Kingston Kidnappings (What Happens In Vegas Book 3) by Matt Lincoln (classic books for 10 year olds txt) 📕

“It is you,” she gasped. She ran toward me and clasped my hands in hers. She was wearing a brightly colored dress, and her pupils were slightly dilated, which meant she’d most likely been drinking. She was probably here partying for Carnival. “I can’t believe it! Where have you been? When did you get back? We were all so worried!”

“Anya, please calm down,” I pleaded. She was hitting me with questions rapid-fire, and I could hardly keep up.

“Sorry,” she smiled sheepishly. “I was just so surprised. How many years has it been now? I wasn’t expecting to run into you here. Did you come for the festival?”

“No,” I responded. “I’m here for work.”

“Work?” she asked. “What kind of work? Are you a businesswoman now? Are you closing a big deal or something?”

I smiled warmly at her excitable attitude. She hadn’t changed a bit since I’d last spoken to her.

“I’m a federal agent,” I responded. I couldn’t go into details, but I could tell her that much. Her eyes widened in awe.

“Really?” she grinned. “That’s so cool. I want to hear all about it. Oh, you should come to stay with us tonight! We’re at a hotel just a few streets away.”

“Who’s ‘we’?” I asked as a feeling of dread began to grow in the pit of my stomach.

“Mama and Papa, and of course, Darika,” she replied. “And…” Her smile fell.

“And who else, Anya?” I prompted, though I already knew the answer.

“Auntie Prisha and Uncle Jai,” she answered quickly. “But Naomi, you don’t understand--”

“Goodbye, Anya,” I cut her off. My hands were shaking, and I felt an overwhelming need to flee. I quickly made to leave, but Anya grabbed me by the arm.

“No, please, wait,” she pleaded. “If you just talk to them, then maybe--”

“Maybe what, Anya?” I snapped. “You were there. You remember what happened. I have nothing to say to them.”

“I know there was a misunderstanding,” she replied.

“A misunderstanding?” I repeated angrily. “Oh no, dear cousin. I understood perfectly well what was going on that day. That’s why I set that fire. I wasn’t about to sit around and be sold off like a piece of property. Unless you’d like a reprisal of that event, I’d suggest you let go of my arm and leave me alone.”

Anya looked horrified. I felt a little guilty about taking my anger out on her, but I knew this would be the fastest way to get her to drop the issue. I yanked my arm away from her and turned to stalk down the street. She called my name as I walked away, but I smoothly blended into the dense crowd and lost her.

I speed-walked the entire way to the hotel. I didn’t dare relax until I was in the room with the door securely locked behind me. I let the bags fall to the floor as I slid to the ground, my back against the hotel room door. My heart was pounding painfully. I had been so excited to see my cousin after all these years that I forgot the reason I’d gone so long without seeing her in the first place. In just an instant, the vague, irrational fear that I might run into my parents here had become a frightening real threat. They were here, probably within walking distance of this hotel.

I took a deep breath and then picked myself up off the floor. It didn’t matter that they were here. I would be heading to Hamilton tomorrow, and with any luck, I’d be back at home a day or two after that. I couldn’t let this rattle me. I needed to focus on the case now more than ever, for Charlie’s sake.

I went through my nightly routine robotically as I got ready for bed. I’d made arrangements to meet with the police in Hamilton tomorrow to form a plan of attack on the group’s base. I needed to get as much rest as I could before then. After showering, I turned out the lights and climbed into bed. I closed my eyes and willed myself to sleep as I did my best to push away unpleasant memories.

I woke to the sound of my alarm. I felt as though I had just closed my eyes a second ago, but a glance at the window confirmed that it was already morning. I didn’t feel particularly rested, but I couldn’t allow myself the luxury of staying in bed any longer.

Hamilton wasn’t that far from Devonshire. It would take an hour to get there by taxi. Once I was in the cab, I checked my phone for any updates from Charlie or the rest of the office, but there were no missed calls or messages. I wasn’t sure whether I should consider that a good or bad sign. It probably meant they hadn’t made any significant progress, but it also meant there wasn’t any bad news either.

Las Vegas was three hours behind Bermuda, which meant that it was probably still around six in the morning there. We still had time.

Hamilton was a grand and impressive city. The architecture was like something out of a Victorian storybook, which made sense considering the city had been founded by British settlers. The police station was no different. It was a massive, looming white building with arched windows and a magnificent front staircase that led up to an entrance framed by Roman-inspired pillars. I thought, not for the first time, that such an auspicious city was a peculiar place to base an illegal trafficking ring, but perhaps that was the point. No one would ever expect something so vile to be happening right in the heart of such a prosperous city.

I paid the taxi driver and stepped out of the cab. I made my way up the staircase and had just reached the door when a police officer emerged and nearly ran straight into me.

“Oh, sorry about that,” he smiled apologetically. “I was in such a