Eagerly, Riley sat back on her heels and smoothed her hair behind her ears. “Anything,” she promised. She meant it. It was one thing I admired about the kid. She had real moxie.
“I need you to help me think. Since we can’t get out of here-” I turned and once again tried to tug the door. It was still locked tight. “Since we can’t get out of here,” I repeated with a sigh, “we need to figure out how we ended up here in the first place. Maybe that’ll give us some kind of clue.”
“So what can I do?” Riley asked, confused. “I don’t know why I’m here. You told Gregson you thought it was an accident.”
I smiled. “That’s true, I do think that. But you can start throwing out ideas. Anything that seemed weird or different in the days before your kidnapping. Anything that someone has said while you’ve been here that gave you a funny feeling. Even if it sounds silly.”
Riley closed her eyes tightly while she searched her memories. After a few minutes, they opened wide. “We got a lot of weird phone calls at the house recently,” she told me, her eyes growing dark with the memories. “Like…really weird.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well-” Riley said, trying to think of a way to explain. “The phone never really rings. We’re not like, a cool family or anything. It’s only ever Kelsey asking if I can come over. Or Grandma and Grandpop.”
I nodded encouragingly. “Go on.”
Riley took a deep breath and continued. “But last week, someone kept calling the house and hanging up. A few times someone asked for mom. In a funny voice. Like it wasn’t really theirs.”
“How could you tell it wasn’t theirs?”
“It sounded like this,” Riley said, forcing her words to become deep but airy.
“Interesting.”
Riley paused for a moment as she realized something. “No one ever asked for dad, though. Just mom. Do you think that’s an important thing to know?”
I nodded again. “I think that it is,” I told her, my mind flashing to Rachel’s secret bank accounts. “Did anyone ever ask if you were home by yourself?”
Riley shook her head and rolled her eyes. “I would have lied anyway. You learn that in, like, first grade. Duh.”
“Kids still say “duh”?”
“Duh.”
“Fair enough,” I laughed. “What about while you have been here? Does anything seem weird?”
Riley thought hard again but seemed to come up empty. “I guess just that Mr. Gregson has been kind of strange.”
“How so?”
“Well,” Riley pondered “like he’s being really, really nice.” She made a face to suggest that this wasn’t his usual demeanor when she came in contact with him. Strange considering I’d grown up thinking that he was an incredibly kind man. “And when someone would be mean, like tell me to shut up or stop crying, he’d come in and make them leave.”
How did you explain to a 12 year old that her kidnapper probably didn’t even mean to kidnap her in the first place? Hell, he didn’t seem to want any of us stuck in here, even though I didn’t doubt he’d kill us if he absolutely had no other alternative. I could only guess that it had something to do with the HIM everyone around here kept mentioning. “Riley, this next question is really important,” I told her. “Did Gregson ever offer to help you to get out of the building?”
“No, nothing like that” she answered quickly. When I stared at her with a raised eyebrow, she hurriedly continued. “Well, so, when he brought me here, he told me he wanted to help. We were walking down the hallway but when we turned the corner, it looked like someone was standing at the end of it. Gregson got mad all of a sudden, pulled out a gun and pointed it at me, saying that I’d better start minding him. I didn’t know what he meant. He’d asked me to follow him in the first place. Anyway, I heard you yelling and I asked him if I could see you. That’s when he brought me in here.” She thought for a few seconds. “I feel like he was bringing me down here anyway.” She shrugged. “I dunno. Probably sounds dumb.”
“No, not dumb,” I assured her quickly. “Where was the room where you were, in relation to where we are now?”
Riley pointed to the left. “Down that way.”
“Did you see who was standing at the end of the hallway? The person that made Gregson start acting funny?” It was possible that this was the key — that Riley was about to reveal who HE was. I waited while she scrunched her eyes closed and thought.
“Well,” she finally answered, “I didn’t see a face, if that’s what you mean. But his body reminded me of Santa’s. Even though, ya know, Santa isn’t real or anything.”
“Richard?” I asked, wrinkling my nose in confusion.
“Who?” Riley asked.
“Was it a man?” I continued. “Did he have a beard?”
“I think it was a man,” she told me, obviously unsure. “I couldn’t see a face at all. I don’t know if he- she- um- I don’t know if they had a beard. I could just see an outline. You know.” She held her arms out by her sides and briefly ballooned her cheeks to demonstrate someone of a much heavier weight than she was.
“But Gregson knew who it was immediately,” I said as Riley’s breath whooshed out. It was not a question. “And it scared him enough to make him pretend he had control over you with his gun.”
Riley nodded. “I think so. I mean, I guess. I don’t really know what’s going on Aunt Em.” I was about to ask her about how long the hallway was and if she’d been able to see any kind of exit, when I heard a key enter the door lock. Quickly, Riley and I scuttled to our feet, curious to see who would be coming in. Maybe we were finally being sprung. Perhaps this entire nightmare was ending just as strangely and suddenly as it had begun.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
“Janet,” I whispered as soon as the door swung open. She was passed out in the arms of Shannon, the giant bald man from the bookstore, who at least had the decency to look apologetic. Thankfully, he was without his mangy fanged mutt. “What the hell happened to her?” I asked him angrily.
“I heard that you were in here, too,” he told me, ignoring my question. I’d show him. I marched over to try to pull her from his hands, but he easily pushed me away. “Don’t try anything stupid,” he told me, gently setting Janet on the ground. He hesitated just before he closed the door behind himself, locking it. “She should be awake soon. She’s safer in here. With you.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that we’re safer in here?” I yelled after him. “We’re safer out of here. Free! Like birds!” I flapped my arms briefly to demonstrate, but I’m not sure if he was able to see or hear my full display. It didn’t really matter. I hurried to Janet’s side and Riley came over to kneel down next to me.
“Who is Janet?” she asked quietly.
“My very good friend. She came all the way from Florida to help us find you,” I answered. “She’s a cop.”
“She’s with the police?”
“Not locally, but yes.”
“She came just for me?”
“You think she left 80 degrees and a beach for sub-zero and snow for just me?” I let out a loud, short laugh. “You have a lot of people that love you, kiddo. Even people you’ve never met.” I chucked her gently under the chin.
Riley gently picked up Janet’s hand and began to stroke it. “Do you think she can feel that?” she asked me.
In response, Janet moaned. I leaned over her and gently patted her cheek. “Wake up,” I whispered urgently. “Janet, it’s Marian. Please wake up.”
“Are we in the hospital?” she grunted, not bothering to open her eyes. “Are we free?”
“No,” I admitted dully, sitting back on my heels.
Janet opened one eye and took a quick look around the room. “Damn,” she muttered.
“Language!” I scolded. “Children are present.”
Janet opened both eyes and immediately realized that the person holding her hand wasn’t me, but a miniature version of Rachel. “Are you Ri
ley?” she breathed. When Riley nodded shyly, Janet sat up to give her a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay!” she cried. “We were looking everywhere for you.”
“Janet, what happened?” I asked as she kept Riley pulled fiercely to her chest. “After you got out of here, where did you go? Did you find help? Is anyone coming for us?”
Janet just shook her head and let a small moan of embarrassment escape her lips. Riley, from her position, patted Janet awkwardly on the back to soothe her. “We’re in the middle of nowhere,” Janet told me, devastated. “There wasn’t a car I could hotwire, there wasn’t a person other than all of these bodyguards that look exactly the same, save for small personal details. Speaking of, what’s up with that muscle head with the goatee? I mean, seriously, dude. Did Gregson employ a couple of quadruplets or something? Anyway, I was hiding when that stupid dog from earlier today almost ripped my throat out. Snuck up behind me. I had no idea it was capable of being so quiet.” She shuddered, releasing Riley’s head from her iron grip.
I was horrified and immediately leaned forward to pat her down for injuries. “How did you get out of that one?” Janet’s shirt was much dirtier than it had been before she escaped and it looked like a chunk had been ripped away by something sharp. Teeth, perhaps? Her undershirt, also dirty, remained fully intact. Her dress slacks were torn and dirty and one of her hands had a small cut across the palm.
Janet shrugged and pulled her hand away to inspect it. “That Shannon guy. I started to run and the dog was gaining on me. Sliced my hand on something as I went. Caught my shirt on these wooden crates that are everywhere out there, but just kept going. I could feel the thing nipping at my ankles. I was trying to kick it in the face. I turned a corner and ran smack into Shannon’s chest. He’s totally ripped by the way- it’s not just his arms. I felt like I’d hit a brick wall.”
“Keep going,” I encouraged.
“Oh, sorry,” Janet said quickly, shaking off thoughts of Shannon’s solid muscles. “So anyway, I run into Shannon and he just lifts me up and puts me behind him. The dog sees him and instantly freezes. Shannon told me I had to follow him back here. The dog followed us, growling the whole way. I didn’t really have a choice.”
“When did you pass out?”
“I didn’t pass out,” she said defensively, crossing her arms. “Shannon stashed me in some room down the hall. Then the guy with the goatee comes in and starts trying to get fresh. Tells me he knows I want it. Tells me no one is going to find out.” My eyes widened and Riley’s sparked with interest. I immediately clamped my hands over her ears as Janet continued, completely oblivious to the fact that there was a pre-teen in the room. “So I tell him he’s right. Call him Baby, real sweet. He reaches for my zipper and, bam,” she jerks her hand in and upward motion, “I shove his nose back into his skull and knee him in the nads.”
One of my hands slipped from Riley’s ear to cover my mouth. “Holy crap.”
“So he starts screaming and then the one with the earrings and the eyeliner comes in and knocks me into the wall.” She brushed back her hair to reveal an ugly bruise I hadn’t noticed earlier. “That’s the last thing I remember.”
“I can’t believe you did that. I can’t believe you’re okay. You’re okay?”
“I’m okay.”
I took a deep breath. “Okay.” Desolation began to set in. I removed my other hand from Riley’s ear. “So you’ve pretty much been in here the whole time we thought you were out finding help.”
She shook her head sadly. “Sorry, Em.” She grinned. “I can’t believe you didn’t hear him screaming, though. He was cussing pretty loudly. This,” she pointed to her her bruise, “was so worth it.”
“Have you seen Rachel again?” I asked, not thinking. I’d forgotten Riley was there, too.
She perked up instantly. “Mom’s here?”
Janet shot me a concerned look. “I haven’t seen her,” she told me. Turning to Riley, she continued, “But I’m sure she’s around here somewhere.” She looked at me again. We were both thinking the same thing. Hopefully, when we did see Rachel again, she’d be alive. For Riley’s sake.
Slowly, Janet pushed herself off the floor and stood, dusting off the seat of her pants. As she bent forward, a loud ripping sound sliced through the room. “Great,” she muttered, patting her bum where the huge opening appeared, revealing her pink undies. “Of all the places.”
Walking over to the door, Janet tugged at the handle, hoping for a third miracle. “Locked tight,” she sighed when it didn’t budge.
“Gregson blamed your escape on one of his henchmen,” I giggled. “It was pretty funny.”
Janet smiled as Riley released an audible sigh. “Anything else happen while I was out?” Janet asked, moving back to my side.
“Not much,” I assured her. “Although, it would seem that Richard is actually working from the inside, as opposed to working for the police. Another dirty cop.” I shook my head in disgust. “How many more do you think there are?”
“THE Richard?” Janet asked. She knew all about Barry as well as the players involved in that whole fiasco.
“That’s the one,” I murmured.
“Who is Richard?” Riley hissed.
“Well, wait, if he’s on the force, maybe he’s just a mole,” Janet said, ignoring Riley.
“Exactly,” I told her. “A big, fat rat bastard working to bring down the Chicago police.”
“Who is Richard?” Riley tried again.
“No, Marian, what if he’s acting as a mole for this entire operation?” Janet asked, her eyes lit up with excitement. “FOR the police? What if he can help us get out of here?”
I felt my eyes nearly bug out of their sockets. “Holy crap!” I whispered. “How did I miss that?”
“You have a severe head injury,” Janet supplied. “I think that you can be afforded a slip here and there.” I motioned to her head wound but she shrugged. “A scratch.”
Riley crossed her arms and stared at both of us. With an angry scowl she cried out, “Who’s Richard? What is going on?”
I took her by the shoulders and squatted so that we were eye level. “I don’t have time to explain right now,” I told her hurriedly. The pain in my head was mild but I could tell that it was starting to return. We had to make a move before that happened or we’d be forced to wait for hours until I was given more pills and slept them off. “But I think we might be able to get out of here. Soon. I need you to do whatever Janet or I tell you to do. No one else. Understood?” Riley’s eyes widened and she nodded in agreement. I nodded back. “Good.”
Standing upright and dropping my arms, I again turned to Janet. “Who do you suppose is in charge of this whole thing? Gregson and Richard both mentioned “him,” so we know it isn’t either one of them.”
Janet wrinkled her nose. “Ernie? Shannon?” she guessed.
I rolled my eyes. “Does Ernie really seem like the type to run a drug ring under wraps?”
“You never know,” she said shrugging. “Sometimes it’s the quiet ones.”
I began to laugh. It wasn’t even all that funny, but the entire situation was so whacked out and ridiculous, that I just couldn’t help it. After a few seconds, Janet began to laugh, too. Riley joined in. I couldn’t blame her. Janet’s laugh was infectious and only made me laugh harder.
I’m not sure how long we were cracking up but, somewhere above the noise, my ears picked up on a sharp click. Abruptly, I stopped giggling and turned to face the door. The others did the same.
“Mom!” Riley screamed, both shocked and excited as the door swung wide open. As she turned to run into her mother’s arms, however, a loud shot rang out. The unmistakable sound of a gun. Rachel pitched forward, her mouth a round “O” of surprise. Eyes blank. Blood. Chaos.
“Mom!” Riley’s terrified scream echoed off the walls of our dark prison. Everything seemed to slow down. I saw Riley racing towards Rachel out of the corner of my eye. As Rachel fell forward, blood spattered acro
ss her white, delicate top, Janet launched forward. She caught Rachel in her arms, just before they both hit the ground. Meanwhile, I made a grab for Riley and pulled her into my body. Wrapping her in my arms, I forced us to turn away from the grisly scene unfolding before our eyes.
“What the-” I heard Janet ask, confused. Daring to turn around, I saw a large round body lying face down in the hallway. The shirt was slightly too short and the pants were just a little too tight. I strained to see facial features, but they were covered in blood. Meanwhile, Janet’s hands were flying across Rachel’s back, feeling for an entry wound. “There’s no bullet. I can’t find the bullet,” she was calling to me. She hadn’t even noticed the body out in the hallway.
“I’m not hit,” Rachel cried, pushing herself off Janet.
“He was,” I said nodding towards the hallway. Riley was squirming hard in my grasp. I released her and she tripped over me, falling to her knees. Uncaring, she crawled the rest of the way across the floor and into her mother’s arms. “Mama,” she kept crying over and over, as tears rushed down her face.
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry,” Rachel was crooning into Riley’s ear.
Janet stood and turned to me, dumbfounded. “Who is that?” she hissed.
“It’s Ernie,” Rachel told us over Riley’s head.
My stomach dropped. I knew he’d looked familiar. “Ernie from the bookstore?” I asked her quietly.
Rachel nodded and hugged Riley even tighter. “He just came in and grabbed me. Said we had somewhere to be. He had a gun, so I did what he said. I haven’t made it this far only to get shot. He unlocked the door and that’s when I heard the gun go off. I thought-” she paused and swallowed hard, her voice too full of emotion to continue.
“So who shot him?” Janet asked, tiptoeing over to the doorway. She listened hard for a few seconds before peering around the door. She looked left, and then right, before turning back to me. “There’s no one out here,” she said, bewildered.
“We have to go,” I told her, walking over to pull Rachel and Riley to their feet. “Someone heard that shot. They’re going to be here any second.”
Allison Janda - Marian Moyer 02 - Seduction, Deceit & a Slice of Apple Pie Page 16
