Chapter Fifteen

Ed drove down the driveway of his home and headed into Vegas. As his cherry red Hummer faded into the distance, Sam walked out into the foyer and looked around, "Where's Ed?"

Luis turned and walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, "He got a call from the kidnappers, he's went to go do what they told him to do."

Sam felt the panic begin to well up inside her, "What did they tell him to do, Luis?"

Sighing, Perez led her over and sat her down on a bench, "He's got to withdraw some money and take it to the Luxor, there were a few other instructions as well."

Looking at the man, her face blanched, "How much money?"

"Three million dollars."

"Oh god," Sam bent over at the waist, holding her stomach, as she rocked back and forth, whispering softly, "This is going to bankrupt him."

"I don't think that matters to him, Sam," Luis said, "All he wants to do is get Jasmine back here, safe and sound."

Sam Marquez slowly rose to her feet, "I need... I need some air..."

The detective looked at his friend in concern, "Sam," he said as he slowly rose to his feet as well. As soon as she took a step, Sam collapsed. "Sam!" Luis ran over and caught her in his arms and picked her up. Looking around frantically, he shouted, "Danny! Delinda! Somebody!"

Delinda raced into the foyer and saw Sam, "Oh god," Running over to her friend, she looked at Luis, "Take her upstairs to my dad's room. Come on, I'll show you where it is." Delinda quickly went upstairs and glanced over her shoulder, casting a worried look at her friend, as she led Perez to her father's bedroom. Once they were inside, Luis gently laid Sam down on the bed and looked at her, sighing deeply. "When was the last time she ate?"

Delinda shook her head, "I don't know," she said honestly, "I don't think she's eaten since this whole thing began, and I don't think my dad has either for that matter."

Running a hand through his dark hair, Perez said, "They both are probably getting malnourished. They have got to eat something."

The blonde woman looked at him pointedly, "You want to be the one to poke food down their throats?"

"Hopefully it won't come to that," Luis said, glancing around. He walked over to the large windows and drew the curtains. "You need to get her clothes off her and sponge her down with a luke warm cloth. She felt very hot when I was carrying her up here, she may have a low grade fever. Not too hot or else it will just raise her body temperature, and not too cold, that'll put her in shock."

Delinda watched him carefully and nodded, "What about my father?"

"I'll get Danny and Nessa to talk him into taking a breather when he gets back."

Standing up, she walked over to him, "Back from where?"

Perez sighed quietly and looked at her, "The kidnappers contacted him. They want him to take some money to the Luxor and transfer it to a bag, then drive to Durango Hills and jump through a few hoops there too."

"Oh god," Delinda said as she put a hand to her forehead, "When will this nightmare come to an end?"

Ed pressed his foot down further on the gas pedal. Well aware that he was speeding and breaking a lot of traffic laws, he didn't care. The only thing on his mind was getting to the Luxor. After the debacle at the bank, he knew that he had wasted far too much time and it was coming down to the wire.

Pulling into the Egyptian resort, he parked his car crookedly in a parking spot and grabbed the suitcase of cash and bolted out of the Hummer. Racing inside, Ed casually, but quickly, walked over to the Pharaoh's Feast and looked around. Spotting the trash can, he walked over and sure enough, a hunter green vinyl duffel bag had been stuffed into it. Extracting the bag, he went into the mens' room. Once he was sure he was alone, Deline locked the door and quickly transferred all $3 million into the bag and just threw the case onto the floor and exited the bathroom and made his way back outside.

Glancing around, he sprinted over to his car and got in and started it back up and headed towards Durango Hills, determined to get this hellish nightmare over and behind all of them as soon as possible.

Hearing the sounds of tires squeal out of the driveway, Jasmine slowly walked towards the door of the room she was being kept in. Reaching out, the little girl's hand closed around the door knob and she slowly turned it, gasping softly in surprise when she found the door to be unlocked.

Once the door was open, the little girl walked out into the hallway and looked up it and then down it, not hearing or seeing anything. Turning left, she started to walk to the main area of the house and raced towards the front door. Quickly opening it, she began to run hard, not knowing where she was going, but anxious to get away and get someplace safe.

As soon as she got to the end of the driveway, Jasmine gasped when she saw the car stop, recognizing the man driving it. "Please," she said as she ran over to it, "take me back to my mommy and daddy."

Jack Keller growled when he saw her, "How in the hell did you get out?"

Jasmine blinked in confusion, tears starting to fall, "Please, Mr. Jack, you'll help me, right?"

"Oh I'll help you," Jack promised as he got out of the car. Grabbing the girl by the scruff of her neck, he forcefully lead her back into the house, "You little bitch," he spat at her venomously, "you think you can run away? Maybe you need to be taught a lesson or two."

Slamming the front door of the house, Jack threw the girl onto the ground and stared at her, "If Ed and Sam won't teach you what you need to know," he said as he began to undo his belt, "Perhaps it is up to me to do it."

Jasmine cowered in fear as she watched him approach her.