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  The door leading out of the room wasn’t new. It was old and made of heavy wood. The door knob had been taken off of it. The hole where it and a lock should have been was covered with a piece of wood. The door was locked from the outside. Gillian couldn’t help but wonder what kind of lock it was. There was a doggy door at the bottom of the wooden structure, but it was only big enough for a very small dog to get through. It looked as though it had been recently installed.

  A short while ago, Nia and she had watched as a tray of food had been slipped through the doggy door. That had been after they both had recovered from the horrible smelling substance that had rendered them unconscious. They didn’t know how long they had been in the room, but they wanted out.

  The door was too heavy for two young girls to knock down. But that doggy door— Gillian’s eyes returned to the small square opening. It was hinged from the top and swung in and out. Common sense told her that the small door wouldn’t have been there if they thought a kid could get through it, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t try. After all, she was to blame for them getting into the limo and being in this situation. She was mad enough to spit nails!

  She should have known something was fishy when the chauffer drove up to the school and informed the teacher on dismissal duty that Nia’s parents had sent the limo for her as a surprise. Mrs. Sharon picked them up every day and Gillian knew that the housekeeper would have called the school and informed them of any change. Yet getting limo service was exciting, and the reason the chauffer gave for being there made sense.

  The dismissal teacher had questioned the change in procedure, but the chauffer presented a letter of authorization on the limo company’s letterhead. It was signed by Darnell Cameron Stewart and the signature had been verified by school records.

  It had been Gillian’s enthusiastic endorsement of the arrangements that had put the girls inside the limo, even though the driver had tried to prevent Gillian from coming. He insisted the directive was only for Nia, but an indignant Gillian had explained that if she didn’t go, Nia wasn’t going. Those words had sealed both of their fates.

  The girls had hopped inside the limo happily, feeling important as they drove away from the school. It was when the driver made a turn off the highway in an area that Gillian hadn’t recognized that she started to questions. He told her that he needed to stop the car and adjust their seat belts. Getting out of the limo he opened the back door and as soon as Gillian opened her mouth to tell him that her belt didn’t need adjusting he silenced her with a cloth over her nose and mouth. The next thing she knew Nia and she had awakened in this room.

  Her cousin’s large eyes were now looking at her in confusion, but she wasn’t whimpering or crying. Gillian was proud of her because she knew that the little girl was scared. She was too, but right now anger was the stronger emotion.

  She had tried to fit Nia through the doggy door, but as young as she was her body was still too big to get through it. As Gillian stared at the tiny space, she knew that getting them out of this mess was her responsibility. For the first time in her life she was actually glad that she was small for her age. She would be twelve years old soon and she wasn’t as tall as her Aunt Carla’s ten year old twins, but her petite size might work to her advantage if she planned to get them out of here through the doggy door. Right now she couldn’t figure another way out.

  “I’m hungry.”

  Nia’s voice interrupted her thoughts. Gillian gave her a reassuring squeeze, glad that she could do something immediately about their predicament. Going to the tray, she picked it up and took it over to the mattress, placing it between them. It contained two sandwiches from a fast food restaurant. There were also two bags of potato chips and two sodas. Nia dug into her bag of chips first. Meanwhile Gillian examined the silverware. Too bad the knife was plastic because if it had been metal she might have used it to help them escape. She could have sharpened it and tried to hurt whoever had taken them, or maybe—

  While Nia dug into her sandwich, Gillian returned her attention to their present dilemma. Rising from the mattress she fell to her knees at the doggy door and listened closely for sounds. Hearing none, she pushed the small wooden door out a bit, and then a bit more. When it was wide enough she lay on her belly and stuck her head out of the doggy door as far as it could go.

  A short while later Gillian pulled her head back through the opening. She sat back on her haunches and studied the doggy door again. Turning on her back she eased her head through the opening once more. Her foray didn’t last as long as the previous one, but she had observed that there was a latch lock keeping them inside the room. When she pulled her head back into the room this time she sat on her haunches and studied the doggy door for so long that Nia finally broke the silence.

  “Can we go home?”

  Her sad inquiry sounded hopeful. She didn’t understand why they were in this strange place, sleeping on a mattress. She had asked her cousin was it a game, but Gillian had explained that the limo driver had brought them there and that their parents didn’t know where they were. Her words had scared Nia, but she didn’t cry. She was a big girl.

  Gillian returned to the mattress and sat back down beside Nia. Pushing the tray aside, she gently placed her hands on the little girl’s shoulders and turned her toward her. As they faced each other, Nia knew that something important was about to be said. She wanted her Mommy and Daddy, but since Gillian was with her she wasn’t as scared as she would have been alone. Her cousin had told her that everything was going to be all right and she believed her. There was practically nothing that Gillian didn’t know and couldn’t do, so she turned trusting eyes to her waiting for her directions.

  “We’re strong girls,” Gillian told her. “And we’re from a strong and brave family.”

  Nia nodded. Every child in the large, extended Stillwaters clan had heard those words before.

  “These are bad people who put us in here,” Gillian declared. “But if they think we’re going to stay they’ve got another think coming.”

  Nia nodded with fervor this time, certain that every word spoken was true.

  “We’re getting out of here!” Gillian exclaimed with determination.

  Nia’s eyes widened. When? How? Her cousin had the answer.

  “This is what we’re going to do.”

  CHAPTER 3

  Dana wanted to tell her niece, nephew and cousins face to face what was happening, but there was no time to do that. Darnell and Thad should be on the Peninsula by now headed for home. Nedra and Sin would both be leaving work soon and when they arrived home they would find that the girls weren’t there.

  After the call from the kidnapper she had called the Reasoner household. Their housekeeper, Mrs. Lucia, had informed Dana that the girls were late and that she assumed that Mrs. Sharon might have stopped to run an errand before bringing them home. It had happened before. Dana had shared that conversation with James Starr.

  The kidnappers hadn’t made a follow-up call and she wasn’t sure what to do. The events of the day had her errant emotions in disarray. She couldn’t think straight. It seemed that this stranger who she had met barely an hour ago was thinking more clearly than she was as he offered her counsel.

  “The FBI has the expertise to track those girls down and to keep this whole thing out of the media. That’s another reason that you should call them. I’m sure that you don’t want this to get out.”

  Dana recoiled at the idea. They both knew that a leak to the press could put the girls in greater danger.

  “But I’ve got to tell their parents before I do anything. Like I said, it’s really their decision, not mine.”

  James nodded in agreement. “Then you need to make that call now. You don’t have any time to waste.”

  ****

  Sinclair Reasoner pulled up to the tall iron gate that had been added years ago to protect the privacy of the residents on their exclusive cul de sac. His half sister, Darnell Cameron and her husband, Thad, had f
inanced its construction and upkeep. When the celebrity couple married, they had wanted to assure that the quiet anonymity that their neighbors had enjoyed before the two superstars took up residence would continue.

  Punching in the number code, he glided his luxury automobile past the five exquisite structures that dominated this idyllic setting. The architectural diversity of the houses ranged from California traditional to the ultra modern house in which his family lived. Each home was set back from the street by a sea of perfectly manicured lawns. Only one home couldn’t be seen from the street. The Stewart home was set apart from the others by a high gated wall.

  As he passed their place he thought about Mrs. Sharon. He was grateful for her assistance in picking up the children at school. Usually, he or his wife did pickup duty, but things had been hectic at work this week for both of them and neither was able to do the job. Their own housekeeper, Mrs. Lucia, stayed with the girls until Nedra or he arrived.

  Having reached the end of their lengthy driveway, he jumped out of the car to look into the mailbox. It was empty. Hopping back into the car he hoped that Nedra was home. If the girls were preoccupied, maybe he and his wife might be able to get in a little quickie. The thought made him smile.

  Nedra Davis Reasoner watched from a window in the living room as her husband drove toward their house. He couldn’t get there fast enough. She was frantic.

  When she arrived home she knew that their fifteen year old son, Trevor, wouldn’t be there. He was on the school debate team and had a practice session, but she had expected to see Gillian and Nia and had been surprised not to find them at home. Before she left for the day, Mrs. Lucia had informed her that although the Stewart’s housekeeper hadn’t called to inform the household of a delay, she was sure that she would be along shortly. Reassured, Nedra hadn’t started worrying until nearly an hour had passed and the girls still weren’t home.

  She had called Mrs. Sharon’s cell phone, as well as the Stewart household, but had gotten voice mail both times. When Mrs. Sharon had returned her call a short while ago and asked how the girls had liked the limousine ride home that was when Nedra became concerned.

  After listening to the housekeeper recount the telephone call that she had received from Thad, Nedra had disconnected and was about to dial Darnell’s cell phone when she spotted Sin’s car coming up the driveway. While she was watching him pull into the garage, the phone rang. Checking caller I.D., she saw that it was Darnell.

  Thad Stewart noted the excitement on his wife’s face as he drove along the highway. Each mile was taking them closer to home and closer to Nia. They had missed their little girl terribly. After she started school, Darnell and Thad had arranged their schedules to make sure that one of them stayed at home whenever the other one was away on business. Unfortunately, necessity had taken them both away this time.

  They had paid the price for that decision with loneliness and longing for their child. Thad was as excited about going home as his wife. He couldn’t wait to hear Nia squeal Daddy when she saw him. That one word was worth everything in the world to him.

  “We’re getting close so I’m calling her now,” Darnell told him as she withdrew her cell phone.

  Thad and she would often play a little game with their daughter if either one was away on a trip. They would call and describe how close they were to her until they arrived at the front door and then yell, “I’m here!” They would then smother her with hugs and kisses. Darnell could hardly wait.

  She was just about to hit speed dial when Dana’s call to her delayed her own.

  “Well, hello!” Darnell greeted her aunt cheerfully.

  “Where are you?” Dana asked. The levity with which she had been greeted was not returned.

  Darnell caught her sober tone. Her smile faded.

  “Thad and I are coming in from the airport. We’re driving along the highway headed toward home. Why? What’s wrong?”

  The last two words caught Thad’s attention. He glanced over at his wife.

  On the other end, Dana sat behind her desk wanting more than anything for this to be a nightmare from which she could awaken. Glancing briefly at James Starr, who sat across from her desk, she gave a shaky sigh.

  “Ask him to pull over. I’ve got something to tell you both.”

  Darnell’s heart lurched. Whatever was wrong was serious. Relaying her aunt’s message to Thad, she watched him take the exit that would lead to their house. He pulled over to the side of the road. His heartbeat quickened as his wife put her cell phone on speaker and they both waited.

  Dana could think of no way to soften the blow. “Nia and Gillian have been kidnapped.”

  Shaken, neither Thad nor Darnell wasted any time asking questions. Darnell disconnected the call immediately and hit speed dial connecting them to the Reasoner household. Nedra answered.

  “Is Nia there?’ Thad and Darnell demanded simultaneously.

  “No she’s not.” Nedra couldn’t mask the tremor of fear in her voice. She went on to tell them what Mrs. Sharon had said about a limo picking the girls up.

  Darnell gave a strangled gasp. Thad’s expletive was explosive before he confirmed the worst.

  “I didn’t call anybody!”

  Sin could actually hear Thad’s voice on the telephone when he walked into the living room. One look at the silent tears sliding down his wife’s face had him hurrying to her.

  “What’s going on?”

  “It’s the girls.” That was all that Nedra could manage to say as she held the telephone out to him and walked away. She placed her hands on her mouth to stifle the scream that threatened to erupt from the depths of her soul.

  Sin took the telephone from Nedra, unprepared for what his brother-in-law had to tell him. The words were like an arrow straight to his heart.

  “We’re ten minutes away from your house,” Thad told him as he skidded back onto the highway. “Call Dana.”

  ****

  Dana suspected that Thad Stewart had broken speed records getting to the Reasoner house. It had been less than five minutes after the couple had skyped her when Darnell and Thad burst into the family room.

  Both couples looked shell shocked as Dana recounted the message that the distorted male voice had relayed to her. She also told them about the package that had been sent.

  What’s in it? ” Sin asked grimly.

  Dana swallowed the lump in her throat. “Nia’s pink purse.”

  Without thinking, she reached for the opened box to show it to them. James grabbed her wrist, halting her action. Their eyes met. He had taken his sunglasses off and Dana had been startled by the color of his eyes. They were light gray. As she looked into them they sent a silent reminder not to touch the contents with her hands.

  Dana’s hesitation in producing the package alerted the others that she was not alone. James had been sitting to the side, out of sight.

  Sin tensed. “Who’s there with you?”

  James moved in front of the computer screen. “My name is James Starr.”

  Sin blinked. James remained stoic. Dana and the others were too preoccupied to notice the flicker of recognition between the two men. She went on to explain how James had found the package.

  “And why is he still there?” Sin wanted to know.

  Dana wasn’t sure how to answer that. She said the first thing that came to her mind.

  “He’s an ex-cop. His expertise might be useful.”

  “A cop? Thad shrilled, crowding next to Sin. “You said that the caller warned you not to get the police involved!”

  James understood the man’s apprehension. “As she said, I’m an ex-cop, but I have advised her to contact the FBI.”

  His words brought instant reactions from everyone in the Reasoner house. There was a chorus of competing voices in the background as everyone gave their opinion, both for and against that suggestion. Sin remained silent as he continued to stare daggers at the man who had appeared beside Dana.

  “How do we know that yo
u’re not involved?”

  Sin’s words halted all conversation as everyone’s attention turned back to the screen. James looked at him steadily.

  “The authorities will rule that out when they get here. As for now, the longer we wait to contact them the more danger those girls are in.”

  Sin’s jaws tightened. Despite his feelings toward the man in L.A. he could not dispute what he was saying. He turned toward the others.

  “It is urgent that we get to our girls quickly.”

  Giving James another hostile glare, he stepped off camera and went to Nedra. Taking both of her hands he looked into her eyes. This was no time to be coy.

  “Chances are whoever took the girls wanted Nia.”

  His wife needed no further explanation. She knew instantly what he meant and so did everyone else. Gillian might be expendable.

  “But they had to know that the girls are related.” Nedra was hopeful. “They must know that they could increase the ransom by having both of them.”

  Thad took Sin’s place in front of the camera and addressed Dana.

  “On our way over here I called Mrs. Sharon and asked her about the person who called about the limo. She said that it was a man who sounded exactly like me. She hadn’t recognized the telephone number when she answered the phone. It was blocked, but she didn’t think anything of it because we could have been anywhere when the call was made. That’s happened before. Whoever it was did their homework. They knew at least one of our home telephone numbers. They knew that we were out of town, and that Mrs. Sharon picked the girls up. They must have been watching us to know our schedules. If they knew all of this about us they must know that the girls are cousins.”

  Sin joined Thad on the monitor. “They had to be watching you too, Dana, because they knew that you were in your office. Were you alone when he called?”

  “Yes, I was.”

  “Someone must be familiar with the office personnel and watched them leave.” James offered in explanation.