AN: Just a short one for now, sorry! Thank you all who are continuing to read my story and for the feedback you've given me.
Tanith
Chapter 60
With an arm around Jeannie's slender shoulders, Whitney led the groggy young woman down a corridor restricted to airport staff and toward the exit that would take them to the runway where his father's private jet stood waiting.
"Whitney, what's going on? Where are we?" Jeannie asked weakly, pushing herself away from her fiance. She could hear flight announcements over the loud speakers and wondered if they were at the airport.
"We're taking a little trip for a couple of days to see that specialist Dr. Downing recommended for you to see, remember?" Whitney lied, regaining his hold on Jeannie and increasing his pace. "You had a bad reaction to something you ate, but you're gonna be just fine, Princess."
"I need to call Mike. Tell him where I'm going..."
"Already taken care of, honey. He's going to try to meet us there if he can get away from the office. Come on, my father's pilot is waiting for us." Whitney tightened his hold around the stumbling woman and quickened his pace.
Jeannie's head spun and her vision swam in and out of focus as she concentrated on keeping up with Whitney's strides, step by step.
"Mr. Holden, I repeat, this is the San Francisco Police Department!" Mike hollered. He waited with bated breath as the locks were drawn from inside the penthouse and stole a sidelong glance at Bill and Officer McGovern who stood on either side of the door with their weapons at the ready.
The door opened, revealing a man in his late fifties with silver flecked white hair that appeared a little too neat to have been slept on all night. "What is the meaning of this?" He barked angrily.
Both McGovern and Tanner replaced their guns in their holsters but did not remove their fingers from the hand grips of the firearms.
"George Holden, you're under arrest," Mike stated firmly, raising his shield until it was right in the tycoon's face.
Barely suppressing his rage, Holden looked from one cop to the next then back to the Lieutenant. "On what charge?" He growled.
Mike stowed away his badge case then lunged forward then grabbed the loose folds of Holden's robe and yanked him out of the penthouse. "Murder and kidnapping! And that's just for starters!" Slamming the man face first against the wall, Mike searched through the suspect's clothing for weapons and found a loaded pistol in the pocket of Holden's robe. His steel blue gaze widened as he held up the gun, taking care to handle it as little as possible and quickly passing it to Bill who used his handkerchief to accept it.
"I have a licence for that!" Holden growled. "Get your hands off me right now!"
"Where's my daughter?" Mike demanded, twisting the man's arms behind his back and applying the handcuffs.
"Are you going to read me my rights?" Holden grated, his cheek pressed against the plaster.
"Where's Jeannie? Where did your son take her?" Mike pressed.
Tanner and McGovern placed their hands on either side of Mike's shoulders to remind him they needed to tread carefully and to keep their cool.
"How the hell should I know? I demand you read me my rights!" Holden spat. "I'm not saying anything without my lawyer!"
With great difficulty, Mike eased his grip on Holden and allowed McGoven and another officer to take over while he cited the Miranda rights.
"You have no idea who you're dealing with, Stone! You just wait until my lawyer hears about this and mark my words, he will lay a lawsuit so fast, you won't know what hit you!" Holden threatened as he was led away from the penthouse.
Mike watched his men disappear with Holden. He looked down at his hands and noted they were trembling.
"Mike, you okay?" Tanner asked his superior, worriedly.
The Lieutenant rubbed his hands together, trying to regain control over his emotions.
"Mike?" Tanner repeated, this time he a little louder.
Mike drew a deep breath and faced the detective. "I want a fine-toothed comb all over this place every shred of evidence bagged and every print lifted! The charges have to stick this time, Bill!"
"Don't worry, Mike, he's not going to get away with it," Tanner assured.
Mike nodded and sighed wearily. "I gotta find Jeannie."
Tanner could see the toll this was taking on the seasoned detective and wished more could be done faster but he knew they needed to be patient and go by the books if they were going to make the charges stick. George Holden wasn't going to open up to police intimidation. He was far too cunning. They were going to have to be smart and this was not going to be easy for Mike with his mind focused on bringing home his daughter. "We'll bring her home, Mike. You'll see."
