Taking Tiffany Read online

  “This time, she won’t go unpunished. I’ll make sure she spends the rest of her life in jail.”

  “I knew her in high school. She was a horrible person then, and she hasn’t changed,” Colin said. “I take that back. She’s worse now.”

  Braydon came back into the room with an update.

  “I was able to contact Tiffany’s parents. They’ve left the conference and will board a private plane to come home. They’ll be picked up at Boeing Field.”

  “How did they take the news?” I asked, worried about Tiffany’s mom.

  “I talked to her dad, but, to be honest, I don’t think either of them are doing well. They’ve asked us not to call the police. They want to pay the ransom and get her back.” He let out a shaky breath and continued. “I thought it was our Tiffany.” He stopped, collected himself, and turned to me. “So, I know how you’re feeling right now. I promise you, I’ll get her back.” He tightened his fists by his side.

  I nodded, because my throat was so tight, I couldn’t speak. Please, tell me this isn’t happening. If anything happened to Tiffany, I wasn’t sure I’d live through it. God, take me instead.

  “I asked my FBI friend, Special Agent Sean Walker, to check on the Angela angle. He has a few legal attachés in Romania, if things point to her. He’s checking her cell phone and bank accounts, looking for suspicious activity. In the meantime, I have my accountant liquidating some stock so we can transfer the money before the ten-hour deadline. Whoever set this up didn’t leave us a lot of time.”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Angela

  Present Day

  “BLOW OUT THE candle!” Ivy squealed.

  “I have to make a wish first, silly!” I closed my eyes.

  Please, God. Please let me keep this happiness.

  Dottie leaned over the table and hugged me. “Happy anniversary! You came to us nine months ago today.”

  “That’s three-quarters of a year!” Ivy exclaimed proudly.

  I smiled at her. She was a star pupil.

  Dottie looked at me long and hard. “I knew I loved you when you first came, because I saw the real Angela hiding behind the façade you show the world. But your transformation has been miraculous. I’m so proud of you.”

  It was the three of us in the cafeteria, enjoying a private little celebration. Everyone else cleared out after lunch.

  I stood up and hugged her. “I love you so much. You saved my life, you know that?”

  “No, dear. You saved your own life. We were the lucky ones around to witness it.”

  “Hey, where’s my hug? It’s our nine-month anniversary, too!”

  “Stefan!” He’d been away in town for his two-day shift at the clinic, and I’d missed him. He picked me up in his strong arms and swung me around a few times.

  “Stop! I’m getting dizzy!”

  He turned around and grinned at me with a smile that made me forget to breathe.

  Ivy giggled. She loved when Stefan was around, probably because I all but glowed whenever he was near.

  “I’m going to head back to the office. Let me know if you need anything.” Dottie waved and stopped. “Angela, really. Thank you for everything.”

  I nodded as I blinked back tears.

  Stefan whispered in my ear, “Do you remember what you called me the first day we met?”

  I whispered back, “Pig?”

  He squeezed me tighter. “And I called you a spoiled…brat.”

  “You were right.”

  “No.” He darted a glance at Ivy. “Ivy, can you turn away for a moment. I want to kiss my girl.”

  Ivy giggled and closed her eyes just enough to make it look like she couldn’t see.

  “This has to be a quick one,” I whispered.

  “We’ll make up for it later,” he promised.

  A quick dramatic kiss with sound effects followed. I couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, Ivy, you can open up now.” Even though I knew she’d seen everything.

  She smiled shyly and returned to eating her cupcake.

  “Want one?” I asked.

  “When do I ever say no?” He laughed.

  I laughed with him, because he did say no—a lot. After the kiss on Christmas Eve, I thought things would progress rapidly. He stopped me in my tracks and told me he wanted to take things slowly, to do things differently with me. He explained he wanted to know me better before moving forward. I was surprised, and maybe even a little disappointed at first, but he’d been right. I felt respected for probably the first time in my life. I made the decision to let him know me, bits at a time.

  We had a date night, every Thursday, when he’d pick me up in his red truck and we’d go into town for either a movie, dinner, or, if the weather was nice, a picnic. It was during those hours we’d come to know each other on a deeper level. He shared his heartbreak about losing his parents, his entire family, so young. But he always remained positive, which I found inspiring.

  My habit was, when confronted with a difficult situation, to either shut down or become angry. Unlike Stefan, I had parents, but they hadn’t provided guidance for me. I didn’t blame them for my behavior, but it was a by-product of having too much wealth and not enough responsible supervision. In our family, we all believed money would fix anything and everything. I had to be stripped bare, right down to my soul, to realize the ugly truth. Money hadn’t made me free; I had become its prisoner.

  Even though I was scared and didn’t want Stefan to run for the hills when he learned the truth about how awful I’d been, I’d told him my story. It included all the warts, bumps, and bruises along the way. I opened up to him like no one else in my life. I didn’t trust people, but I trusted him with everything. He held my hand through most of it, while I cried about the mistakes and missed opportunities I’d made. The one thing I’d learned since coming here was that life was short. And precious. I’d let my environment back home cloud my judgment, letting it define me. I grieved for the time lost, but reveled in the life I’d pieced back together. It was a good life.

  “Are we still on for the movie tonight?” I asked. Tonight, I planned to tell him about the kidnapping. My one last reveal. I rubbed my palms over my faded jeans.

  “I wouldn’t miss it. How many times have we seen it now?”

  “Casablanca? I think this will be our tenth viewing. Another anniversary!” I giggled.

  He took me in his arms and whispered, “There will be many more.”

  We hadn’t said the words to each other yet, but I knew he liked me, a lot, maybe even loved me. I knew I loved him. He was the best man I’d ever met.

  As the thought floated through my heart, the front gates squeaked opened.

  “A delivery?” I asked Stefan.

  “I don’t think we have one scheduled.”

  We both looked through the small window to see the gates open and three black sedans pull in and park in front of the office.

  “I wonder what that’s all about.” I asked.

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.” He looked back and forth between me and Ivy.

  “You stay here with Ivy, okay?”

  “Yes.” I smiled at Ivy. “We’ll have some fun with mud pies, won’t we?” There was nothing Ivy loved more than to play in the soft dirt after a rain. I had to admit, it was fun.

  Ten minutes later, with Ivy and me up to our elbows in mud, another car pulled in through the gates. This car was fancier, more expensive. Something big was going on. The car passed me then stopped and reversed. The car door opened and a slim leg with designer shoes stepped carefully out the door in an attempt to avoid the mud.

  I was covered in it up to my elbows. Ivy and I had made about ten mud pies.

  “Oh, my God! Look what they’ve done to her!” my mother screeched.

  What the hell?

  I must look at mess to them. I wore shabby, faded jeans, a stained t-shirt, no make-up, and mud up to my elbows. I was having fun, and they were about to ruin it. Why couldn’
t they just leave me alone?

  My dad and another man stepped out of the car. “Angela, this is your attorney, Mr. McKenna. You are not to say a word, do you understand me?”

  “Hello, Dad. Nice to see you, too.” Apparently, my sarcastic side was alive and well. I hadn’t had any use for it for so long. These people brought out the worst in me.

  “Mind your manners!” he shouted.

  “Do not raise your voice in front of Ivy,” I said through clenched teeth. Ivy’s eyes were large as she observed the three strangers. I pulled her to me.

  “What do you want? I haven’t talked to you in six months, and now you come all this way to tell me not to say a word?”

  “Just be grateful we were able to get here quickly. We were traveling in Europe when we heard.”

  “Heard what?”

  He looked over to the office with the three sedans parked in front. “Before the FBI have a chance to question you about the kidnapping.”

  They found out? How could they? My entire body felt the weight of his words. I arranged it, but that was the old Angela. Still, I was responsible for my actions. For once in my life, I wouldn’t hide behind my dad or his paid minions, in this case, Mr. McKenna.

  I squatted down so I could speak to Ivy. “You know I love you, right?”

  She nodded.

  “I have to go talk to some people.” I looked at the office. “And they may want to go to another place to ask me questions. You’ll need to stay with Elise until I get back.”

  She shook her head no, and tears started to fall.

  You’ve let her down. She needs you. This was killing me.

  “I’ll make you a promise,” I started. “You know I’ve never broken a promise to you.”

  Ivy was crying, but she nodded.

  “I will come back for you. I’ll find a way.”

  “Okay,” she answered. She was so brave.

  I called Elise and handed off Ivy. I whispered, “I’ll be gone for a while. Please take care of her until I get back.” Elise looked at my parents and the attorney. Then her eyes shifted back to the office. She knew something big was going down.

  I brushed myself off, squared my shoulders, and marched toward the office. My parents couldn’t do a thing to stop me.

  I flung the door open and observed the solemn scene inside. Dottie was wringing her hands, Jerome had tears in his eyes, and Stefan, he looked straight at me, his eyes pleading with mine. He didn’t want to believe it. He was a good and honest person down to the very fiber, every molecule of his soul. He’d never understand how or why I’d do something like this. I met his gaze and gave a slight shake of my head. In that moment, he knew it was true. Disappointment replaced the hope in his eyes.

  He stood, shaking with outrage. “It’s true? You orchestrated the kidnapping?”

  My dad interrupted, “She’s not saying anything! Her attorney has advised her not to speak to any of you.”

  Mr. McKenna stepped forward. “I will confer with Miss—”

  “No one will confer with me. I’ll tell you everything. I planned the kidnapping.” There. For once in my life, I’d told the truth. But it hurt. Dottie, Jerome, and Stefan stood frozen, not believing it.

  Stefan picked up a paper weight on Dottie’s desk and threw it at the window, breaking it into countless shards of glass. He stood for a moment, dazed, like he couldn’t believe he’d done it. It was then I knew our relationship was dead.

  My dad blustered, “You can’t use that as a confession. She’s under duress! Look at her. What have you people done with our daughter? She doesn’t look like the same person. Our Angela would never be seen with mud covering her body.” He turned toward the agents. “They’ve harmed her in some way. She’s innocent.”

  One of the agents spoke. “We know she obtained a satellite phone in London before coming here. We also have records of a transfer of twenty million dollars from her trust fund.”

  “She can’t do that! That trust is solid. There’s no way she could get access without our permission.”

  “I did it. I transferred twenty one million out of my trust. I hired an attorney who specializes in trust funds. He found a loophole. As long as it was money earned over and above the original fifty million, I could use the profits for my own use. I earned that money honestly by investing in some Internet start-up companies that did well.”

  Everyone in the room sat still and stared at me, disbelieving. Even my parents couldn’t believe it.

  Stefan broke the silence. “I’ve heard enough.”

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Tiffany

  “THIS LEMONADE IS delicious, but a little tart!” I told Erik.

  He laughed, “Yeah. My mom’s recipe doesn’t call for much sugar. She was always trying to keep me healthy.”

  We sat peacefully on his front porch, watching the boats go by. We enjoyed a delicious lunch of brie, fruit, and crackers.

  “Are you ready for the tour before we head out?”

  “Sure,” I answered. But I was comfortable and relaxed and didn’t want to move.

  He laughed. “You look ready to take a nap!”

  I forced myself out of the chair. “I am. I haven’t been sleeping well. I think it’s caught up to me.”

  His eyebrows furrowed. “Do you want to lie down a little before we leave? I have a guest bedroom.”

  I stretched and yawned. “How long do we have before it gets dark?”

  “You could take a solid two-hour nap, and we’d still get back by dark.”

  “I didn’t check in with my dad today. He’s in a conference, though, so I don’t think he’ll notice. But if I’m gone until tomorrow, my mom will send out the Cavalry.” I laughed. “Two hours sounds good, though. Lead the way.”

  He smiled. “I won’t give you the full tour until you’ve rested. I’m sorry you’ve had a rough couple of days.”

  “Thanks.” I yawned again. This was getting embarrassing, but he just smiled.

  When I entered the cottage, I noticed it was as charming on the inside as the outside. The rooms weren’t large, but they were well-decorated and cozy. The living room housed a huge, river rock fireplace and cathedral ceilings, giving it a roomy feel. Even with an updated kitchen, it still retained a warm and inviting atmosphere.

  “Erik, this is really beautiful. Did you decorate yourself?” I asked.

  “Yes, I did.”

  “Well, you have all sorts of undiscovered talents. Who would know a scientist could put something like this together. I think you’ve missed your calling,” I told him.

  He shook his head. “I love my job too much. It’s my life, the people, the work, everything about it.” He motioned to follow him down the hallway. He opened the last door on the right. “I hope this is okay. I have a service come in every week to clean the house and change sheets.”

  I stepped into a quaint bedroom with pink and white lace curtains. The bed was a double, plenty large for me. It looked poufy and soft with a thick quilt and large pillows. “Well, this looks comfy.”

  “Let me know if you need anything. I’ll come back in a couple hours.”

  “Good, I feel like I could sleep for days, so I’ll need you to wake me up.” Another yawn. “Oh, Erik? Thanks.”

  “My pleasure.” He closed the door.

  I practically jumped into the soft, inviting bed. I kept my shorts and t-shirt on, they were loose and were comfortable enough for sleeping. I burrowed in and pulled the blankets over my head. Sleep took me in minutes.

  ***

  Todd

  “THEY THINK IT was Angela?” I asked Braydon.

  He put his hand over the phone. “Just a minute and I’ll tell you. They’re questioning her now.”

  We were using our office as a hub to communicate between contacts.

  “She has a satellite phone and recently transferred over twenty million dollars.” He went back to the conversation. “Yes, keep me posted.”

  “That, that…evil bitch!” Colin
roared. “Didn’t she do enough the first time around?”

  Tears fell from Jain’s eyes. “Who did she hire? Does anyone know?”

  Braydon shook his head. “She’s admitted to the kidnapping, but they haven’t been able to get any other details. Her parents were traveling in Europe when they got wind of it and immediately raced out there with an attorney.”

  “Of course they did.” Colin retorted.

  I hadn’t seen him this angry before. A close second would be this morning right before he punched me.

  The intercom buzzed. “Braydon? The Thompsons are here.”

  “Send them in.” He turned to us. “Brace yourselves.”

  I knew exactly why he gave us the warning. Tiffany’s parents were not only protective of their only child, they loved her with their entire heart and soul. If anything happened to her, it would destroy them.

  They entered the room, nodded at us, and took a seat at the table. This was a surprise. I looked closely at Clara. While her eyes were red, she seemed to be keeping it together.

  She folded her hands together on the tabletop and said, “Let’s get started. Give me everything you’ve got. We’re going to find Tiffany.” This was the same woman who’d cried when the wrong color tablecloths were delivered?

  She raised an eyebrow at my expression. “You didn’t think I’d fall apart when Tiffany needs me the most, did you?” she asked bluntly.

  “No. No.” I stuttered my response. If she could keep it together, I could. “We’ll find her safe, I promise. I’m going to bring her back home to you.” I would. I was determined.

  Jerry leaned toward me and said, “You bring Tiffany back to us, unharmed, and I’ll give you anything you want.”

  “Sir, I don’t want anything except her safety.”

  He put his hand on my shoulder and nodded his appreciation.