I looked around, it wasn't anything like Padre. This place was cold and unfeeling.
I opened the bedroom closet and stared at the two racks of white shirts. Some had been monogrammed with my initials on the cuffs. Others were designed with a close fit by my tailor.
I shut the door when I heard a strong knock. I crossed the hardwood floors to get to the door.
"James, come in." I showed the tall man into the penthouse.
"You sounded out of sorts, Mason." He took the Stetson from his head and placed it next to him on the couch.
"I am. I need you to find someone for me."
"Another missing family member?"
I shook my head. I had used James's services last year when I wanted to make sure Grey was Dad's grandson. James had done all of the investigative work for me. I could trust him.
"It's a girl." I pulled up a picture of Sydney on the beach. "I brought her with me to Dallas this morning. She might be headed back to South Padre."
The older man eyed the picture. "Pretty thing."
"Yes, gorgeous. And I have no idea where she is."
"Why is she missin'?" He eyed me.
"She's upset." I paused. "With me." It didn't seem to faze James. He only wanted details if they would help him find Sydney. "She was at the office and got some news. She took off and no one knows where she went."
"Shouldn't be too hard to find her." He pulled out a small notebook from his starched jeans. "I need her number."
I wrote it for him. "And that's it?"
He grinned. "Pretty much."
I felt like I could breathe again. He rose to leave. "James, I have another project for you."
"What's that?" He tucked the notepad behind his wallet.
"Do you think you could find someone who didn't want to be found?"
He played with the inside brim of his hat. "Sure could. Who doesn't want to be found?"
"I don't know much, but I can give you what I have." I motioned for the notepad again.
I jotted down Hailey's and Gracie's names. The town in Virginia where they lived. Anything I could remember Sydney telling me about her sister. I handed my notes to James.
"You have unlimited hours on both of these. Sydney is the most important right now, but as soon as you've found here I want you to start looking for Hailey. I know it might take a while."
"Will do." He fixed the Stetson on top of his head. I admired a man who could wear a hat like that.
"I'll be here. I'm not going to leave Dallas until I know where Sydney is." I decided if she went home she would be safe and I could fly out later. If for some reason she had stuck around the city, I couldn't leave her here by herself.
It was a strange instinct that kicked in when she was around. I had this need to protect her. To keep the bad out. To keep the hurt and danger far from her. Only today I had failed. I had done it all wrong.
I closed the door behind James. I tried her number one more time, but I got the same result. She was sending me a clear message. I had to figure out how to send her one.
I circled the apartment, checking my phone after I did a few laps. I turned on the business channel, then flipped it to the weather channel. There was a storm brewing in the Gulf. It didn't look bad, but it was enough to have me worry if Sydney was in its path. I sank into the leather couch, angry, nervous, frustrated. She was out there somewhere and I was in here.
I couldn't help her from here. I couldn't do a damn thing but wait for James.
I checked the pantry for food, but I rarely cooked and the only thing that was meal-worthy was a box of pasta. I slammed the door, knowing I didn't really want to eat anyway. I turned back to the TV, watching the swirling storm edging closer to South Padre.
It was close to eight before I had a call from James. I answered immediately, my heart thumping loud and strong when his number flashed on the screen.
"She's back in South Padre, Mason." James didn't rush the delivery of information.
"And you're sure?" The searing pain between my ribs finally subsided.
"I got a ping off her phone about thirty seconds ago. She's on the island."
I scratched my head. At first glance you wouldn't think James would know what a ping is. He looked like the kind of guy who would meet you in the street for a six-draw shootout, but he had access to technology and equipment that boggled my mind.
"Thank, God. I'm taking the next flight out." I grabbed my jacket from the back of the couch and turned off the lights as I walked through the penthouse.
"Sure thing. And I'll be in touch about the sister. That one is going to take me a little longer, but I'll work on it for you."
"Thanks, James." I didn't care about the extra clothes I wanted to pack. I slammed the door behind me, ready to take down anyone in my way between here and South Padre.
I rubbed my eyes as I crossed over the bridge. The pavement was wet from the storm that had passed over the beach. My tires sloshed through puddles that had collected on the side of the road. The South Padre lights were in front of me. So was Sydney. She was on this island.
I parked next to her car. It was late. Beyond late. But it didn't matter that it was after one in the morning. If she were half as hurt as I was, she wouldn't be sleeping.
I climbed the stairs, taking the steps in rapid succession. I pounded on the door. "Syd."
I thought I heard her walking on the other side. "Syd, let me in." My fist beat against the wood. I'd kick the door in if I had to.
"No." Her voice was strong. "Get out of here. I don't want to see you."
I stared at the door. "I'm not leaving."
"Then I'll call the police."
"I'll wake up all your neighbors before they get here," I countered. I needed her to open the door. I was lost if she didn't open the door.
I heard the chain slap against the doorframe. She cracked it enough for me to see her face.
"Please, Mason. Just go."
I shook my head. "I'm not going. I will sleep outside this apartment if I have to."
"Ugh," she groaned. "Come in."
I walked into the apartment. It glowed blue. The TV was on, but no other lights.
"Can I sit?" I asked.
She didn't answer, so I found a spot at the end of her bed. "That's twice now you have scared the shit out of me."
"I don't really care." She glared at me, her arms folded in a protective stance. I wanted to reach out and uncross them.
"Well, I do. Something could have happened to you. I didn't know where you were. I flew from Dallas as soon as I knew you were back on the island."
"Don't act like you care about me." Her voice was bitter.
It was a punch to my chest. I cared more than I had ever admitted to her. More than I knew I could care about anyone.
"I know you found out about the campground."
She crossed her arms. "You're one secretive asshole."
"It only happened two days ago. It wasn't supposed to be a secret."
"Jackie and Chelsea sure did have all the details, didn't they?" Her eyes were filled with rage. "By definition, a secret is something you intentionally don't tell someone else. This was a big, fat, fucking secret, Mason."
I felt my arms tense, and my jaw clench.
"I was trying to figure out a way to fix it. I was hoping I wouldn't even have to tell you. I'm trying to find another tract of land."
"So you weren't going to tell me any of it?" She dropped on to the bed.
"Yes. I would have once I had a solution."
"And what about Shawna and Lindy? Do they know?" Her stare was accusatory.
I shook my head. "No. No one else knows."
Her fingers began to tremble. "They don't even know? Their house is about to get plowed over by a bulldozer, and they don't know it?"
"Hey, calm down. I won't let that happen. I will figure something out."
"And if you don't? What happens to them then?"
I wanted to tell her what she wanted to hear. That there was some magic solution, but in the past two days we had gone through every parcel on the island. There was nothing for sale. There was no way I could move the trailer park. I was at a complete dead end.
"They'll lose their homes." I couldn't look at her.
"They are counting on you, Mason. Shawna and Lindy. They don't have anyone else. This was it. What about the swing set and the slide? And the swimming platform? You made promises that you were only going to keep if they were convenient."
I shook my head in protest. "That was never my intention. I had nothing to do with these damn endangered bugs. We did our due diligence. My legal team advised me. What did you expect me to do?"
The green in her eyes flickered. "The right thing."
I closed my eyes. "The right thing for me was not to lose millions of dollars."
"Yeah, I can see that."
"You said Shawna was counting on me, but she's not the only one. You met the people in the Dallas office. There are three floors of employees there. Don't they matter? If this project goes under I will have to let people go. People will lose their jobs. The contractor will lose the job. The people in Padre who are counting on new tourists and jobs for their families will all be let down. This thing is bigger than one trailer park, Syd. And it's all on my fucking shoulders." I shoved off the bed.