She had the sensation of being carried somewhere, and then she heard voices, familiar voices talking about kidnapping and Christian.
It was all too much.
The only positive thing about her current situation was she was convinced she was still on Vandenbrook property. If this was Nick and Duncan’s idea of revenge, they had another thing coming. Who kidnaps a girl after she gets dumped?
Well, technically she didn’t get dumped, but it was close enough. The man didn’t love her and probably never would. He was marrying someone else because of blackmail, and now she was the hurt party.
She moaned until her voice went hoarse.
Maybe it wasn’t Duncan and Nick after all. Maybe it was Jenifer? No, that would be crazy. Jenifer was much smaller than she was, and it was definitely Nick and Duncan who had drugged her.
She laughed nervously out loud; it was most definitely crazy. It had to be Nick and Duncan. Who else could carry her up here?
Kessen looked around for food and noticed the ‘kidnappers’ had left her a sandwich with grapes and a juice box. How kind.
When they came for her—not if, but when—she was going to make them sorry.
She immediately set a plan in motion. If revenge was what they wanted, revenge was what they would get. Suddenly she didn’t feel as sad anymore. Revenge gave her something to focus on other than the condition of her lacerated heart. It felt nice. Until she started thinking about Christian again.
****
Nick was trying with every thread of his being not to laugh.
It wasn’t working.
Especially when Duncan walked in wearing a fake police uniform and said, “Is this really necessary?”
The guy looked like a poorly paid stripper. His pants were too tight, and the top collar of the police uniform had lipstick stains on it.
“That’ll do,” Nick said, bursting into laughter.
“I’ll get you for this!” Duncan roared as he left the room.
It had been a simple matter to convince the Newberry employees to play along with their little trick. Most of them were more than happy to throw their vice president, the future Duke of Albany, under the bus. Many of them were so eager they brought friends and family to play extra roles.
They had more than enough fake media and police officers to go around. As for their silence, they simply told everyone it was for a reality show in which companies play practical jokes on their bosses.
They ate it up.
As for Christian’s parents, they were so relieved that Nick and Duncan were taking care of Christian’s feelings once and for all, they were willing to sign over their summer home within minutes.
Nobody had gotten much sleep the night before. Nobody but Christian, who in his champagne stupor wouldn’t have awakened if a hippo had charged through his room.
Only true friends faked kidnappings so you would admit your feelings. All in all, Nick felt pretty good about his life at that point.
“Nick!” Christian’s voice resounded through the halls.
Duncan, who had just re-entered the room in his costume, hid behind the door. Traitor.
“My Lord?” Nick said just as Christian entered the room.
“Stop calling me that,” he grumbled, taking the first seat by the door. Nick hoped Christian wouldn’t turn around and ask why Duncan was trembling like a child behind the door.
“Lady Newberry said there was a new lead in the story?”
Duncan coughed; Christian turned in his direction. Out of desperation, Nick howled, “My eye, my eye!”
“Good Lord, man! What’s wrong with you?” Christian turned towards him.
“Oh weird. It’s gone,” Nick said once Duncan was safely out of the room. Christian eyed him as if he had just lost his mind, and then shrugged. It was obvious how tired he was.
“The lead?” Christian urged again.
“Ah, yes.” Nick went to sit on the bed. “It’s believed she’s still on the property.”
“And how did they come to that conclusion?” Christian asked in bewilderment.
Just then one of the Newberry/media walked in. “Um, sorry to interrupt, Nick. The employees would like to know when lunch will be. Someone said something about catering, and I wasn’t sure—” He turned to look at Christian and paled. “That is, I wasn’t sure if, umm…”
“We’re feeding the media?” Christian was perplexed. “Since when do we cater for the media?”
Nick laughed heartily. “Oh, young fellow, whom I’ve never seen before in my life, why don’t you go ask Duncan. I’m sure you can find him somewhere!” He hit him hard on the back and turned to Christian.
“Do I know you?” Christian asked slowly.
The young man turned to Nick, who shook his head slightly, but enough for Christian to notice. Finally, he looked at Christian and shrugged. “Sorry, I work for the news. Maybe you’ve seen me on the telly.” He trotted out of the room, leaving Christian confused.
“So we are feeding them?” Christian asked again.
“People have to eat, Christian.”
“Right.” Christian scratched his face. “And you say the new development happened earlier today?”
Nick shifted uncomfortably on the bed. “Yes, that’s right.”
“And which police officer made the discovery?”
Nick paused then answered, “All of them.”
“They all made the discovery?” Christian asked doubtfully. “At the same time?”
“They’re very good.” Nick nodded heartily.
Christian eyed him wearily. He looked suspicious.
Nick grinned clumsily as he guided Christian out the door. “Maybe you should join in the search? The police are out searching the grounds right now.”
Christian nodded and followed Nick to the back door.
****
Something wasn’t right. Of that much Christian was certain. For one thing, he could have sworn the young man who came into the room earlier was not an investigative journalist but one of the baristas at Newberry and Co.
Perplexed, he followed Nick outside. And why were they feeding the media anyway? And how did the police come to find evidence that Kessen was still around? If she was still on the grounds, they should have found her by now.
He scanned the outdoors where several policemen were scattered, looking at the grass. Some were even on their hands and knees sifting through the grass as if trying to find someone’s lost contact. Which was proved to be accurate when one younger fellow jumped up in the air exclaiming, “I got it! I got it!” He handed the contact to another policeman who promptly put the contact back in and turned around.