Stealing Beauty

Part 12- Recruits

It's moments like this when I wished Sebastian would have held on longer. I know it was selfish to think of, but all I had was the information he had given me before he passed. Could the guys who took Natalie be the same men Sebastian saw before his wreck? It seemed legit to me. Raylynn said the men weren't speaking English when they busted down the doors to their home.

How could I let this all happen?

That next day, I went back to Ace Down Saloon. I needed a drink, some place to escape and try to find the starting line to finding my wife. Maisy was behind the counter, as usual, but she seemed to be enraged as she chatted endlessly on the phone.

"What do you mean you went back to France? I was supposed to go with you!"

Chattering on the other line...

"I don't give a flying rats assbutt that you had business to take care of. What do you even do? You're a fucking housewife, Maeve! What? The counter needs scrubbing? Bullshit. You're hiding something. No one comes to America with the intent of spending time with their sister, then just going MIA! The next thing I know, you're on your way back to Paris with whoever those men were without any other excuse besides 'business.' You know what? I don't expect an apology. I want nothing to do with you. Don't bother calling unless you want to tell the truth. Have a nice day and go fuck yourself!"

With that she blew out a breath and hung up the phone. Maisy started wiping the counter with a rag in such an aggressive manner, I thought she'd break the whole thing with one swipe. I blew out a whistle when I approached her, trying to greet her positively no matter my situation.

"Rough day?"

She rolled her eyes. "You have no idea."

"Bet I could beat you. I've got it worse."

"Oh yeah? Your future wife called off the engagement? Enlighten me." She leaned over the counter with her sarcastic tone. I was takenaback and a little offended. Maisy seemed so nice last night. Her angry side was kind of intimidating.

"No. At this point, I'd rather have her marry me then ask for a divorce. She was taken. These men broke into my brother in laws house while they were asleep and kidnapped her. I have no idea who took her or where she is or what they're....what they could be doing to her right now."

"Damn...that's a lot worse than my sister coming to America with a promise to take me back with her and instead not telling me until she got back to France."

"I'd hate to show unsportsman like conduct, but I think I won." I told her, laying my head on the bar, exhaling slowly.

"What are you going to do?"

"Call some old military buddies of mine, hire some investigators. I don't know honestly."

"Anything I could do?"

At first I shook my head, but then I came to realization. I can't believe I was about to ask this...

"How long has your sister lived in France?"

"A few years. Why?"

"So you would say she knows France pretty well, yeah?"

"Yesssss...?" Maisy looked at me with a questionable look.

"Does she know of any gangs or clans or anything? I think the men who took my fiancee' were French."

"Ummm..." Maisy hesitated. "She's told me about some, but don't you think it's bogus that these men traveled all the way from France, just to kidnap your wife? What would Natalie have done to have people after her like that?"