Page 41 of Redeemed

Tension immediately filled JT's body. "What do you mean? She's not back yet?"

"I haven't seen her, and she's not answering on her headset or picking up her phone," Maggie confirmed. "I've made a tour of the whole place, and no one has seen her."

Cassie glanced at the clock on the back wall. "Mrs. B left about thirty minutes ago. If Sofia went to her room to change, maybe she got caught up with her or something."

A deep frown pulled down JT's mouth. He knew Sofia would never have taken more time than absolutely necessary to change and get back so close to service. His gut started rolling with a feeling that was all too familiar. He flashed back to Zane's crazed expression when they couldn't find Maggie at their friend's rehearsal dinner last year. And his own panic. And to how they had found his sister. In a walk-in cooler. Not breathing.

His chest suddenly got tight, and he had to concentrate on each breath. "Jefe, you okay?" Julio asked, grabbing JT's arm when he saw all the color bleed from his face.

"No, we need to find her. Now!" JT blurted, the alarm evident in his voice.

"Now, don't panic," Maggie said soothingly. She placed a hand on his chest to stop him from running out. "Let's think. There must be a logical explanation."

JT looked at her, his eyes wild. "That's exactly what everyone was saying about you, Maggie, when we couldn't find you at the party after…" The words died on his lips. He drew in a large breath to clear the tremor from his voice before continuing. "I let you down because I didn't act quickly enough. I won't fail Sofia."

He removed her hand from him and squeezed it before letting go and turning to his crew. "Cassie, stay here and expedite if I'm not back by the time the hors d'oeuvres need to go out. Guys, come with me."

As they moved as one unit toward the doors, Maggie yelled, "Joshua Trent! You are not going without me!"

JT skidded to a stop and returned to his sister. "Maggie, you have to stay here and stay safe. We have no idea what's going on. I won't have you being placed in any danger. Think of the babies."

A heavy sigh escaped her. She hated it when he was right. "Okay, but take this. Maybe she's out of range and you can reach her at some point," she said, removing her headset and handing it to her brother. "It's already on the right channel. And have someone call me as soon as you find her."

"I will. I promise," JT said, bending to kiss her head before he ran through the swinging kitchen doors and headed for the hotel. He had never been a religious man but found himself praying with every step that Sofia was alright. She had to be. His heart wouldn't be able to stand the blow if she wasn't.

Chapter thirty-nine

Rage and Rescue

Theyhitthehoteldoors at a dead run and skidded to a stop on the marble floors of the lobby. JT scanned the area with frenzied eyes and found Mrs. Benevides at a back corner desk, her hands gesticulating wildly to a young woman in a Park Hotel uniform. He pointed her out to Julio and Ramon, and they made their way to the woman who was clearly upset.

"I'm telling you something is wrong!" Sofia's mom was telling the girl, shaking a garment bag in her face. "Dios mio! Something is wrong!"

"I'm very sorry, ma'am," the girl said, her voice shaky. "I don't understand. Is it a guest? Are they missing clothes?"

"¿Qué pasa, Sra. B?(What's wrong, Mrs. B?)" Julio asked, coming to stand between the girl and the distraught woman.

A look of relief spread across Sofia's mother's face when she saw JT and the brothers. "Aye, Julio! Las buenas ropas de mi Sofía estaba en el suelo y la puerta de mi habitación estaba abierta cuando llegué allí. ¡No puedo encontrarla en ninguna parte!(My Sofia's good clothes were on the floor and the door to my room was open when I got there. I can't find her anywhere!)"

Julio translated for JT and the hotel employee. JT ran his hands through his hair in agitation. "Don't worry, Mrs. Benevides. We're going to find her." He started to ask a question when he suddenly heard a soft voice in his ear. He froze. It was coming from the headset he had slipped on at his sister's request. The voice was muffled but he could tell it was Sofia.

"Shhhh! It's her!" he told the group, motioning to his headset. He tried to turn the volume up, but the voice didn't get any louder. Everyone stood silent as he listened.

"Jesse, you don't want to do this. Please!" Sofia pleaded.

"I said strip, baby," Jesse commanded before his voice took on a softer but more menacing tone. "Or do you want me to do it for you?"

JT heard a sob escape Sofia's lips and he thought his knees would buckle right then and there. He remained standing by sheer force of will. He turned to Sofia's mother. "Do you have any idea where Jesse's room is?"

Mrs. Benevides looked confused but then realization seemed to dawn in her eyes. English seemed to have escaped her in her panic, so Julio took precious seconds to translate her answer to the assembled crowd. "She says 'he bragged about paying extra so he could have a suite. He always wants the best of everything. Does he have her? Does he have my Sofia?'"

JT nodded. "It sounds like it. I can hear them in the headset. Sofia must have found a way to turn it on without him knowing." He turned on the wide-eyed desk clerk. "Jesse Conners, what room?" he demanded.

"I, I can't give out guest's room numbers without their permission, sir. Maybe I should get my manager," she stuttered.

"You do that and call the police as well, but first give me the goddamn room number! There's a woman in danger! I'm listening to them right now!" JT loomed over her and all but screamed in the girl's face.

She clicked keys frantically on her computer keyboard. "325 – The Presidential Suite."