Kidnapped by Dee Henderson Page A

“Let’s go sit down.”
    He didn’t give her much option, walking her into the living room. He wanted to hug her, but there was so much emotion flowing off her at the moment his instincts warned him to go the other direction. Caroline sank onto the brown leather couch Mark had bought three years ago and practically got swallowed by the plush cushions.
    â€œYou can’t help me if you don’t calm down.”
    â€œI am calm.”
    â€œLean back, close your eyes, take several deep breaths, and just sit there.” He’d never imagined a scenario where he’d be telling Caroline the same prescription he gave victims and witnesses. She took the order well, considering. He covered her hand with his and held it while he tugged out his phone with his other hand.
    Caroline cracked open one eye to see him, but Luke merely looked back at her as he dialed his partner. “Jackie, I’m here and they aren’t. Do you have anything?”
    â€œNothing so far. I’m calling the hospitals from Benton to Atlanta. Give me another twenty minutes, and I’ll have them covered. As a precaution, I went ahead and put the description and plates for both of their vehicles out to the state patrols.”
    â€œThanks. I’ll call you back in twenty minutes.” He hung up.
    â€œI didn’t panic,” Caroline whispered.
    She’d calmed down enough the involuntary twitch beside her right eye had stopped. “You were just getting close,” Luke said kindly. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here earlier. Talk me through the plans for this weekend.”
    She ran both her hands through her blond hair. “I talked to Benjamin when he and Sharon were leaving the clinic, just before 4 p.m. They were going home to finish packing before driving in. Mark was checking a house under construction and then driving from there. One of his partners said Mark left the house about five thirty. I’ve got notes of the calls I made.”
    â€œGo get them please.”
    Luke watched her leave the room. She’d have a list; she liked to be organized about problems and decisions. He glanced around the room for the first time and realized she had the room transformed into a bit of an office, stacks of papers neatly arranged on the table, schoolbooks turned so she could read the titles on the spines.
    Caroline returned with a spiral-bound notebook and handed it to him. “I was using the second phone line for the calls so I wouldn’t block this number.”
    â€œGood thinking.” There were two pages of small print: Friends. Family. Work. Hospitals. Police. As he read the neat handwriting he saw she’d covered most of the bases. “Benjamin and Sharon left the clinic about 3:50; Al Jenson talked with Mark at 5:30. It’s now 9:18. You’ve found no one who saw or spoke to them between those times?”
    Caroline shook her head.
    â€œMark would have called if he was going to be this late. You know Sharon. I assume the same would be true for her?”
    â€œShe’d call me.”
    â€œTherefore, they aren’t in a place where they can call or the call can’t get through. A cell tower near Benton having problems might explain it. There may be a problem dialing into this building. Have you had any incoming calls tonight?”
    â€œNo.”
    Luke opened his phone, called Jackie, and asked her to call Mark’s main number. The phone rang. “Okay, that’s not the problem.”
    â€œThey must have been in accidents. They could have driven here twice over by now.” Caroline crossed her arms and rubbed at her forearms. “I’ve been calling the hospitals . . .”
    â€œIt’s possible, but the cops would have seen an accident. Maybe Mark on a back road could be missed, but not Sharon coming in on the interstate. Jackie’s getting nothing talking to hospitals either.” He looked at her list. “You called