Chapter 22: Tracking

Mick had managed to convince David to let him drive. He was in no state to be driving when he could hardly control himself. The elevator held Candice's normal scent, no indication that she had been dragged out unwillingly.

David has his key out and the door open as Mick and Beth caught up with him. Inside her suitcase was sitting by the door ready to go. Nothing seemed out of place. David runs his hand over her suitcase wishing things could go back to the night before when she told him she was coming. He would make sure her guard never left her side, that she didn't come but stayed locked in the loft. He would have come home.

Mick scents the area and the freshest image is of Candice rolling her suitcase to the door then heading out without it. She was alone and had a smile on her face. Beth caught that too. She wasn't taken from here.

Beth places her hand on David's arm and gives it a gentle squeeze. "She wasn't taken from here. We should check the tapes to be sure she left the parking garage alone, see if anyone was following her."

He nods turning around and heading for the door. He should have been here. Wanting to punch something so badly, to let off some of what is bottled so tightly inside of him. No, he corrected. He wanted to rip into Ryan.

Ryan had been his friend. He'd even started to understand his reason for leaving, respecting that he wanted to leave them in piece. He'd been a fool. Ryan may have left with good intentions but Coraline was a conniving bitch who could corrupt a saint if given enough time. Either way Ryan had chosen to come back. Just like he had chosen to go to San Francisco and help Ashton; to not come home when she first called.

They are in the control room looking at the tapes. He doesn't even remember leaving the apartment. Candice heads out of the elevator and to her car on the screen before him. "Everything looks fine. She must have been taken from somewhere else."

They continue to watch after her car pulls out just to be sure no one is noticeably following her from the camera angles.

They thank the security guards and head back to the Benz. "I have Candice's navigation system on my phone. We can follow where she went."

"Why didn't I come home sooner?" David half spoke to himself from the passenger seat of the Benz.

Beth sat forward from the back seat, "You couldn't have known this was going to happen. None of us could. You can't blame yourself."

David shook his head, "I had a bad feeling since Ryan showed up. I should have listened to my gut."

Mick stops at a light and looks over at David knowing nothing he can say will make him blame himself less right now. Nothing will really penetrate until Candice is found. And safe, he prayed silently. "We can't focus on that. Focus on finding her now okay."

The light turns green and Mick continues following Beth's directions. When they arrive Beth knows instantly what Candice was doing. "Candice probably stopped to do some shopping. Knowing her she probably went in here to get something to surprise you with," Beth pointed to the lingerie shop.

David looked at the sign and remembered the logo. He'd seen it on many bags she'd brought home before. "I bet you're right. Now…"

"Hey," Beth takes hold of his arm as they exit the Benz and turns his attention to her. "I know nothing I can say will make you stop blaming yourself. You and Mick seem to share that ability but you need to know this. Candice wouldn't want you to beat yourself up over this. She asked you to stay and finish working, she wanted to avoid conflict. Ryan was very convincing, we all believed him. You're worried for her, we all are but you respected her wishes. Doubting what's already happened isn't going to get us anywhere."

David released a sigh. He knew how close Candice and Beth were. Candice always joked they were more like sisters. She must be just as worried, but she was also right. He needed to keep his mind focused on finding Candice. He could question his decisions later but now she needed him focused on finding her. She knew he'd never stop looking for her, she will stay strong for him.

"You're right Beth. We need to focus all of our energy on bringing her home."

Beth gave his arm a rub, "She's a survivor."

While they had been talking Mick had already stepped inside the shop not wanting to waste any precious time. He'd spoken to the sales woman who remembered seeing Candice, confirmed she had made some purchases and headed East on foot. No one else had been in the store at the time, and she hadn't noticed anyone lurking out front.

"So I checked the store. She was here bought some items then headed that way," Mick pointed over his shoulder, "on foot."

Beth looked down at the row of shops, "We could check every store but I doubt she was taken from here."

David scanned the area and pointed to the store across the street with an outward facing camera. It was pointed directly at them. "That camera might have caught her."

They hurry across the street and ask the manager to see the tapes. He is reluctant at first but Beth quickly explains who they are and that her friends life may be in danger. The man allows them to watch and they see Candice arrive and then just about an hour later she returns to her car carrying a multiple bags and getting into her car.

"Look at her face," David freezes the screen.

"Something's up. She must have senses something."

Beth looked at the time stamp. "I had a missed call from her around this same time."

David looked at his call history and confirmed he'd had one as well. "She tried to get a hold of us."

"She never tried me," Mick added.

"And she text me later saying she'd just wanted to ask me to join her for shopping."

Mick asked the manager for a copy of the tape for their investigation. He complied and made a copy while David considered it all. "No. I know that look. She wasn't calling about shopping. Something was going on."

Copy of the days video in hand Mick leads the way back to the Benz. "While we keep tracking her I'm going to have Josef make some calls and pull her phone records. Maybe she called someone else."

"Have him pull Ryan's as well." David added.

Beth nodded. While they were working on tracking Candice's movies another team was following the navigation system of the guards SUV. Hopefully they could come up with something soon.

To Be Continued…

Evilous