Derrick felt like thunder struck him. He gasped and without saying another word, he rushed out of the room with Rolph on his heels.
At the corridor, as Derrick made his way into the suite, Rolph turned to the Irish man. "Follow me." He said with a stern voice.
They entered the room. Derrick had turned on the light and he was by the bedside staring at Jolanta, horror written all over his face.
"How did this happen?!"
"That is what I need you to find out for me before morning." Rolph replied.
"Was she drugged?"
"I don't know but I gave her an anesthesia. She should be out for the next 24 hours."
Derrick turned to the Irish man. "Delvin, for how long have you had her here?"
" Four days boss."
"Four days!" Rolph gasped. " How can she be missing for so long and nobody is saying anything?"
" Who brought her here?" Derrick turned to Delvin.
"We bought her for one of our Elites at an auction in Mexico."
"What?!" Rolph couldn't take it any more. He started pacing the room.
"Who did the transaction?" Derrick continued.
" I don't know. She was initially taken to Texas to be delivered but something happened and the client said they don't need the goods again so people from Texas city had her transferred here for this weeked auction." Replied Delvin who was now uneasy but hiding it well.
"That must be Uncle's boys. He was put in charge in my absence." Rolph grunted in anger.
"What do you want to do now?" Derrick asked.
Rolph turned to Delvin. "Who slapped her?!"
"I don't know, boss. She was kept with the other girls lined up for auction. Maybe they had a cat fight."
"Find out who hit her and bring them to me first thing in the morning."
"Yes sir."
"Also, Find out the identity of the people who transferred her here. Now go!".
"Yes sir!" Delvin exited briskly.
Delvin had been Rolph's bodyguard since he arrived at the Ranch at age 6. He wasn't the only one. They were eight in number and followed him wherever he went.
With Derrick always by his side, the remaining seven rotated guarding his doors and his environment.
The moment they arrived at Marfa some weeks ago and Demonic had given Rolph and Derrick an undercover job to do, the remaining seven guards had reported to their club at San Antonio waiting for their boss.
The girl was sent to them from Texas and right now he was regretting not paying attention to her information.
As he walked into the elevator, going to the surface, he ordered someone else to come down to replace him as the door guard while he started racking his brain about the identity of the girl.
Rolph had stopped him from moving close enough to see, plus the girl was practically folded in by the pillows.
Since the girl arrived four days ago, she had been wearing a face mask. Delvin doesn't know why and never bothered to ask. In their business, Unless the information was readily provided and relevant, it was best not to know. And the client who brought the girl in had insisted on the face mask.
Who is the girl?
Delvin could only hope that his boss wouldn't blame him for this fuck up. The last whipping he got still ache and his fingernails that were pulled off were yet to fully grow back.
After Delvin left, Rolph dropped into a single seater. " Four days. She has been missing for days and nobody told me."
"If they are silent about it, it must be for a reason. I think you should call Demonic. This is bigger than what you can handle." Derrick said.
There was a long silence where none of them said anything. Then out of the blue, Rolph asked.." When do we move?, Throwing Derrick off.
"Move to where?"
"We still have to locate the ground entrance of that man-made cave."
"Oh that." Derrick checked his wrist watch, it was already 3:45 am.
"We have 15 minutes before take off."
"Take four of the boys with you. I will stay back to take care of her."
"Okay boss."
Rolph stood up and went to the bed. He stared at the sleeping girl for sometime, then climbed into bed.
Derrick took that as his dismissal and briskly left the room.
Rolph gathered Jolanta into his arms and rested her head on his chest. The girl just kept sleeping like a log of dead wood.
Rolph Stared at her for a long time. He was confused and scared. The thought of what could have happened to her if she had ended up elsewhere, what her disappearance would have cost him and his family. It shocked him.
Who would dare do this? Lay their hands on such a high profile personality? How did it even happen?
Jolanta was the sole heir of Adam Nowicki. He was one of the most wealthy old money in Poland and a childhood friend of Demonic. Just like The Demonic had hands in every sweet jar in Texas and New York, the headquarters of Czarina Pantera's white money, Adam Nowicki had his hands in every jar in Poland. Be it sweet, sour or bitter. He had something to do with it.
Compared to him, The Demonic was second tier.
To establish their family name in Poland and get into politics and the black market, The Demonic had chosen Jolanta for Rolph as his future wife. This was easy to accept for Rolph because they were friends.
Since his birthday at age 8, Jolanta had been spending her summer with him and his sister at the ranch in Marfa. And when she was 8, she moved in to permanently live with them after her mother's sudden death. His grandfather had told him at age 18 that she would be his wife in the future and not thinking much of it, he accepted. She was good friends with his sister.
They; himself, Derrick and Hannah; Rolph's sister were in Poland just two months ago for Jolanta's 17th birthday and she was supposed to come over soon for Hannah's birthday too.
She was supposed to spend her summer with him in Texas as usual but she had to attend a penguins related event that would last for a month in Antarctica.
He was expecting her back in another two weeks. They were out of reach for two weeks because he was on the stakeout at Rockport. She knew not to call him when he was on missions. He does the calling but he didn't call her. He already told her not to expect his call until he finished the job.
How did she end up like this?
Rolph checked his time, it was a few minutes past four. Like Derrick pointed out, even though she was his betrothed, the situation was beyond him. He would have to wait till morning before calling Grandfather.
The Demonic would know what to do. That decision made, Rolph tightened his hold on Jolanta and closed his eyes for a power nap.
Ben was completely forgotten.