“I hope you find them.”
“Me too.” Tiger sighed. “The sheriff thinks they were targeted because they worked for us. This means that all of our human employees need to be warned and we will offer them protection here again. I don’t know where we will put them but we look after our own. There aren’t that many of them at least. Slade is notifying them and will handle those arrangements.”
Valiant returned wearing jeans, a black T-shirt, and running shoes. He walked to Tammy, looked down at her, and said, “I will be back soon. I will miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too and thank you for doing this. Be careful.”
“Always.”
Tammy watched the two men leave. She sat on the couch and began to worry. She wondered if she knew the two women, if they were locals she might have grown up with, and wished she’d asked Tiger their names. She stood suddenly and walked to the phone to dial her boss, Ted, at home. The phone rang six times but his answering machine picked up. She left him a message to warn him that he might be in danger just in case New Species hadn’t thought to contact subcontractors who dealt with them.
She was worried about Ted and all the people she worked with. They’d done more than a few catering jobs for Reservation since that first one when she’d met Valiant. She proceeded to call her other coworkers but got their machines as well. She left them messages and included the phone number printed on the phone so they could call her back. She wondered where they all were, hoped they were out on a job, and not also kidnapped.
Seconds later the phone rang. She grabbed it up. “Hello?”
“Hello, Miss Shasta. This is Charlie Artzola. We just met, remember? I am at my office down the block and there seems to be a problem.”
She sighed. “Did I forget to sign something?”
“No. It’s just that I can’t find you in the system. It’s as if you don’t exist.”
“Excuse me?” She was shocked. “What system? I don’t have a criminal record.”
He laughed. “No. I mean I ran your driver’s license number but you don’t exist according to the database. I need to fax a copy of it to get your marriage license since there’s some kind of computer glitch. I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding but we need to clear this up. I called the hotel and asked if someone from security could escort you to my office. I’m sure we can sort this out if you could bring me your identification. They’ll accept a faxed copy of it as proof that you do exist.” He laughed. “So, do you mind coming down here? It shouldn’t take more than maybe ten to twenty minutes. Just bring your wallet with you and your license.”
She sighed. “Sure. Let me get my shoes and find my purse. It’s a good thing the sheriff returned it to me. It’s around here somewhere. Did security say it was all right for me to leave? I’m supposed to stay inside the suite.”
“I obtained permission from Tiger before he left. Someone will be there to escort you when you are ready to leave. Thank you, Miss Shasta. This is a big help. I know Valiant wanted this done quickly and I can’t get the marriage license without submitting proof of who you are.”
“I’ll hurry.”
She hung up and walked into the bedroom. At least it would distract her from worrying about Valiant for a little while. Her purse still sat on the closet floor where Valiant had placed it after the sheriff had brought it with him to interview her. The New Species had to check it first and it had been delivered later that day. She’d also learned that the sheriff had her car safely towed to her house when he’d retrieved her purse from the crime scene.
She brushed her teeth and hair again. She didn’t bother with makeup. The quicker she could get back, the better, her mind was still on her coworkers. She didn’t want to miss their calls when they got her messages. Flame stood outside in the hallway when she opened the door. She smiled at him.
“That attorney called and said he needed me and my purse.” She lifted it to show him. “And here we both are.”
Flame smiled. “He called. Are you ready to go? His office isn’t far. I’ll call for a Jeep and I’ll drive you there.”
“Thanks.” They left the suite.
Flame used his radio to ask for the vehicle to be pulled up in front of the hotel while they waited for the elevator and by the time they walked out of the lobby, it had arrived. Flame helped her climb inside and rounded the vehicle. He drove from the hotel to where a two-story office had been constructed. He parked and helped her out.
The reception area was empty and silence filled the air. It seemed the building wasn’t currently in use. Flame hesitated. “I’m not sure where his office is. I haven’t been in here before. Only a few human employees work at Reservation and I haven’t been assigned this post. Did he tell you where it was?”