Chapter 7
When Jack heard about the attack from one of the spa staff, his heart almost stopped beating. He hadn't heard from any of his team, so he couldn't help himself when he feared the worst.
As luck would have it, he ran into Bobby coming from the dining room, anxiety marring the tall Aussie's face. Unfortunately, another couple was with him forcing Jack to keep his cool, so he didn't blow their cover until they knew more about what happened.
"Is everything okay, Mr. Manning?" Jack asked, professionally as he fell into step beside them.
"Some drongo attacked my wife," Bobby growled, the look in his eyes telling Jack that he didn't know how she was. "A janitor was supposed to take her back to our room," he continued, clear that was where he was heading.
"A man named Myles," Cheryl offered quickly, as if she just thought of it. Her hand tightly gripped in her husband's hand, she struggled to keep up with Bobby's long strides.
Jack felt an overwhelming sense of relief when he realized Sue was with Myles. Thank God, he breathed silently, not wanting to think of almost losing her again.
"Are you okay, Mrs. Detling?" Jack asked, recognizing the young couple from when they arrived the day before. His concern was heightened by the already darkening bruise on her cheek that he knew wasn't there when he saw her the last time.
"He hit me when I tried to stop them," Cheryl sniffed, her hand instinctively going to her face. "He would have taken Sue if that janitor hadn't come in when he did," she explained shakily, the events obviously taking their toll.
As they arrived at the suite, Jack made a mental note to thank Myles when he got the New Englander alone. Desperate to know she was safe, he fought his first instinct to rush through the already opened door into the room.
Not one for restraint anyway, Bobby burst through the door first spotting Sue as she laid on the sofa in the main room with her feet propped up on pillows. Myles hovered protectively over her, stepping back only when he saw the others enter.
"Sue!" Bobby groaned, dropping to his knees beside her. "Are you okay?" he asked after pulling her into a tight hug, his fingers delicately brushing her hair back to reveal the cut just above her brow.
"I'm fine, Bobby," Sue insisted, letting him take her hands in his.
Jack caught her eye over his best friend's shoulder, hoping to portray his concern for her while keeping up the pretense of their cover. Her casual smile told him that she was taking this better than any of her co-workers were.
"Mrs. Manning hurt her ankle," Myles interrupted his thoughts, bringing his attention to her swollen ankle propped up on some pillows. "I called the staff doctor to come check on her…and the baby," he added pointedly as he stepped back, wanting to be out of the way, but not yet ready to leave.
While he was concerned about her injuries, Jack knew this information was primarily for the other couple in the room. Since the staff doctor was an agent from the Utah field office, who happened to have medical training and education from his time in the military, they could keep their cover.
"Good, Myles," Jack nodded, trying to sound like a concerned spa administrator only, while knowing the stakes had just risen in this nightmare. "Did you see what happened?" he asked looking at the tall agent, still somewhat taken back seeing his always refined friend in a pale, nondescript jumpsuit.
"Only the aftermath," Myles shook his head, his eyes dropping to the floor before meeting Sue's across the room. "I didn't get a good look at the guy," he added regretfully.
"But I did," Sue spoke up, obviously prepared for the worst as she glanced between Bobby and Jack. Their defensive postures told her instantly that they understood the implications of that statement.
"So did I," Cheryl chimed in, stepping forward a little bit, her husband never leaving her side. "He was dressed like a waiter…dark hair, round face," she mentioned, almost awkwardly as the others turned in her direction.
"His nametag said Eduardo," Sue added quickly. "But the nametag didn't look like what the other staff wears, so I doubt if he really works here," she finished, watching the worried look pass between the men in the room.
"Doesn't hurt checking," Jack muttered, his fingers brushing through his hair as he thought. "I'll have Tara…uh…my assistant check into that," he offered.
"Has anyone called the police?" Justin asked, concerned as he tightened his grip around his wife's waist. "If Cheryl and Sue can identify him, he might try again," he continued as Cheryl leaned into his embrace, her head resting against his broad chest.
He was only saying aloud what the rest of us thought, Jack surmised as he glanced at his best friend. Not only do we have Sue to protect, but now this civilian too, he thought, wondering if things could really get worse.
"Security is checking the grounds now, and someone from the local police department are on their way," Jack provided, knowing they were looking to him as the spa administrator to provide them with answers.
Fortunately, he was saved from providing any further information when a short, stocky man appeared in the doorway, carrying a medical bag. Jack immediately recognized him as one of the agents he'd met a few days before.
"So where is my patient?" the graying doctor asked as a heavy silence hung over the room.
"That would be Mrs. Manning," Jack stated, shifting his gaze to meet hers as he spoke. "This is Andrew McBride, our staff doctor," he explained, having to put his hands behind his back so he didn't automatically fingerspell the man's name as the older man knelt beside her.
"Uh, let's take mommy into the bedroom where she can be a little more comfortable while I examine her," Dr. McBride suggested, after doing a cursory examination of the cut over her eye and her swollen ankle.
Instinctively, Jack stepped forward, only to be cut off in his progress when his best friend moved between them. Of course, Jack sighed, the muscle in his jaw twitching as he clinched his teeth together. It made sense for him to take her, he thought, trying to stifle the jealousy that threatened to choke him as he watch Bobby lift Sue effortlessly into his arms.
As her hands snaked around his neck, Jack had to turn away. In his heart, he knew that it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but they looked so at ease when Bobby carried Sue to the bedroom that it just twisted at his gut.
"Mr. Hixson?"
Jack blinked as the voice finally penetrated his thoughts. It took him a minute to realize that someone was calling him by his cover name.
"Ah…yeah," Jack replied, glancing at the young man who had just come in.
"Security came up empty. Ms. Wilson asked for all the security camera tapes, and we've dropped them by your office for her," he told the group, his professionalism belying his youthfulness.
"Very good," Jack agreed, knowing Tara would find anything on those tapes there was to find. "Get someone to take Mrs. Detling's statement, so she can go back to her room and rest. However, I want the doctor to take a look at that bump before he leaves," he stated, his hand snaking its way through his dark hair once again as he tried to think. Rationally, how they could keep the young woman safe when they weren't so successful keeping Sue safe to begin with.
"It's really not necessary," Cheryl interrupted, but Jack cut her off gently as he stepped forward, his hand on her arm.
"Please," Jack requested quietly. "It would make me feel better," he smiled, hoping his charm would work on the young married woman.
"Don't worry," Justin interjected, an unspoken agreement passing between the two men. "I'll make sure she gets checked out," he promised, his arms protectively around her, almost as if he was afraid that if he let her go to far from him, she'd be hurt again.
I know how he feels, Jack sighed, peering at the bedroom door where Bobby and Sue had disappeared with the doctor.
"Jack," Myles whispered cautiously in his ear, causing the dark-haired agent to almost visibly jump in surprise as he was caught thinking about something he shouldn't.
"I want you to stay here," Jack responded in hushed tones as they moved toward to door to leave. "I'm going to see what Tara can find on the tapes, but I don't want you to let either of them out of your sight," he ordered, nodding slightly to indicate the couple who had moved to take a seat on the couch as the young security guard began his questioning.
Stopping just outside the doorway when Myles rejoined the others, he turned to look at those left in the room. Nobody has ever escaped from this madman before, Jack thought as he watched them, his heart filled with dread. Now those two have seen his face, he continued silently, his jaw clinched.
Striding purposefully away, he knew Sue and Cheryl's lives were in danger until they found this man. Jack only hoped they could find him before he tried to hurt them again.