Immortal Unchained(94)

"Did you call your people?" he interrupted, trying to glance around Domitian as if expecting there to be someone behind him.

"No. They moved the phone," Domitian admitted, his voice heavy with disappointment at having failed.

"Did you search for where they moved it to?" Thorne asked with a frown.

"Of course, I searched," Domitian said impatiently. "And then I read the mind of one of the men guarding the front door and learned that Dressler had it moved to the labs the minute he realized we were on the island." 

"How did he know you were on the island?" Thorne asked with concern. "I thought I took care of the cameras . . . unless the bastard has some I don't know about."

Domitian shook his head. "I do not think you need worry about that. Unfortunately, the man with gills washed up on the shore today. They deduced that his broken neck meant he didn't die of natural causes," Domitian said dryly, and then frowned as he noted that Thorne was trying to look around him again. Shaking his head, he continued, "They put one and one together and made two. Two being we had made it here."

Thorne cursed violently.

"Yeah. That means a change of plans. I'm going to take Sarita and swim for the mainland or another island, whichever we reach first. I need to get her away from here. From there I'll get the information to my uncle at the villa."

"Your uncle?" Thorne growled. "I thought some special police force was after El Doctor. What is your uncle doing here?"

"Uncle Lucian heads up the special force," Domitian said soothingly. "He's rented a couple of villas in Caracas and taken a couple more on Isla Margarita in the Rancho de Chano area for himself and the rest of the hunters while here."

Thorne grunted and then tried to look past him again.

Growing tired of the game, Domitian turned sideways on the edge of the path so he had a clear view. "What the hell are you looking for?"

Thorne stared up the dark, empty path and then asked worriedly, "Where is Sarita?"

"What?" Domitian asked with alarm. "She's supposed to be at the cottage. You were supposed to be keeping her th-"

"She's not there," he interrupted on a growl.

"What do you mean she's not there?" Domitian snapped. "You were supposed to be watching her. You-"

"I was watching her. I sat in the living room almost the entire time you were gone."

"Almost?" he asked grimly. "Almost the entire time?"

Thorne winced. "I only stepped out for a minute. Maria called me, I thought perhaps there was a problem, but she just wanted to tell me that the guard on the beach had been doubled. She feared El Doctor suspected something. The women were upset. I took just a moment or two to calm them and then went back inside to continue waiting. I thought Sarita was still in bed until MacNeil and a bunch of his security men showed up."

"What?" Domitian hissed, glancing down the path toward the cottage.

Thorne nodded. "They barged in, scaring the hell out of mother and Maria and started searching the place. I ran upstairs to try to warn Sarita, but when I opened the guest bedroom door, she was gone."

"Wh-?"

"Just shut up and listen," Thorne snapped. "MacNeil was right behind me and saw the room was empty. He started cussing and swearing and then someone called him on his radio. I didn't hear what was said, MacNeil pushed me out of the room and told his men to take me downstairs to the living room with the women while he took the message and then slammed the door. But he came downstairs a few moments later and said to tell you that they have Sarita and if you want her to live, you are to give yourself up by midnight."



"What?" Domitian gasped with dismay. He then shook his head. "Well, then why the hell did you keep looking behind me? Why did you think she was with me?"

"I was sure he was bluffing," Thorne said on a sigh and then rallied and said, "And I still half think he is. Aside from being a trained police officer, Sarita has years of martial arts training under her belt. Her father made her learn to defend herself after her mother's murder. He was afraid to lose her like he did her mother."




 

 

"I know," Domitian said quietly. Aside from it being in his reports, she had mentioned the martial arts training herself.

"And she's smart," Thorne added firmly. "I just cannot see her getting caught on her own. It must be a bluff. She is probably on her way back here right now. You just missed each other on the path. Where are you going?" Thorne finished when Domitian turned abruptly to head back the way he'd come.

Domitian did not pause or slow down, he simply said, "To turn myself in."