Duncan McKechnie sighed and hung up the phone. For the last hour he had been calling the airport trying to find out information regarding Jessica and Bonnie's travel arrangements. The frustrated employee he had spoken to finally informed Duncan, with much exasperation, that no travel arrangements for Jessica Griffin or Jessica Griffin-McKechnie currently existed in his computer databank.

He knew that they were indeed headed his way. Jessica's secretary Robin had confirmed that Jessica and Bonnie departed for New York earlier that morning. How they were traveling he had been unable to discover.

‘It's almost as if she knew,' Duncan mused to himself. He was originally scheduled to arrive in New York later that night, but he had left Edinburgh on an earlier flight than he'd informed her. Perhaps if he caught Jessica unaware, she might be less emotionally armed against him. Then he might begin to repair the relationship he foolishly sacrificed.

He wouldn't really be surprised if Jess had anticipated his actions. She knew him as well as anyone ever had. Which made the loss of her love all the more tragic for him.

With thoughts of Jessica and Bonnie uppermost in his mind, Duncan left the opulent suite he occupied and headed for the elevators. Perhaps a quick ale in the dining room downstairs would help take the edge off the frustration which had risen at his inability to track down his wife and daughter. Entering the elevator, he allowed his mind to formulate several opening statements designed to put Jessica at ease in his presence.

Duncan snapped to attention as the elevator's door opened onto the hotel lobby. Though his destination was the quiet dining room off to his right, Duncan's eyes automatically scanned the entire room. It was a habit borne from countless dangerous adventures across the globe.

The lobby was relatively quiet. An older couple stood waiting before the front desk, their luggage colorfully adorned with stickers from what must have been every corner of the world. Otherwise, the only other sign of movement came from the black stretch limousine that idled before the hotel's entrance.

Idly Duncan watched as two tall, muscular young men – obviously bodyguards – emerged from the vehicle and took up positions near the rear door of the car. Another equally fit young man opened the car's front passenger door and took a stance near the front bumper. The heads of all three men swiveled constantly as they assessed and reassessed their immediate surroundings.

Fully intrigued now by the scene unfolding before him, the handsome Scotsman moved to a better vantagepoint and stared unabashedly. From the rear of the limousine a trim, sandy-haired gentlemen emerged. He straightened his tie and adjusted the sleeves of his black, tailored suit before reaching back into the darkness of the limousine. The two rear guards closed ranks around him, temporarily obscuring Duncan's view of him.

Within minutes, the two guards eased their protection and began to move. Duncan stiffened in shock at what his eyes beheld.

BACK | NEXT