Dangerous Desires

Twenty-Five

When I got home I found Galveston and Annabeth in the dining room  where he was working on some bulky looking laptop. "Hey," Anna greeted meeting me in the doorway. She placed a hand on my chest and pecked my lips.

"What did Edward say?" I asked as my hand found its way into hers allowing her to lead me to the table. Gal glanced up from his screen and gave me a nod.

"Dad says he hasn't seen her since she stormed out of here and when he tried to call her it goes straight to voicemail."

I slumped into one of the chairs and slammed a hand down on the table while the other fisted in my hair. "What the fuck is going on Anna?" I muttered and felt her set in the chair beside me gently rubbing my back.

"I wish I could tell you for sure," she whispered. "Gal is going through all of his channels to see if there's anything he can find that could help us."

My eyes began to burn with the threat of tears and I covered my face. "Have I really been such a horrible father that all of this is karma?"

"Tavin." She moved closer to me wrapping her arm around me and settled her chin on my shoulder. "None of this is your fault. Clearly my mother has lost her mind and there is no way anyone could have anticipated any of this." Gently she kissed my jaw. "We'll find her."

Slowly I nodded and took a steadying breath. "I need a drink."

Anna sat back and let go of me so I could stand. "Thank you Anna," I muttered and placed a kiss on her forehead then turned to go to the den.

-Annabeth-

I chewed on my lip as I watched Tavin leave the room then my gaze turned to Galveston who glanced up from his task. "We will find her right?" I asked softly.

"Of course Baby," he replied with a small half smile. "One way or another we will find her."

I let out a breath and rose from my seat and stepped to the window crossing my arms over my chest as I looked out at the midday sky. "Anna,"  Galveston said after a few long moment and I turned to him. "Didn't you tell me your family was originally from Massachusetts?"

"Before coming to California we lived in South Duxbury, why?"

He sat back in his seat scratching his jaw. "There was a charge in a credit card of Ravenscroft Architecture at a hotel in Plymouth."

My brow furrowed and I pulled my phone from my pocket to call my father. "Any news?" he asked from the other end of the line.

"Not exactly," I sighed leaning my hip against the table beside Gal's seat. "Is there anyone back in Massachusetts that mom is still in contact with?"

He was silent except for a thoughtful hum. "I think she may have some school friends there why?"

"We were able to find a charge on one of the firm's credit cards for a hotel in Plymouth."

"Hm, we don't have anyone working in the New England region at the moment."

"I didn't think so, we both know purchases have to be approves beforehand. Either mom thought she could make the approval then use the card and no one would be the wiser or maybe she's paying someone to do it in an effort to confuse us."

"Are you going to go check it out?"

I chewed on my lip before breathing another sigh. "It may be a dead end, but at the same time we may be stupid not to go."

"You all go, I will keep an eye on everything here. If I run across anything I will forward the information to you."

"All right, thanks Dad."

"I love you Annabeth."

My heart swelled at his word. "I love you too."

We hung up and I crossed my arms and turned some as Tavin returned to the room, tumbler of whiskey in hand. "Is anyone using the corporate jet at the moment?" I asked after he'd slumped back into the chair he's vacated.

His dark brow rose as his gaze met mine and he shook his head. "Not as far as I know. Why?"

"We have a lead that points to Massachusetts."

He ran his tongue over his lips and sat his glass down pulling his phone from his pocket. "I'll set everything up. What part of the state?"

"Plymouth."

Without another work he rose again and left the room putting the phone to his ear.