Bound by the Red Thread Read online

  Clifton Huang Peng had his father’s thick black hair and her green eyes. Although he was only seven years old, he was already taller than most of the boys his age, and she could tell he was going to match or meet his father’s six-foot-three-inch tall frame.

  Nicole had been away on one of her trips when Jin and Cliff had made a trip to China to visit Jin’s parents.

  Jin had called Nicole frantic one evening. “My father is dying. His last request is to see his only grandson one more time. I cannot deny him.”

  Nicole had readily agreed, unaware of what had really been happening. That‘d been several months ago. It’d also been the last time she’d seen her son. For the first few days, Jin had tried to convince her his father was dying, and they couldn’t leave. The days turned into weeks and the weeks into months.

  Then Nicole received divorce papers in the mail. Before he’d taken Clifton and left the country, Jin had hired a lawyer, who also worked with a firm in China, and filed divorce papers.

  At first, she’d been frantic. She’d called everyone she could think of, trying desperately to get her son back.

  Jin was claiming he had custody and that Nicole had given him permission to take the boy to China. No matter what Nicole did she couldn’t get anyone to help her. She’d been refused a visa and couldn’t travel to China–not through legal methods. With enough money and the right connections, things might have been different. While she and Jin had been together, traveling had not been a problem since he’d retained his citizenship, but one of the last things Jin had done before leaving with Cliff was to file for divorce and sole custody, stripping Nicole of her right to travel as the wife of a Chinese citizen.

  By the time Nicole had returned home, they’d been gone and there wasn’t anything she could do. She’d been to every agency, legal and not-so-legal she could find, spending thousands of dollars trying to locate someone to help her. Nothing had worked. Now, she was desperate. Her last hope was her high-school friend Nick Donovan and his brothers, Ian and Devon Sawyer. They were the owners of Trident Security. A name she continued to hear from many sources.

  Her appointment with Ian was this morning, and she was nervous and anxious. She didn’t know what she was going to do if he wasn’t able to help her or didn’t know of someone who could. She’d arrived several minutes early for her appointment, and it was all she could do not to pace the waiting room. She almost jumped out of her chair when she heard the receptionist say, “Mr. Sawyer apologizes, but he’s going to be a few moments longer. Would you like a drink? We have coffee, tea, water and a variety of sodas.”

  “No, thank you.” Nicole smiled at the woman. The wooden plaque on her desk said, “Colleen Helm – Office Manager,” and she seemed very nice.

  Nicole sat a few minutes, then wished she’d asked for a bottle of water at least. It would have given her something to do with her hands if nothing else. She glanced at her watch for the third time in as many minutes. Only a little after her meeting time. Her appointment with Ian had been at eight, and she wondered how long he was going to keep her waiting.

  Nicole had been sitting a while longer when a large, blond man came in carrying a huge box. “What did Fancy send us this morning, Brody?” the manager asked cheerfully.

  Before he could answer, a man—who could only be Ian Sawyer—came out of one of the offices. He looked at Colleen who nodded her head towards Nicole.

  Ian strode to Nicole and held out his hand. “Ms. Swafford? I’m Ian Sawyer. I’m sorry I was delayed. If you would follow me.”

  Nicole stood and wiped her sweaty palms on her skirt before taking Ian’s outstretched hand. It was obvious he had no idea who she was. He turned to the man still talking with the receptionist. “Egghead, bring me one of whatever that is and get to work.

  “This way Ms. Swafford.”

  Nicole followed him, wondering if she should tell him who she was or just explain her problem. Before she could, Devon Sawyer stepped out of an office right in front of her. She’d recognized him in a heartbeat. He stood still a minute, just staring at her. “Are you? No… it can’t be. Little Nikki…? What are you doing here?”

  Ian eyed his brother as if he’d lost his mind. “What am I missing, Dev?” he asked, now staring at Nicole.

  That question was answered by Devon. “You can’t tell me you don’t remember little Nikki Swafford. The kids teased her and Nick so much back in high school.”

  Ian stared at her a minute before she saw the spark of recognition in his face. “Nicole Swafford. I’m surprised someone hasn’t snatched you up.” He opened the door to an office and ushered her in. “Come sit and you can explain what you’re doing here.”

  Devon followed them into the office and closed the door. “Can I get you anything, coffee, water, soda?” Dev asked, leaning against the door.

  “A bottle of water would be great.” Nicole wasn’t going to refuse the offer this time.

  He glanced at his brother. “Boss-man?”

  Ian nodded, and Dev left them alone. “Now, tell me what’s brought you to Trident Security?”

  Nicole slowly started telling her story, beginning with, “My son’s been kidnapped.” Her voice broke, and the tears she’d promised herself she wouldn’t shed started to fall.

  Ian guided her to a couch that was against one wall and sat her down, handing her a box of tissues. “Tell me the whole story. I know there’s more to it or you wouldn’t be contacting Trident.”

  Nicole took a tissue and blotted her eyes, then inhaled deeply to compose herself.

  A knock sounded at the door and Dev let himself in with several bottles of water and the box that had been at the receptionist’s desk.

  “You should try one of these. Fancy, Brody’s wife, is the best baker we have in town,” he said, setting the box and bottles of water on the low table in front of the couch.

  The contents of the box did smell good. Maybe if I nibble on it, I’ll be distracted enough to tell my story without turning into a blubbering fool, Nicole thought, picking up one of the small treats. “Thank you. This is delicious,” she said after taking a small bite.

  “Dev, have a seat. Nicole was just explaining why she’s here. Her son has been kidnapped. Nicole, tell us more of what’s going on,” Ian said after grabbing a pastry for himself and sitting in one of the comfortable looking chairs on either side of the couch.

  Nicole started at the beginning, telling them how she’d met Jin and how they’d gotten married, then she told them about Cliff. She finished with, “There’s no one else that will help me. I’ve talked to numerous agencies and private investigators and the name I keep hearing is Trident. I did some research and found out that you, Devon and Nick were owners and I knew you’d be able to help me or find someone who could. I’ll pay whatever it takes. I can write the check today. I just want my son back.” Her voice broke with the last words.

  Ian reached out and took both of Nicole’s hands with his. “I’ll do everything I can. I’m going to call our computer specialist in here. I want him to start running some searches on Jin Peng’s family.”

  Ian stepped out of the office and returned with the man the secretary had called Brody. “Nicole Swafford, this is Brody Evans, also known as Egghead, our computer geek. If the information is out there, he’ll find it. I want you to tell him everything you know about Jin Peng’s family. Don’t leave out anything. The smallest detail sometimes can be the most important. While you’re doing that, I’m going to call some of my contacts and find out what I can about traveling to China. We’ll see if there’s anyone out there who can help us. You came to the right place, Nicole. If it’s possible to get Clifton home, we’ll do it. I promise you.”

  Ian left her to talk with Brody while he made his calls.

  2

  Nicole left Trident’s offices feeling more confident than she had in weeks. Ian had promised her they would do everything in their power to help her, and she believed him.

  She let herself into the
small apartment she’d rented in a little town close to Tampa. She’d moved out of the house she and Jin had shared. She couldn’t handle going there and being alone every night. When Clifton returned home, so would she.

  As she’d given Brody every detail she knew about Jin Peng and his father Huang, she realized how little she actually knew about the man she’d been married to for the last few years. She knew even less about his family. Brody had promised to contact her in a few days. Now, all she could do was wait.

  Two days later and Nicole still hadn’t heard anything from Trident. She was beginning to wonder if anyone would be able to help get her son back.

  At first, Jin had let Clifton talk with her, and they’d talked several times a week. For the last couple of months, though, the calls had been dwindling down. It had now been five months since Nicole had seen Clifton, and she was afraid Jin was turning him against her.

  The last few of conversations Clifton had made had sounded different. In the beginning, he’d been excited to talk to her and tell her everything that’d happened, but lately their talks had been shorter, and Clifton hadn’t been as animated. It felt like he was being forced to call her against his will.

  She spent hours staring at the phone and willing it to ring. She was scared to lie down or shower for fear she would miss a call from him. It was driving her crazy.

  Nicole knew she had to do something, or she was going to go out of her mind. Against her better judgment, she dialed the number she had for her ex-husband.

  “What,” he answered the phone as if she had dared to interrupt whatever he was doing.

  “Hi to you too. You know it wouldn’t hurt you to be at least civil to me.” Nicole knew she was being petty, but it still hurt.

  With a sigh, Jin softened the tone of his voice. “What can I do for you, Nicole?”

  “How is Clifton? He hardly ever calls me and when he does, he seldom says very much. Is he happy? Really happy?”

  “The boy is fine. He’s busy with his studies and making new friends. There are several children his age here at the compound. He’s fine. He misses you and doesn’t understand why you can’t be with us. I’ve explained it to him the best that I can.”

  She could hear him talking to someone in the background and waited for him to return to their conversation. “Nicole, I know you are hurting, and I understand you miss the boy, but, at this time, this is the best thing for him. You’ll understand one day. I must go now; my father is unwell, and my presence is needed by his side. Goodbye.” He hung up the phone and was gone.

  Nicole stared at her phone a minute before grabbing her purse and slipping her feet into some sandals. She had to get out of the tiny apartment. She felt stifled. She jumped into her car not sure where she was going until she found herself parking at a large outdoor mall..

  After a couple of hours of wandering aimlessly she went home. Just as she was sitting down for a late lunch, the phone rang.

  “Hello,” she answered the unidentified number.

  “Miss Swafford?” a deep voice asked.

  “Yes?” Nicole answered hesitantly.

  “Brody Evans here from Trident Security. I have some information for you. I was wondering if you would be free tomorrow around ten to come to our office?”

  “Yes, of course. I’ll be there.”

  Brody thanked her, and the call was disconnected.

  He hadn’t told her anything other than she needed to come to the office. She wondered if it was good news or bad.

  Nicole was a bundle of nerves. After tossing and turning all night, she was up early for her meeting. The drive to the Trident compound didn’t take as long as she expected, and she was early again. She felt uncomfortable sitting in her car with the security guards watching, so she arrived in the office close to half an hour early.

  This time Nicole had come prepared to wait and had stuck a book in her purse. It was a new release by her favorite author, Kristen Anders, and would keep her distracted while she until her appointment time.

  The manager’s desk was empty, and Nicole took a seat in the entry, not sure what to do.

  She’d been sitting a few minutes when Colleen Helm came out of one of the offices. “Oh. I’m sorry no one was available to greet you, Ms. Swafford. I’m sure Mr. Evans and Mr. Sawyer will be with you shortly. Would you like something to drink?”

  “A bottle of water would be nice, thank you.” Nicole wasn’t going to make that mistake again, and she had her book.

  Colleen came back with the water and smiled. “Oh! Is that one of Kristen’s books?” she asked, when she noticed the paperback in Nicole’s hands.

  “Yes, have you read any of hers?” Nicole asked, marking her page and closing the book.

  Colleen nodded vigorously. “Every one of them. She’s so sweet. I just love her stories.”

  “Wait. You know her?”

  Colleen nodded, then went to answer the ringing phone. Even though the room was small, she spoke too softly for Nicole to hear.

  Nicole didn’t want to seem like she was listening, so she opened the water and after taking a small sip and recapping the bottle, she turned back to her book.

  She was just starting to get into the story when the sound of a door opening startled her. Several large men came into the area, all tall and very attractive. The man who appeared to be the leader of the group moved to the receptionist and spoke with her for a moment.

  Nicole couldn’t hear much of what was said but gathered that they were there for a meeting also. There weren’t enough seats for all of them so several of the men lined up against the wall with a couple taking chairs.

  Nicole looked around and saw there were six men, all well over six feet. The tallest had to be close to seven feet. The room suddenly seemed smaller. She laid her book in her lap.

  One of the men nodded to her as he took the place next to where she’d set her purse. She realized her bag was taking up one place and quickly moved it to her lap.

  “No worries, Ma’am, we’re used to standing. Thank you, though,” the tallest man said with a twinkling smile that would melt many a woman’s hearts. Nicole’s heart did a little jump of its own.

  It was only a few minutes before Brody Evans came into the office, again carrying a large white package.

  “What’s Fancy made up for us today?” Colleen asked as he set the box on her desk.

  “There’s an assortment of treats in there. Boss-man asked for some extras for the meeting,” he answered with a smile.

  He took the container and headed down the hall. Nicole had to admit the smell had her mouth watering.

  He glanced at her before he moved away and said, “I’ll be with you in just a minute, Ms. Swafford.”

  Within five minutes, Ian Sawyer entered the lobby, striding up to the tallest man and shaking his hand. “Darrall, glad you could make it. I see you have some new faces with you. If you’ll accompany me to the conference room, we’ll get started.”

  Ian reached his hand to Nicole. “Ms. Swafford, please.” He turned and swept his hand for her to accompany him.

  Nicole followed with all the men trailing behind her. Ian opened the door to a large room. Brody was standing just inside the door and pulled out a chair for her. The other men followed her in and took seats around the table.

  On the table was the white box Brody had been carrying, and a tray containing coffee, cups, water and a few cans of soda.

  Once everyone had taken their places, Ian began the meeting. “Gentlemen, this is Nicole Swafford,” he said, gesturing toward her.

  The tallest man stood. “Ms. Swafford, I’m Darrall Forrest. I, along with several others, am Forrest Security. We’re contractors providing similar services to those that Ian and Trident provide. We also have some government contracts and contacts that Trident hasn’t acquired at this time.” Darrall was a large dark skinned man and had the build of a football player. Nicole didn’t know for sure, but he appeared to be about forty years old and had the kindest eye
s she’d ever seen.

  Ian took over. “I called Darrall because they’ve been working cases comparable to yours, and they have some contacts in China that will be useful for finding your son. I’m more than happy to continue your case, and, regardless of what you decide, Trident will always be available to you for any assistance you may need.

  “I advise you to talk with Darrall and his team. Please understand that I am not abandoning you, nor am I turning down your case. Darrall and his team are here to assist us and you in achieving your goal.

  “I feel that this may be the most expedient way to accomplish that. Please, take as long as you need. The conference room is yours until you no longer need it. If you require anything at all, please feel free to make one of my staff aware, and we will do our best to accommodate you.”

  He moved over to Nicole and squeezed one of her shoulders. “Devon and I will be here for you every step of the way. Talk with Darrall and his crew. I think they can help you better than we can.”

  He started to move out of the room then turned quickly before he opened the door. “Feel free to help yourself to the treats, coffee, and water.” He reached and grabbed one of the small confections before exiting.

  The men quickly passed the box around followed by the tray with coffee and water. Nicole grabbed a small muffin and napkin before passing it on.

  While they were enjoying their coffees and cakes, Darrall began talking. First, he introduced each man on the team. Nicole was sure she would never remember all their names, let alone the monikers they went by, but nodded and murmured, “Hello,” to each man.

  A ringing phone interrupted him, and everyone turned to Brody. “I need to take this. Neptune can brief you all on the information we found. I’ll be in my office if you need anything. Ms. Swafford, please feel free to contact me.” He gestured to the man sitting across the table from Nicole. Nicole thought he’d been introduced as Monty or something like that. He had a laptop in front of him. Then left the room closing the door softly behind him.