by Marion Myles
“I hope you’re right. Okay, let’s hit the road.”
“I’ll drive. You work the phone.”
He flashed back to the day he’d driven home from camping with his friends and found the town in turmoil, his parents stricken, and his sister missing. Pain banged behind his eyes. His stomach churned. This couldn’t be happening again.
When the call came, he closed his eyes and ordered himself to calm down.
“Her car’s there?” he asked when Martins explained no one was answering the door and the dogs were inside going crazy.
“That’s affirmative,” she said. “I checked the front door, and it isn’t locked. I’ve looked in all the downstairs windows. There’s no sign of her. What do you want me to do?”
What he wanted to do was order Martins inside, but he wasn’t entirely sure Mac wouldn’t rip a chunk out of her. He looked at the GPS. They were still a full twenty minutes away. Shit. If Mia really was missing, every second counted.
“Go around to the back deck. There’s a gate at the side of the house. If you can, smash open the doggie door. No, the kitchen door. That’d be better. Break in through that. Open it a touch but leave something jammed up against it. One of the deck chairs maybe. Something the dogs can push through. That will give you enough time to get back out through the gate again before they do. Once they’re in the run, hoof it to the front door and get inside before they realize what you’re doing. You should be able to get back to the kitchen and close them out.”
“And if I don’t?” she asked.
“The Doberman’s the one you have to win over. The others will follow his lead. His name is Mac. Use it. Tell him to sit and point at the floor. Hold your ground. Be firm. Don’t look away. I wouldn’t ask you to do this if I didn’t believe it was life or death. Call me when you’ve gone through the house.”
“Okay, sir.”
“What the hell, man,” Kevin said when Roman clicked off. “I’ve seen those dogs. That Doberman could take Martins down in the blink of an eye.”
Roman leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. “I know. What choice did I have? If Anita’s killer has Mia, we don’t have any time to waste. We’re already too late.”
The moments dripped by like syrup, and they waited in silence for the phone to signal. When it did, Roman stabbed the screen. “Martins?”
“I’m in, and the dogs are locked outside. Mia Reeves is not in residence. There’s a pot of tea, slightly warm, on a table in the room off the kitchen along with what looks like a partially finished pair of earrings. Music is playing through the speakers from her iPod. It’s set on repeat. Her phone is on the kitchen counter, and her wallet is in her purse in the front hall closet. No signs of distress. No furniture upended.”
“Thanks, Martins. I’m calling it in. I want you to hold there. I’m ten minutes out.”
Kevin hit the sirens and floored it, passing vehicle after vehicle as he steamed down the highway. Roman barely registered any of it. Turning his attention to the phone, he blew out a breath and called Lieutenant Schmidt.
“Sir, Mia Reeves appears to have been abducted from her house. Front door unlocked. Phone, wallet, keys, all left behind along with her four dogs. I’ve got Martins on site, and I’m heading there now.”
“I’ll put out the APB. You sure you’re steady enough to handle this?”
“Yes, sir. Absolutely.”
* * *
Tony helped Mia climb into the trunk then bound her ankles together. “Don’t worry, I’ve got the perfect spot all picked out for you. Now lie back, relax, and enjoy the trip. I’ll see you soon.”
The lid closed down with a sharp click, and she was in the dark. How was it possible with all her extra abilities that she’d never seen the monster inside Tony? Poor Roman. This would gut him.
Oh, God, Roman. Was he in surgery yet? But…wait…maybe he wasn’t even shot. Tony had likely made up the story to get her to leave with minimal fuss and without her phone. It had worked like a charm. No one would have the slightest idea where she was.
Panic reared up again. The cloth in her mouth was now thoroughly soaked in saliva, and she felt as if she might suffocate. Her stomach churned. It terrified her to think of vomiting because with her mouth all bound up she’d choke within minutes. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to breathe in and out slowly through her nose.
The engine started, and the car rolled forward. There had to be a way to pop the trunk from the inside. Not that she’d be able to leap out and run, but just maybe she’d somehow get away. Her shoulders screamed in pain, and she rolled toward her stomach to try and relieve the pressure. When the agony lessened, she managed to roll again and position her hands by the lock on the lid.
Her straining fingers fitted into oily crevices and along the contours of the metal, but no matter what she pushed or wiggled, the trunk remained stubbornly closed. Her eyes were now accustomed to the darkness. In fact, it wasn’t absolute pitch black because some light leaked in from around rivets along the side paneling. Not much, mind you, but it helped her state of mind immensely.
She rolled again and wiggled farther into the recesses of the trunk until her feet pointed straight back. Twisting and turning, she managed to lift her legs and curl them toward her body then kick out and hit the lid of the trunk. She did it over and over again until sweat ran into her eyes and her chest heaved. It was no use. There hadn’t been one iota of movement or anything that suggested the lock was loosening.
The car slowed and turned, and now the road was bumpy. Her head hit the lower ceiling near the back seats. She rolled again, into the main area of the trunk and wedged her feet in the corner of the wheel well to try and provide an anchor. It helped. She lay quietly and considered.
Her fingers started tingling, and her shoulders continued to complain about the position of her arms. Mia opened and closed her fists with a mind to keeping the blood flowing. Her heart jumped into her mouth when her hand brushed against a jewelry tool in her back pocket. She’d forgotten about it, and thankfully Tony hadn’t patted her down. Please let it be wire cutters, she prayed.
She hooked her index finger inside the fabric and poked around noting two prongs of metal. So either the pinchers, which wouldn’t be all that useful, or the cutters. Her mind flew back to the earrings. What exactly had she been doing when she’d stopped to look out at Tony? She thought she’d finished wrapping the copper around the first crystal bead below the blue agate. Had she cut it? Yes, definitely because in her mind’s eye she could now see the clippings on the table.
Excitement burst in her chest, but before she’d had a chance to wrestle the cutters out of her pocket, the car came to an abrupt stop. A door opened then slammed closed. Tony was whistling, she realized, and her hand froze at the top of her pocket. She’d run out of time.
For most of her life, she’d been surrounded by unscrupulous people. Liars, cheats, scam artists, many of them violent. Tony scared her more than all of them put together.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
Tears stung her eyes. If only she’d remembered the tool sooner. Now, with her luck, he’d notice the weapon and take it away. Her one and perhaps only chance at escape was slipping away.
The trunk opened, and he reached in and stroked her cheek. “We’re here, my lovely. You and I are going to have such a good time.”
She lay limp and unresponsive even when he released the bonds on her ankles. With what seemed like little effort, he scooped her up and set her on the ground. His strength frightened her. She was literally at his whim and mercy, and she was darned sure he would show her no mercy.
They were parked by the foundation of an old barn. Some of the planks remained in place on the side walls, but the roof was gone. Turning her head back and forth, she couldn’t see a house anywhere.
“Yes, it’s nice and remote, isn’t it? The property’s at the end of a dead end road. I made sure no one ever comes here. Okay, let’s go into the barn so I can grab s
omething. We’ll hike out. Don’t forget, I still have my trusty friend with me.” He pointed down to his hip where the Taser was holstered.
Nestled in the corner of the barn foundation was a shovel. Tony took it in his left hand and pushed her out through the opening in the wall. She kept her hands pressed against her back right pocket in the hopes he wouldn’t notice the cutters. Realizing she needed to distract him, she made urgent sounds through the fabric in her mouth.
He shook his head and smiled depreciatingly. “Oh, I am sorry. How silly of me to forget the gag. If you promise to behave, I’ll take it off. Honestly, I’m not worried about anyone hearing you because really—” He spread his arms wide. “Look around. There’s no one for miles. But I won’t have you spoiling our time together with screams and cries. Will you give me your word you’ll conduct yourself like a lady?”
Mia met his eyes and nodded vigorously. He smiled, pleased with her response. Dropping the shovel at his feet, he reached up and gently peeled the tape away before plucking the soggy material from her mouth. She turned her head to the side and spat several times trying to clear the horrible taste from her mouth.
He shrugged and patted her shoulder. “Unpleasant, I know, but sadly necessary. Okay, we have a bit of a hike ahead of us. Best get going.”
“I thought you usually kill first then move the body to bury elsewhere.”
He turned his head, and his smile ratcheted up a notch as though she’d said something incredibly clever. “Ah, yes but I’m refining my process. Growing even. You notice I didn’t drug you either? That was a messy business. I never really liked doing it. You may not realize it, but you mark a turning point for me. After Anita, I randomly chose my girls. You’re the first one I’ve known and planned to kill.”
“But you knew Anita.”
“Very true. Anita was special though. There was no plan. The whole thing evolved organically. Some might say it was an accident, but I’d call it destiny. She showed me the way. My way. After that night, I finally knew why I was here. Up until that point, I’d thought my life pointless, a mistake even, then everything came into focus. I had a calling. And you, my lovely, are the beginning of the next phase.”
“You never use a gun. How come?”
He made a scoffing noise in his throat. “Guns are for amateurs. People who can’t maintain control. I find them offensive. And I’d never want to disfigure one of my girls. It would spoil everything. This is nice, us talking like this. I don’t want you to get your hopes up though because it won’t change anything. You and I are going to complete the experience. It has to be. And if some small part of you is thinking of running, this Taser can reach fifteen feet no problem. Plus, I’m a hundred percent sure I’m faster than you.”
“Roman and his whole family are going to be devastated when they find out you’re the killer.”
“Yeah. I know. I’ve made my peace with it though. They never accepted me for who I was. Did you know they sent me to shrinks for years to make me better?” He used his fingers as air quotes on the word better.
“I’m sure they wanted you to be happy. It must have been terrible to lose your father when you were so young, especially with your mother not being around much.”
“I didn’t lose him,” Tony snapped. “He chose to go.”
“Roman told me it was a car accident.”
“Yeah, right. The kind of accident that happens on a deserted road on a perfect day and ends up with my dad’s car impaled on a tree. He couldn’t take my mother leaving, and he killed himself. I know because I looked into it when I was older. They both left of their own accord.”
“Oh, Tony, you poor little boy. I’m so sorry.”
He whirled around and slapped her across the face. “Shut up. No more talking.”
With her cheek on fire, Mia slipped her fingers into her back pocket again. She was too afraid of dropping the tool to try and take it out while they were walking. They’d stop at some point, she reasoned. And when they did, she’d have to find a way to cut herself free.
It seemed they walked forever. She stared at the back of his head, at the shiny wheat-blond hair, and tried to push her way into his mind. As before, it was no use. She simply couldn’t get any kind of reading from him. It was as though he didn’t have thoughts or feelings or memories. There was nothing except blank space.
He seemed so normal. When he was talking about killing as his life’s work, it sounded reasonable, as though anyone should be able to understand. No different from someone describing becoming a lawyer or a politician. Yet surely he must look around and see no one he knew was killing people.
“Do you think murder should be legalized?” she asked.
He stopped and turned to look at her. “What an interesting question. You’re turning out to be so much more than I expected. I think this new method, where I interact with my chosen one, will bring me a great deal more pleasure than I’d imagined. So, do I think murder should be legalized? Hmm…well, I don’t think everyone is capable of doing what I do. It’s a huge responsibility, and only those with absolute mastery over themselves should be allowed the privilege.”
“Maybe the government should run some kind of program, and only those who pass the exams could be killers?” she suggested.
He tipped his head. “I don’t know about that. What I do is an art. It can’t be taught. Did Rembrandt need someone to teach him to paint? What about Mozart? Who coached him into becoming a genius composer? And you?” He pointed a finger at her head. “How did you learn to read people’s thoughts?”
“I always could for as long as I can remember.”
“Exactly my point. Back to your main question then. I think certain exceptional individuals should not be held to the laws created for the general population of mundane people. What I do isn’t wrong. It’s a supremely artistic experience that only a select few will ever know. You should count yourself lucky.”
When she didn’t say anything, he chuckled and gestured with his head to keep walking. Okay, she thought as she trudged after him, there’s no reasoning with this guy. He was way out there on the lunatic fringe.
Her mind drifted back to Roman. She saw his gorgeous dark eyes focused on her. His sexy mouth curving into a smile. He’d been so good to her, so honest and genuine, and she’d done nothing but lie to him day after day. If she’d been another kind of person who wasn’t hiding from her past, she’d have fallen head over heels in love with him. Who was she kidding? She was in love with him.
Even under these bizarre circumstances, it felt liberating to finally admit it to herself. She loved Roman…could easily imagine waking up with him every morning. Even spending a life with him. Why had she been so frightened?
Because once he found out about my past, it would all be over anyway.
Maybe so. Maybe not though. And wouldn’t it have been worth trying to figure it out? She thought about her plans to disappear, to change her identity again and build a whole new life. In the old days, she’d found it exciting and hadn’t minded sprinting off and turning herself into someone new. Now, all it did was make her feel empty. Now it didn’t matter because she was minutes away from dying.
No, she thought fiercely and once again brushed her hand over the tool in her pocket. This is not my day to die.
“We’re here,” he said, jolting her from her thoughts.
He dropped the shovel beside an enormous pile of fresh dirt. The hole was large. When she peeked over the edge, very deep too. A pool of water shimmered at the bottom. Must be from yesterday’s rain, she concluded.
“This had to have taken you forever to dig,” she said conversationally while her fingers closed over the handle in her pocket.
Tony slipped off the backpack and flexed his right biceps, patting it with his other hand. “Less than two hours. My body is an instrument, and I like to keep myself in excellent shape.”
Backing away from the hole, she sank to the ground. “You do look very fit,” she said.
&nbs
p; Mia pulled the tool carefully from her pocket without dropping it. Managing to get it turned blade side down, she pried the two arms apart but struggled to fit it across the zip ties. She slid it farther up her hands while her wrists cramped then down again. Still no connection between the mouth of the wire cutters and the plastic.
“They won’t break,” he said. Her face went stiff with shock. “The zip ties. All these people on the internet love posting videos of how to get free by positioning the fastener between your hands and slamming your arms down. Trust me, those babies are industrial strength. Even I couldn’t get out of them without a knife.”
“I’m not…I wasn’t…my shoulders are sore. I was trying to relieve the pressure.”
For one terrifying moment, she thought he was going to walk over and check her hands. After shrugging as though in apology, he crouched down and unzipped the backpack. Her hands worked to hold the cutters steady on the zip ties while squeezing the handles together.
Chapter Twenty-five
With a final push of effort, Mia pressed the cutters closed and the sharp little blades sliced through the plastic in one easy snip. She slipped the tool back into her pocket and keeping her movements as small as possible massaged some life back into her screaming wrists.
Tony pulled a blanket and a bottle of water from the backpack. Straightening, he kicked sticks and stones to the side and spread the blanket out in a strange parody as if setting up a romantic picnic. He uncapped the water and drank deep, emptying half the bottle before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“This spot will be perfect for us.” Tony smiled over at her. “I want to show you something first.”
Her heart was an independently live thing now and beat so hard against her ribs she wondered why it didn’t bust right out of her chest. He came toward her, and her eyes darted everywhere seeking a weapon more substantial than jewelry cutters. The shovel remained by the hole, but if she ran for it, he’d likely tackle her to the ground or simply pull out the Taser. Same thing with the fallen branch behind him. Either way, he’d discover her hands were free, and she’d lose any advantage.
