“Why’d you hide it?”
“Didn’t want to tempt anyone who might happen along.”
Luther motioned with the gun at the man. “You first. In the basement.”
Keeping his hands in the air, the man walked past her, not meeting her eyes. Then he was in the basement. The second he was in, Luther pushed her in behind him. She fell on top of him. His arms were the only thing that kept her from falling down the steps. A moment later the door slammed shut, leaving them in darkness.
6
She crumpled to the floor as she pulled away him, unable to stop the sobs.
His hand touched her shoulder. “It’ll be OK.”
“He’s going to kill both of us. You shouldn’t have tried to help me.”
“That won’t happen. Trust me.”
“I don’t see how you can say that. He’ll move your car and then come back to kill us. Why didn’t you just shoot him? Even if he did shoot me, you wouldn’t have died.”
“Nobody’s dying. God won’t let that happen.”
“I don’t see how He’ll stop it.”
“Because I really am a cop, and when my boss doesn’t hear from me, she’ll call in the cavalry.”
“You’re a cop? I thought you told him you weren’t.”
“I lied.”
“It will still be too late. He’s a…he’s a horrible man. He’ll probably kill you quickly, but he’ll make me suffer.” More sobs. “Even more than he already has.”
“Have a little faith.” He knelt down and hugged her closer to him.
His kindness made more tears flow. She became aware of the wetness of his shirt. ”You’re hurt.”
“I don’t think it’s too bad. It feels as if the bleeding’s already stopped. And I’m not dizzy or anything. Not now anyway. If I hadn’t passed out back there, this whole thing would have gone differently. So I’m the one who’s sorry.” He maneuvered around her as he stood.
“Don’t leave me.”
“We need to get out of here.”
A moment later, she heard the crash of his boot on the door. “Ouch. I think it’s a steel door.”
Another crash.
“Definitely a steel door. We aren’t getting out that way. Is there another way out? In the basement?”
“I don’t know. This is the first he’s even let me out of the room.” She stood and felt the wall, flicking a switch. A dim light came on below them. “Too bad your phone’s not working. We could call for help.”
“Another mistake on my part. I shouldn’t have left it in the car.”
“If he finds it, will he be able to tell you’re a cop?”
“I took the battery out, but the computer will be a dead giveaway. But maybe he won’t find the computer. Glad I took the time to hide it.”
“Oh, he’ll find it.”
“See if you can find a weapon of some sort while I keep trying to kick down the door. Maybe there’s another way out of here. Sometimes farm houses have an outside entrance to the basement. Look around.”
She stared into the basement, horror seeping in. But he was right. There had to be something they could use as a weapon. Holding on to the rail, heart hammering, she made her way down the steps and back into her prison. Fear threatened to engulf her. She needed a distraction.
“What’s your name?” Her voice was trembling and weak.
“Nate.” Another kick at the door. “I’m a cop from Mt. Pleasant.”
“Really? Luther said nobody was looking for me.” She searched around the dark room, not seeing anything that could be helpful. “I thought he might be right.”
“Your cousin came in today. She’s very worried about you.”
Grateful tears slid down her cheeks. Keren. Someone cared enough. Luther was wrong. Someone did love her. Her gaze scanned the bare room. “Nothing down here at all. The room’s completely empty. I guess Luther wanted to make sure there were no weapons down here just in case I got out of the room. I don’t see any other way out.” She made her way back up the steps.
“I don’t think this thing’s coming down. He probably made sure it would keep his secrets safe.”
“I can’t believe you’re here. You came for me.” She trembled and swayed toward him, her muscles feeling weak.
He grabbed her by the shoulders. “Don’t fall apart now. We’ve got to find a way out of here.”
“We won’t. He’s a madman.” Her voice sounded hysterical even to her, but she couldn’t stop. “He’s…going to…ki…kill us.”
His arms went around her. “God won’t let that happen. It’s not your time or mine. Let’s go.”
“Where?”
“He’ll be expecting us up here ready to jump him. We need to throw him off his game. Not make things easy for him.” His arm looped through hers as they went down into the basement. “I can’t believe there’s no kind of weapon down here. Not even a rake or shovel.”
“I can’t…” Her mind clicked. “Of course there’s weapons. His tools. I forgot.” She tugged him toward her prison. She stopped at the doorway. “In there. He’s got…all sorts of things.”
~*~
Things? Nate hurried past her. The first thing he saw was the bed… and the bloodstains. Dear God, what had that man done to her? To his left was a long table. His stomach twisted as he walked over.
Knives of all sizes and shapes, scalpels, and an array of other surgical-looking tools. In the right hands, the items were life-saving. In the wrong hands...his stomach turned. Nate didn’t even want to think about what Luther had done to that poor woman. No wonder she was terrified of Luther Marks. What had she endured?
He grabbed the largest two knives and a hammer. He had to be ready for Luther.
Ange wouldn’t look at him.
Even in the dim light, Nate could see the flush of her face. “It doesn’t matter what he did. None of it was your fault and you survived. That’s all that matters.”
“So far.”
“And we’ll keep on surviving. We need to find a place to hide before he gets back.”
“I wonder what’s taking him so long.”
“It was a long walk to my car. I left it on the side of the road, but he’ll be back soon. We need to be ready.” He handed her a knife.
Not moving, she stared at the weapon and then took a step backward. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. It’s not wrong to kill in self-defense. And we’re in a battle for our lives.” He handed it to her. “Take it. And use it if necessary.”
She grabbed it, but he was pretty sure she wouldn’t be able to use it when the time came. Protecting her would be up to him. Please God, help me keep her safe. In the dim light, he scanned the room. She was right−no other way out that he could see. No storm door. Just a typical basement, other than the fact it was completely bare.
Luther hadn’t wanted to give his victims any type of weapons in case they got out of the room. Of course, he hadn’t thought about his own tools. Strange.
“Under the stairs.”
He reached up and unscrewed the light bulb. The sudden darkness made her gasp. “Sorry, I guess I should have warned you.” He took hold of her arm and guided her under the steps. “This is actually a great spot. As he walks down, I might be able to grab his feet and make him fall. If that happens, we need to move quick. You run up the steps and out of the house and I’ll be right behind you.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“And you don’t stop. No matter what happens. Understand? You keep running away from this house.”
“But—”
“No buts. You run up those steps and out of this house. And you keep running to the road and get as far away from here as you can. As quick as you can. Don’t look back or worry about me. I can take care of myself. Got it?”
“You said you’d be right behind me.”
“And that’s probably true. But just in case that doesn’t happen, you keep running until you find help. Promise me you’ll leave. Without me.
”
There was silence for a moment. “I can’t just leave you.”
“Yes, you can. I can take care of myself. And I’ll be able to do that a whole lot better if I’m not worrying about you. Promise me. Please.”
“I promise.”
He nudged her with his shoulder. “Good. And don’t even think about breaking that promise.”
7
Ange leaned against him, taking comfort from his physical presence. She felt safe with him. Luther Marks wanted both of them dead. And this man was intent on protecting her despite not knowing her at all. If he died, it would be her fault. “What did you say your name was again? I forgot.”
“It’s Nate. Nate Goodman.”
“That’s a good name for you because you are a good man.”
“Thanks.”
“And you’re really from Mt. Pleasant?”
“Born and bred.”
“I never met you before, did I?”
“Not that I can remember.”
“I…I went to private schools. I didn’t know many people from the town.”
“We all know about you, though. You’re our claim to fame.”
“A lot of good that did me.” She’d thought being famous was the most important thing in the world. But life was more important—and freedom.
Would Nate be able to fight Luther off with just a knife? Probably not. In the end, Luther would still win, but at least she’d die knowing someone had tried to help her and that Keren had missed her. Someone cared about her. Luther was wrong. She wiped at the tears coursing down her cheeks. This all was so wrong. “Are you sure this will work?”
“Not really. But it’s the only idea I have. If you have a better one, I’d love to hear it.”
Nate shouldn’t die because of her. “I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry? For what?”
“For getting you into this mess.”
“You didn’t get me in a mess. It’s Luther Marks’ fault. And only his fault. No matter what happens, you remember that. This is not your fault.”
“But—”
“But nothing. Not your fault. I don’t care what you did or didn’t do to get you in this situation. It’s still Luther Marks’ fault. And only his.”
She was silent, mulling over what he’d said in her mind.
“Whose fault is it?”
She smiled in the darkness. “Luther’s.”
“Now you got it. And don’t forget—” He stopped abruptly as footsteps approached above them.
He was back. She clenched his arm.
He leaned in and whispered, “God keep us safe. Amen.”
“Amen.”
The door opened.
“And don’t forget your promise,” Nate whispered.
He moved away from her. Even though she couldn’t see him, she knew what he was doing. Getting in position to grab Luther’s feet. Please let his idea work.
“Both of you get up here. Now.” Luther’s voice was breathless, terrified. “You don’t really think you can hide from me, do you? I’m the one in control. I won’t say it again. Get up here. Now. Or you’ll be sorry.”
Ange stayed quiet. But to her surprise she found a part of her actually wanted to go up the steps like he’d ordered her to do. She fought the urge to comply.
Luther’s breathing was heavy as he stood at the top of the steps.
She touched Nate’s back to reassure herself that he was really there. She wasn’t alone.
“If you come up, I’ll make it easy on you.” Luther almost sounded pleasant. “If not, you’ll suffer more than you can imagine.”
She didn’t have to imagine what that meant. She’d been living it since he’d locked her in this basement. Still she smiled in the darkness because Luther didn’t want to come down those steps to find them. He was afraid.
That was a victory. A small one, but still a victory.
“By the way, I found your phone. But the battery was missing. No wonder it wouldn’t work. What are you trying to hide from me, Nathan? Yes, I know your name, and it won’t take me long to figure out exactly who you are.”
He didn’t mention the computer. What would he do when he found out Nate really was a cop? Try to escape or try to kill them? Probably both. Kill them and then escape.
His footsteps moved away.
Was he leaving? Hope bubbled inside Ange’s heart. Maybe he really would go away. Just leave them and try to escape. So he wouldn’t get arrested. Her hope faded as quickly as it had bloomed.
A moment later Luther’s footsteps came back.
A bright flashlight moved down into the darkness. The light scanned the steps. Hopefully, Luther couldn’t see Nate standing below ready to grab his feet. The old wood squeaked with Luther’s weight as he moved slowly down the steps.
Nate touched her shoulder. His signal for her to get ready to run.
The creaking stopped. Luther waited. Then moved down another step.
Ange couldn’t breathe. Every muscle trembled. Another squeak. Another step. Silently, she moved away from Nate readying to run.
Luther’s darkened shape was visible between the slats. But he was moving deliberately slow.
She didn’t think Nate would be able to surprise him enough to trip him.
Time crawled as they waited.
“You might as well come out now. This little game will backfire on both of you. Ange, you can’t escape. There’s no use in trying. You’re making me very angry. And you know what that means, Ange.”
One more step and he’d be within Nate’s range.
The cone of light scanned the area.
“Fine. I’m done with this game.” More squeaking as Luther moved up the steps and away from Nate’s hands. The light disappeared leaving them in complete darkness. “I’ll just lock you in and wait for you both to die. What do I care? There’s no way for you to get out of here. You can just starve to death for all I care.”
The door slammed shut—their death knell.
She slid to the floor, sobbing.
A moment later, Nate was beside her, his arms around her. “Don’t worry. We’ve got him freaked out. You know what that means?”
She shook her head but he couldn’t see her. “No.”
“It gives us more time for my boss to come rescue us. And it means Luther will start making mistakes. Actually, he already made his first mistake.”
“He did?”
“Yep, kidnapping you was his first mistake. He just didn’t know it at the time.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Right as rain. Maybe that first plan didn’t work, but I guarantee you he’ll not just keep us locked up here until we die from starvation. Sooner or later, he’ll come back, and we’ll be ready for him.”
“Why not? It’s actually a good plan. Just leave us down here to die.”
“It is, but we’ve taken control from him. Men like Luther don’t like that. I guarantee he’ll want to take it back. And sooner, rather than later.”
“But we’re not giving it to him.”
“That’s the spirit. And even if he doesn’t come back that’s OK. It gives my boss more time to find us. Win-win for us.”
She leaned against Nate. “I’m so glad you’re here with me, Nate.”
He hugged her. “Me, too.”
“That’s nice of you to say, but I’m sure it’s not true.”
“It is very true. There’s no place I’d rather be than here with you.”
“That’s crazy. I wouldn’t want to be here if I could help it. I’d rather be anywhere but here. Even in jail.”
“It’s not crazy at all. It’s my job to find you, and I’m glad I did. If I hadn’t found you, you might not have survived. But together, we’ll survive. I promise. God has our back on this one.”
“I don’t know how you can be so optimistic.”
“God. Because of God.”
“I wish I could believe that, too. But God doesn’t love me. And I don’t blame Him. I actually pray
ed today for Him to help me, but He didn’t hear me.”
“Of course, He did. That’s why I’m here. It only proves that He loves you very much, Ange. And it’s all going to work out because I know something you don’t know.”
“What’s that?”
“I keep telling you. Sooner or later, my boss will come looking for me. And it will probably be sooner. She’s not much for patience. So expect her to show up any second.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I am.”
She leaned against him feeling safer than she had since this nightmare started. She wasn’t alone in the dark any more. God, is Nate the answer to my prayer? Did You really hear me? Is Nate right? Do You still love me?
~*~
Ange’s head drooped to his shoulder, and her breathing turned even. She must be asleep. That was probably a good thing. If she could get away from this reality for even a few minutes by sleeping, she deserved it.
It was hard to imagine what she’d endured at the hands of Luther Marks, the bruises and cuts on her body that he could see were sickening. Nate shuddered at the evilness of the man’s tools. The sick, depraved mind that had used them filled him with disgust.
Nate hoped Leslie would call in backup. A lot of it. How much time had passed since he’d called Leslie? An hour? Two? Surely long enough for her to convince the proper authorities that he was in trouble. What if she couldn’t convince them? No, he wouldn’t think like that. I know You’ve got my back, God. Leslie wouldn’t just abandon him. This wasn’t a broken engagement. This was part of his job, and hers. Leslie always did the right thing. And she would this time, too. But how long would it take—and would they still be alive when she got here?
Luther was stomping around upstairs, no doubt trying to figure out what he should do. Each of those stomps meant he was getting more and more aggravated. And angrier. It would be Luther’s undoing. He was too mad now to think about the fact that he should be escaping. And there was no way Luther would just let them stay in the basement until they died. Luther wouldn’t be that patient. He’d be back. And from the sounds overhead, it wouldn’t be long. The stomping was growing more frequent and stronger.
Nate needed to be ready when Luther opened that door.
Trapped Page 5
