The Super Spies and the Pied Piper (28 page)

Sarah took a deep breath. “Dottie?”

The silence answered and Sarah's skin prickled with anxiety. She looked around the store once more. The shadows loomed and a sense of foreboding engulfed her. Taking another deep breath, she tried to keep her panic from taking over. Her fear won the battle and she dashed for the stairs. Reaching the bottom, she stopped and put her hand to her chest, hoping to calm her frantic heart.

“Sarah what's wrong?” her father asked.

She cleared her throat. Her father could read her like a book; she knew she couldn't keep the information from him. “Dottie's disappeared!” She said in a harsh whisper. It hurt her throat to talk like that and she wished for a glass of water.

Both her parents stood. Her father reached for her mom and his face turned ashen as he seemed to sense the danger.

“What?” her mother asked in a tense voice.

“Dottie's not in the store… it's empty.”

Mr. Robinson stood and guided his son to the rocker, then faced the group. “Something's wrong. Dottie would never leave the store unattended.”

“Well, she did because it's empty,” Sarah insisted.

“I'll call Hank.” Mr. Robinson pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “I better go upstairs to get a better signal.”

“Wait.” Her father grabbed his arm and stopped him from moving forward. “Maybe it's a trap.”

“A trap?”

“Maybe someone took Dottie to flush us out.”

“Oh, no…” Mr. Robinson slumped against Sarah's father. Her father guided him to the table and helped him into a chair.

“Dad?” Michael asked in a hesitant voice.

“It's okay, son. I don't want you to worry. Why don't you rest right now? There's a cot in the back room you can lay down on.”

“Is Dottie okay?”

“That's what we're going to find out.” Mr. Robinson stood and moved to his son. He put his hands on his shoulders and looked him in the eye. “I want you to focus on getting better. We're going to do everything we can for Dottie.”

Michael frowned and his shoulders slumped. “Will you come back and tuck me in?”

“Sure thing.” He put his arm around his son and walked him down a narrow hallway.

“We need to get a hold of Hank,” Sarah said.

“You're right.” Her father rubbed his face as if he were trying to wipe off his grim expression. “But we can't do it.” He faced Sarah. “You're going to have to do it.” He moved to the end table standing next to the rocker. He opened the tiny drawer nestled in the middle and pulled out a sheet of paper. He scribbled on it and then handed it to Sarah. “Here's Hank's number. Go upstairs and call him. The reception is too spotty down here.”

Sarah grabbed the paper with a trembling hand. She dashed up the stairs and made her way to the center of the store. The silence seemed loud and Sarah's ears thrummed with the sound of her blood rushing through the veins in her ears. Her hand trembled as she pushed the buttons on her phone.

“Hello?” Hank answered.

“Hank, it's Sarah Cole.”

“Sarah Cole?”

“Yeah.” Sarah glanced around her. The eerie silence was giving her the willies and she didn't want to be in the store any longer than she had to. “You know… the girl who was looking for her parents.”

“Oh… Sarah… how did you get my number?”

“My dad gave it to me.” Sarah stifled a groan. “Listen… I'm in the drugstore and it's empty. Is Dottie with you?”

“No, she's not.” Hank's voice rose an octave and Sarah knew he was alarmed. “Where are you?”

“I'm in the store.”

“Okay. I'm in the apartment… I'll be down in just a second.”

“Oka—”

Hank disconnected the call before Sarah could finish her response. She put her phone in her pocket and peered around. The sound of creaking floorboards made her jump and she was confused because she hadn't heard the bell jingle above the door. When she realized it was Hank walking around in the apartment above, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Feeling vulnerable in the center of the store, Sarah moved to the back.
I wish Hank would hurry up.
As if he had heard her, he appeared from the back of the store.

“Sarah?”

“Hi.” She gave him a small wave and a weak smile.

“Where's Dottie?”

“I don't know.” Sarah shrugged and shook her head. “I came up to make a phone call and she wasn't here.”

Hank sighed. “I know she wouldn't leave the store without calling me.”

“Why don't you come downstairs and talk with my dad.”

”Okay… I'll just lock the store up and then I'll be down.” Hank moved toward the front door.

“I'll meet you down there.”

Sarah made her way to the basement stairs. Tears stung her eyes.
Please let Dottie be okay.
The moisture in her eyes overflowed and trickled down her cheek. Biting her lip, she stifled the sob that made her throat ache and wiped away the wetness.

She was halfway down the stairs when she heard Hank's heavy footsteps following her. It reminded her of the bomber's heavy steps when he had chased her and Jackie down a flight of stairs at the hospital.
Was that only a week ago?
She shuddered at the thought.

Reaching the bottom, Sarah shook the image of the bomber out of her mind. She walked toward the table and made eye contact with her father. “Hank's right behind me.”

Her father pursed his lips and gave her a curt nod.

Sarah's phone rang, sending an electrical current of anxiety through her body. “Hello?”

“Sarah?”

“Jackie. What's up?”

“We're out here waiting for you. Are you guys coming out?”

Sarah cringed. She had forgotten about calling Scoop and arranging for their ride. “There's been a development… give us a couple of seconds.”

“Okay… is everything all right?” Jackie asked.

The concern in her friend's voice hit a nerve with Sarah. Her breath hitched in her throat and she was unable to speak. “Sarah, are you all right?”

Sarah cleared her throat and got her emotions under control. “Yeah. I'll fill you in when I meet you guys. Just give us a little more time, okay?”

“Sure… okay.”

Sarah disconnected the call and hurried toward her father. While she had been on the phone, Hank had made it down the stairs and was in a heated conversation with him. She didn't want to miss any of it.

“How did they know you were here?” Hank asked. He paced, running his hand through his hair in an agitated fashion.

Who is he talking about
? Sarah shot a questioning look at Lacey.

She caught the look and pointed to her ring finger. Sarah was momentarily confused and then it hit her.
Martin
Savage
.
The head of security at Piper Drugs.
Her stomach clenched into a painful knot. A part of her had known it was him, but she had been unwilling to accept it. Sarah swallowed the fear that had an icy grip on her throat and turned her thoughts to finding Dottie.
How did Martin
Savage know
Dottie and my parents were connected
?

Sarah furrowed her brow as she wracked her brain for the answer. “Dad did anyone in town see you with Mr. Robinson?”

Her father sighed. “I'm sure a few people did… I mean I had to come into town for supplies.” He scratched his head. “But no one in town would say anything about us to a stranger… they knew we were helping the Robinsons.”

Sarah gulped and bit down hard on her thumbnail. Thinking back on the conversation she overheard between Dottie and the Head of Security, Sarah's body stiffened as she recalled Martin Savage describing her parents as criminals.
If he blamed the fire on
Mom and Dad
and told people he was here to help the Robinsons… anyone who's friends with the family
might
give up the information.
Turning to her father, Sarah asked, “Dad, did anyone know you were staying here with the Robinsons?”

Her father shook his head. “No… we didn't tell anyone.” He stared at Sarah. “Why? What do you think is going on?”

Sarah pulled her thumb out of her mouth. “When I overheard that guy talking with Dottie he called you and Mom criminals.” She clenched her hands into tight fists. “I bet, he's telling people you started the fire and you were trying to hurt them. I'm sure he got someone to talk and spill the beans about you.”

“That's a fair assumption to make… but it doesn't explain why they would take Dottie,” Sarah's mother said.

“Unless they're looking to make some sort of exchange.” Her father sighed and paced.

“Which means they'll be contacting us,” Hank said.

“What are we going to do?” Sarah asked tearfully. She looked from her father to Hank to her mother.

Mr. Robinson walked back into the room wearing a grim expression. He stood, waiting to hear the rest of the conversation. When no one spoke, he said, “So what's going on?”

While Hank explained the situation to him, Sarah's father drew his family into a huddle. “Sarah and Lacey, you need to get out of here and get my flash drive.”

“Dad… we can't leave until we find Dottie,” Sarah protested.

“That's right,” Lacey said.

Her father shook his head. “No! Now, listen to me girls. Things are getting dangerous here. We're going to find Dottie, but I really need you to get my drive. It's more important now than ever.”

“Why?” Lacey asked.

“Because it might be the only bargaining chip we have to get Dottie back.”

Sarah gulped. “Dad… the field trip isn't a for sure thing.”

Her father sighed. “I know. But so far it's the best plan we've got.”

“Let me give you girls a hug.” Sarah's mother came around and pulled both girls into a fierce embrace. “Now, go back to your aunt and uncle's house and keep out of sight. We don't want this man knowing you're involved.”

The sisters exchanged an anxious look, and then Sarah nodded. “Okay.”

Her father gave her a pat on the back. “Good girl.”

Sarah grabbed Lacey's arm and pulled her toward the stairs. “Come on, Lace.”

They climbed the stairs and made it to the back door.

Sarah grabbed Lacey's arm and stopped her from going outside. “Let's make sure the head of security isn't out there first.”

“Okay. You look. I'm too scared.”

Sarah gave her sister's arm a quick squeeze and then peered out the door.

It was late afternoon. Sarah could tell because the sun that had been playing hide and seek earlier was out in full force, casting long shadows over the earth. Glancing up and down the alley, Sarah searched for Scoop's car. She spotted it about fifty feet away. Parked behind the dumpster she had hidden under a few days ago.

Grabbing Lacey's arm, she said, “Let's go.” With one last glance up and down the alley, Sarah pulled Lacey from the store and sprinted toward Scoop's car.

When they reached his car, Sarah scrambled into the backseat and Lacey jumped into the front seat next to Scott.

“You guys sure took a long time,” Jackie said. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her dark eyes flashed with irritation.

“Something came up,” Sarah retorted. She took a deep breath and brushed the hair out of her eyes. “Dottie's gone. We think she's been kidnapped.”

Scoop twisted around in his seat and eyed Sarah. “Why do you think she's been kidnapped?”

“Because she disappeared from the store and according to Hank, there's no way she would leave the store unattended,” Sarah said.

“That's right,” Lacey spoke up.

“Holy cow!” Jackie exclaimed. Her eyes filled with concern. “Who took her?”