My cock instantly responds. Fuck, I love it when she’s felling frisky. I’ll throw as many beads at her as she wants if she gets her tits out. She stands up doing the most exaggerated yawn ever. She’s more drunk than I thought and as it turns out a terrible actress. She staggers back towards our RV. The guys are sniggering while I can’t contain my grin. Yeah, they know what’s going to happen.
I’m just about to stand up when I hear a shriek that’s abruptly cut off. I jump up. No one else responds, they didn’t hear it.
“Bow!” I yell and run towards our bago when my eyes are drawn to a white car about 100 yards away. I can see long blonde hair sticking up. Bow is in the trunk of that car! I start to run towards it and see that blood is smeared on the paintwork and bumper. A figure covered in black clothes that I hadn’t noticed until now slams it shut and dives in the driver’s seat. My heart’s beating frantically in my chest as I’ve never worked my legs so hard. The driver door shuts and the car drives off before I can get near.
I keep running. It has to slow down at some point and then I’ll be on it. I can’t let it out of my sight. I vaguely hear people running behind me. I don’t turn to look, nothing is dragging my eyes away from that car. I hear the engine growl louder and it takes off into the distance. I keep running even though I can’t see it now. What are my others options? Give up? I don’t fucking think so. Someone tackles me to the ground from behind and pins me. I fight with every ounce of strength and determination until Michael yells “Asher!” above me. Michael tackled me.
He pulls me up. I want to hit him for bringing me down. Colby gets in my face.
“Asher, for fucks sake we’re not going to her back this way! Come on!”
I know he’s right but I feel like I’m turning my back and abandoning her if I’m not heading in the direction she went. We start to run back to the RV Park. I didn’t realise how far I’d run. Recalling Bow’s limp body in that trunk nearly makes me fall. I stumble and collapse near the bagos. I can’t pull air into my lungs. Tears fall and guttural screams rip up my throat. Tate and Colby grab my arms and haul me up onto my feet. I can barely stand. I’ve lost her. I’ve fucking lost her.
I hear more crying and see Pepper clinging onto Bow’s wig that must have been torn from her head. It’s in pieces now. Glen is pale yet determination is glowing in his eyes. He has two laptops open, typing furiously and a phone to his ear. I have a thought – Bow’s phone. I run into our bago, it’s not there and I can’t see it on the ground either.
“She’s got her phone! Glen track her phone.”
“I’m doing it now. It’s not picking anything up yet, something is blocking the signal.”
I hear sirens in the background and my phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out to see ‘Ralph calling’. I throw it to Michael. I can’t talk to him right now. Five cop cars pull up and officers attempt to question us.
“Why are you asking questions and not finding that fucking car?!” I’m losing it. My sanity is fleeing. Panic, rage, regret and horror are engulfing me.
I’m ready to plough through the other RVs blocking us in. I know that won’t achieve anything. I have to do something though. I can’t just stand here while the love of my life is being taken god knows where, bleeding and alone. I approach one of the bagos and begin to punch it. With every split in my skin and pain in my bones my fury increases. I can feel blood coating my hands but I can’t stop.
Glen grabs my shoulder and spins me around. I very nearly hit him. ‘We’ve got a signal.”
My brain kicks in again. We all pile into the police cars and drive to where the signal is. It’s stationary thank god. In the distance I see a helicopter with a search light in the sky. I’m going to find her. I won’t let her down. She’ll know I’m coming for her.
The cars come to a stop on a stretch of road. There’s nothing anywhere about, it’s just overgrown fields. I rush out of the car. Cops with flashlights are searching the surrounding areas. I can hear the guys searching around me. Walking along the edge a beam from a flashlight briefly reflects off something in the corner of my eye. I spin and run over to where I saw it dropping to my knees to search. I scramble through the dry dead grass with my hands.
Then I find it. Bow’s phone.
Bow
I wake up and try to open my eyes. Shit, my head hurts. I definitely drank too much last night. My head is throbbing and I can’t open my eyes the pain is so bad. I let my arm stretch out beside me searching for Asher. The bed is stone cold and rock hard. I then realise how truly uncomfortable I am. Where the hell did I fall asleep? I try to rub my eyes but only one arm will move.
When I try to move the other it only moves a few inches before it won’t go any further and there’s a clinking sound when I try. I force my eyes open a fraction and see my wrist enclosed in a thick rusted steel cuff attached to a chain. A barrier lifts in my mind. Everything comes back to me. Leaving Asher to go to the bago, a hand painfully grabbing me, a cloth held over my mouth and my wig torn from my head. Then nothing.
Panic swells and I start to fight against the chain. I sit up and vomit as the movement makes me dizzy and my vision swims. I scramble around until I find what the chain is attached to. It’s bolted to the wall. I pull and pull in my futile attempts to rip it from the wall. With each movement the cuff cuts deeper into my wrist. Blood coats my lower arm now.
Helplessness swamps me, dragging me down into desperation. There’s a tiny window on the other side of the room letting in light. I’m sure I could open it and scream for help but I can’t reach it. The chain is too short. How long have I been out? It was nearly dark when I was taken.
The room is barren. There’s not a thing in here other than me. All the walls are exposed brick and the rusty steel door has a small grated opening like a jail cell. I want to call out, make someone hear me. I realise I can’t though. What if I make the person who has taken me come back? They might just be waiting for me to wake up. I won’t risk it.
The cuff is still cutting into my wrist as I’m still straining forward towards the door. Dried blood is smeared all around it now. I take a closer look and there are lots of scratches and cuts that my struggling didn’t put there. Maybe I fought while it was put on. I hope I did some damage of my own.
Any hope of escape disappears all of a sudden. I can feel it draining out of me leaving nothing but cold emptiness behind. I walk near to the bolt, slump onto the floor keeping my back to the wall and stare at the door. I strain my ears to listen for movement but I can’t hear anything besides my pounding heart and heavy breathing.
After a while my panic recedes and all out fear takes over. I curl into a small ball attempting to comfort myself. I think about Asher. Has anything happened to him too? Or anyone else? The thought of Asher tears at my heart. He’ll know I’m missing by now. That comforts me slightly. If he can I know he’ll be searching. He won’t give up until he finds me. I can only hope and pray that I’m still here to find.
Footsteps draw my attention to the door. My heart’s nearly beating out of my chest. Sweat drips down my forehead and I can’t stop shivering. I push myself as close to the wall as I can get, clinging to any protection it may afford me. The door creaks open and a man walks in. His face and hair is covered. My body starts to shake violently now.
I can’t control myself as I urinate and it pools under me. The man walks closer and I bury my head in my hands. I want to shout, ask questions, demand to be released, yet my body and most of my mind won’t let me. For every part screaming at me to fight, there’s another stronger part screaming to hold still and don’t anger him.
“It’s been a while, Bells.” I recognise that voice. It can’t be.
“R…Ry…Ryan?” I look up and the man drags off his hood and black cotton mask. I can’t believe it. It’s my ex-boyfriend, Ryan. It’s been nearly two years since we broke up.
“So you do remember me. Here I was thinking you’d forgot.” He’s speaking slowly and a sinister tone taint
s all of his words. That sweet guy I dated isn’t here now. This Ryan is truly frightening and his eyes shine with menace.
I can only shake my head to answer him. I’ve never forgot him, I just don’t think of him at all anymore.
“I’m surprised you remember the man that you threw away. Threw away, so you could carry on whoring your body out to the masses, not caring that that man worshipped you. I can still feel your body pressing against mine, the weight of your breasts in my hands and the taste of your skin on my tongue. You see I’ve never forgotten about you either. I watched, waiting for you to realise your mistake. You never did. So, it’s up to me to save you from yourself. Time’s up.”
I’m trying to understand what he’s saying. My mind isn’t working right, his words are jumbled in my brain. They’re all twisted together and I can’t comprehend what they mean. Nothing is making sense other than the fact that he’s been watching me. I just stare, not saying anything or moving an inch. I’m so pathetic and weak.
“I sent you warnings, Bells. You shouldn’t have ignored them. I showed you what would happen if you didn’t change. More fool you for discarding them…and me.”
“I’m sorry.” I say, my voice barely audible. It’s only two small words but they took all my energy to force out.
“Yes, you’re sorry and lessons have been learnt but punishment hasn’t been handed down yet. You need a permanent reminder of your past sinful ways.”
He puts his hands in his pockets. One comes out holding a syringe and the other a scalpel. I try to move further away, my hands frantically pulling at the chain as I scurry along the wall. My back scraping on a new surface. I now realise what I’ve done. I’ve backed myself into a corner. I can’t run or move. I’m helpless and he knows it. He strides towards me and grips my already bruised arms making me cry out in pain and plunges the needle into my skin.
“I can’t trust you to hold still while I do my work and I don’t want to hurt you, no matter what you think.” I start to feel woozy. “No one will want you when I’m done. You’ll be begging me to take you back. You never know, I just might but you’ll have to ask very, very nicely.”
The last thing I see is him leering at me, his eyes roaming over my body. My mind goes blank and that’s the last thing I know.
Chapter twenty three
Asher
I still had enough presence of mind not to pick up the phone. Thank god I did, the cops managed to pull a partial finger print from it. It’s the only lead we have. The car had no registration plates and our description of a white Chevrolet wasn’t much help. The cops make us return to the RV Park to wait for news. I can’t sit and neither can anyone else.
Pepper had to be medicated to calm her down. Janie is staying with her in the bedroom while the rest of us pace either in or around the bago. Michael never leaves my side. I figure he thinks that I’ll be given any news first and that he won’t miss it if he’s near me.
The door swings open and Ralph storms in. His skin is blotchy and his eyes blood shot. I can see his body shaking. He looks just like me.
“Someone tell me what the fuck happened right now! I’ve heard the watered down shit. I want every detail. Get talking!” He looks so fierce.
I run through it minute by minute. Everything I saw and heard. It’s easy to recall, it’s playing through my mind constantly on repeat.
Ralph puts his hand on my shoulder. “Bow’s strong. We cling to that. She’s a Stratton and they’re tough sons of bitches. She’ll come out of this. I know she will. There’s no alternative.” I nod while hoping all he said is true.
I’ve never felt more useless. I’m not a computer genius like Glen, who’s hacked into the cop’s communication system for this and surrounding areas, listening for something relevant to aid the investigation. I’m not connected like Ralph, who’s on the phone talking to powerful people who get things done. I’m just me and at the moment I’m not making the grade.
I’ve been given this precious gift and I didn’t protect it. When I get her back she’s never leaving my sight again. I’ll make myself worthy of her. Ralph switches on the TV. I turned it off not long ago, sick of hearing news reporters saying her name. After a couple of minutes a press release is read out asking for help from the public.
Fuck, now I’m glad she’s recognisable. Her looks will draw attention to her even if whoever has her finds a way to keep her quiet. I’m trying not to think about that too much. Her secret’s life at college is out now as well. It had to be made public for the investigation. One of the theories circulating is that someone at college discovered her identity and is planning to use her for ransom. We all think that’s highly unlikely. The information was released along with the fact that she was taken from a road trip she was on with her college friends.
Glen says Oddball House is surrounded. He pulls up the feeds from the hidden security cameras that show the property. I wonder if Bow will want to go back. Where she goes, I go so I don’t give a damn either way. It’s been twenty hours since she was taken. I’ve felt every one like it’s a decade. The sight of people are leaving flowers and candles outside Oddball pisses me off. She’s not dead, god dammit!
Ralph’s phone rings in his hand. We all face him vying for any news he might be getting.
“Yep. Get that information to me now!” He hangs up and starts collecting his belongings, shoving them into his pockets. We do the same. Clearly we’re going somewhere. “They’ve identified the partial. It’s from a guy named Ryan Winters.”
“I recognise that name.” No one else does other than Ralph who nods at me.
“He’s was her boyfriend a couple of years ago. She left him when he wanted her to quit working and he got jealous over everything. He’s rented a house three hours from here. They’re going to raid it any minute now.” He spins and strides out of the bago. We all follow close on his heels.
A helicopter is approaching in the distance. “Now this only seats six passengers so only four of you can come with me and Asher. Sort it amongst yourselves. You’ve got two minutes.”
I’m relieved he automatically included me. Not that he could keep me off that thing if it held no passengers. It’s quickly decided that Radley and Tate will stay behind to keep an eye on the girls on the agreement that they’re updated straight away with any new developments. The helicopter lands nearby. We jump in and strap into seats as quick as our fumbling hands can manage. Ralph hands us protective ear guards attached with microphones so we can talk.
After half an hour the helicopter pilot patches in the police for Ralph and we can hear what’s being said. Ralph flips a switch near him to turn off our mics so we don’t interrupt. The voice is really crackly, I can only hear bits.
“….Stratton found…unconscious…blood…wounds…hospital…knife…”
My heart jumps in my chest hearing Bow’s been found, then plummets when I hear the rest of the words. Is she dying? Seriously hurt? I’ve got no answers and more questions than ever. The helicopter suddenly changes direction making my stomach lurch. Ralph tells us we are headed to the hospital. Colby squeezes my shoulder. He knows I’m freaking out. I won’t calm until I see her with my own eyes.
We land on the roof of the hospital and run inside directed by a doctor where to go. I’m leading the charge through the corridors. Ralph and Michael are right on my heels. When we arrive in a stampeding heap a nurse directs us into a room to wait for the doctor. When Ralph and I refuse demanding to know where she is, the nurse tells us we can wait here or the county jail. It doesn’t relax or reassure me any but it does get me in the room. Five torturous minutes later a doctor enters.
“I’m looking for Bow Bells Stratton’s relatives.”
I step forward. “That’s us.”
“Which relative are you?”
“I’m her boyfriend.”
“I’m sorry, I can only release information to direct family.”
I blow up. “She doesn’t have any direct family! We’re her fucki
ng family!” I’m ready to down this guy when Ralph shouts.
“I’m her Uncle Ralph. I’m also her ‘in case of emergency’ contact. Tell us what you know now!”
I see the doctor scan the faces of six very pissed off men in a small room. He nods. “Miss Stratton has been brutally attacked. Her lower left leg has been sliced with a scalpel many times. She is heavily bruised on one arm and she has many contusions and abrasions spread over the rest of her body. There is also a quite a knot on the back of her head. Her attacker had recently given her a large dose of sedative. We are trying to bring her around from that now.”
“Is there any evidence of sexual assault?” Ralph asks. Fuck! That hadn’t even entered my mind. I gag, managing to hold the vomit in and focus on the doctor’s response.
“No. We’ve taken swabs as is routine in these situations but there is no visual evidence to suggest an assault of a sexual nature.”
“Where is she? Can we see her?” I’m almost begging at this point.
“Not yet. A plastic surgeon is still working on stitching her leg. When he’s done and we’ve verified her condition again, you can see her. A nurse will take you to her when it’s time. It shouldn’t be too long. She’s going to be fine.”
I collapse onto a flimsy plastic chair and whatever was temporarily holding me together falls apart. I scream out my rage and sadness into my cupped hands. My beautiful girl, she shouldn’t be here, doesn’t deserve this. I cry for every minute she’s been away from me and for every mark that has been put on her body. Colby grabs me to him roughly and I fist his shirt in my hands, sobbing into his chest as he holds me tight.
“You need to let your feelings go for now, Asher, and concentrate on Bow. She can’t be the one to help you through this. Don’t go in there putting this on her too. You’ve got all of us for that. Vent all you like when you get her home for now, you pull yourself together for her, she’s going to need you.” Colby’s right. I see Michael taking in his words too. He’s not doing much better than me.
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