Free Crazy For You by Marie Higgins Page A

Through the rearview mirror, I could tell you were drugged; glassy eyes, sluggish movements, mumbling incoherently. Because I knew you were not into drugs like Terrel , I knew you were not in your right mind at the time, which was something they made certain of. Lisa and Terrel talked low, but I could hear. I don’t turn up my hearing aids for nothing, you know. They knew a doctor who worked there—a doctor who would keep you under lock and key for the rest of your life, for a price of course.”
    “Who was the doctor?”
    “Goodwin. He’s being paid a lot of money each year to keep you there.” Tears collected in the old man’s eyes again and he swept his hand over Eli’s hair. “I don’t know how you escaped, but be very careful. Terrel and Lisa want Adam’s billions and they do not want to share.”
    “I know. I will do all I can to make sure that Terrel is taken out of the President’s chair and the rightful heir put back in.”
    “May God be with you then, because you’ll need it. ”
    Eli knew the old man was correct.
     
    * * * *
     
    The lights were out. Good sign.
    On shaky legs, Kendra crept toward Terrel’s office, listening for any indication she might have company. She’d tried to come this afternoon, but some of the managers were in Terrel’s office for a meeting, which ruined her plans. The lobby remained silent, so she continued her pursuit.
    She reached the door to Terrel’s office and stopped. Placing her ear against the door, she listened for any sign of movement. Nothing. She released a sigh.
    Her hand shook when she pulled her keys out of her purse and tried to slide the silver key into the hole. She cursed her unsteady body. If she didn’t know better, she’d think the wild hammering of her heart could be heard three floors away.
    Taking control, she unlocked the door and walked inside. She closed the door, trying not to make a sound. Afraid turning on the light would only draw attention; she pulled a mini key-chain flashlight out of her purse and clicked it on. In daylight, the office was familiar, but in the dark was a different story.
    On tiptoes, she crept to his file cabinet. Reaching behind, she felt for the extra set of keys. When her fingers brushed across them, she sighed.
    So far, so good.
    This lock was harder to open, mainly because her hands were shaking worse than before. Calm down, Kendra . She took a deep breath and tried again. This time the key slid in and unlocked the cabinet.
    Good grief, what was she doing? It was one thing to distrust Terrel , but another to actually sneak around in his office to collect information for the man she was beginning to fall in love with.
    She shook her head. This wasn’t like her at all. What had Eli done to her heart to make her act completely different and risk jail time?
    But, she must. An inner force guided her, making her feel more alive than ever before. The newfound feeling regenerated her, revived her—and scared the crap right out of her. She prayed she wouldn’t get caught and handcuffed. Her business would certainly suffer. Of course, she could always design new prison jumpsuits.
    She groaned and rubbed her forehead.
    Holding the small flashlight between her teeth, she flipped through the files in the first drawer. Nothing out of the ordinary, so she moved to the next one down. Once again, she came up empty. The third drawer held nothing exciting, so she moved to the fourth. This drawer was harder to pull out, and she realized something was stuck. She yanked harder, and nearly fell back when the drawer gave way. This particular drawer was only half-filled with files and the other half-stacked with Newsweek Magazines.
    In a different drawer, she flipped through the files and came across the name of a hospital. St. Benedict’s. Could this be where they held Joshua prisoner? Her heart leaped with hope.
    Because of her shaky hands, it was hard to read the label, and now, her teeth chattered, making the flashlight slip. She