by Zak Khan
Never could she ever have imagined that kind Mr. Cole was her abductor. She couldn't believe that her handsome young lecturer was behind the madness that had wrecked through Rosewood Creek the past few months. Pieces of a puzzle were slowing clicking into place. Everyone at campus loved this man. His work status as a lecturer, a perfect foil for his madness. He'd never be suspected, for the ruthless killer that he was. His true identity masked behind the prestige that a university tutor presented. An intelligent man, cultured would not be the kind of man that the police would be suspicious off. Suzie's eyes narrowed as she looked at this man, the thought occurring to her could it be that he was also the person responsible for her parents death? She gasped loudly. Right here stood before her the real killer. It all made sense now. This bastard had murdered her best friend brutally and snatched away her happiness when he'd killed her lovely parents too. Craig had been telling the truth. The authorities had the wrong man, the ruthless murderer now had her and no one was the wiser. He leaned closer, she could feel his breath warm against her cheek as he gently brushed at her tears with the pads of his fingers. A feeling of revulsion coursed through her body as she stiffened at his touch.
He softly whispered to her, “There now, Suzanne. I'm not going to hurt you. You mean the world to me. Can't you see, I've done all of this so we could be together.” He rambled on, “I know in time you will understand, I didn't have a choice. I had to be rid of them so we could be together.” Suzie froze at his words. It felt like tight fingers were squeezing her heart as she realized just how insane this man was. He appeared to be totally delusional. He was justifying his action to her. More fear and dread consumed Suzie, she was at the mercy of a cold blooded murdering psychopath and no one knew of her plight. Uncle Frank and Aunt Lizzie had visited the day before. It would be a good few days before they would come by calling. God only knew if she'd live until then.
Jeremy Cole gave Suzie an assessing look as he abruptly straightened, turned and walked out the doorway, shutting the door with a loud click. The sound echoing in finality in her head as he left her alone. She could hear his footsteps receding into the darkness.
The torrent of pent up tears that she'd been holding in overflowed as she sobbed hopelessly. All the mixed emotions that were bottled up over the few months exploding as she cried herself at the futility of her situation. She was afraid, alone and at the mercy of a mad man. She had cried herself into a stupor, the effects of the chloroform and exhaustion leaving her totally spent. She slipped into a troubled slumber.
- Chapter 16 -
A rooster crowed in the distance, Suzie opened her eyes wishing that it had all just been a nightmare but as she moved her torn skin at her wrist and ankles ached. She winched at the pain lying still once more. Jeremy Cole, as they all knew him, it was probably not his real name, was standing at the tiny window. Suzie knew that they were in a cabin, as she looked at the interior. Beyond the walls of the cabin, she had no idea where she was but from the sounds of wildlife she assumed they were in remote wilderness. The silence of her surrounding confirmed this. He walked over to her with a bowl and spoon. He told her that they were all alone and she shouldn't bother screaming as no one could hear anything for miles around. He lifted the spoon and attempted to feed her. Her tummy growled but Suzie shook her head aside. She didn't want to eat from this monster.
He turned her head with one hand, pressing on the side of her jaws a determined look in his eyes as he once more attempted to forcefully feed her. She spat the contents onto his face as she glared at him with intense hate. He put the spoon down and lifted his hand. Suzie cringed as she thought he would strike her but instead he just wiped his face with a handkerchief, through back his head and roared out with laughter. “Quite the spitfire!” He drawled as she stared shocked. Turning on his heel he abruptly strode out the door without a backward glance.
- Chapter 17 -
Rosewood Creek law nestled closely on the outskirts of London. The sleepy town was cocooned as the final threads of winter shredded away. Spring had come. Frank Andrews dressed in an immaculate suit and Elizabeth Andrews in her best Sunday attire, a peach tailored two piece, walked towards the ringing bell of the town church. A special service was to be held in honor of the three dear people who had been killed. Both husband and wife walked forward to greet Reverend Elias who was instrumental in organizing the service in remembrance of their departed loved ones. This was the kindness of a close knit community that made the Andrews feel like they belonged. Up until the tragedies that befell Rosewood Creek, the little town had been an immense joy. The tall grey church stood proudly with rose tinted glass at the windows. The neat rows of benches with familiar faces sitting together, an encouraging smile from one or the other as Reverend Elias led them to the front rows. The church was packed to capacity. Frank Andrew's heart felt warm at such solidarity from this community. He glanced around, leaning forward he whispered to the reverend, “Where is Suzie, hasn't she arrived yet?”
The reverend replied that he’d called and called but Suzie hadn't been answering. He thought that she most probably didn't want to talk to anyone. Uncle Frank digested this information.
The service was beautiful. It brought tears to their eyes. As reverend and a few of the congregation came forward to deliver speeches and just to reminiscence about Suzie's parents and their beloved Melissa. After refreshments were served people mingled outside in the court of the church. They whispered about the court case regarding Craig had finally come to an end and he was found to be guilty. Sentencing would be scheduled in a few days. Frank Andrews walked away to a corner of the church and as he quickly placed a call to Suzie he found it odd that she was not home. Reverend Elias assured him that word had been sent besides notice of the speech were up everywhere in Rosewood Creek. Suzie's phone just kept ringing and going to voicemail. A sixth sense, call it detective intuition, was nagging at him. Suzie was an extremely diligent girl, he felt certain that she would not ignore a special service planned for Melly and her parents. It would be disrespectful and Suzie was most certainly very respectful.
As the afternoon drew on Frank decided not to tell Lizzie about Suzie as her nerves had been fraught to breaking point. Dropping her at home, he told his wife that he was just going to drive up to Suzie's cottage to check up on her. It had already been a week since they'd last spoken to her.
Frank had not mentioned to anyone about his real concerns. He'd sat at the courthouse and had this uneasy restlessness that all had not been revealed through the court proceedings. There were a lot of missing pieces. Craig's past had definitely made a major impact on the trial, but there were a lot of holes that couldn't be answered.
His sharp mind kept going back to the facts, yes, the lighter was Craig's but he had claimed it had been missing for a while when he'd quit smoking. There was no clue to his daughter's missing fingers, they had not been found. Craig came out looking like a liar but the details in the cross questioning didn't add up. Frank could spot a liar from miles away but on the witness stand, Craig remained adamant that he did not know where the missing body parts were. He never changed his story in fact in anything he seemed broken at the evidence of how Melly had been mutilated. What's missing? He thought.
Could Craig's fit of rage produce such cold calculating mutilation?
It didn't fit the profile of this specific murder. His heart just wanted to believe that the perpetrator stayed behind bars. It would ease his aching heart.
He drummed his fingers on the steering as he drove into the driveway leading up to Suzie's cottage. No lights twinkled so as to greet him. Night was closing in. He got off his car and walked up to the oak door calling out to Suzie but the cottage looked quiet. Her car was still parked on the side of the cottage, so she must have been home. Frank had a chilling sensation creep up his spine. He kept pounding her door but still, there didn't seem to be anyone there. She hadn't answered to his call. He turned the handle and the door swung open. Her keys lay on the kitchen
counter, a feeling of abandonment rent the air. The cottage was deserted. A dirty teacup still sat on the counter unwashed. A quick survey around the cottage and Frank knew Suzie was not there. The cottage felt cold and eerie. Just as he was about to step out his gaze caught on her cellphone lying on the side table next to the Television. His investigative intuition went into overdrive. He quickly made a sweep outside the cottage. It was empty. His heart began beating wildly, something was dreadfully wrong. He began calling a few acquaintances checking if anyone had seen Suzie, no one had. Alarmed, Frank called detective Matthews, the man in charge of Suzanne's parent’s case. They had kept up a friendship through his daughter's trial.
“Matthew here.” he answered.
“Detective, I'm out at Suzie Edwards place. I think you need to come out here. She appears to be missing. I'm deeply concerned.”
A silence on the other end. “Detective, are you there?” asked Frank.
“I'm here Frank, I'll be over shortly.” he answer ringing off. Twenty minutes later, Frank watched the police vehicle make its way up the long pathway grinding to a halt behind his blue Ford. Detective Mathews and his partner jumped off the car and approached him.
Frank caught them up on Suzie's no show for the special service and that Lizzie and him had last seen her a week ago. All the calls to her bounced and their mutual friends revealed that no one had heard or seen Suzie in over a week either. The 3 men agreed to head down to the police station and trigger a search and rescue operation as soon as possible. Detective Matthew and partner did a quick sweep of the house to piece together this incomplete puzzle before agreeing that this was indeed a missing persons case. Finding Suzanne Edwards was going to be Rosewood Creek Police Department’s number one priority. Worried exchanged looks passed over all three men as they quickly made their way back to the station. A call through alerted all men at the station on the ugly situation unfolding. “Craig is still in custody so what the bloody hell is going on?” shouted their captain. Every man and trained dogs were deployed to the cottage, as high powered torches and pickup trucks combed the forest next to the cottage. This part of Rosewood Creek was unkempt, there was uneven terrain where only the dogs and men on foot could access. It may take days to comb the area and the areas adjacent to Rosewood. The media had a field day highlighting the murders and inquisitive and curious visitors had flocked to the Rosewood Creek and Hanover. As the hype died down, they’d left the little towns going back to whatever they had come from.
The search continued.
- Chapter 18 -
High up in the cabin, Suzie sat on the floor of the tiny room. Jeremy Cole had untied her hands and feet on that second morning that he’d taken her. She thought about the long bladed knife that he’d ran down her cheek, a warning of what was to come if she attempted to escape.
He’d twisted her hands behind her back as he slowly walked her outside to show where she was. Miles and miles of forest and slay, rough terrain was all that she could see. Her heart had fallen. There was nothing but forest everywhere. She looked about in awe. She had no idea where she was. He had then locked her in the tiny room at the back of the cabin, it had a little bathroom attached to it. She’d been locked in there every morning, Jeremy would bring her a tray with cereal and coffee, smiling at her in that strange way, a single white rose lay next to it.
“I’ve waited a long time for this.” He pulled a chair, rested his arms on the backrest and stared at her hungrily. “You’ve always been the one, Suzanne. Countless others fooled me with their deceitful smiles and fake promises. But you’re not like any of them. They deserved to rot.”
Suzie stared at him with utter shock. A deadly feeling dangled within the pits of her stomach as she pulled her knees closer to her chest. She tried to be strong but the tears piled up against each other. In front of her sat the monster who destroyed her life. Oh how she wished to turn back time and see things for what they truly were.
“Come now, Suzanne. Don’t be like that. We’ll have a wonderful life together, I pro-.”
“Burn in hell!” she interrupted. “I hope you die miserably, you piece of filth!” Jeremy Cole’s eyes widened in dismay. He jumped off the chair, hands dropped to his side, he took a step back looking down at her in confusion. “What are you saying? This isn’t you! You’re better than this Suzanne. Why are you acting like a disgusting whore? Tell me wh-”
“Shut up! I hate you! You took everything away from me. Melly…My parents. How could you?!” Blood rushed to her face as the words escaped her lips with absolute anger. Fear faded into hatred. It engulfed her and ripped her fear to pieces. In this moment she cared less of what would happen to her. The only thing she saw was the demon that stood before her.
“I took away the muck under your footing, Suzanne. They did nothing but hold you back. I met your parents on many occasions. I tried my best to see a glimmer of hope in them but they disappointed me. They had to go. I did it for you!” Jeremy paced the room, his eyes searched the cabin floors like a mad man. His breathing rose with each step and the growl in his voice grew as each second ticked away. “Don’t get me started on that Bitch! Oh, I had so much fun torturing that useless excuse for a human being. Melissa didn’t deserve to live. I did you a favor and here you are treating me like I’m dirt! And for what? That whore? How ironic, she tried to ‘seduce’ me for a passing grade. I gave that bitch what she wanted and then approved her passing…to the next world!”
It suddenly dawned on her that she was dealing with a lunatic. He showed no remorse, no humanity. The only thing emanating from him was madness. She knew her best shot of making it through this was to play along but the hatred and anger she was feeling guided her to a dangerous space. When surrounded by darkness even Suzie couldn’t resist it’s tempting embrace.
“I will never be yours! I would rather die, you bastard.” She shouted. Her stare gradually disintegrated into a cold and disgusted one. She let free her legs, placed her hands onto the ground and spat at his feet. Jeremy was boiling with rage. He halted, clenched his fist and bit so hard on his bottom lip that it began to bleed. “So be it.” His words echoed with a strange tone of pernicious acceptance.
“You’re the worst of them all. To have tricked me with your fake pureness. I feel like a complete fool. I am going to gut you, Suzie! I give you my word.”
“I don’t care.” But she really did. Had she made a mistake? Was he really going to kill her? He turned around, walked out the room slamming the door shut. For the next few days, he said not a word to Suzie. She received no food and no rose until late one night. He slipped in a tray, this time with a red rose and note that read, “I forgive you”.
Jeremy stood outside in the dark, looking up at the stars he thought about what was his next best move. Never had he loved someone as much as he did Suzanne. He wasn’t one for questioning himself but she frazzled him. Drowning in his own thoughts for the future he dug his hands into the tight jeans and decided that this place was just too toxic. This place reminded her too much of the unnecessary drama that plagued her life. It was the only explanation for her outburst. She just needed a fresh start, with him, somewhere without any familiar faces.
He was going to leave town for good, with Suzanne. She had to be the one, the soul mate he dreamt off. Tomorrow at dawn, he’d withdraw all the cash in his savings, pick up some clothes and supplies along with his secret stash of souvenirs from the filth he disposed the world off and Rosewood Creek would see the last of Jeremy and the soon to be Suzanne Cole.
The next morning Suzie awoke to the sound of bustling from the next room. She heard a door slam shut, the pickup truck starting up a minute later before speeding away. Suzie assumed that he’d probably be going back to the university to resume his duties.
She gazed out the grimy sticky windows. It had been nailed shut from outside. Suzie knew that her fate had been sealed. Every night before their vile encounter, with that tray of food and that single rose he’d sit and watch her eat, telling
her about his day, the plans he had for their future and ludicrous dreams. Suzie remained stubbornly silent, her mind racing she’d escape the first chance she hot. This thought stilling her heart, giving her the briefest hope but on the eleventh day of being taken Suzie felt the optimism drain away.
Her futile situation was slowly sinking in. No one would miss her. She was all alone. The only other person that knew was probably sentenced to life. The police, Uncle Frank and Aunt Liz, the people of Rosewood Creek all believed that the monster was locked away. Oh how wrong they were. She thought sadly.
They may never learn the truth. Even if they searched for her, how long would they keep at it? Almost 2 weeks has passed and no one has even stumbled upon this place. Her chances of escaping were slowly dying with every passing moment and so was her hope.
