“No.”
“Well, you’ve been through a lot. Let me tell the doctor you’re awake,” she said, then she disappeared into the hall.
A swarm of nurses piled into Stacy’s room to welcome her back before the doctor came through the door smiling.
“You’re awake!” he said. “How do you feel?”
“Like I was shot, kidnapped, and beaten to a pulp,” Stacy said weakly.
“Stupid question,” the doctor admitted. “How much do you remember, Stacy?”
“I don’t remember how I got here,” she said. “I remember being in Colombia and escaping from my kidnappers, and beating on someone’s door, and he helped me get away. We got in his car and he drove me away. That’s the last thing I remember before I woke up here five minutes ago.”
“Good,” he said. “You have a very serious concussion, Stacy. You took quite a pounding. I’m keeping you here at least until tomorrow. We’ll see how you’re doing then.”
“What day is this?” Stacy asked.
“It’s Saturday,” he said, examining her eyes. “Stacy, there are some agents here that need to ask you some questions. I can put them off if you don’t feel up to it.”
“Who all knows I’m here?” Stacy asked.
“The whole world, I’m afraid,” he said. “You’re a bit of a celebrity right now.”
“Why?” Stacy asked.
“Why?” he repeated. “Your story is all over the news, Stacy. There are reporters all over the place. The waiting room is jam packed with your friends.”
“What are they saying?” Stacy asked skeptically.
The doctor stopped his examination and looked at her. “It’s a big story, Stacy,” he said. “They’re starting with the bank robbery and how you were taken hostage. Then you were presumed dead – they had your funeral two days ago. And now, not only do you turn up alive, but you managed to escape from a week in captivity in one of the most hostile countries in the world and make it back home on your own,” he said. “It’s a big story.”
“And they broadcast that I’m here in this hospital?” Stacy said. “Why would they do that?”
“Because unfortunately, that’s what the media does.”
The wheels were spinning in Stacy’s head – my father will kill me – and she was getting visibly agitated. The doctor took her hand and tried to calm her down.
“Don’t worry, we’ll help you deal with the reporters,” he said.
“I’m not worried about the reporters,” Stacy said. “I’ll talk to the agents now. And I don’t want any visitors, especially not my father.”
“All right, whatever you want,” the doctor said.
“You’ll keep him away from me?”
“Absolutely,” he said. “I’ll send the agents in now.”
Two men in suits came in and introduced themselves to Stacy.
“Hello, Ms. Trent. I’m Agent Parker and this is Agent McDaniel. We’re with the FBI.”
McDaniel smiled at her. “Welcome home, Ms. Trent.”
“Thanks. I can’t believe I’m here,” she said. She tried to smile, but it made her face hurt and she reached up and touched her cheekbone, then she looked around the room. “Is there a mirror in here?” she asked.
Parker and McDaniel looked around. “There’s one over here on the wall,” McDaniel said.
Stacy tried to get up but she was tangled in her IV. “Can you help me with this?” she asked Parker, and he moved the IV stand and got her untwisted. Stacy stood up but the room started spinning and she grabbed onto the bed railing and sat back down.
“Are you sure you’re supposed to get up?” Parker asked.
“They didn’t tell me not to,” Stacy said.
“Maybe they assumed you wouldn’t try,” he said.
“Is that mirror bolted to the wall, or can you take it off?” Stacy asked McDaniel.
McDaniel went to the sink and checked it out. “It comes off,” he said, removing the mirror from the wall and bringing it over to Stacy. “Are you sure you want to see?” he asked.
“Is it that bad?” she asked, feeling her face.
“I’d say so,” McDaniel said.
“Hold it up,” Stacy said. McDaniel held up the mirror and Stacy gasped. The bruise that she had seen in the motel had turned a dark purple and it ran above and below her left eye, and there was bruising on her right cheek and under that eye as well. “Oh my God! I look horrible.”
McDaniel set the mirror down. “Who did that to you?”
“Two different guys. Can you hand that to me please?” she said, pointing to the mirror.
“We need to get a statement from you. Are you up for it?” Parker asked.
A nurse walked in before Stacy could answer. “I have some painkillers for you, Stacy.” The nurse saw that Stacy was sitting on the side of her bed. “You’re not trying to walk around are you?”
“I guess not,” she said. She looked over at Parker and he gave her an I told you so look. The nurse helped Stacy back into bed and sorted out the IV and Stacy picked up the mirror again and had a closer look.
“It doesn’t look real,” she said, touching underneath her left eye.
The nurse looked at Stacy in the mirror. “Miraculously, nothing was broken. You’ll be good as new in a couple of weeks.”
The nurse took the mirror and hung it back over the sink, then she put the pills in Stacy’s hand and poured her a cup of water.
“I’ll take them as soon as I finish with these guys,” Stacy said, motioning towards the agents. “I don’t want to be all drugged up when I’m giving my statement.”
“You should take them before the other one wears off,” the nurse advised. “You were in a lot of pain earlier.”
McDaniel interjected, “Go ahead and take them. Our questions won’t take long.”
Stacy took the painkillers and after the nurse left the room, Parker started his questioning.
“Why don’t you start with the bank robbery,” he said.
“Okay,” Stacy said, in a weak voice. “I was standing in line and some men came in and held up the bank. And instead of lying there like a good boy, the guy next to me stood up and pulled a gun. They shot him and I ended up getting covered in his blood and I freaked out. I stood up and screamed, and then everything gets fuzzy and I only remember bits and pieces of what happened for the next several days,” she said. “I remember being on the floor of a car and realizing that I had been shot.”
Parker interrupted, “You were shot during the bank robbery?”
“Yeah,” Stacy said. “Here, I’ll show you.” She fumbled around with the covers and pulled her gown to the side to expose the bullet wound, and Parker and McDaniel both leaned in to see it.
“No kidding,” Parker said.
“The next thing I remember was being on a plane,” Stacy said, “but I couldn’t stay awake. I must have been in and out of consciousness because I have no concept of time. At some point, maybe days later, I was in a helicopter. That’s when I got this bruise. And then I was in another plane, and I was put in a car and driven to a disgusting motel. I have no idea how long I was there. The guy knocked me unconscious when he did this in the helicopter, and I couldn’t think straight. And then the main guy, the guy who hit me in the helicopter, left and there was only one guy left to guard me. And that’s when I escaped.”
Stacy’s eyes glazed over and she was staring at nothing as she recalled the horror of the scene. “I broke the mirror in the bathroom and made a knife out of it. And then I knocked on the door and when he came in I slashed his wrist.” Stacy had started to cry, but she continued. “And he grabbed me and smashed my head against the ground and he was hitting me in the face. That’s how I got this,” she said pointing to the right side. “And then I stabbed him in the neck and I watched him die.” She looked up at Parker. “Ten days of my life are a total blur, but that scene is etched in my mind with perfect clarity.”
“Do you remember what happened next?”
he asked, handing her a box of Kleenex.
“I pounded on the doors of the motel and begged a man to help me.” Stacy wiped her eyes. “He asked if I was American and I told him yes. And I asked him if I was in Mexico and he told me I was in Colombia. Up until then, I had no idea that’s where I was. He helped me to his car and the last thing I remember is lying down in the back seat. Then I woke up here.”
“The man who helped you drove you to the U.S. Embassy,” Parker said. “You were in and out of consciousness, but you told them who you were and that you had been kidnapped from San Antonio during a bank robbery.”
“I don’t remember that at all,” Stacy said.
“It’s no wonder,” Parker said.
The pills were already taking effect and Stacy’s head was getting fuzzy again. “Is there any way I can contact the man who helped me? He saved my life.”
“I can get you that information,” Parker said. He looked at his notes. “Stacy, did the men who kidnapped you ever call each other by name?” Parker asked.
“No. But I overheard the leader answer his phone one time. When he picked it up he said, ‘Corazon.’”
“Could you identify him from a picture?” Parker asked.
“Absolutely,” Stacy said.
“That’s all we need from you right now. We’ll be back with you in a day or two to have you look through some photos. Thank you for talking to us,” he said.
“Wait!” she said frantically. “That’s not all.”
Parker and McDaniel looked at Stacy, waiting.
“Corazon told me that my father paid him to kill me,” Stacy said. “And he showed me a diamond necklace and bracelet that had belonged to my mother.”
Parker’s mouth dropped. “We haven’t been able to locate your father since we got word of your arrival at the Embassy. He seems to have disappeared.”
“Are you saying that you weren’t taken at random in the bank robbery?” McDaniel asked.
“It was a set up,” Stacy said.
The agents looked at each other skeptically. “We’ll look into that, Stacy,” Parker said. “I’m going to post a man at your door.”
“You’re not going to tell the media that, are you? That my father was behind the whole thing.” Stacy was fighting to keep her eyes open.
“No. But we’re going to have to issue a statement to the press at some point. You’ll probably want to also, just to get them off your back,” Parker said.
“I’ll do it tomorrow,” she said. Her eyelids closed and she forced them back open. “I’m sorry. I’m so tired.”
“We’re done for now,” Parker said.
Stacy shook hands with each of them. “It was nice to meet you. And thank you,” she said.
“We’re glad you made it home,” Parker said.
Chapter 27
They took the main road out of Bogota toward Medellìn at first light. Niki, Jason and Carlos were sitting in the back seat and Eli was up front with Ramos. They had driven for a couple of hours and had just crossed the Magalena, when Carlos got a chill down his spine and he sat bolt upright. Niki looked over at Carlos and he could tell by the look on his face that something was wrong.
“What’s the matter?” Niki asked Carlos.
“Nothing,” said Carlos, trying to shake the feeling of dread.
“Bullshit, I can tell something’s wrong,” Niki said, irritated. “Is it Stacy?”
Carlos looked out the window past Niki.
“What the fuck is it, Carlos?” Niki said angrily.
“I don’t know,” he said.
Niki could feel the tension building up in his body, and he felt like he needed to smash something.
“It could be nothing,” Carlos said, in an attempt to calm Niki down.
Niki looked out the window and didn’t say anything.
Carlos leaned towards the front seat and asked Ramos, “Is there a roadside motel in this area?”
Ramos looked in the rearview mirror. “As a matter of fact, there is,” he said, surprised. “But I assure you, you wouldn’t want to stay there.”
“I need you to pull over when we come to it,” Carlos said. Niki, Eli and Jason looked over at him and they could tell by the tone of his voice that something was terribly wrong.
The motel came into view minutes later and Carlos instantly felt sick to his stomach. Ramos pulled the car to a stop and Carlos turned to Jason and pointed at Niki, “Keep him in the car.”
Niki opened his door but Jason held on to his arm. “You need to stay here,” Jason told him. “Let Carlos do his thing.”
Niki jerked his arm away and got out of the car and started toward the motel. Carlos turned around. “Keep him back!” he shouted angrily.
Eli and Jason grabbed Niki and held on to him as Carlos approached Stacy’s motel room. The door was ajar and there was dried blood all over the doorknob and splattered all over the outside of the door. Carlos’ stomach heaved when he walked into the room and looked around. It had been a bloodbath. There was blood from one end of the room to the other, on the floor, the walls, the bed, the table. There was a huge puddle of congealed blood on the floor by the door, and evidence that a body had been dragged away. He went into the bathroom and looked around. Stacy’s wetsuit was lying on the side of the tub.
Niki broke loose from Jason and Eli and was walking towards the room when Carlos came out.
“Don’t go in there, Niki,” Carlos told him, but Niki shoved him out of the way.
Niki could see the blood on the door before he reached the room and he could tell he was going to be sick. He pushed the door open and the awful stench was the first thing to hit him. Eli and Jason followed Niki inside and the three were stunned into silence as they stood taking in the grisly scene.
“Jesus Christ!” Niki said, under his breath. He went in the bathroom and came out holding the wetsuit. He handed it to Eli, and walked outside and threw up in the dirt.
Jason turned to Eli. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much blood,” Jason said, feeling nauseated himself. He went in the bathroom and looked around. There was no blood, but there was a broken mirror laying in the sink. When Jason came out of the bathroom, Eli was squatting beside the large pool of blood.
“There’s some of Stacy’s hair down here,” Eli said with dread. “And check this out,” he said, pointing to the shard of glass.
“That came off the mirror in the bathroom,” Jason said.
Eli walked around the room examining the floor trying to figure out what had gone on. After a while, he stood up and looked at Jason in amazement. “Stacy was alive when she left here,” he concluded. “Look. These are her footprints,” Eli said, pointing to the corner.
Jason got down closer to the ground. They were hard to see because they were bloody footprints imprinted on the bloody floor, but they were definitely there. “I’ll be damned,” Jason said.
“She crawled over here, then she walked from here to the door,” Eli said following the bloody tracks.
Eli ran out of the room looking for his brother. “Niki!” Eli yelled. He found Niki at the side of the motel. “Stacy left that room alive!”
Niki looked at Eli like he had heard him wrong.
“Her footprints lead right out the door. Come on,” he said, heading back to the room. Niki ran to catch up with him.
They went back into the room and traced Stacy’s movement from the door.
“These are hers,” Eli said, pointing to two bloody footprints outside the door. “This dirt would have soaked up the blood, but look,” he said, pointing to the ground, “there was still some blood on the side of her foot here; that’s a footprint.”
Niki walked in the direction of the footprints. “There’s blood on this door. Look, you can make out her knuckles.” He ran down to the next door and the one after that. “She knocked on all these doors!”
Eli was standing at the door where the man had helped her. “Check it out,” Eli said.
There were entire handp
rints on the door where Stacy had pounded on it, and there were marks from her bloody clothes where she had leaned against the door.
“She was covered in blood,” Niki said. He turned the knob, but it was locked, so he kicked in the door. They went inside and turned on the light.
“She was in here,” Eli said. “Here’s more blood,” he said, pointing to the back of the door and to the floor.
“Let’s go find out who was in this room,” Niki said.
Carlos, Jason and Ramos were standing outside.
“So your girlfriend lived through that,” Ramos said, motioning to Stacy’s room. “Those redheads are fighters,” he said. He directed himself to Eli, “We found your man that likes green eyes. But he’s not Colombian. He’s American. My men are watching his house and if she turns up there, they’ll grab her.”
The men went around to the back of the motel and found the grubby room that served as the office.
“You want rooms?” the owner asked in Spanish. The little man was in desperate need of a shave and a bath and clean clothes. His filthy T-shirt was inside out and backward, and it pulled tight across his gut in the front. He smelled like a mixture of stale beer and cigarettes.
“We want information,” Niki responded in Spanish.
The look on the man’s face changed instantly and it was obvious that he was not willingly going to do anything to help them. Niki pulled out a wad of bills and counted out five $20 bills and the man’s face lit up. Niki laid the bills on the counter and then put his hand on top of them.
“The names of everyone who stayed in Room 6 since Thursday?” Niki asked.
The owner’s face fell. “This is not the type of motel where we take people’s names,” he said.
The sick feeling in Niki’s gut returned. But then the man’s face lit up again. “I can tell you that the man from Room 6 will be back. He comes here every week with his lady friend, sometimes twice.”
Niki laid down five more $20s. “What can you tell me about the people who stayed in Room 2?” he asked.
“Those men, I had never seen before,” he said. “But I found one of them dead inside the room.”
“What about the girl?” Niki said.
Back on Solid Ground Page 19
