Blank Slate

by Olivia Saxton

  “No, but your wife is holding out on information that I need, and I’m not leaving until I get it,” he said in a menacing tone that sent a shiver up Lacey’s spine. His eyes were wild, and his hand shook as he aimed the gun at them. “Now, I’m going to ask one more time. Where are my wife and daughter?”

  “I swear, Damien, I don’t know,” Lacey said in a shaky voice.

  Damien cocked the gun slowly. “All right. Surely, she gave you a hint.”

  Lacey shook her head. “She didn’t,” she replied as tears watered up.

  “Think!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. “She could have given you a hint without realizing it.”

  “New York,” she said quickly. It was the first thing that popped in her head. She didn’t want to betray Layla’s confidence, but she and Corey were facing a madman with a gun. “She said something about New York.”

  “Where in New York? A hotel . . . motel . . . maybe a friend’s house?”

  She remembered Carter Mitchell, but she couldn’t say his name. If Damien confronted him, he would tip Carter off that she had recalled all of her memories, which would put Keisha and Layla in danger. “I . . . I . . . It’s hard for me to think with you pointing that thing at us.”

  “Well, I’m not putting it away, so I suggest you pull yourself together and think,” Damien snarled as he looked at her.

  Her mouth dropped open as Corey lunged at Damien. He grabbed Damien’s wrist. They turned their backs to her as they struggled against each other. “Get out of here, Lacey!” Corey shouted.

  Lacey took the opportunity to run to the kitchen and up the stairs. Before she got to her bedroom to get her gun, a shot went off, and she heard glass breaking. Another one followed behind it. She got to her bedroom and dashed to the chest at the end of the bed. When she opened the top and reached in, another shot went off followed by something that chilled her to the bone – a man yelling out in pain.

  Chapter 42

  Lana had decided to stop by Tampa Guns and Range before picking up Izabella. She had gone to the locker rooms to get her gun and the extra magazines she had for it. She had her two revolvers in the car, but considering her situation, she didn’t think she could have too much firepower. Besides, the only agents she was willing to trust with hers and Keisha’s safety were Alec and Bruce because of what happened last time. Once she had alerted the FBI that she had total recall, they would reopen the case against Carter and his goons.

  Keisha had just quietly watched her put the gun and bullets in her bag. Then they had gone back upstairs to leave, but Lana was distracted by the bulletproof vests.

  She asked Lou if he had vests small enough for children. He did and grabbed the smallest one he had for Keisha to try on. It was a little big for her, but she seemed comfortable in it, and it would do the job just in case something crazy happened. Lou asked her if she wanted to buy one for herself. Lana didn’t want to deplete her cash reserves. She wondered if she should use her debit card so she could purchase one for herself.

  Once she finished her business at the gun store, she picked up Izabella and drove them to Alec’s apartment building. She parked on the street out front. She was in a fifteen-minute spot.

  Lana pulled out a letter she had written Alec in the car outside of the gun store and one of the copies of Damien’s diary pages out of her purse. “Izabella, I need to deal with some unfinished business,” she began. “I want you and Keisha to go to the third floor in this building, and then go to apartment three-D. Do you understand?”

  “Si,” Izabella replied slowly.

  “That’s Alec Peterson’s apartment. He’s home. I texted him before I picked you up and told him to expect company. You two will be safe here with him. I need you to give him this letter and this paperwork. I’ll join you here in an hour or two. Can you do that?” Lana asked seriously.

  “Of course, señora, but where are you going?”

  Lana leaned toward Izabella and lowered her voice to a whisper so Keisha wouldn’t hear. “It’s one thing for me to be scared of Carter; it’s another to run scared from Damien.” Lana realized on her way to the gun store that she had let Damien rule her every move since he had taken her memories. She wasn’t going to stand for it any longer. Her plan was to confront him and come back to be with Alec.

  “Oh señora, no. After what he did to you? We don’t know what he’s capable of really,” Izabella whispered with fear in her eyes.

  “I don’t think he’ll do anything crazy. But, if he tries, I’ll be ready,” she replied.

  “This is no time to be prideful. Park the car and come with us. Be with the man you truly love, and let the police handle this,” Izabella whispered.

  “Mommy, where are we now?” Keisha asked.

  Lana kept looking at Izabella. “I have to do this. Just do what I’ve asked you . . . please.”

  “Okay,” Izabella conceded as she stuffed the papers in her purse. Then she opened the door. “We’ll need our things.”

  “We’re at a friend’s house,” Lana answered Keisha as she popped the trunk.

  “Your friend?” Keisha asked.

  “Yes. He’s very nice, and he has a dog,” Lana said with cheer.

  “Oh, I like dogs,” Keisha said interest. “Is it a big dog?”

  “Yes, he’s very friendly. The dog’s name is Lucky.”

  “Lucky,” Keisha repeated.

  Izabella put her rolling suitcase and Keisha’s suitcase and small bag on the sidewalk.

  “That’s a nice name for a dog,” Keisha said.

  Izabella closed the trunk and rounded the car and opened the back door. She started unbuckling Keisha out of her car seat.

  “What’s your friend’s name?”

  “Alec. Do you remember him from our Christmas party?”

  “No.”

  “He was the man who gave you a piece of candy at the party.”

  “Yes, it was soft, and it tasted like mint,” Keisha said.

  Lana chuckled. “That’s right. You’ll be seeing a lot of him from now on,” she stated as she turned to look at Keisha.

  “Okay,” Keisha said.

  “Come on, little one,” Izabella said as she held her arms out.

  “Mommy, aren’t you coming?” Keisha asked.

  “I am in a little while, honey. Mommy has more things to do. But I wanted you meet Alec and Lucky right away because I know you love dogs.”

  “But you will come, right?”

  “Yes, honey, I just need to do more things before I do. Okay?”

  “Okay,” Keisha said as she went into Izabella’s arms.

  “I love you, baby.”

  “I love you, too, Mommy. See you later. I hope Alec has food.”

  Keisha’s comment made Lana realize that it was after dinnertime. “I’m sure he does, honey. Izabella, don’t let Alec give her anything sweet. It’s after four.”

  “Si, señora. Be careful,” Izabella said as she held Keisha.

  “I will. Bye, baby. I’ll be back soon.”

  “Bye, Mommy,” Keisha said.

  Izabella closed the door. Keisha picked up her bag of dolls as Izabella picked up Keisha’s little suitcase and the rolling suitcase. Lana watched them enter the building before she pulled off.

  Chapter 43

  It had been a little over an hour since Lana had texted him. When Alec’s doorbell rang thirty minutes earlier, he had thought it was her, but it turned out to be Bruce. Alec had told his buddy that he was expecting Lana. Instead of Bruce leaving, he had pushed past Alec and said he would go when she showed up.

  Alec was drinking rum and Coke while Bruce sipped on a beer.

  “It looks like she stood you up. Good thing I came by. You’d have been yanking your dry crank with Lucky watching you like you had lost your mind if I hadn’t,” Bruce goaded with a smirk.

  “You are the constant comedian,” he said sarcastically. “She probably got stuck in traffic, or maybe she had to . . . bake a quiche real quick.”
r />   Bruce burst out laughing. “But, all jokes aside, I hope she brings some of those cinnamon muffins.”

  Alec shook his head as he sipped his drink.

  “Now that you have your first love back, I would think you would get into the holiday spirit this year and decorate. You could have at least put up some mistletoe.”

  “Unlike you, I don’t need the assistance of props to get a woman to kiss me,” Alec replied with a smirk.

  They both chuckled.

  Lucky made a low rumble noise as he slowly stood from his laying down position. Then he let out a bark.

  “What the hell is wrong with him?” Bruce asked with his nose turned up.

  Alec set his drink on the table as he slowly rose. “Something’s not right.”

  Lucky barked two more times.

  Then they both started hearing what Lucky’s canine ears picked up before them.

  “Help!” a woman screamed.

  “Shit,” Bruce said as he shot up.

  As Alec was making his way to the door, the woman shrieked again. “Señor Alec, help!”

  He swung the door open and looked down the hall. A large Latina woman was limping up the hallway with tears streaming down her large cheeks. She was dragging luggage.

  “Señor!” she yelled as she stumbled toward him. She started yelling in Spanish as she pointed behind her.

  “Oh my God. Izabella?’ Alec remembered her from Lana’s Christmas party. She was Keisha’s nanny. He dashed to her.

  Bruce was right behind him. Lucky was barking his head off in the middle of the hallway. Three of his neighbors had opened their doors to see what was going on.

  Alec grabbed Izabella’s arm, and Bruce grabbed the other to help her walk.

  “Quiet!” Alec ordered the dog.

  Lucky stopped barking, but he still stood in the hallway watching like the neighbors were.

  “What’s going on, Alec?” Lee, one of his neighbors, asked.

  Izabella started yammering quickly in Spanish again as they helped her to his apartment. Alec had no idea what she was saying, but Bruce knew Spanish. “Don’t know yet,” Alec replied.

  “I’ll get her some water,” Lee said and dipped back into his doorway. He was about five-foot-four. Lee taught college classes part-time and worked part-time as a lifeguard at a public pool.

  Izabella haphazardly dropped the luggage in the doorway. Bruce said something to her in Spanish as they got her into the apartment and on the couch. That’s when Alec saw the forming bruise on the side of her chubby cheek. “What the hell is she saying, Bruce?”

  “I don’t know. She’s going too fast,” he said as he struggled to grab her flailing arms. “Izabella! Izabella! Slow down. I can’t understand you.”

  Lee walked across the threshold with a bottled water in his hand. He offered it to Izabella, but she shook her head. “No time! No time!”

  Bruce started speaking in Spanish very slowly as he held her hand.

  “Okay, okay,” she heaved out and started speaking in Spanish. It was slower, but not by much. Her eyes were full of shock, worry, and heartache.

  Bruce’s face started going pale as he eyes widened.

  “What?” Alec inquired.

  “Oh my God,” Bruce groaned with dismay.

  “Uh oh,” Lee said with alarm.

  “What?” Alec inquired as he looked over at Lee.

  “My Spanish is rusty at best, but I think she said the word for kidnap,” Lee whispered quickly.

  “What?” Alec exclaimed. Did Lana get abducted?

  She stopped talking and started digging into her purse that was hanging by a thread off her shoulder.

  “Bruce, what the hell did she say?” Alec yelled.

  His friend turned to him like he was about to tell him someone died. “Alec, I need you to brace yourself.”

  “The longer you put it off, the more upset I’ll get!” Alec shouted.

  “Today, Lana had total recall. She remembers everything about her life, and she had learned that Damien had injected her four years ago with an experimental drug that caused her amnesia.”

  Alec’s eyes felt like they were going to pop out of his sockets.

  “Lana decided to take Keisha and leave Damien for good while he was working late at the hospital tonight. Izabella asked to come with them, and Lana said yes. After they got their things together, Lana dropped them off in front of the building — this building. She wanted Izabella and Keisha to stay here with you until she got back.”

  “Got back from where?” Alec’s asked with terror.

  “According to Izabella, Lana let pride enter her heart, and she wanted to confront Damien about what he did to her – alone. After that, she was going to come back here.”

  “If that’s the case where the hell is Ke—” He stopped as the dreaded thought popped in his mind. He looked at Izabella’s bruised face and broken nails as her hands clutched a bunch of papers and rosary to her chest. “Oh god,” he groaned with disappointment as he looked down at the carpet.

  “Alec, it happened so fast,” Bruce began as he put his hands on Alec’s shoulders. “Keisha and Izabella were waiting for the elevator. Two young black men dressed like gang members rushed through the lobby doors like lightning. One of them struggled with Izabella as the other scooped Keisha up and carried her out with her mouth covered. Izabella started clawing at the guy before he gave her a good whack across the face, and then shoved her on the floor.”

  “I’ll call nine-one-one,” a woman said from the doorway. The other two neighbors who were in the hallway were now standing in his doorway.

  Lucky was standing at attention behind Alec, waiting for orders. It was instinct for him.

  “Tell them to send an ambulance and the police,” Bruce said.

  “Okay,” she said and left. The other neighbor stayed in the doorway.

  Alec couldn’t believe what had happened just three floors down from him. He felt like he couldn’t get enough air.

  “I’m calling it in,” Bruce said as he pulled out his cell. “We’ll have thirty guys here in twenty minutes, Alec.”

  Lee sat down next to Izabella and put his arm around her shoulders.

  Alec grabbed Bruce by the collar. “Damn it, Bruce! Lana trusted me to protect the most precious thing in the world to her, and I couldn’t do it! I let her down – again!”

  “No! Alec, it wasn’t your fault,” Bruce shouted as he put a bear grip on Alec’s upper arms. “You didn’t know! She didn’t tell you what she was up to because she knew you would stop her from going back after Damien.”

  Alec loosened his grip. He wanted to drop dead right then and there, but he couldn’t. He had to get Keisha back. Even if it cost him his career, his freedom, or his life, he had to get Lana’s little girl back to her.

  “Alec,” Lee whispered.

  He looked down.

  Izabella was reaching out to him. The papers clasped in her hand.

  Bruce was requesting assistance from the bureau in the background.

  “Aqui, aqui. For you, from Señora Miles. Aqui,” she said weakly as she shoved the papers against his abdomen.

  “Okay,” he said solemnly as he unhooked the vice grip she had on the papers. Whatever they said, it was important. Lana had given them to Izabella to give to him for a reason.

  “Hey, um, who are you?” Bruce asked Lee.

  “I’m Lee. I live across the hall,” he answered.

  “Lee, can you watch Izabella? Make sure she doesn’t wash her hands until our guys get here. She might have gotten some skin cells under her fingernails while she was fighting that one guy off,” Bruce said.

  “Sure.”

  “The ambulance and the police are on their way,” the woman said as she reappeared in the doorway next to the other woman.

  “Thanks,” Bruce said. “Can you guys hold down the fort while my partner and I have a private conversation – make sure Izabella drinks a little water?”

  “Sure,” the wo
man said as they entered the apartment.

  “I appreciate it,” Bruce said as he put his arm around Alec’s shoulders. He walked him down the hallway and into his bedroom.

  Lucky followed.

  Bruce closed the door. “Sit down, Alec.”

  “I don’t need to–”

  “Just sit the fuck down,” Bruce said more sternly.

  Alec wasn’t in the mood to fight with Bruce, so he sat down on the bed.

  “Now,” Bruce began as he sat down next to him. “I know this is serious shit. This is as shitty as it gets. But you have to keep your emotions under control. If you don’t, Blanchette and Rolls will pull you off this so fast it will make both our heads spin. And you know they are going to show up eventually.”

  William Blanchette was supervisory special agent, their direct supervisor. Neil Rolls was assistant special agent in charge, Blanchette’s boss.

  “They’re not as strict as our bosses in DC were,” Alec replied as he slowly straightened out the crumpled papers Izabella had given him.

  “No, but they’re not pushovers, and they don’t take any shit either. If you want to get that little girl back and prove to Lana that you are the man she believes you are – and the man I know you are — you’ll pull yourself together and conduct yourself in the manner I know you can.”

  He was right. Alec had to get it together and show that he was ready to do his job. He nodded.

  Lucky rested his chin on Alec’s knee.

  “Good job tonight, boy,” Alec said as he rubbed Lucky’s head.

  “Now, what did Izabella give you?” Bruce asked.

  “Not sure,” Alec said and handed the stapled papers to Bruce. He kept the envelope. It was addressed to him personally in Lana’s handwriting. He broke the seal as Bruce started reading the papers he had.

  Alec unfolded the paper. Just skimming the letter, he could tell Lana had written it in a hurry. There were two keys inside the envelope.

  “That a girl, Lana. It looks like these are copies of personal diary entries by our very own Dr. Damien Miles,” Bruce said.

  “Oh,” Alec said as he looked up.