Taken

by Mia Ford

Ray listened for a few seconds, pressing his ear against the door only to hear more silence over the pulsing blood in his ears. There was no answer.

  “Diamond? Diamond Everett! Are you in there? Anyone home?”

  It was then that Ray heard the sound. It wasn’t loud. In fact, it was barely a whisper. Scratching. Just the littlest sound of something scratching against another seemed to be right there with Ray in the hallway.

  Bending down he looked underneath the tiny crack under the door and saw long black hair. There she was just a few feet from the door.

  “I didn’t know what else to do but I took a step back and brought my boot against the door. Thankfully the deadbolt had not been relocked or I’d still be there trying to kick the mother open. As it was, even if Mr. Hewett hadn’t confiscated the keys and gotten into the apartment, a swift kick filled with rage and hatred from Mr. Hewett would have shot it off the hinges.

  “The door flew open pulling splinters from the door jam with it.” He said, almost as if he were embarrassed by his achievement. When I stepped inside the little apartment my heart broke.” His eyes welled with tears. “Marty, I know he’s your brother and you are my boss, but…”

  “But I’m also your friend, Ray. If you didn’t work for me I’d hope we’d still be friends. And you certainly don’t have to hold back where my brother is concerned.”

  Ray wasn’t the kind of guy to break down and share his emotions. But I saw the pain and fear in his eyes. He was wondering what I had been wondering for years: What could have happened to my brother that he was this evil? What made him turn out this way? Why was he so cruel and cruel for sport?

  “I don’t know where he went wrong, Ray. It’s just something that happened to him. Something he invited in and let whatever it is take up residence in his heart.” I shrugged my shoulders. It was all I could say after he had told me what he found.

  Diamond had a concussion that made the injuries in the NFL look like schoolyard scrapes and bruises. Her brain was filling up with blood and if she didn’t get moving, get some relief and care at a hospital she was going to die. Plus she had been tied up so tightly her hands were a dark, stormy purple. The worst part was that she had had a pair of her own panties crammed so far down her throat that Diamond was at risk of swallowing them while she waited for someone, anyone to arrive.

  Quickly, ray yanked them from her mouth, and carefully helped her to sit with her back, leaning against the wall as she gasped for air.

  “It was Joshua!” she panted in between gasps for air and the choking out of tears. “He’s after Natasha!” It was like that was all she wanted to say. Just name names and let the pieces fall where they might because she hadn’t had any energy left.

  “It’s alright, Diamond. Natasha will be just fine.” Ray had said it mostly to himself since she was drifting in and out of consciousness. “Right now it’s you that matters. Let’s get you to a hospital.”

  Ray wondered if that little punk at the door had actually called the police. He had listened for a moment to see if any sirens could be heard but he didn’t hear anything. Reaching onto his pocket, Ray pulled out his cell phone and called 9-1-1.

  The paramedics were there within two minutes. Ray had barely moved Diamond and when the EMT’s checked her, over their faces were grave.

  “She’s got a concussion. I’m almost positive of that.” One of the EMT’s who sported a short mustache had said while the other guy, tall with thinning blond hair, fussed over Diamond, snapping a plastic cast around her neck and pinching her wrist between his thumb and forefinger to count her pulse.

  “Is she on any drugs?” the blond asked.

  “Not that I know of. I have reason to believe someone who entered her apartment did this to her.” Ray had said.

  “Was it you?” The mustached EMT asked seriously. “Make it easy on yourself if it was, pal.”

  “No, sir.” Ray said confidently. “No I didn’t do this but I know who did.”

  “Who are you?”

  “A friend of a friend.”

  “The police will want to talk to you.”

  “I want to talk to them.” Ray said nodding his head. If they were trying to embarrass or intimidate Ray, it didn’t work. The EMT’s raised Diamond in a stretcher and carefully wheeled her outside and into a truck. Ray went with her. He held her hand the entire way, saying nothing. Once in the hospital he stayed at her side offering as much information as he could, making sure the nurses took good care of this woman who he thought was so pretty, even with swollen eyes and a fat lip. He also didn’t hesitate to mention the name of Joshua Hewitt.

  In times of crisis everyone should have their own Ray Peppers around. I don’t care what the situation might be; a level head is hard to come by. I couldn’t say I would have stayed in such control had it been me who found Diamond in the shape she was in.

  “I’ll tell you what, Marty.” He chuckled a little, rubbing the back of his neck. “When that girl got her wits about her I was sure she was going to start spitting nails. Concussion or not, she was not going to just sit back and play the victim. I don’t think your brother realized who he had tried to mess with.”

  “My brother rarely thinks. You know that, Ray.”

  Ray went on to describe Diamond’s chilling narration of what had happened to her. The set-up in the alley, the blow to her head, the alcohol and humiliation and then leaving her to choke to death, bound and gagged. My heart broke as Ray told me and I felt responsible for the whole thing. Sure it wasn’t really my fault. Joshua was a grown man who had chosen this path of depravity and narcissism. But somewhere deep down I couldn’t help but feel the nagging truth that we were related. How come he ended up this way? And was there even the slightest chance that that beast inside him was also lying dormant inside of me? Could I just wake up one day and feel the need to conquer whatever and whoever is in front of me? Was it in our blood? Was it in our DNA? Was it inevitable?

  “It isn’t your fault, Marty.” Ray said putting his hand on my shoulder. I had mentioned before that Ray had the uncanny gift of reading my mind.

  “Common sense tells me it’s not. But there are two beautiful women in the hospital right now who might not be there had I taken the action I did sooner.”

  “You know what the authorities would have said to you if you tried to do anything without proof of some kind? They would have said sorry, pal. With all your money you’re still not happy and want to lock up your brother in the loony-bin? You cold hearted bastard. That is exactly what they would say. And then they’d run to the tabloids.”

  “I suppose.” I said, still feeling the guilt.

  “Well, you’re not going to get that pretty mama to accept that ring if you show up with a face like that. Come on, Marty. This is an exciting day.”

  Ray was right. I could look at the situation around me like things were coming to an end or I could see it all as a new beginning.

  “How do I look?” I said, turning to Ray.

  “Like a million bucks.”

  “221.4 million To be exact.” I said, smiling.

  Ray rolled his eyes.

  “And what about the ring?”

  I reached in my pant pocket and pulled out a small red velvet box. It was Worn around the edges from years of being in a safety deposit box along with my father’s gold pocket watch, the cuff links he wore when he got married to my mom, the mortgage papers of their first home. It had cost them $25,000 to buy their house. In the suburb it was in now homes were selling for almost half a million dollars. I pulled open the lid and revealed a solitary two-karat diamond.

  “For those days a ring this size was a waste of money.” I said to Ray. “But my mom always said that now a days the bigger the ring the shorter the marriage. Do you think she’ll like it?”

  “I think Natasha would like it, even if it was a Cracker-Jack prize.” Ray said, closing the little box and handing it back to me. “Now, moving on to more important topics. What are you going to name the baby?�
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  I laughed out loud.

  We left my home in Ray’s pick-up truck and headed to the hospital. I had both Natasha and Diamond transferred to Southeastern University Hospital for not just the best care after what they had been through but also because I had donated to them and was confident the ladies would be comfortable. It took a little sweet talking to get them hospital rooms right next to each other but since they weren’t in intensive care we got luck.

  I walked in feeling nervous and excited and scared like I was a teenager getting ready to stand in front of the entire assembly and give a speech. As usual, a couple of the medical staff members called me by name and the administration crawled out of the woodwork to shake my hand and ask me how my friends were feeling. They assured me they were getting the best care as they would if they were friends of mine or not.

  Ray had his arms full of boxes of chocolates for the nurses to indulge in at the nurse’s station. Another couple of bouquets of flowers had been delivered to them as well.

  My father always said if you have to stay in the hospital to remember the nurses. “The doctors stop by for a couple minutes just to look at you. It’s the nurses who do the real work while you’re getting better. Don’t forget to say thank you.”

  “Good morning, Mr. Reid. Mr. Pepper.” They would all say as we walked by. Funny. I was the one there on a mission and Ray seemed to be especially eager to make his way to Diamond’s room. He nodded his head and in a few long strides had reached her door.

  Pushing it open quietly I saw the flowers I had ordered for her had also been delivered. Her room was a vision in yellow. Roses, carnations and daisies brightened up the private room and balloons floated happily around the ceiling reminding Diamond to get well soon.

  “Hello?” Ray said quietly.

  “Hi!” Diamond said, rubbing her eyes and smiling. She winced a little as she scooted up in the bed. “Hi, guys. Oh, Marty, the flowers are so beautiful. They really make a difference.”

  “Hey, I’m a cheapskate. The daisies and carnations are the only ones I sent.” I said, clapping Ray on the back. He shook his head, looking down in an attempt to hide his cheeks that flushed a bright pink.

  “Is that so? Well, thank you, Ray. The roses are the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever gotten.”

  “You’re welcome.” He said. “I brought you something else.” He had been carrying a bag with him and in my own rush to see Natasha I hadn’t even asked what was in it. He reached down and pulled out a stack of magazines, all kinds. There were tabloids, fashion magazines, cooking magazines, home decorating and crossword puzzles.

  “I thought you’d need something to help pass the time when I wasn’t here.”

  Those simple magazines lit up Diamond’s face. Now it was her turn to blush.

  “I heard Natasha talking to the nurses.” Diamond said without taking her eyes off Ray. “You can probably go see her now.”

  “Well, here’s your hat. What’s your hurry?” I teased.

  Diamond rolled her eyes and looked at me.

  “You know that isn’t what I meant. I just know that you are on your way to see her and why keep the poor girl in suspense any longer. That’s all I’m saying.”

  “Well, maybe you are right. You guys…behave yourselves.”

  I turned and walked out the door hearing Diamond giggle and Ray begin to tell her some story about how he had heard me say that same line at least a hundred times over the years we had been friends.

  I pulled Diamond’s door closed and took a deep breath as I walked into Natasha’s room. She was lying awake in bed looking at the red roses on the table next to the bed. Her room was filled with so many vases of red roses we’d need a truck to get them all out when it was time to go. But I didn’t want her to be a staring at plain walls. Not in her condition.

  Standing there for just a moment I saw how absolutely beautiful she was. To her, the flowers would have been enough. One vase would have been an indescribable gift that would have brought tears to her eyes. I loved her. I loved her so much it terrified me to think that I almost lost her.

  I cleared my throat and she looked up at me.

  “Hi, Marty.”

  “Hi.” I said quietly. Walking to the bed I stood there for just a second out of arms reach. “You feeling okay today?”

  “Yeah. Hungry, though.”

  “How about some ice cream?”

  “That would be good.”

  “Okay. Oh, but there is one thing I need to ask you first.” I stepped up to the bed. Pulling the little red box from my pocket I pulled open the lid. Natasha never even looked at the ring. She looked at me. Just me. Her beautiful eyes filled with tears and she smiled. I knew all that she saw was me.

  JOSHUA

  Of course, the police were going to listen to my brother first. He was the one who met them at the door like the gentleman he is. But being taken down to the police station wasn’t so bad. I was actually pleasantly surprised by the accommodations.

  Being thrown into a cell with four other men would be enough to terrify an ordinary man, but not me. This was just a small detour. At any minute the Universe would reveal her plan and I’d be back on the street. But right now I would have to earn my stripes.

  “What are you looking at?” I hissed immediately, upon hearing the bars lock behind me and the footsteps of the police officer recede down the hallway. “Do you have something you want to say to me?”

  The man I was saying this too had to be about six feet tall and barrel chested. There were tattoos on his arms. He had probably been thrown in for public intoxication or something equally benign. Note to my future protégé: If you aren’t going to go big, go home.

  He narrowed his eyes at me and began to stand up when I punched him in the larynx. Then I grabbed him by the hair as he was gasping for breath and slammed his face into the nearest concrete wall. The blood made a pattern like a butterfly.

  He slumped to the floor. The other men watched him but said nothing. They didn’t call for help. They turned their backs. I was left alone. It’s that whole honor among thieves thing. They may hate my guts but they hate the police more.

  I sat in that holding tank for about thirty minutes before my attorney showed up.

  “I don’t care what you do. You need to get me out of here.” I said to Bernie Power, my attorney. He stood about five feet six inches tall. A real short shit. His suit had to cost about three thousand dollars and his shoes the same. He had been my attorney since my parents died and my brother tried to get me off the board of directors the first time. Bernie tied things up with so much red tape the suit looked like a Cristo work of art. His hair was white and naturally wavy and he had two huge dimples in his cheeks when he smiled, which wasn’t that often.

  But right now he wasn’t helping. This was ridiculous that someone like me had to sit here on a metal seat talking into a phone that was covered with only God knew what kind of bacteria from this place.

  “Joshua, I told you. You’re being charged with kidnapping and attempted murder.”

  “I told you. She’s not going to talk. She’ll change her story. Now, whatever the bail is you take what you need and get the wheels of justice turning my way. Okay? Is that too fucking hard for you to figure out?”

  “Joshua, I told you. You aren’t going anywhere. And cussing me out won’t change that. Look, I’ve always been honest with you. And right now I’m telling you that the chances of you getting out of this place are going to be slim. You are part of the Reid fortune. Whatever judge we get is going to look to make an example of you and a name for himself. Bail may not be an option. We just have to wait and see.

  I felt my blood boiling. This wasn’t the kind of thing the Universe would do to me. Not me.

  “And that is just what you’ve got going on in this country. Seems I was also informed that a certain companion of yours went missing in Canada.” Bernie looked at me like I was a kid who had chocolate all over my face but said I didn’t eat the cake.
So what? Who cared about what happened to some whore in Canada?

  “They’ll never find a body.” I said.

  “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that, Josh. I am.” Bernie said, his eyes darting around quickly. “What I am going to tell you is that you need to relax. No more displays of strength in the holding cells. No more smartass comments to the guards. Just do as you’re told and it will help me do what I have to do to get you out.”

  It was over six months ago that I had that conversation with Bernie. He was right. It was pretty amazing how easily people leaned your way with just a little shred of respect. Like cows with big, dumb eyes that followed along a metal maze calmly and content to just walk. They are skinned and sliced and hanging in a meat locker on a hook before they know what has happened.

  Unfortunately, my brother had gotten to the jury at the trial. It was a speedy event with no cameras allowed. My brother made certain of that. They wanted me to take a deal. Thirteen years with the possibility of parole after five. I wouldn’t accept. The Universe doesn’t reward making deals with mere mortals.

  So Bernie argued my case and made my brother and Miss Natasha Morgan look like the scheming parasites they are. But, the twelve peers in the box thought I was a bit over-the-top. I wasn’t allowed to take the stand. So I sat next to Bernie listening to each witness talking try and make me out to be some kind of monster.

  Funny thing that Marty’s Secretary Denise didn’t have anything to say. Natasha didn’t have much to say either. Not after it came to light how much I had spent on her, where I had taken her, how she was now pregnant with my brother’s kid.

  I have to admit, she robbed me of the opportunity to hear the sordid details of her relationship with my brother when I confronted her at her parent’s house. But Bernie, I have to say, did a magnificent job getting her to tear up. Her eyes darted back and forth from Bernie to the jury to me. Her cheeks burned with humiliation as she acknowledged being with my brother and I during the same time period. Not at the same time, mind you. But a few weeks did overlap. She fidgeted in her seat and stared daggers at Bernie who I think was having a good time himself. And when she had finished and stepped down from the stand our eyes locked and I gave her a quick wink. I lived on that memory of her shame for a couple of months once they placed me in my new living quarters.