Chapter 11 - Girls Missing
Kate hastened to the bathroom and peered inside. “Not here. Did they call or text?” She looked at her phone and back at me.
I took out my phone. A message from Amanda. My heart thudded against my chest. What did she have to say? This can only be bad. “Nothing from the girls,” I mumbled.
“Argh. I’m gonna kill those two. I’m calling the hotel desk.”
Kate’s voice talking to the receptionist faded in the background while I read Amanda’s message. “Jeff, meeting with the board turned out well. Send the final proposal asap. Once approved, I form the A-Team and assign you, team leader.”
A-team. My butt. The audacity of using her name. I could not believe this woman. Prickly thorn as ever. She thought I would jump for joy about the management position?
Obviously, she wants all the accolades without the responsibility of gripping the horns. I knew she’d pick half of those bullheaded people from her former project. She can deal with them. She can go ahead and figure out the missing formula from the proposal. The package became more attractive.
“What’s wrong?” Kate tapped my shoulder, her other hand snatching her handbag from the bed.
I shoved my phone at her. The groove on her forehead deepened while she read the text. “What’s your plan?”
I heaved out a sigh. “I was up all night beating my head against a wall. I’m done. I’m calling HR about the package.”
“Seriously? You’re doing it?” Kate hugged me and stroked my back.
I tapped her shoulders and finally tightened my hold of her. This is it. Somehow, my gut was telling me that I made the right choice.
“Don’t worry about Sarah’s tuition. We can take out a loan. Surely, the package should be able to get us through for a year until you find something that you really want.”
Great. The moment she mentioned Sarah’s tuition, doubt crept in. Why did she have to drop the bomb so fast? What do I do?
Her cellphone rang. “Hello? Okay, thank you.” Her eyes met mine. “That was the receptionist. She said their camera had footage of the girls exiting the hotel earlier today. Where could they be?”
“Maybe Starbucks. Let’s go.” I took the two suitcases while Kate gathered the other two and we headed to the car. ”Can you call Sarah again? I’ll take care of the bags.”
“She’s not picking up.” Kate shoved her phone away and buckled up. “Should we call the police?”
“Pfft. Don’t bother the cops. They have better things to do than look for two mindless girls who deserve a beating.” This wasn’t the first time those two wandered off. Kate really needs to tighten her leash on those two.
Starbucks soon appeared on the right of the road. Kate unbuckled as soon as we parked. “I’ll check. Stay here and watch out for them. They could be there at McDonald's.” She pointed at the yellow M sign half a mile down the street and got out.
While I watched her enter Starbucks, my phone rang. It’s Sarah. She’d better have a good explanation. “Where the hell are you?”
“Didn't you track us, Dad? We’re in National Geographic. I had to take Annie here before I kill her.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“She threw a tantrum and stormed out of the room this morning. Long story short, we’re here. I tried to call but couldn’t connect and was too busy running after this prick head.”
“I’m not a prickhead!”
“What’s wrong with her?” I said in between gritted teeth.
“Hormones. You guys can head over here and pick us up.”
The nerve of these girls, telling me what to do.
Kate entered the car. “Who’s that?”
“Sarah—,” and the phone was off my hand and put on speaker mode.
“Where in heaven’s name are you?”
“Apparently from hell and now in heaven, Mom. We’re in National Geographic. And I just told Dad—“
“We’ll be there.” And she hung up. “At least they’re safe.”
“You discipline that daughter of yours or else…”
“Or else what?” Her eyes blazed, fiery and spiteful. “She won’t listen to me. I don’t know what to do with that girl. Maybe hang her upside down in a pole.”
My foot stepped hard on the pedal and revved the engine, sending the tires screeching against the road.
“Stop it.” Kate gripped my arm, her voice cold and steely.
The words splashed on my head like rain and I simmered down.
“Jeff, pull over.”
“Why?”
“Just,” she blew a breath of exasperation, “pull over.”
I maneuvered towards the parking lot on the right side of the street.
Kate gripped her forehead and rested her elbows against the dashboard. “This family is a mess. Something needs to be done.”
”That’s the reason why you’re home so you can take care of them,” I said. ”But your photography career is taking center stage now.”
”That’s not fair. When you were home, and I was working, I still took care of them. Why are you washing your hands off the responsibility? I can’t do this alone! Now that you’ll have time with us, help me out. Those two are driving me nuts.”
She gripped my arm. “Please.”
“Okay. What’s the strategy?” I backed the car and headed towards the National Geographic.
“The dream maker app will teach us. Sam said.”
“The app? What’s that got to do with us?”
“Everything! You’ll soon see. Why don’t you just drive and listen while I explain to you what I read on my navigational app? That way, you’ll have some insight into how the app works.”
“Well, we’re here.” I turned and parked in front of the store. “Let’s get our hand on those two first.” They’ll take a beating, for sure.
“Wait, Jeff. I don’t want this getting out of hand. You’re red in the face. Simmer down. Don’t want you saying something you’ll regret again. Remember last week?”
The memory of Sarah trembling in the basement and refusing to come out for three days after she got my tongue lashing for staying overnight with a friend made me slump back on my seat. Argh. I pulled my hair. Damn if I do. Damn if I don’t. What does Kate want from me?
She rubbed my shoulder. “Sorry.” With a hug, she said, “Just—“
“Go. I’m okay. Buy something from the cafe.” I pointed at the building. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
I slumped at the seat when Kate left. Drama. Nothing but drama. Would I have to deal with this every day if I get the package? The A-team seemed a better option now. There’s no easy way out of this rut. My stomach growled. Perhaps a sandwich may clear my head. As I entered and walked through the shelves, my gaze fell on the maps stacked at the corner. A voice in my mind said, “Pick that.”
I stopped and studied the Four Trail map.
“Pick that.” It sounded louder. Again not to my ears. Like my mind grew ears of its own.
My hand hovered on the Four Trails map.
“Yes, that one. Pick that.”
Three commands.
I picked it and slapped it on my palms. My gut feeling told me I needed to obey this strange voice.
At the cashier, Kate appeared beside me, while I swiped my card.“The girls.” Her face was pale as snow. “What happened?” I nodded at the cashier and grabbed the map.
Kate steered me towards the door. “I got a call from a man.” Her eyes darted aimlessly as she choked on the words.
“Okay, take a deep breath. What, man?”
“He has them, Jeff. His voice was cold and adamant. We need to meet him at Hoover’s Dam by sunset.”
We rushed to the car. ”You mean, kidnapped? But why? How? Did he ask for money?”
“No, he asked for you.”
I took out my phone. A message from Amanda. My heart thudded against my chest. What did she have to say? This can only be bad. “Nothing from the girls,” I mumbled.
“Argh. I’m gonna kill those two. I’m calling the hotel desk.”
Kate’s voice talking to the receptionist faded in the background while I read Amanda’s message. “Jeff, meeting with the board turned out well. Send the final proposal asap. Once approved, I form the A-Team and assign you, team leader.”
A-team. My butt. The audacity of using her name. I could not believe this woman. Prickly thorn as ever. She thought I would jump for joy about the management position?
Obviously, she wants all the accolades without the responsibility of gripping the horns. I knew she’d pick half of those bullheaded people from her former project. She can deal with them. She can go ahead and figure out the missing formula from the proposal. The package became more attractive.
“What’s wrong?” Kate tapped my shoulder, her other hand snatching her handbag from the bed.
I shoved my phone at her. The groove on her forehead deepened while she read the text. “What’s your plan?”
I heaved out a sigh. “I was up all night beating my head against a wall. I’m done. I’m calling HR about the package.”
“Seriously? You’re doing it?” Kate hugged me and stroked my back.
I tapped her shoulders and finally tightened my hold of her. This is it. Somehow, my gut was telling me that I made the right choice.
“Don’t worry about Sarah’s tuition. We can take out a loan. Surely, the package should be able to get us through for a year until you find something that you really want.”
Great. The moment she mentioned Sarah’s tuition, doubt crept in. Why did she have to drop the bomb so fast? What do I do?
Her cellphone rang. “Hello? Okay, thank you.” Her eyes met mine. “That was the receptionist. She said their camera had footage of the girls exiting the hotel earlier today. Where could they be?”
“Maybe Starbucks. Let’s go.” I took the two suitcases while Kate gathered the other two and we headed to the car. ”Can you call Sarah again? I’ll take care of the bags.”
“She’s not picking up.” Kate shoved her phone away and buckled up. “Should we call the police?”
“Pfft. Don’t bother the cops. They have better things to do than look for two mindless girls who deserve a beating.” This wasn’t the first time those two wandered off. Kate really needs to tighten her leash on those two.
Starbucks soon appeared on the right of the road. Kate unbuckled as soon as we parked. “I’ll check. Stay here and watch out for them. They could be there at McDonald's.” She pointed at the yellow M sign half a mile down the street and got out.
While I watched her enter Starbucks, my phone rang. It’s Sarah. She’d better have a good explanation. “Where the hell are you?”
“Didn't you track us, Dad? We’re in National Geographic. I had to take Annie here before I kill her.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“She threw a tantrum and stormed out of the room this morning. Long story short, we’re here. I tried to call but couldn’t connect and was too busy running after this prick head.”
“I’m not a prickhead!”
“What’s wrong with her?” I said in between gritted teeth.
“Hormones. You guys can head over here and pick us up.”
The nerve of these girls, telling me what to do.
Kate entered the car. “Who’s that?”
“Sarah—,” and the phone was off my hand and put on speaker mode.
“Where in heaven’s name are you?”
“Apparently from hell and now in heaven, Mom. We’re in National Geographic. And I just told Dad—“
“We’ll be there.” And she hung up. “At least they’re safe.”
“You discipline that daughter of yours or else…”
“Or else what?” Her eyes blazed, fiery and spiteful. “She won’t listen to me. I don’t know what to do with that girl. Maybe hang her upside down in a pole.”
My foot stepped hard on the pedal and revved the engine, sending the tires screeching against the road.
“Stop it.” Kate gripped my arm, her voice cold and steely.
The words splashed on my head like rain and I simmered down.
“Jeff, pull over.”
“Why?”
“Just,” she blew a breath of exasperation, “pull over.”
I maneuvered towards the parking lot on the right side of the street.
Kate gripped her forehead and rested her elbows against the dashboard. “This family is a mess. Something needs to be done.”
”That’s the reason why you’re home so you can take care of them,” I said. ”But your photography career is taking center stage now.”
”That’s not fair. When you were home, and I was working, I still took care of them. Why are you washing your hands off the responsibility? I can’t do this alone! Now that you’ll have time with us, help me out. Those two are driving me nuts.”
She gripped my arm. “Please.”
“Okay. What’s the strategy?” I backed the car and headed towards the National Geographic.
“The dream maker app will teach us. Sam said.”
“The app? What’s that got to do with us?”
“Everything! You’ll soon see. Why don’t you just drive and listen while I explain to you what I read on my navigational app? That way, you’ll have some insight into how the app works.”
“Well, we’re here.” I turned and parked in front of the store. “Let’s get our hand on those two first.” They’ll take a beating, for sure.
“Wait, Jeff. I don’t want this getting out of hand. You’re red in the face. Simmer down. Don’t want you saying something you’ll regret again. Remember last week?”
The memory of Sarah trembling in the basement and refusing to come out for three days after she got my tongue lashing for staying overnight with a friend made me slump back on my seat. Argh. I pulled my hair. Damn if I do. Damn if I don’t. What does Kate want from me?
She rubbed my shoulder. “Sorry.” With a hug, she said, “Just—“
“Go. I’m okay. Buy something from the cafe.” I pointed at the building. “I’ll be there in a minute.”
I slumped at the seat when Kate left. Drama. Nothing but drama. Would I have to deal with this every day if I get the package? The A-team seemed a better option now. There’s no easy way out of this rut. My stomach growled. Perhaps a sandwich may clear my head. As I entered and walked through the shelves, my gaze fell on the maps stacked at the corner. A voice in my mind said, “Pick that.”
I stopped and studied the Four Trail map.
“Pick that.” It sounded louder. Again not to my ears. Like my mind grew ears of its own.
My hand hovered on the Four Trails map.
“Yes, that one. Pick that.”
Three commands.
I picked it and slapped it on my palms. My gut feeling told me I needed to obey this strange voice.
At the cashier, Kate appeared beside me, while I swiped my card.“The girls.” Her face was pale as snow. “What happened?” I nodded at the cashier and grabbed the map.
Kate steered me towards the door. “I got a call from a man.” Her eyes darted aimlessly as she choked on the words.
“Okay, take a deep breath. What, man?”
“He has them, Jeff. His voice was cold and adamant. We need to meet him at Hoover’s Dam by sunset.”
We rushed to the car. ”You mean, kidnapped? But why? How? Did he ask for money?”
“No, he asked for you.”