by Edwin Dasso
He spun and stared.
“What the hell are you doing?” Scowling, she nudged him aside and peered into the dark backyard. She knew no one was remotely close enough to see him standing there stark-naked, but still infuriated over the video, she justified her indignation.
“I simply opened the door. He zipped past me and tore off into the woods. I figured he’d just take a leak and come back.”
She snapped a stare at him, her jaw dropped. “Jasper? Are you saying Jasper ran into the forest?”
He nodded. “Calm down, Elise. I’m sure he’ll come back when he’s ready. In the meantime, I removed the top of the hot tub. Let’s have some fun.”
Squeezing her hands into fists, she held back the emotion she wanted so badly to release. Instead, she plucked her jacket from a hook and pushed past him. “Get dressed, Deke.” Then, turning her head, she scowled over her shoulder. “I’ll be back when I find Jaz. Don’t wait up.” Anger seething, she ran across the yard into the dark forest.
13
Knowing the lay of the land helped her navigate in broad daylight, but Elise had never roamed the woods at night. Thank God, the moon provided some light, but through the dense forest, moonbeams did little more than cast eerie shadows off naked branches that danced with the cold March breeze. “Jaz…here, boy.” She flipped on her phone flashlight and shone the beam on the path before her.
Hiking through the woods, she couldn’t stop thinking about Deke. She’d never let him see her cry. But now, outside and out of range, she let down her stoic façade and tears streamed down her cheeks. A hollow sensation shuddered through her, shooting goose bumps down her arms. How could she have been so wrong about his character? No one saw this coming. Through high school and college, his choirboy reputation never faltered. Why now? And at a frat party? And with a cheerleader? Nothing about his behavior made sense.
Perhaps the idea of marriage suddenly felt too confining. But if that was the case, why didn’t he just call off the engagement? Deke knew about her past…how hesitant she was to trust a man again. He swore he’d never hurt her. And yet, within hours after his indiscretion, he was ready, willing, and obnoxiously eager to have sex with Elise. A thought flashed to their earlier tryst and her stomach knotted again, pushing hot bile stinging into her throat.
A fury boiled inside her belly, and her muscles tensed. If she could be that wrong about Deke, she had no sense at all to judge the character of anyone. Not a great quality for a reporter. Suddenly, the idea of living a life interviewing athletes of any kind repulsed her. A lot of time would need to pass before she’d look into the face of a player without doubts of his real character.
Another rustling sounded in the distance, too large for a squirrel or fox. “Jasper. Here, boy.” She slipped the phone under her arm and clapped her hands then repeated the command, but her calls were met with silence. Aside from the crunch of leaves beneath her feet, the only sound she heard was the distant splash of water softly lapping against the shore as it clung to the edge of the lake…and night animals skittering by in search of food as they wandered through the underbrush. Why would Jasper take off like that? Elise had brought him to the lake on several occasions before…and she rarely used his leash. He never wandered far.
Deke was right about one thing. Jaz would return when he was ready. Elise knew her pup well. In truth, she was glad he ran off. In doing so, Jasper gave her the excuse she needed to get away from Deke, clear her head, and make sense of his strange behavior. She needed distance to think…without Deke. She also had a pretty good idea where Jasper went.
Whatever he’d seen in the woods earlier that afternoon interested him enough to want Elise to follow him. And she also knew, if whatever Jasper saw was dangerous, he’d have reacted very differently, barking and growling with much more perseverance. At the time, Deke was Elise’s priority. Now, not so much. So, she proceeded through the woods, using lake sounds and moonbeams to head in the right direction.
As the path narrowed, she pushed aside a dangling vine and shone the light ahead. Despite the creepy ambiance surrounding her, she knew this property and rarely––if ever––had she seen another person on this land. Many times, her father had taken her camping in these woods and taught her survival skills. She felt safe here.
Of course, a chance existed she might encounter some threatening wildlife…a fox, perhaps, or coyote…maybe even a bear. But, more often than not, if an animal saw her, they’d scoot in the opposite direction…especially with Jaz by her side. A thought occurred to her that the rustling might be Deke, but in his current state, he’d likely fall asleep or pass out before following her into an unfamiliar forest. Again, she called out. “Jasper. Where are you, boy?” She continued her course.
A heartbeat later, Elise heard the scamper of a large animal rushing toward her through the leaves and underbrush. Her heart pounded. She turned off her flashlight…then stiffened…and held her breath, hoping the animal would pass by.
But the creature pounced directly in front of her. She froze…until her brain had a chance to catch up. “Oh, dear God, Jasper. You scared me to death.” She breathed a long sigh of relief.
His wagging tail brushed against a bush, making a whoosh-whoosh sound.
Elise bent down and gave him a hug then scrunched behind his ears. “Okay, Jaz, let’s see what’s so important out here that couldn’t wait until tomorrow?”
He mouthed her sleeve and gave it a slight tug.
“You lead, buddy.” She stood.
The dog released her arm then scampered forward, veering off the beaten path.
Though the full moon shone brightly, tall trees and evergreens cast deep shadows, while branches and roots, still covered by a blanket of dry leaves, created a rough terrain for Elise to manipulate. She could no longer see Jaz, weaving in and out of the underbrush, but through the silence, she heard the rustling and forged forward. “Not so fast, Jaz. Slow down.”
He paused then woofed.
“Good boy.” She followed Jaz for what felt like miles until the dense forest opened to a clearing, and a dark image appeared in the distance. Was the shadow a lean-to or hut of some kind? Elise had hiked this land too many times to count, but never had she seen a shack on her family’s property. Perhaps the hike had taken her off course. Could she be lost? No. Even if she intended to, the chance of her reaching someone else’s acreage on foot within an hour and in the dark was slim, at best.
She halted and studied the image. Then, softly whispering a call to Jaz, she edged forward. “Jasper. Come here.”
Instead of obeying her command, he darted toward the hut, woofing as he approached.
The hairs on the back of Elise’s neck stiffened. If someone was inside the structure, he––or she––definitely heard Jasper. She spun, ready to run into the woods should someone emerge from the hut…but a clanging sound made her freeze. Again, she turned and cautiously approached Jasper. The closer she got...the more curious she became.
Not only could she identify the odd shape was not a shack, but the noise continued with a rhythmic resonance, not a mechanical beat.
Jasper scratched at the tire of the eighteen-wheeler cab as if he was trying to dig his way into the truck.
“Jaz, no…heel, boy.”
The moment she spoke, the clang stopped and Jaz returned to her side.
“Is someone out there?”
The voice, though muffled, was familiar.
Thoughts spinning, Elise glanced at Jaz then shifted her gaze to the truck. She climbed onto the footboard then grasped the handle. To her surprise, the door wasn’t locked. Instead, it flew open, pushing her off the step. Again, she climbed up, this time clutching the handle before yanking open the door.
“Thank God.” He pounded on the panel. “Please. Can you hear me?”
Evaluating the situation before she spoke, Elise said nothing. She glared at the steel compartment built in behind the driver and passenger seats then stepped between them. Searching for
a knob, she ran a hand over the edges of the cold metal. She saw only a padlock locking the panels together. The middle segment had to open. She inspected the edges then slowly raised her gaze…perhaps upward into the truck’s ceiling. On further examination, she noticed a slide-open peephole of sorts about a foot wide and an inch or two high.
“Dear God, don’t leave me here. I’ve been abducted.”
She flipped the catch. Stunned, Elise drew back her head…squeezing her brows together, she stared in shock.
“Please.” He pounded again. “Help me get out of here before he returns.”
Hand trembling, she slowly slid open the tiny panel and peered inside. A shot of heat stabbed through her. Lips trembling and racked in fear, she tried to ask what happened. But only one word came out––“Deke?”
14
Pounding on the exterior wall, Deke Madigan prayed the owner of the dog woofing and scratching outside heard the clatter. He knew the tiny room imprisoning him had to be some sort of mobile home or RV, but his captor took care to park the vehicle in remote areas. For weeks, every time his abductor left, Deke beat against the side panel, hoping someone would hear, but no one came to his rescue.
This time, he could swear he heard a woman’s voice in the distance. His fist sore from pummeling against the wall, he grabbed the one pan he had and smacked it against the steel. Please, God, let someone hear me.
He paused to listen…and heard footsteps approaching. “Is someone out there?” Again, he listened for a response and heard the driver’s side door open. “Thank God.” He beat on the partition, praying his captor wasn’t the person on the other side. “Please. Can you hear me?” His heart racing, he feared the person abandoned him. He yelled at the top of his lungs, “Dear God, don’t leave me here. I’ve been abducted.” Again, he pounded on the wall. “Please…help me get out of here before he returns.”
The small opening in the wall slid to the side. “Deke?”
The voice he heard had him questioning if he’d died and gone to heaven. “Elise?” Was she really here, or was his solitude finally turning him stark raving mad? He shoved his head against the panel so he could see through the viewer. “Oh my God––Elise? Am I dreaming? How did you find me?” His pulse kicked up into overdrive. Where had his captor taken him that Elise could be here? The thought caused his heart to race. “You’ve got to get out of here. This guy is crazy. Can––”
“Slow down, Deke. One thing at a time. How did you lock yourself in this semi?”
“Semi? I’m locked in the sleeper cab of an eighteen-wheeler? I thought this was some kind of RV.”
She took hold of the padlock and tugged then scratched her head. “How the hell did you lock yourself inside?”
Jasper jumped between the driver and passenger seats then scratched at the steel panel, woofing feverishly.
Deke peered downward through the view slot. “Good boy, Jaz. But please, hushhhh.”
Jaz immediately responded to his voice and quieted then stood on his back paws and peered at Deke.
“Good boy.” He stroked Jasper’s nose then gazed at Elise. “If he hears Jaz barking, he’ll come running.”
Elise frowned. “He who?”
“The guy who locked me in this place. He’s certifiable, Elise. I don’t know what he’d do if he sees you here––how in the world did you find me?”
“I didn’t. You can thank Jaz for that.”
“Jaz. I could have sworn I heard his bark earlier today…but I figured it was just wishful thinking. How are you here? Where are we?” Thoughts spinning, Deke tried to make sense of the situation, but with his captor close by, no time existed to figure out details. The man could return at any moment. Sooner or later, Deke would have a chance to escape. But Elise was in real danger. He had to get her to leave.
“This truck cab is parked in the woods about a mile from the lake house.” Her stare bored into his. “I knew you were drun––”
“Listen to me, Elise. Exchanging details won’t help right now…the man who locked me in here could return any minute. You’re in grave danger.”
She harrumphed and shook her head. “Ha. I don’t know where this truck came from or how you locked yourself in there, and to be honest, I really don’t give a damn. You can rot there for all I care.”
Her comment burned through him like a hot knife slicing butter. “What? I mean, why? I didn’t plan this abduction. Why are you so enraged?”
A blank stare skewed her features. “What are you talking about?”
“Listen, Elise, I have no idea how long I’ve been in this hellhole, but I’d have thought, after weeks missing, you’d at least be happy to see me.”
“Weeks missing?” Her gaze shot daggers. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, Deke. And frankly, I don’t give a damn. But I have every right to be angry. If you didn’t want to marry me, you could have at least told me face to face.”
“Hold on. What are you talking about?” Stoked with adrenaline, he felt like their discussion was on two completely different channels. How was he not getting through to her?
After fumbling for something in a pocket, she stepped back and scrolled through her phone. A moment later, she held the screen in front of the view slot and started a video.
Completely stunned by the recording, he dropped his jaw. “Huh? What the hell? How did you get that video?”
“I thought so,” she snapped back. “You’re busted.” She yanked away her cell and ended the display. “How I came across proof of your little tryst is irrelevant.” She stuffed the phone into her pocket and turned toward the door. “So, you’ll excuse me if I don’t rush to your rescue.”
“Wait, Elise. That’s not me.”
“Right. I suppose it’s your long-lost twin brother? You’re so lame.”
Her reaction pummeled him like a gut punch, and his stomach twisted into knots, spewing bitterness into his throat. What the hell? “Elise. You have to believe me. I know that video looks damning, but I swear on all that is holy, the man in that recording is not me. I’ve been locked in this truck for weeks.”
She let out a clearly sarcastic snicker. “Really, Deke. You’ve played me for a fool long enough. I don’t know how you got locked inside that cab…or how the damn truck ended up on my property, but I really don’t care. Find your own way out. I’m done.” She stepped onto the footboard.
“Elise, stop. Please.” He kicked the steel panel, sending a stab of pain from his bare toes through his foot and into his ankle. “If you’ve ever loved me, at least hear me out.”
Elise spun and scowled. “You really have the balls to say you’re not the guy screwing that cheerleader? Humph. I’m not that gullible.”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. You’ve got to believe me. Anyone could have made that recording.”
“True. But not anyone could star in it. And why would someone take the time to record a fake video of you?”
“I don’t know…and I don’t know why anyone would kidnap me and hold me hostage for weeks in this truck, either. But someone did.”
She stepped farther into the cab. “Are you trying to gaslight me, or are you still drunk?”
Deke squinted. “You know I don’t drink, Elise. I’ve never admitted why to anyone, but in truth, alcohol makes me violently sick. It has ever since Papaw caught me and Matt drinking behind his garage one night. He made us down enough to cause us to puke our guts. If you don’t believe me, ask Matt.”
“Okay. Assuming someone jumped you, how could he get the upper hand? You’re in the best condition of your life, Deke.” She moved closer to the opening. Peering into the room, she inspected him from head to foot. “At least, you were.”
“Exactly. I was in the best condition––and if I’m forced to eat another peanut butter and honey sandwich, I’ll scream––but my point is, I’ve been cooped up in this prison for weeks. And you want to know how? The bastard snuck up behind me when I was in the shower and knocked me out.”
<
br /> “You mean some guy broke into your apartment and––”
“No. I was in the locker room at the Combine.”
Her brow wrinkled. “You mean you’ve been locked in this truck since the Combine? That’s impossible.” She frowned.
“I’m telling you the truth. The guy crept behind me in the shower and wrapped an arm around my neck in a chokehold. The next thing I remember was waking up here.” He took a few steps backward. “Look at this room. All the creature comforts of an emergency bunker. A toilet, sink, and small shower…a cabinet of food, water, a bed with sheets and a blanket, even a pair or two of sweats and a lousy toothbrush. But no windows, no television, or clock…I’m completely isolated from the outside world. Hell, in here, I have no way of knowing if it’s day or night.”
She squinted and drew her brows together, slightly parting her lips.
Her stunned expression told him she was beginning to believe his explanation. “What I don’t get is why he locked me in this room. Why not just kill me?”
Her eyes went wide. “God, don’t even mention killing.”
“I have to. Think about it, Elise. He’s holding me here––alive––for a reason. And if that reason disappears, I’m pretty sure I will, too…permanently.”
She shivered. A grimace washed over her face.
He could almost see her thoughts spinning. “Why would someone abduct me then drive around with me in tow?”
“If someone really did kidnap you, surely a worker at the Combine complex would have seen something.” Elise slowly sat against the driver’s side arm. Her forehead wrinkled.
“Not likely. Matt came by while I was showering. Before he left, he said everyone was gone and ribbed me for being the last to leave––again. The guy took me down…I’m not proud of that, but he did. Though, I’m not sure how he carried me from the locker room to this truck.”
“Okay. I’ll play along for a few minutes and accept you’re telling the truth. Anyone who’s ever watched crime TV could answer that dilemma. If you were out cold, the perp probably just heaved you into one of those laundry carts for towels in the locker rooms. Then he simply rolled you out of the building.”
