Well I'm back once again! I'm so very sorry I haven't updated. I'm currently studying for my bar exam (it is the legal licensing exam that will allow me to practice law as an attorney in a specific state) and I spend anywhere between 12-15 hours a day, EVERY day, studying my brains out. By the time I'm done I'm absolutely exhausted (although it is giving me tons of material for later in the story - cause I currently have something brewing for down the road - but I still wish it wasn't so stressful). Add to that the fact that my computer died two weeks ago, leaving me in a state of panicked upheaval.

So here's a new chapter for you (I warn you now that it is short, but I wanted to get something uploaded for y'all). Hope y'all enjoy!

Chapter 28:

"What do you mean, he's missing?" I exclaimed, not fully comprehending what my father was saying.

"Logan's gone, Lizzie. You need to come home."

"Define gone."

"He was playing in the front yard yesterday with Woof and when Lisa went to check on him because Woof was barking, he was gone."

"This happened YESTERDAY? And you're first calling me now?"

"I've been trying to reach you all night but all my calls have gone straight to voicemail."

Damn it, there must have been no cell service while we were in the hospital, and who knows after that. I jumped out of the bed, phone still held up to my ear. I briefly looked down and noticed I was in a nightshirt. Not having the time to consider how that happened, I spotted my dress from the night before over a chair.

"Did you call the police?"

"Yes, of course we did. And even if we hadn't, we certainly would have after we received the ransom note this morning."

"Ransom note?" I could hear the panic seeping into my voice. "What did it say?"

"That if we ever wanted to see Logan again we would get together $500,000 in cash and be prepared to deliver it to a location disclosed in another note."

"Do we have any clue who the note was from?"

"Yes . . . " my dad trailed off.

"Dad?" I asked sharply

"Liz, it's from the associate I hired this winter, Jeremy Wickham."

I gasped

"Liz, Lizzie, what is it?"

"I'm leaving now Dad. I'll be there as soon as I can."

With that I hung up the phone with a sniffle.

"Lizzie?"

Darcy's voice broke me out of my thoughts. I had forgotten he was there. The tears that I had been holding back slid down my cheeks. Darcy jumped to his feet and was by my side in an instant.

"Lizzie, what happened? Come sit down."

He took hold of my arm and tried to steer me back to the bed. I shook my head and let out a small moan.

"I can't. I have to leave immediately."

I grabbed my dress and, no longer caring that Darcy was in the room, slipped off the nightshirt to get dressed.

Darcy placed his hands firmly on my shoulders to stop me from fussing around. So I stood there, in my bra and panties, crying.

"Lizzie, you can't rush out like this. You're clearly upset and are already injured. Isn't there something I can do?"

I shook my head again and then took a deep breath.

"My nephew was kidnapped. He was playing with his dog in the front yard and was taken. My family just received a ransom note and it was from Jeremy Wickham!"

Darcy let out a stream of curses and released my shoulders, which allowed me to start getting dressed.

"But how did he become involved with your family?"

"He –" I started but it was muffled by my dress as I slipped it over my head "He apparently was the new associate my dad hired."

Darcy cursed again

"Liz, I'm so sorry! If I had been paying more attention to his recent movements I would have known he had left Cardwell & Wallaster and would have been able to warn your dad"

"No, it's not your fault. If I had asked my dad anything about the lawyer he hired I would have known about Wickham myself."

"You might not have because I asked you not to say anything. Besides I didn't tell you everything about Wickham."

I looked at him in shock

"Wickham embezzled money in order to pay off debts from his gambling addiction. Last I checked, he still hadn't kicked the habit. If he's receiving pressure for the money it is likely that it is what pushed him to take your nephew."

I let out a cry of alarm and frantically pulled my shoes on (well, the best that I could with one arm bandaged and the other in a cast)

"Liz, it's going to be ok. We'll get your nephew back"

"I need to go!"

"How are you getting there?"

"Long Island Railroad. Where's my purse?"

"Let me drive you Liz"

I began to object.

"Don't fight me Liz." Darcy said, with a half growl in his voice. "I feel partially responsible for what is happening and besides you'll get there faster"

Wanting to get there as fast as I possibly could, I stopped arguing.

Once we settled into the car and Darcy started driving, I realized that someone needed to let Jane know what was going on. Knowing that e-mail was the fastest way to reach her, I pulled out my blackberry.

Jane,

Just got a call from Dad. Logan has been kidnapped. They know who took him and the police are on it already. I'm currently en route home and will e-mail you as soon as I have more information.

I'm sorry to be telling you about the situation this way, but I know that you would want to be informed and this is the fastest way to reach you.

All my love,

Lizzie

I then hit send.

The entire ride to my parents house, save the occasional direction on my part, Darcy and I were silent. Darcy focusing on the road while speeding, me lost in my thoughts.

Why did Wickham choose a job with my dad if he needed to be able to siphon off funds from clients? Didn't he know that Dad dealt in real estate and didn't have that kind of liquidated money lying around? How were we going to get the funds so quickly? Especially on a Sunday? If Wickham needed the money, did that mean Logan was ok? That Wickham wouldn't hurt him?

As I thought about all these things I began biting my lip and fidgeting around in my seat. Darcy must have noticed because he reached over and took my hand (the one not in the cast) into his own.

"Lizzie it is going to be ok."

And for the rest of the drive, he kept his hand in mine, and I gripped it as if my life depended on it.

Darcy pulled up in front of my parent's home, and before the car had even stopped I had unbuckled my seatbelt and was fumbling with the door.

"For Christ's sake Liz, give me a minute to actually stop the car! You don't need to be hurt further!"

He then put the car in park and I jumped out of the car and raced to the front door, burst through it and launched myself into my father's arms.

"Oh Daddy!" I cried as he embraced me.

"Lizard I'm so happy you're here. I've been waiting for you to get here. But I need to go to the office now."

I looked up at him

"What?" I asked in disbelief

"I need to see if I have any information in my files that might help the police figure out where Wickham is hiding."

"Oh, yes of course, go." I said feebly.

My father left and I went to join my mother, Lisa and Mary in the living room. After a few minutes Darcy came into the room and he sat next to me on the couch and took my hand in his again.

After sitting in silence for what felt was an endless period of time, the fax machine phone rang. Everyone but Darcy and myself jumped up.

"This is how he sent the last note!" Lisa cried out, rushing to my father's office. I got up and raced after her.

"Did the police track the number it was sent from?"

"Yes, it was a Kinkos about 5 miles away. They didn't have any information to help us."

We waited at the fax machine, me tapping my foot, Lisa waiting to pounce, as the fax machine printed out the message. Finally it finished and Lisa grabbed it and I read over her shoulder.

Prepare $500,000 in bills in a black duffle bag.

You and your father should be at Eisenhower Park at 5 p.m.

I will call your father at that time with further instructions.

Bring nobody else with you

Contact the police and I assure you that Logan will not return to you safely.

"Oh no!" Lisa cried. "We already told the police!"

"Shhhhhhh" I said, hugging Lisa and trying to calm her while staying strong myself. "It's going to be ok. The police are trained to handle this. They'll know what to do."

"She's right Lisa."

I turned around to see Darcy in the doorway.

"The police know what they're doing and you were right for contacting them as soon as Logan went missing." He continued. "In fact, I think that we should bring the new note to the police immediately."

"We have to wait, my dad took the car to his office."

"That's ok, I can drive you."

"Oh, thank you!"

We all went back into the living room.

"Mom, Mr. Darcy, Lisa and I are going to go to the police station to bring them the new note."

"Actually Liz, I think you should stay here, just in case he makes contact again or something comes up, you'll be able to reach me and Lisa."

"But –"

Darcy leaned down and hugged me. While doing so, he whispered in my ear

"I think it would be best for your mother if you stayed here. I don't know her but with your father gone, and now Lisa, if you were to go she may start to freak out. She needs to stay calm."

We broke away from each other and I nodded at him.

"Ok. Let me know if you have any new information."

"I will."

And with that, Darcy and Lisa left the house, leaving my mother, Mary and myself sitting in silence, waiting for news.

Yes, I still know it was a short chapter. But better something than nothing, right?

Anyway, let me know what you think about the last chapter, and what you think will happen by reviewing! (maybe it will make me update faster ;P )