“Where did this happen? I mean where are you from?”
“Athens, Georgia.”
“Didn’t you have fire insurance?”
“The house was still insured under my mom’s name since she had only been dead a short time, and the insurance company refused to pay.”
Keri sat back in her seat, stunned.
“You lost your mother, your home, and your livelihood in a matter of weeks?”
“Yeah, but Mom had been sick for years, so that wasn’t really sudden.”
“I’m so sorry for everything that’s happened to you, but why are you in Florida?”
“My brother’s ex-girlfriend lives down here. She’s really nice and invited me to stay with her, but her new boyfriend and I didn’t get along at all, and so I left there and lived on a boat for a while, but... I don’t want to talk about that.”
At Autumn’s mention of a boat, Keri leaned forward.
“What was the name of the boat? Was it The Sea Predator?”
“No, but that’s close, it was called The Stalker, but predator would have been better, because the guy that owned it fit the name.”
“Was he called Sonny?”
“No, Junior, why?”
“My daughter is missing and she was last seen on a boat named The Sea Predator, which was owned by a man named Sonny.”
“Oh, well Junior is about thirty and smiles a lot, it’s a nice smile, but he’s a dirt bag.”
Keri felt a chill go through her. Cole had mentioned that Sonny smiled often, he also said that he was about thirty.
“This Junior, does he have long blond hair in a ponytail, and green eyes?”
“Yeah, he does,” Autumn said, as she squinted with suspicion. “You’re not a friend of his, are you?”
“No, of course not, but I’m beginning to wonder if Sonny and Junior are the same man. Were you alone on the boat with him, or were there others there, and can I speak to them?”
“No I wasn’t alone; there were two couples along, which is why I felt safe. I mean, I saw the way Junior was looking at me, but I figured he wouldn’t try anything with the others along.”
“But he did, didn’t he?”
Autumn nodded, and wiped away a tear.
Keri reached across the table and took her hand.
“Did that bastard hurt you... were you raped, honey?”
Autumn said nothing during a long silence that was filled only by the sounds of the diner, such as the clinking of silverware, the muffled sounds of various conversations, the sizzling of meat upon the grill.
Finally, Autumn whispered one word.
“Yes.”
“How did you get away from him, did the others help you?”
Autumn’s head shot up as she removed her hand, and Keri was shocked by the look of anger in the girl’s eyes.
“They didn’t help me get away. They held me down for him, at least two of them did, those bastards would do anything Junior asked.”
“What bastards?”
“One of the couples, Grace and Noah, they were evil, pure evil.”
Keri leaned forward.
“What did they look like?”
“Noah’s a big guy with lots of muscles, and Grace, Grace is beautiful, at least on the outside. She’s Brazilian, with long dark hair and blue eyes.”
Keri sniffled, as she tried to fight back tears, and terror.
“What’s wrong, Keri?”
“The boy I talked to yesterday, he said, he said that the other girl staying on Sonny’s boat was Brazilian. Oh God, I think Sonny and Junior are the same man.”
“I know where Junior is, or at least, I know where he fuels up the boat. I saw him there last week.”
“Where?”
“In Key Largo, a marina in Key Largo,”
They were interrupted by the waitress stopping by, and after Keri refused more coffee, she was handed the check and paid.
Once outside, Autumn stood beside Keri looking as if she didn’t know what to do next.
“I want you to come with me,” Keri said.
“Why?”
“I want you and Cole to meet. I have to figure out if Sonny and Junior are the same man.”
Autumn shrugged.
“I’ll help as much as I can.”
Keri hugged her, and after standing stiffly with her arms at her sides, Autumn hugged her back.
CHAPTER 11
He had just returned from a morning run along the beach when he received Lawson’s call about Jack Beck, who had been discovered lying unconscious in Key West the night before.
Beck was suffering from extreme exhaustion, dehydration, and a broken wrist, and had yet to regain consciousness.
“But he’ll recover?” he asked Lawson.
“Absolutely, but until he awakens we won’t know what happened. Is it possible for you to get there later and see him?”
“I’ll go, but what about you?”
“Jace and I will be there tonight,”
“Good, and Lawson, I want in on this.”
“I figured you would, see you later.”
He put away his phone and started the coffee. By the time Jessica woke and came downstairs, Maggie had dressed the babies and he was feeding them.
Jessica entered the kitchen and gave him a kiss.
“Thank you for taking care of the babies alone.”
“Maggie helped before she ran off to the beach, and she’ll be back by lunchtime,” he said, and then he told her about Beck.
“What time are you going to Key West?”
“Soon, I have a feeling he’ll awaken before noon, and I want to be there when he does. I have to find out what happened.”
“Amanda is flying in today, but I can go meet her while Maggie watches the children.”
He took Jessica in his arms.
“I know we’re on vacation, but—”
“I understand. Whoever hurt Jack needs to be handled, and you want to do it.”
“Yes.”
“Just promise me you’ll be careful.”
“I will, and I might have help as well, Jace is coming down with Lawson.”
“Good, and maybe it’s also good timing on his part, given how much time Maggie and Cole are spending together.”
“You think there will be trouble there?”
“I don’t know, I guess it depends how friendly Maggie and Cole have become.”
Jessica’s phone rang, and when she checked it, she smiled. “It’s Keri.”
“Hello Keri,”
“Jessica, I hate to bother you again, but I need to find Cole.”
“I’m not sure where he is, but he’s likely at the beach.”
“Okay, I’ll try to find him there.”
“Have you learned something new?”
“I have, and it’s not good.”
“Come here, Keri, and I’ll have Maggie bring Cole over.”
“You want me to come to your house?”
“Yes,” Jessica said, and gave her the address.
“All right, we’ll be there soon.”
“We?”
“It’s a long story, but I’ve made a new friend, Autumn, she’s sixteen and all alone. You don’t mind me bringing her along, do you?”
“Of course not, and I’ll see you both soon.”
Jessica’s husband spoke as she put down her phone.
“It sounds like you’ll have company. Let me pick Amanda up at the airport; I’ll have the time.”
“That might be best, and while you’re helping Jack, I think I’ll help Keri find her daughter.”
“You’re going to go look for that man named Sonny?”
“Yes, he’s the key to finding Keri’s daughter.”
He hugged her.
“I want you to promise me that you’ll be careful.”
“I will, and I can take care of myself, you know?”
He kissed her.
“Of that, I have no doubts,”
CHAPTER 12
Jessica smiled and waved an arm about.
“It’s lovely isn’t it? And the woman who furnished it has great taste. We’re only here for a week, but we’re leaning towards buying it from her.”
“It’s like something out of a magazine,” Autumn said, as she gazed about.
“Maggie is here already, however, Cole had to run an errand for his mother, but he’ll be by soon.”
Jessica led her guests to the living room and introduced them to Maggie. At first sight of the twins, Autumn lit up in a bright smile and went to them.
“They’re beautiful, and the boy is so tall for his age.”
After the children became occupied with their toys, Autumn stood by the sofa, looking as if she felt out of place.
“Is something wrong?” Jessica asked.
Autumn gestured at herself.
“My clothes, they’re filthy, I don’t dare sit in these. I’ll get the sofa dirty.”
As Jessica struggled for something to say, Maggie took Autumn by the hand.
“Come with me. We’re about the same size, and you can wear my clothes.”
“Seriously?” Autumn said.
“Yes.”
Autumn looked at Keri.
“You have nice friends.”
After the girls walked towards the bedrooms, Jessica asked Keri a question.
“Is the poor girl really living on the streets?”
“More like sleeping on the beaches, but yes, and... there’s more.”
Keri told Jessica about Junior and his similarity to Sonny. She also told her about Autumn’s rape.
“Oh God,” Jessica said. “She needs help,”
“She has it, from me. I may not be able to help my own daughter right now, but I can help that child.”
“I think it’s good that you found each other,” Jessica said, and then she reached over and placed her hand atop of Keri’s.
“You need help too, don’t you?”
Keri stared at her, but then looked down.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
“Those are the same clothes you had on yesterday, and you look as if you’ve barely slept. What’s going on?”
Keri started to deny that anything was wrong, but instead, she opened up and revealed her financial situation and the toll that the search for Rachel had taken on the other aspects of her life, and even talked about the attack by the two boys that she had survived in Miami.
Jessica sat back and listened, and when Keri had finished, Jessica saw that her new friend’s eyes glistened with tears.
“You’ve been through hell these past few months, haven’t you?” Jessica said.
Keri wiped at her eyes.
“Many have it worse, and all I want is to find my daughter. Once I know she’s safe, I’ll feel as if I hit the lottery.”
The girls returned and Autumn looked like a new person. She had bathed as well as changed her clothes, and it seemed to brighten her spirits.
Jessica suggested that they have coffee and everyone moved to the kitchen. Jessica’s son, Liam, seemed smitten with Autumn and her daughter climbed into Keri’s arms.
“I remember when Rachel was this young, God, it seems like just yesterday sometimes.”
Cole arrived a short time later and turned out to be a fair artist. He drew a pencil sketch of Sonny, and before he had even finished, Autumn was nodding her head.
“That’s him, that’s Junior.”
Cole sketched a profile of a large sailboat, and Autumn agreed that it resembled the boat she had been on.
“They sound like the same man,” Jessica said. “Maggie, can you please watch the children?”
“Sure, but where are you going?”
“I’m going to help Keri track this man down.”
“You don’t have to do that, Jessica,” Keri said.
“No, but I want to,”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll come along,” Autumn said, “But once I see him and point him out, I’ll be running the other way.”
Jessica watched as Keri reached over and gave Autumn’s hand a squeeze, while thinking that finding the young girl, finding someone to care for, just might be the best thing that Keri could have done.
She had a bad feeling about Sonny/Junior, a feeling of dread, and she was losing hope that Keri’s search for her daughter would end well.
***
In Key West, Jack Beck awoke to find Jessica’s husband sitting beside his hospital bed.
“I screwed up, kid.”
Beck’s voice was raspy, and so he handed his friend a cup of water. After taking the cup back from Beck, he asked what happened.
“Boone Smith?”
“Yeah, the Smith part is fake for sure, but I’d bet that the Boone part is real, and he’s strong, kid, freaky strong. He tossed Roberts at me as if the man weighed nothing, and he crushed my wrist like it was a beer can.”
“Lawson called me while I was on my way here. The woman, Angie, has checked out of her hotel, but prints found in the room came back as belonging to an Angie Ward.”
“Can they track her down?”
“They already have, she checked-in to a motel up the coast using her real name, and she can lead me to Boone.”
“You?”
“I’m on this now.”
“Goddamnit kid, I didn’t want to drag you into this. I’ll tell Lawson to give me a few days to rest and then I’ll handle Boone.”
“With a broken wrist?”
“I can still shoot a gun with my left hand, and that’s all I need to handle Boone.”
“There’s still the matter of the money. Boone has it and we have to get it back.”
Beck considered that, and then nodded.
“Yeah, this is about more than getting revenge, but even if you find Angie, are you sure you can make her talk?”
He smiled at Beck.
“She’ll talk.”
Beck studied him.
“A lot of guys think they can be rough with a woman, but when the time comes, they can’t do it, are you sure you can?”
The smile left his face.
“It won’t bother me,” he told Beck, but what he didn’t say, and wished he didn’t know himself, was that a part of him was looking forward to tormenting the woman for information.
The hard part would come when he had to keep himself from going too far, and he remembered the last time he had a woman at his mercy, two women actually, young twins who had foolishly offered themselves to him as bound love slaves, and inadvertently inflamed the part of him that hid a monster.
The monster had emerged that day, just for a flicker, but long enough to remind him that he must always stay on guard.
He looked back at Beck.
“How did you wind up in the water?”
“Angie pushed me in, and although I don’t know for certain, I think she was the one who fired shots at me afterwards.”
“She tried to kill you?”
“Hell yeah, the girl is all heat on the surface, but there’s nothing but ice underneath, so don’t be fooled... or seduced.”
“No worries there, Jack, Jessica is all I’ve ever needed.”
“Maybe so, but you can’t tell me you’ve never been tempted,”
At those words, an image of Blue Steele passed through his mind.
“I’ve been tempted, yes, but I’ll never stray.”
“Good, so, how do you plan to handle Angie?”
He smiled.
“I’m going to give her a taste of her own medicine.”
CHAPTER 13
There was no sign of Sonny at the marina in Key Largo, and Autumn also didn’t see his sailboat anywhere.
Jessica suggested that they try another marina in the area, but she, Keri, and Autumn, struck out there as well.
When they stopped for lunch, Jessica asked Autumn to tell them
more about her time on Junior’s boat, and Autumn did so, mostly through gently falling tears.
“It was a party boat at first and we were having a good time. I smoked the pot they gave me, but I stayed away from the pills that Grace and Noah were popping like M&M’s. The other couple, the ones I made friends with, they were named Sammy and Chloe. They smoked too.”
“When you were raped, where were Sammy and Chloe?”
Autumn brushed away tears.
“I don’t know. We were anchored off this nothing beach they called a lagoon and maybe they were inland, but I can’t believe they didn’t hear my screams. I do know that Junior kept laughing and saying that there was nobody going to help me.... and Grace and Noah, they, they held me down.”
“How did you get away?” Jessica said.
“When Junior was, was done, Noah said he wanted a turn, and when he let my arm go, I swung my leg around and kicked Grace in the throat. When she let go, I jumped overboard and swam for the beach.”
“What happened then?”
“I made it to shore, but I was still naked, they had cut off my swimsuit. When I saw Noah swimming towards the beach, I ran, but he’s a slow swimmer, and so I kept ahead of him. After I ran for a little bit, I came across some scattered clothes, lots of them, and when I saw this orange beach robe, I grabbed it from the sand and put it on. Then, I just kept running until I came to a shack where an old woman was hanging up clothes.”
Autumn stopped talking for a moment and her eyes looked lost in memory.
“I was a mess when I came out of the trees. My legs had been cut by thorns, all I had on was that skimpy robe, and, and I was bleeding, down there... from what Junior did.”
“Have you gone to the police with this?” Jessica asked.
“Yeah, the old lady at the shack gave me some clothes and drove me into town, and I talked to the sheriff. This was a real small town, and the people were nice, but by the time the sheriff went to look for the boat, Junior was gone, and since I didn’t know anybody’s last name, it just went nowhere. But they did take me to a doctor, a woman, and she said I’d be sore, but okay, and after I stayed overnight at the old woman’s shack, I started hitchhiking and ended up here.”
Something in the story troubled Jessica and she asked about it.
“When was the last time you saw Sammy and Chloe?”
The TAKEN! Series - Books 13-16 (Taken! Box Set Book 4) Page 38
