don't like it." My gut was telling me it was more than nothing.

I made a quick call to the Sheriff's office. I explained what was happening, leaving out the part about Rissa being here. I still needed to keep that quiet. I just told him that we were being targeted by an enemy.

He didn't ask too many questions because we donated heavily to the department. I gave him as much information as I had on Gina and the kind of car she drove. He said he would get back to me when he found out anything.

"Surely, this man wouldn't attack someone so innocent," Ezra said.

"But yet, he kidnapped Rissa." I looked up, my words trailing off when I saw Jude and Rissa standing in the doorway. I didn't know how much they'd heard. Ezra looked up as well.

"What happened to Gina?" Rissa asked.

For a moment, I could only stare at her. She was so damned beautiful. She wore a yellow sundress and white sandals. Jude had ordered her a few clothes online. I had to admit, he was good at choosing the right colors. Rissa was like a breath of fresh air. It took a moment for me to digest what she'd asked, besides being surprised she was even talking to us. Usually, it was yes or no answers. She never volunteered anything.

"For now, nothing as far as we know. She's late for work. That's not like her. She always stops at the coffee shop on the way in, but she's still never late. I contacted the Sheriff's office just in case. I'm sure she'll arrive shortly. She could've had car trouble or a flat."

Rissa frowned. "There's a man at the coffee shop that she talks to every day."

"A man?"

She nodded. This was the most Rissa had spoken to us. I could tell she was as worried about Gina as we were. Somehow, Gina had broken through her defenses and become a friend.

"Gina says he's nice looking, and she thinks he likes her."

"Did she give you a name?"

"No, she didn't."

When my phone rang, I answered.

"This is Jake, and I'm afraid I don't have good news for you."

I gripped the phone a little tighter. A sinking dread hit the pit of my stomach. "What happened?"

"I think your enemy, or someone who works for him, got to her. A passing farmer found her stumbling down a dirt road and took her to the Emergency Room. She was beaten up pretty badly. Physically, she'll heal. The bastard took a whip to her. The nurse I spoke to said they gave her something for the pain, but Gina insisted that she speak to you. She also gave us a name, Bernard. If it isn't an alias."

"I'm on the way to the hospital now."

He gave me the name of the hospital where she was being admitted. When I ended the call, I looked around the table. Rissa and Jude had already taken a seat at the dining room table.

"Is she going to be okay?" Rissa timidly asked. "What happened?"

"Someone beat her up."

Rissa's eyes rounded as Ezra and Jude both cursed.

"It was him, wasn't it?" Ezra asked.

"We don't know that yet. All I know is that his name is Bernard."

Rissa's head jerked up. "Bernard?"

"You know him?"

She hesitated, then blurted, "Bernard works for…him. I never liked Bernard." She lowered her head. "I'm the reason she's in the hospital."

"No, it's not your fault," Jude told her. "The man who kidnapped you, he's the monster."

Ezra started to his feet. "You're not going alone, Caspian. I'll go with you."

I motioned for him to sit back down. "You two stay here with Rissa. It might be a ploy to get us away from the house and leave her vulnerable. I'll take a couple of men with me and let you know what's going on as soon as I check on Gina."

Ezra pulled his phone out of his pocket. "The car will be waiting out front for you."

I nodded. "Add more men if you have to, but I want the staff protected at all times. I'll let them know what's going on."

I went to the kitchen and told Harriet and Mindy what happened. They both lived on the property. Gina was the only one who had an apartment in town. I warned them not to go anywhere without taking one of the men.

"We're both about the same size," Mindy spoke up. "If you have time, I'll run grab her a few things to take with you."

I smiled. "I think she would appreciate that. I'll make sure I give everyone an update as soon as possible."

By the time I went out the front door, the car was waiting for me with David and Jason in the front. I got in the backseat when Jason jumped out and opened the door.

"No one goes anywhere without a bodyguard, including the staff. I won't have anyone else hurt," I said after I settled myself in the backseat.

"Yes, sir. We'll make sure of it. Ezra notified us what happened. We have a man stationed outside Gina's room as well. If anyone tries anything, we'll take him down."

"You do that."

The ride to the hospital seemed to take forever. The more I thought about the attack on Gina, the angrier I became. Someone had threatened one of ours. I considered everyone who lived on the estate, or worked there, as part of our family. Gina wouldn't hurt a fly. If I found this Bernard, he wouldn't be able to hurt anyone ever again. I would make sure of that.

Jason opened the back door, and I stepped out. While David parked the car, Jason and I went inside. The receptionist looked up. She was young, maybe seventeen or eighteen.

"I'm here to see Gina Carmichael."

One eyebrow shot upward as she took on an air of authority. "If you're not family, I can't give out room information."

Since the girl was very young, I tried not to lose my temper. "You will give me her room number."

Before she could argue, which I was afraid she was about to do, an older woman came from the back. Her nametag said she was Roberta, and she was the office supervisor. She took one look at me and hurried forward. "Mr. Morelli, the sheriff told me you would be coming in. Follow me, and I'll take you to her." Before she came around, she glanced toward the young girl. "The Morelli family built our new cardiac wing and donates generously to the hospital."

I looked at the young girl. "Thank you for your assistance."

"I apologize for…uh…earlier." She blushed and looked away.

As we walked down the hall, Roberta spoke again. "I'm sorry about that. She's new."

"It's all right. How's Gina?"

"She's…stable. They gave her something for the pain, so she's resting a little easier. They're still running tests. We know she has a couple of broken ribs, a broken arm, and some areas where he…" She hesitated as if she was afraid to say more.

"Where he what?"

Roberta's lips pressed together, and there were tears in her eyes. "He whipped her. The bastard used a damned whip on her." She sucked in a breath. "I'm sorry. I usually don't get emotional, but I know her background. She came into the ER a few times when she was a child. CPS never took her away from her awful parents, though. Her daddy, Sam, was mean behind closed doors, but to be around him, you'd think he was the victim. Someday, he'll get what's coming to him—God willing. Gina's a good kid."

"She is a good person," I agreed. Maybe I'd drop in on her father someday and give him a taste of his own medicine. When Roberta began to speak again, I focused on her words.

"Gina kept telling everyone she had to speak to you and only you. She was quite insistent."

We got on the elevator and rode it up to the third floor, then stepped off and walked down the hallway. I thanked Roberta for her help. There was already a man standing beside Gina's door. I nodded to him. He knocked lightly, then opened the door, and I went inside.

My hands curled into fists as I saw the sweet woman lying in bed with a swollen eye already discolored with deep purple bruises. Her arm was in a sling. She turned her face toward me. It looked even worse. Both eyes were swollen and bruised and there was a cut on her lip. I walked closer and took her free hand in mine.

"This should never have happened to you. I'm sorry."

She tried to smile but winced. "Not your fault. I shouldn't have trusted him. When the other man forced him to stop…beating me, Bernard shoved a note in my hand and said I needed to give it to you." She pulled her hand from mine and reached under the edge of the cover, bringing out a piece of paper, then handed it to me.

I opened it and began to read.

It would seem you can't protect any of the women in your care. First, Larissa, and now sweet Gina. I wonder who will be next?

Have you enjoyed my handiwork with Larissa? Has she told you I kept her in a cage like an animal? Or that I pumped drugs into her so that she would hate your family? Or how many times she was…punished?

Does she still despise you?

Or maybe she's killed herself by now. Are you in mourning? I trained her very well, and it won't be easy undoing everything I taught her.

I'm sure you're wondering why I'm doing all this. Your father destroyed my family and took everything away from me. I hated it when he had a fucking heart attack, but I will make his sons suffer for his crimes against my family.

Have no fear, one way or another I will have my revenge. You won't know when it's coming. I don't think you can stay secluded on your estate forever. You will make a mistake, and I'll be there waiting.

My hands curled into fists, but I forced myself to remain calm. The last thing I wanted to do was show the fury I felt right now. "Thank you for keeping this for me."

"They're the ones who took Larissa, right? Oh God, she must've suffered horribly."

"They are, and until we catch these people, no one will go anywhere alone. You'll return to the estate and stay there after you're released from the hospital. Until all this is over, I won't have anyone put in harm's way again. I'll have a man outside your door twenty-four hours a day. You'll be safe while you're here."

"Thank you."

We spoke for a few more minutes, and then I left. When I stopped at the nurses' station, the nurse looked up. "Yes, sir, how can I help you?"

"I want Gina Carmichael to have anything she needs to make her more comfortable. I'll have a man stationed outside her door for the duration of her stay. If anything untoward arises, you will call me immediately."

I gave her my cell phone number, and she quickly jotted it down.

"She is to have no visitors or deliveries unless the guard at the door notifies me first or okays the delivery himself. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir, I'll make sure I pass this on in report to the next shift as well. We'll take good care of her, and take every precaution to keep her safe. We hope the man is caught soon. No one should have to go through what Gina suffered."

"Thank you. Doctor Gooding will also take over her care while she's in the hospital."

"I'll make sure Doctor Jenkins calls to give him a full report of her condition."

The nurse seemed a little nervous. I realized it was my gruffness that was causing it. I relaxed my stance. "And thank you for all the care you'll be giving her. I'm sure the staff will go above and beyond." I smiled at her.

She blushed. "You're very welcome, and thank you for the cardiac wing. I had the pleasure of working on it last month. The unit is top-of-the-line."

"You're very welcome."

I went downstairs. Jason had already called for the car, which was waiting for us under the awning. When Jason opened the door, I climbed inside the back. I already had my phone in my hand, calling Dr. Gooding.

I quickly explained what was going on with Gina. The doctor said he would go there immediately to check on her and get report from Doctor Jenkins. As soon as he knew more, he would call me back. Next, I called Ezra.

"She's going to be okay," I began talking as soon as he answered. "She has a lot of bruising and two black eyes, a cut lip, and her arm is broken, two broken ribs, and the bastard beat her with a fucking whip. She'll be in the hospital for a while."

Ezra muttered a curse. "I'll kill the bastard as soon as I find him."

"I know exactly what you mean. I want to get them, too. Doctor Gooding will take over her care and give us a full report later this afternoon. There's more, but I'll go over that with the two of you when I return home. If you can let the staff know that she's going to be okay and have her a room ready on the estate for when she does get released, then all we can do is keep trying to find these men. How about Rissa? How is she doing?"

"We walked outside after you left. She's still not saying much since she said Bernard worked for the man who took her, but I think she's questioning everything more now."

"I certainly hope so." I hesitated. "I think it's time to tell her father what's happening. I heard he got back to the States last night."

"She's not his daughter anymore," Ezra quietly said. "You don't think it'll be too much of a shock for him?"

"I'm hoping it will be a shock for her. Jonathan is stronger than he looks. Besides, Rissa isn't as bad as she was when she first tried to kill us."

"True, and it might just change the tide in our favor."

"That's what I'm hoping for." I thought about it for a moment. "I'll go by his estate and talk with him before coming home. I want him to be more vigilant in case someone goes after him. I'll let you know when I'm headed home."

When I looked up, I saw David had already turned toward Jonathan's home. Our men were always one step ahead of us. I quickly put in Jonathan's number. He answered on the third ring.

"Caspian, it has been a while since I've heard from you. How is everything?"

"There's been a development."

"Business?"

"No, it's more than that. I'd like to come by and speak with you. It's not something I want to discuss over the phone."

"Then, by all means, come by the house."

It was another ten minutes to his place. I kept going over and over what exactly I should say to him and how. It was going to be one hell of a shock. It had taken him a long time to recover from losing Rissa. I wasn't sure he ever really had. She was an only child, and since her mother had passed away, she'd always been his heart and soul.

It was time he knew his daughter was still alive.