Immediately Jaci’s heart went into overdrive. She spun around, looking to see who might have written this note. But she knew who it was.

The workers were hauling out the suitcases now, but Jaci grabbed Amanda’s arm and leaned close to her.

“Hey, I’ve got to run to the bathroom. Watch for my stuff, okay?”

“Now that you mention it, I need to go, also. Dad! We’re going to the bathroom.”

He turned to frown at them. “Five minutes. Just there and back.”

“Yes, sir!” Amanda saluted.

Jaci didn’t actually want Amanda to come, but she didn’t see how she could decline. Instead she started for the bathroom as if she really had to go, leaving Amanda to catch up.

Amanda did, running to reach her. Jaci’s eyes scanned the space. She found the third stall—complete with a pair of feet under the door. Amanda pushed a stall door open and glanced back at Jaci.

“What are you waiting for? The one over here is open also.”

Jaci gestured at the stall in front of her. “I’m waiting for this one.”

“Why?”

Irritation flashed through her, and she shifted her weight. Why so nosy? “Just because. That’s the one I want to use.”

“Okay.” Amanda drew the word out and gave her a look like she was crazy. Then she went inside and locked the stall door behind her.

The toilet flushed, and the woman finally came out. She barely cleared the door before Jaci pushed past her and locked herself inside. Her heart raced and her hands trembled. What if whatever was left for her wasn’t there anymore?

Her eyes turned to the toilet paper dispenser. There were two rolls. One was at the open side while the dispenser remained closed over the second roll. It took some effort, but Jaci managed to move the plastic door to the other side. Only then did she see the black cell phone nestled on top of the white paper.

Her fingers shook as she fumbled with the toilet paper holder. The cell phone slid from the top of the roll and fell to the ground with a clunk. She picked it up, holding the small black flip phone in the palm of her hand. She snapped it open and then closed it again.

“Jaci?” Amanda called from outside the stall. “You going to come out?”

Jaci shoved the phone into her back pocket and flushed the toilet for good measure, then walked out of the stall. She stopped at the sink to wash her hands, keeping her face down.

Not that she fooled Amanda.

Amanda stepped up to her and lowered her voice. “What is it? Did something happen?”

Jaci lifted her eyes. “I’ll tell you in a minute.”

Amanda’s eyes widened, and she said, “Did you hear from him?”

Jaci pressed a finger to her lips and glanced around. She had no reason to suspect they were being watched, but she also had no reason to think they were safe.

Amanda fell silent, and Jaci felt her eyes on her as they walked back to the baggage claim. Mr. Murphy had already grabbed their bags and stood there checking his watch. Spotting them, he said, “Finally. Let’s get out of here.”

While Mr. Murphy talked with the taxi company, Amanda turned her attention on Jaci.

“Well?” she hissed. “Are you going to tell me?”

Jaci reached into her back pocket and pulled out the cell phone, suddenly hesitant. What if it wasn’t actually from her father?

The icon for a new text message flashed on the screen, and she flipped it open. The text, written in Spanish, scrolled down.

My daughter, I feel so much joy to think I will see you. Be careful. Go to your hotel lobby at 15:00.

Definitely from her father. Jaci closed her eyes and bobbed back and forth on her feet. “It’s from my dad. I’m supposed to meet him in the hotel lobby.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“Oh, easy. We’ll find an excuse for you to go down.”

“And then what?” Jaci lowered her voice as Amanda’s dad turned from the counter and started toward them. “How am I supposed to sneak away with him?”

Amanda narrowed her eyes. “I’ll think of something.”

They only made it twenty minutes from the airport before they hit traffic. The time difference messed with Jaci’s head. Her head throbbed with tiredness, but her anticipation had her stomach in knots, and she wished the cars would part for them and let them by.

“We haven’t had a decent meal since yesterday,” Mr. Murphy said as the taxi idled in traffic. “How about we stop and get something to eat?”

“Yes, please,” Amanda said. “I’m starving.”

The taxi driver waited while they stopped at a curbside cafe. The weather was surprisingly comfortable with her sweater and scarf, a breezy high-fifty with enough sunshine that she took off her hat. She took in the pastel-colored buildings hugging the narrow street, made narrower by the trashcans and tables outside shops. Green and white awnings covered all of the doors, and the pedestrians walking by held umbrellas under their arms even though it wasn’t raining. Flags hung from the store windows, their colors brightening the street view.

Even though the food tasted amazingly fresh and flavorful, all she managed were a few bites before she put her sandwich down. How much longer? She checked her phone. It was already after two.

“Ready to see our hotel?” Mr. Murphy asked with a grin.

Amanda’s eyes lit up at her father’s words. “Are we staying some place swanky?”

He chuckled and shifted a little in his seat. “Well, no, but I got us a nice place.”

“Thanks,” Jaci said, shooting Amanda a glare. “It was nice of you to make the arrangements.” Last thing she needed was for Amanda’s dad to end up in a bad mood.

“Let’s go, then.” Mr. Murphy shoved his baseball cap back on his head, a habit that made him look decidedly American, Jaci noted as she glanced at the natives walking down the streets.

They hopped back in the taxi. The drive to the hotel took nearly half an hour longer, but not because it was far. The traffic congested as they pulled away from the cafe, and the cars inched forward, then jerked along, then slowed to a crawl while trying to cross traffic lanes and hustle in front of each other.

All she could think about was how the last time she’d seen her father, he’d been in a black mask rescuing her and Amanda from their kidnapper.

Of course, if he hadn’t been a vigilante to begin with, the kidnapper might not have held her for ransom.

He might have just sold her to the highest bidder.

Finally the taxi stopped in front of a large hotel, complete with men in dark suits waiting by the sidewalk and a glass-door lobby.

“Wow,” Amanda gasped as she stepped out of the taxi. She shouldered her bag and placed a hand on her luggage, her eyes traveling up and up the front of the hotel. “This is awesome.”

Jaci followed her gaze past the multiple stories. While bare of decorations on the outside, the hotel looked modern and sleek.

Mr. Murphy finished paying the taxi driver. “Thanks,” he said, pocketing his wallet. He turned to the girls and stacked their luggage on top of his. “Come on, then.” With that, he stepped out into the street and started down a crosswalk, lugging the bags behind him.

“Wait, what?” Amanda cast one longing glance at the hotel in front of them.

Jaci burst out laughing. “We better go during this break in traffic or we’ll be stuck here alone.”

“Dude!” Amanda breathed. She caught up with Jaci, who had already started her quick-limp down the crosswalk.

The squat building wedged between two skyscrapers across the street looked like Switzerland’s version of a Best Western. It was still modern, with glass windows all around the exterior.

“This isn’t so bad,” Jaci said to Amanda as they stepped inside. A light green paint accented the lobby, which had a check-in desk and a young man behind it in slacks and a polo shirt. The lobby was open and clean, with horizontal lines of trim around the lights and walls. Windows everywhere let light into the enclosed area.

She didn’t see her father.

The young man checking in Mr. Murphy turned his gaze upon them and offered a smile, highlighting a dimple on his cheek. Light brown curls fell across his forehead.

“Yeah, not so bad after all,” Amanda breathed.

“Don’t fall for the first guy you see,” Jaci teased. “There will be more.”

Which only made her think of Ricky. She felt a prick of guilt as she remembered the way she’d talked to him before he left Idaho. She’d been selfish. Jaci pulled out her phone and checked it before remembering she wouldn’t be able to get text messages here. The roaming charges would probably be as much as her car payment. The plan was to use the hotel Wi-Fi to video chat every day.

Of course, there was always the phone her dad had given her. . . .

Mr. Murphy turned around. He waved two cards at them. “Isn’t this great? Let’s get upstairs and check out our rooms!”

Rooms. Jaci had forgotten they wouldn’t be in the same room with him. Immediately things looked brighter. Amanda would cover for her, and it wouldn’t be hard to sneak out at all.

They rode the elevator up to the fifth floor, which also happened to be the top floor. Mr. Murphy unlocked the door and threw it wide, revealing a simple room.

“Oh, it’s cute!” Amanda exclaimed.

Jaci came in after her, dragging her suitcase, and spun around the tiny room. The lower half of the walls were painted the same light green, with canvas prints of grass as accents over the double bed. The TV was propped into the corner, and a few hangers hung along the wall next to a double sink outside of a small bathroom.

“Let’s see your room.” Mr. Murphy stepped over to another door and unlocked it, revealing the second, adjoining room. Amanda went in, pulling her wheeled luggage, and Jaci followed. Their room was identical to Mr. Murphy’s, except for the two twin beds instead of a double.

Amanda elbowed her. “Guess we don’t get to share a bed.”

“Not this time,” Jaci said. Her mind flashed back to a few years earlier, when she and Amanda had been rescued by the FBI. They had stayed in a hotel room like this, but that time they’d had to share a bed.

“Your room has a door also, but I don’t want you using it,” Mr. Murphy said, pointing out the door to the hallway. “We’ll come and go through my room, okay?”

“Of course,” Amanda said, and Jaci nodded.

She would smile and nod and lie, whatever it took. She was only here for one reason.

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