Guard My Heart

Chapter Fourteen

The sun creeps through the bay window as Robin studies the papers in front of him. He's been up all night, fueled by long forgotten coffee and his determination to find where Glass has taken Regina. It's not as if he would have been able to get any sleep as it is. Not without Regina there. Not without knowing where she is or if she's alright. There's a sharp pang in his chest, one he's been unable to shake, at the mere thought of what she must be going through right now. It only doubles his determination.

Sidney's financial records are on the table in front of him (quite handily obtained through he and Killian calling in a few favors), one of the sheets clutched in Robin's grasp as he studies it intently. There's gotta be some clue here as to where he would have run, where he would have felt safe enough to keep Regina against her will without anyone noticing. He just has to find it.

Robin scrubs a hand over his face, pinching the bridge of his nose in the process and shutting his eyelids for a moment. Just one minute, he tells himself. His eyes are dry and scratchy, surely red rimmed from the lack of sleep (and the few tears he'd allowed himself to shed not long ago over this gripping fear and heartache). He takes a deep breath in and out. Inhaling and exhaling. Then he opens them to look out onto the backyard, at the sun just beginning to touch the edges of the trees in the distance, reflecting off the calm water in the pool.

Where is she?

Returning his focus to the blur of numbers in front of him, Robin struggles to pick out anything unusual. There are the typical odd amounts for restaurants and the grocery store, the gas station, a couple of shops Robin recognizes, Amazon, his monthly rent for his apartment. There are multiple charges to an art store that must sell photography supplies, he thinks bitterly. Robin's mind wanders to the photograph Sidney had sent to Regina, contemplates how many other photos of her he must have taken while stalking her and his fist clenches automatically. Gently uncrumpling the paper he'd been holding Robin sets it down and picks up the next one. The one from the previous month.

He skims through the list, noting it's much of the same as what he's just looked over, that same art store popping up a few more times. But there are two large withdrawals that catch Robin's eye. The one is his rent, same amount and date as the one he'd just read. But there's another, for a similar amount to a different company and Robin's senses begin to tingle as he snatches up the other months receipts. There it is. The same amount withdrawn on each of them, in addition to his rent, and not dated to withdrawal for another week with a quick glance back to the current month's finances.

He's found it! The missing link he's been looking for. Pulling his laptop across the table Robin hurriedly powers it up to look up what the company is. A quick Google search reveals they rent studio spaces in the area and a list of available properties. This has to be where he's taken her. Where else would he go? Robin's first instinct is to race off to rescue Regina, but lord only knows which one belongs to Glass. He can't break down every door until he finds them. Well he could, but it likely isn't the best course of action to take. He needs to take a moment and think, process this new information rationally.

A glance at the clock on the stove informs him it's barely 7:00 am and the rental companies office is most definitely not open yet to gather the information from them. Robin debates his options, too impatient and worried to wait any longer to put an end to this entire mess. Without any qualms as to the early hour or the knowledge that the colleague and friend he is presently dialing is surely still asleep he waits and presses his cellphone to his ear.

"Sod off." The voice on the other line answers after several rings.

There remains a small part of Robin that has it in him to be amused by the disgruntled greeting. "John, It's Robin."