She Belongs To Him

Chap. 40: Where Is Katie Fairfield?

• Lane West when he met with Leith Barclay above •

The night had turned into morning, Katie never returned back to Lane's office. He stayed there just to make his point to her. But when he stepped into the front room, he saw no natural blonde with a sweet voice. The gang told the crime lord what had happened the night before, how Katie rushed into the front room and then made a dash out of the front door without another word or her things.

Immediately, Lane and his gang went out to retrieve her. Axel drove Lane to uptown Pinewood, driving slow. Frankie and Rebel went downtown to search in homeless shelters and alleyways. Phoenix and Margo went out to the woods that surrounds the cabin in search. Lola and Jett drove around the country roads to see if the blonde was still walking. Max was sent to Willy's Gas Station for breakfast and to ask around.

Lane kept trying to keep his head up on the situation, trying to stay positive. She couldn't have gone too far. She's here somewhere. It was cold and she must have already been tired from running. Where the fuck could she possibly be?

After his gang had their well awaited brunch, Lane had them go back out to find Katie. Regret ate at him, stealing his appetite and focus. The crime lord looked realistically at the situation, trying to think of where a naive, meek, timid young woman with golden locks of sunshine would go with nothing but the clothes on her fragile back. And given Lane's experience in his line of work, he began to think of other realistic possibilities that left him shaking.

This is coyote country. She could have been attacked while walking and they either badly injured her or they killed- It took Lane a while to process his words in his mind before he began to think again. Maybe someone picked her up on the side of the road. She's a beautiful, naive young woman who could easily be preyed upon. And given who I am and my connections and that the tougher side of Pinewood is just sixty miles from here where I do my business, someone would risk that chance if they knew. And even more if they didn't.

Lane continued on with his thoughts as they searched for her. If she was picked up, or taken, and they know who she is or whom she belongs to and whom they're messing with, they could hold her for ransom. Or...hurt her to hurt me. Or she's already dead and I'll never truly know what had happened to her.

The foggy, muggy day had turned into night. Lane stayed in his office, calling all of his connections to be on the lookout for a beautiful, gentle, easily frightened, young woman named Katie with green eyes and hair of sunshine. And when and if she is found, Lane is to be contacted immediately. He didn't rest. He refused to eat or rest until the blonde was able to be there beside him.

Lane began to form what he'd say to her in his mind when he would see her again. I can't believe you'd run off in the middle of the night without even a coat! You could have caught your death in this weather! Do you even understand or care what you've put me through! How worried I was? You could have been hurt, raped, murdered-

More unpleasant thoughts appear in Lane's mind, leaving him trembling. If someone had Katie, then there was a great chance that something had happened given everything that made her a perfect victim.

But late in the restless night, the phone rang in Lane's office. Everyone went to the crime lord's office to listen in. It was Barclay who had called Lane. He told his superior that he has word of Katie's whereabouts and needs Lane to join him at Lakefront Roadhouse Bar on the edge of town. The crime lord agreed to meet him there with his gang at 6:30 a.m. when Lakefront Roadhouse Bar opened for their breakfast and coffee special in the morning.