by H K Christie
“To work.”
“I told you you didn’t need to work extra hours.”
Selena froze. It was back. The rage.
“But I have a shift, I can’t just not show up. I’ll tell them to reduce my hours. It’s fine, but I have to go now. I don’t want to get fired.”
He stalked toward her. “Who cares if they fire you? I can take care of you. Do you not believe that I can take care of you?”
“No, I believe you. I actually think you can. I don’t want you to have to do everything. I love you and want to be your partner, not just someone you take care of.”
“I want you to quit your job. Just school. I’ll take care of you. I’m the man and I will take care of you.”
Holy Batman, he is a misogynist. Her stomach curdled. She shoved her feelings down and smiled sweetly. “I know you can, and I appreciate that. How about this, I’ll go in today and give my notice.”
He tipped his chin and looked at her with the devil in his eyes. “No, that doesn’t work for me. You said you’d like to spend all day in bed, so that’s what you’ll do. I want to give you everything you’ve ever wanted. How does that sound?”
Really fucking bad. “I love that idea, Zeek, it would be a dream come true. Let me just go in today and finish my shift. I’d hate to leave them short-staffed with no notice. After that I’ll quit, and then next Sunday we can spend all day in bed.” She was finding it increasingly more difficult to play the loving girlfriend.
“I said no. You’re not going anywhere even if I have to tie you to that bed.”
Was that a threat? How had she been so stupid as to get herself into this situation? Her phone buzzed, but before she could see who was calling, Zeek grabbed it out of her hand. He sneered. “Oh, it looks like your precious detective is calling you. Shall I answer it for you, or would you prefer to answer it yourself?”
She shook her head. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Either he’ll leave a message or I can call him later.”
He chucked the phone to the ground. She had wanted a clean, calculated plan to exit his life, but now she knew she was better off making a run for it. It was decided, as soon as she got to work, she’d call Alida and tell her that she would stay with Alida’s family.
He wasn’t backing down. “What’s the matter? No sweet nothings for the detective?” Zeek’s eyes went ice cold. “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable and lay down, babe.”
Selena stiffened.
“Didn’t you hear me?” He shoved her onto the bed with the force of a comet. She cried out in pain and clasped her chest with her hands.
He said, “Take off your clothes.”
She slipped off her skirt and unbuttoned her blouse and tossed them on the floor.
“The rest.”
With trembling hands, she unclasped her bra and slid off her underwear. She vowed not to cry.
“Now don’t go anywhere.”
He exited the room. Her mind raced and fear swelled inside of her. She eyed her phone on the floor and contemplated picking it up and calling for help. Help from what? He hadn’t hit her. Not yet.
He came back in the room with a devilish grin and hatred in his eyes. “Babe, we’re about to have some fun.”
She studied the rope in his hand and her body became paralyzed. He was going to do it. He was going to tie her up. What was the right move? It was like when you spotted a bear. Are you supposed to act big or play dead? She said, “Zeek, this really isn’t necessary. I’ll stay home. It’s fine.”
“No, no. I think this will be fun. Trust me.”
A sickening realization shot through her. He enjoyed making her squirm.
Selena awoke the next morning, wrists still tied to the bed post. The previous day’s events flashed through her memory. She’d begged and pleaded for him to untie her, but he’d laughed it off, said they were having fun. She didn’t want to anger him, so she’d finally submitted. She had been relieved when Zeek had left her after the second time he’d had his way with her. She wasn’t sure if he’d slept on the futon in the living room or if he’d actually left the apartment. She didn’t know what time it was, all she could tell from the sunlight filtering in through the blinds was that it was daytime. She didn’t hear any other noises in the apartment. How long would he leave her tied up? How would she go to school or meet the detective to see if he had found her father? Dread filled her belly. What if he never intended to let her go?
15
Selena studied the room. He hadn’t covered her mouth. She could scream for help, but what he if he was right outside? Her wrists and ankles burned from the rope and her chest ached from where he shoved her. She’d always been sure life would get better and that she wasn’t destined to repeat the mistakes of her mother. Now she wasn’t sure about anything. Maybe a happy life wasn’t in the cards, not for her. Maybe this was her fate.
She heard the jingle of the front door lock and her body tensed. Moments later, Zeek entered the bedroom with a sweet smile on his face and a white bag. “You’re up.” He slithered over to the bed, bent over, and kissed her on the lips. “Good morning, babe. I just went out for breakfast. I brought you something back. Let me get you untied. I would’ve done it earlier, but you were sleeping so soundly, I didn’t want to disturb you.”
Didn’t want to disturb me? But you’re perfectly fine with tying me up against my will? Right. She eked out a “Thanks.”
Selena assumed Zeek had anger-management issues, but now she considered the possibility that he was fucking crazy. He was talking to her as if they were literally playing a game and that she was sleeping so soundly he didn’t want to untie her restraints. Didn’t he see the rope burns and dark bruising on her chest?
She flinched as he approached with a pocketknife, assuming he was going to cut her, but he didn’t. Instead, he cut the rope and freed her.
“Can I take a shower?” she asked.
He laughed. “Of course.”
She faked a weak grin and scampered to the bathroom and shut the door. Of all the nightmares she had growing up, none of them looked like this. What the hell was she going to do?
She showered quickly, not looking at her bruises, and slurped water from the tap. Then she exited the bathroom and put on some clothes that were lying on the floor. She searched the flooring for the pieces of her phone. Maybe it would still work. She peeked over at him. “Where’s my phone?”
“I thought it would be kind of fun to go low-tech today, don’t you?”
Low-tech? She didn’t like the sound of that. It sounded a lot like he was keeping her phone from her. “Without my phone I don’t even know what time it is. What time is it? I need to go to school.”
“You probably missed first period, but if you hurry up, you’ll make it to second. I can drop you off.”
Just like that? One thing was for sure, he could drop her off, but there was no way she was going back with him. Never, ever. Ever. She said, “Okay, great. Thank you.”
It baffled Selena that Zeek had two completely different personas. He was a loving boyfriend one moment and became a deranged freak at the drop of a hat. She needed to get away from both of them and fast.
She now knew, no question, she couldn’t stay a moment longer with Zeek. As soon as she got her phone back or she saw Alida at school—whichever came first—she would talk to her about moving in with her family until they located her father. At lunch, she would meet with Detective Gates. Hopefully he’d found her father and she could stay with him. No, it wasn’t too late for her. She wouldn’t give up yet. She would escape from this person. This person she thought she’d loved.
“I planned on being close by anyways. I’ll pick you up after school too. I’m a full-service boyfriend today!”
Her heart froze. He wasn’t letting her out of his sight. She wondered if he somehow knew that she’d gone to the police station on Friday. Okay. She could still do this. At school, she’d borrow Alida’s phone and call the detective to explain the situation.
“I can take the bus if you have other things to do.”
He grabbed her by the waistline. “No, it’s okay. I like being close to you.”
As she suppressed the vomit in her throat, she said, “I like being close to you too.”
On the drive to school, she munched on the maple donut he had brought her while she thought of all the ways she could pretend like everything was okay so as not to alert him that she was going make a run for it. They approached the exit to her high school, but instead of veering right he turned to her and smiled. “I have a surprise for you.”
Why wasn’t he taking her to school? Where was he taking her? “Oh, a surprise, I love surprises. But I have a test today.” She didn’t have a test, but she was far from interested in any more of his surprises.
“Oh, I’m sure you can make it up. It will be fine. I wanted to show you something really special. I realized the other day that you and I have never been to the lake. Do you like the lake?”
Had Zeek had some sort of psychotic break? “What lake do you mean?”
“Lake Tahoe of course! You’ve been there right? Isn’t it beautiful?”
Of course? Of course, the lake that was four hours away? “Yes, it’s stunning. A bit chilly this time of the year. Isn’t it snowing?”
“Yes, I love the snow. It’s so pristine. My family has a cabin with views of the lake. Best of all, it’s really isolated with nobody around for miles. You and I can really spend some quality alone time.”
Sweat was building on her brow. This was bad, very fucking bad. “Sounds romantic. I’m not sure today is a great day for it, though. I have finals and my senior project due this week. Maybe after school’s out for winter break, we can visit and maybe spend a whole week there. That would be amazing. I’ve never stayed at a cabin on Lake Tahoe before. It’s so sweet of you to want to bring me there.” She hoped flattery would get her somewhere—more specifically, anywhere Zeek wouldn’t be.
A glimmer of hope sparked inside of her. If she missed her appointment with the detective, maybe he would realize something was wrong and come looking for her? Keep positive, Selena, it’s not over yet. Maybe she was overreacting? Or maybe he liked tying her up and needed a secluded location to have more of his twisted fun. What else was he planning? She shuddered at the vile images racing through her brain as Zeek continued to drive them away from her school.
16
Detective Ed Gates
Detective Ed Gates eyed the couple approaching him and his partner Thursday morning. The woman stood a good three inches taller than the man, who was a bit round with dark hair and eyes. Both looked a little rough around the edges. Perhaps former addicts. Ed wondered if addicts realized that a trained eye could spot them a mile away. “I’m Detective Gates and this is my partner Detective Renier.”
Everyone shook hands.
“Thank you for agreeing to see me. As I mentioned on the phone, I’m Martina Monroe, I’m a security specialist and private investigator. This is my fiancé, Charlie Bailey.”
Selena had her father’s eyes, Ed realized. Selena had thought her dad was still an addict, but Ed wasn’t so sure. The man was wearing clean clothes and was engaged to a woman associated with law enforcement and, by the way she held herself, maybe ex-military. He said, “I see. I’ve actually been looking for you, Charlie. Selena had asked that I try to locate you after her mother’s death.”
There was notable pain in Charlie’s eyes. He frowned. “As soon as I heard Debbie had died, I started going out of my mind wondering what’s happened to Selena. I had no idea until just a few days ago.”
Martina explained. “We found out about Debbie’s death through one of my contacts who was investigating a related matter. I told Charlie about the case and he asked what had happened to Selena, but we couldn’t find anything to indicate where she may be staying. A friend found out that you were looking for Charlie, so we figured we’d reach out in person.”
Ed thought, She has a friend who has eyes on police records? Who is this woman?
Charlie’s face screamed desperation. “Do you know where she is or where she’s staying?”
Selena had missed their appointment on Monday. Ed’s gut had been telling him something was very wrong. He didn’t like Selena’s skittish behavior when she’d been down to the station the previous Friday or the fact that she had felt she needed to come alone, without the boyfriend. He didn’t like that Zeek character from day one. He hoped the background on Zeek would come back and prove that his instinct was wrong, but Ed knew that wasn’t likely and it scared the living hell out of him. Ed said, “I haven’t seen her since Friday.”
“But you know where she’s staying? Where she’s been?” Charlie asked.
Ed feared the worry on his face showed like a neon sign. “Not exactly. She was supposed to meet me on Monday for an update on your location, but she didn’t show. She hasn’t been answering my phone calls, either. I called her school and she hasn’t been to school since last Friday. We conducted a welfare check at the apartment where she had been staying with her boyfriend. Nobody’s home.”
Martina stood with her hands on her hips. “Who is this boyfriend?”
“His name is Zeek Tate. He’s twenty-two years old, or so he says. I get the impression they haven’t been together long, maybe two months. I’m running a background right now. I’m not gonna lie. I am concerned.”
“Is it unusual for her not to take your calls?” Martina asked.
“It is. Since her mother’s death, I’ve called her at least once a day to check in on her to make sure she’s all right. Good kid, but the boyfriend … I’m not so sure.” He didn’t want to be right about Zeek, because if he was, it meant major trouble for Selena. It didn’t feel right that Selena hadn’t shown up on Monday or hadn’t been to school in three days. Last they spoke, Selena had been excited about college, had already submitted her applications, and was finishing up her senior project. It didn’t make sense she would just disappear.
Lenny, an analyst from downstairs, approached their desks “Hey boss, I got the report you asked for. I think you’ll want to take a look at it.”
Ed didn’t need to be a detective to know it was not good news. “Time is of the essence, can you give us the CliffsNotes version?”
Lenny nodded and focused on the paper. “Zeek Tate, twenty-two, originally from Ridgemont. Straight A student in high school, accepted into UC Berkeley but dropped out two years ago after his girlfriend went missing. She hasn’t been found. There was some suspicion about him being involved, but rumors are that family money squashed any bad press. He doesn’t have a job but takes a few classes at the local junior college. Financials would indicate he lives off an allowance from his parents.”
Ed wanted to punch a wall. He knew there was something up with that guy. He should’ve kept a closer eye on Selena. If something happened to Selena, it would be his fault.
“Thanks, Lenny.” He looked over at his partner. “We need to find Selena. Let’s put out a BOLO on Zeek’s car and find out if his family owns any property in and around the area. Lenny, buddy, can you get on it ASAP?”
“Sure thing, boss. I’ll get to it now. I’ll let you know as soon as I find something.” Lenny rushed back down the hall.
Ed eyed Martina. She took a step closer and spoke quietly. “In my line of business, we have a way of getting information very quickly, but not necessarily in methods that are approved by the police department. If you share some information about this Zeek guy with me, I might be able to find Selena faster than you or your department could, but you can’t ask any questions.”
He stared straight into her amber eyes. “Do it.” They had to find her, by any means necessary.
17
Selena tried to wipe the tears from her cheeks onto the pillow. How long would he keep her tied up? She’d never been afraid to die before. She always had the idea that when her time came, it was her time, and she would be okay with that. That type of thinki
ng allowed her to survive the nights when her mother’s latest boyfriend would scare her through the walls or up close and personal. She wasn’t sure if she believed in God, but she had always believed there was a plan for her life and those around her. But, if there was a God, why would he allow people like Zeek to prey on women, tie them up like they were their property instead of human beings, capable and strong? He was going to kill her. She knew it in her bones.
She laughed at herself for being so naive. She had said she’d never, ever be like her mother. Here she was a full eighteen years ahead of Debbie. At least her mother lived to thirty-five. She wished her mother was with her now.
She looked blindly around the bedroom of Zeek’s parents’ cabin. Despite being tied to the bed, she could see out the window. It was snowing. She had never seen a white Christmas and depending on when Zeek planned to end her life, she may never get to. Deep down, she knew he’d never let her go. The first day she’d pleaded and begged him to untie her. She swore she wouldn’t run away. She tried to remain sweet and keep on his good side to convince him that she still loved him, but realized before the day was even up that it was all in vain. He was a monster, and monsters didn’t let their prey go.
She had endured the last three days mostly by staring out the window pretending she was outside. The fluttering snowflakes and sparkling lake were magical—a stark contrast to inside, where everything was dark and depraved.
A little yellow bird landed on a branch, staring at her like it was trying to communicate a message. Its eyes transfixed on her. She wanted to be that bird. She did want to be free. She couldn’t give up. She had to fight. But how?
The creak of footsteps approaching the bedroom door drew her gaze to the left. He was coming back. With that creepy smile, the same one she used to find so dazzling, he said, “Good morning babe. I made us some coffee. Unfortunately, no Frappuccinos out here.”
