51
“Stanley’s my neighbor. I’m Sandy Marlow. I’m just trying to confirm he’s alright.”
Siobhan’s eyebrows elevated. “Now, why wouldn’t he be?”
Sandy turned to look at Tish standing a few feet away with Dayshia. “Tish, do you have the video queued. Could you show it to Siobhan?”
The tall brunette came over and played the video for Siobhan who squeaked in shock when Stanley was shoved into the van.
“That does look like Stanley doesn’t it!” she exclaimed to Sandy who just nodded with a worried look.
Siobhan turned to the young woman at the counter. “Give me the phone and dial extension 3333.”
She held the receiver to her ear and listened. Her expression became frustrated. She looked at the woman again. “Hang up and dial 3001.” She listened and heard it pick up.
“Ms. Villamor’s office.”
“Felix, this is Siobhan in the lobby. I’m looking for Marisa or Stanley but they aren’t answering. Have you heard from either?”
“Hi Siobhan! No, I haven’t seen either and their door is closed.”
“Is Ms. Villamor in? Maybe she knows.”
“She hasn’t come in yet. I haven’t received any news from her,” Felix said with just a hint of annoyance in his voice. Siobhan sympathized, knowing how difficult it was to manage someone’s calendar if they didn’t keep you in the loop. “Is something wrong?” Felix asked.
“Open up your web browser and enter this address,” Siobhan said and read out the letters. Soon she could hear the video playing in the background.
“Oh my god! Was that Mr. Garin?” Felix exclaimed.
“That’s what we’re trying to determine,” Siobhan said grimly.
“I’ll put a call in to Ms. Villamor. Hold please.” The line went to soft music.
Siobhan looked to the anxious faces of the three women. “Felix is the CEO’s personal assistant. He’s trying to reach her now.”
“The CEO keeps tabs on Stanley?” Dayshia asked in surprise and Tish looked equally intrigued.
Sandy smiled, recalling a certain elevator ride with the executives of the company. “Not just the CEO. The heads of HR and Security as well.”
Siobhan shared a small smile with Sandy. “Stanley’s a friend magnet, isn’t he?” she said.
The group watched as one of VRL’s big security officers led a struggling Roger from the lobby and pushed him outside the building. “Is he with you?” Siobhan asked quietly.
Tish just sighed and shook her head. “Not at the moment, he isn’t.”
The line opened again and Siobhan turned her attention back to Felix.
“She’s not picking up. I left a message. Mr. Garin’s personal line goes directly to voicemail as does Ms. Gunderan’s and Mr. Duncan’s,” he said.
“What should we do?” Siobhan asked.
“Without being able to connect to anyone who might have an answer I don’t know. They may be aware of the situation and may be working on a way to resolve it. If so, our involvement would definitely not be welcome. Or they may just be out of contact for other reasons and not be aware of this. I can’t tell.”
“Should we call the authorities,” Siobhan asked, emphasizing the last word for Felix to pick up on it.
He made a hesitant sound. “Why don’t you leave that with me? I’ll make a few more attempts to reach someone and if I still can’t reach them I’ll make the call.”
“Ok, thanks very much Felix!” she said and hung up.
“Well?” Sandy asked.
“We can’t reach any of the people who might know where he is nor can we reach his personal line. They may be aware of the situation and be on top of it. We shouldn’t interfere if that’s the case. If they aren’t aware then we’ll take steps. Felix will continue to try to connect with them. If he can’t get someone he will contact the authorities.”
She saw Sandy was still feeling anxious so she reached out and pulled her into a hug. Dayshia and Tish immediately joined in and all were feeling a little better afterwards.
“I have to get to my job upstairs but here’s my cell number so you can call me later. I’ll take yours as well. I’ll keep in touch with Felix during the day to get updates. I’ll call you if I hear anything.” She looked out the front doors to see Roger pacing back and forth, waiting for them. “Try to keep your friend out of trouble,” she said with a grin. Tish snorted.
Once they’d exchanged numbers, Siobhan waved and headed to the elevators. Sandy turned to her friends. “I- I guess I’ll just go home and wait by the phone.”
“We’ll all go to your place and take turns waiting for the call while the other’s rest,” Dayshia insisted. They looked out the door. “Not Roger though. No one would get any sleep,” she growled and the others giggled.
They went outside and Roger was immediately with them. “Can you believe they forced me to leave the building?”
“What’s unbelievable about that? You were acting like a crazy person!” Tish barked at him.
“What? Just because I tried to warn them someone might be forcing Stanley to access their financial data from outside? How is that crazy? He’s missing, man! Abducted in broad daylight! OK, it was at night but they did it in plain sight of bystanders. Totally ballsy, like the Russian Mob… or maybe the Yakuza! You said something happened to him in Japan, right? GEEZUS! Why are we just standing here? We need to call in the Feds!”
“Stop! We aren’t calling anyone! While you were ranting at the security staff we made a constructive contact and spoke with the CEO’s executive assistant. He is trying to reach her and the other execs to get an update. He will contact the authorities if he can’t reach them. We’d just be muddying the waters and that wouldn’t help Stanley at all.”
Roger seemed to deflate and looked at the others in frustration. “So, we’re expected to just sit and wait.”
“Go home Roger. We will call you when we hear any news. This is the best thing we can do for Stanley,” Dayshia insisted.
Defeated he nodded and headed off towards the subway. Considering how upset they’d be if they knew, he kept to himself the fact that he’d texted the NYPD Stanley’s name and home address after he got tossed from the building.
That couldn’t hurt, could it?
The drive to Walter Zhou’s mansion took an hour and had them driving north into the secluded and wooded neighborhoods on the border of Connecticut. Walter Zhou worked out of his home, a huge manor hidden in the forest at the end of a long lane.
As they pulled up the lane Camila looked over the seat at the others. “Walter is especially paranoid about photos so please leave your cell phones in the truck.”
She took hers out and saw it was flashing with a number of messages. She frowned and put the phone in the glove box. She’d listen to them later.
Stanley pulled his cell phone out and noticed its battery was dead. He handed it to Camila as Sigrid handed hers over.
Camila looked to her daughter with raised eyebrows.
“I forgot mine at home,” Marisa explained.
“So did I. I wasn’t exactly my sharpest when Sigrid called me,” Mr. Duncan growled then yawned.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.
They parked in a shady spot and exited from the truck. Roy remained as he wasn’t needed inside and he really needed a nap.
The rest made their way to stand on the wide front step, waiting for someone to answer the doorbell they’d rung.
Stanley was fidgeting nervously so Marisa took his hand and he began to calm down. He gave her a grateful smile then twitched as the big door creaked open. Inside was a small Chinese woman. Young, maybe in her twenties, and pretty. Her skin was very pale, almost white, as if she’d never been in the sun. Her jet-black hair was arranged skillfully and pinned in place. Loose it might have reached the back of her knees.
She wore a simple white gown with red trim, tied at the waist and white slippers. Looking to her gently smiling face Stanley immediately realized she was blind as her eyes were milky white.
“Yes?”
“Hello, Camila Villamor and friends here to see Walter Zhou.
“Ah yes, he mentioned you may be visiting today. Please come in.” She turned and walked away, expecting them to follow. They entered, Sigrid bringing up the rear and closing the door behind them.
Stanley was surprised to see how dark the home was inside. Drapes were drawn over every window, the walls were covered in dark rich wood, and the light fixtures were few and far between. He supposed the woman didn’t need the light but he was extra cautious walking through the halls not to bump into anything.
What décor he could see looked exceptionally expensive. Art hung on the walls, ornate vases and sculptures sat on antique tables in the hallway. He wondered if Mr. Zhou enjoyed the art that sat in the dark.
They reached a staircase leading down and the woman paused to touch a switch on the wall and the stairway was lit. Stanley was surprised to see just how far down the stairs led. As they descended he realized this wasn’t your standard basement. It had to go deep underground.
“There’s a natural cave system under the house. Walter took advantage of this. He… needs the space.” Sigrid said for Stanley’s benefit.
They finally reached a rectangular antechamber leading to an ornate set of double doors.
“You should change now,” their guide stated.
Stanley looked at her in surprise.
“It’s his way, his house, his rules,” Camila explained.
Stanley caught their guide looking away with a shiver. His nervousness increased.
“It’s ok Stanley. I brought your cloak.” Marisa said as she dropped her glamor.
He nodded and began to undress, casting a glance over at the petite Chinese woman. She was looking somewhere past him and hadn’t reacted at all to Marisa’s change.
Camila dropped her glamor in a shower of sparkles and she looked at her daughter with a hit of jealousy for her instant transition.
Stanley looked at Sigrid curiously.
She smiled at him. “I don’t use a glamor. I just call for my armor and weapons when I need them.”
“Ah,” he said as he hesitated, his thumbs under the elastic of his waistband.
“Stanley? What’s wrong?” Camila asked, seeing his hesitance.