“You weren’t to know Cam and anyway who would have thought one of our security guards were behind the letters. But we need to get back to the hotel as we need to organise a search. Do you know anything personal about this guy?”
“Nothing, he was too busy asking about how I knew Jessie and about our history. I just thought he was interested as he liked the band. Shit, I am such an idiot.”
Cam dropped his head into his hands and I could hear the depth of despair in his voice. I couldn’t go there otherwise I would break down too.
“Ok Cam, get it together mate, we have to stay positive. Lance get Cam, Robbie and Josh back to the hotel and stay there. I need to know that you guys are safe.”
“Where are you going Mack? I want to come with you.”
Lance looked devastated and I pulled him to me for a hug.
“I need you to take the others back, which is the best thing you can do for me. Ok?”
Lance nodded and I was glad when they were safely on their way back to the hotel.
I knew I had to keep busy otherwise I would go mad. I walked over to one of the guards and asked him if he knew Pete. They had obviously been filled in on the situation as he tried to reassure me that they had the situation under control.
I roughly pulled him to me and read his badge, “Doing nothing, Carl, is not my style. Now what do you know about Pete?”
Carl looked shaken by my treatment but I was too angry to care. I needed someone to blame and the guards who had hired and worked with this freak seemed like a good place to start. If I stopped being angry, I would be scared and I didn’t have time for that right now.
“He hasn’t been working with our company for long so I don’t know him very well. He tends to keep to himself. Gem probably knows him the best as they usually sit together at breaks.”
“Ok which guard is Gem?”
He pointed towards a tall guy with a beer gut and I walked over to see what I could find out.
“Carl says you knew Pete the best. Anything he ever said stand out that might help us find Jess?”
“I have already spoken to the police and told them everything I could think of. The main thing he talks about is his ex. Apparently she walked out on him for another man about six months ago. He has nothing nice to say about her and looking back maybe I should have questioned his stability. He was always ranting and raving about what he wanted to do to her. But I thought he was just acting like a scorned lover with all that bravado shit. The weirdest thing is he once showed me a picture of her and I remember thinking at the time she looked a lot like Jess.”
I felt like punching the idiot, “Why the fuck didn’t you say something sooner, especially since you knew Jess was getting those letters?”
Gem looked taken aback, “I never thought the two things were connected. I mean sure he went on about his wife but I had no reason to believe he had anything against Jess. He never even mentioned her to me. If he had I’m sure I would have made the connection. Shit I’m sorry man but I just never saw this coming.”
I took a breath as upsetting everyone with accusations wasn’t going to help Jess.
“Look I’m sorry, but if you think of anything else let George know.”
“Sure, absolutely, and for what it’s worth I really hope we find Jess soon as she doesn’t deserve this and she is a top lady.”
I gave Gem a pat on the back as I walked off as I couldn’t risk talking. My throat felt hoarse and my chest tight from holding in the emotion that was threatening to overwhelm me. Come on Mack, hold it together.
I didn’t want to risk driving while I felt like this so I asked one of the guards to organise me a ride back to the station. I knew they wanted me to wait quietly at the hotel but I sure as fuck wasn’t taking that advice. I needed to be there when they heard something.
Jess
Alarm bells started when I noticed we were heading the opposite way to our hotel.
“Is there a detour driver? Just I noticed we turned the wrong way at the last intersection.”
I tried to keep the panic out of my voice as I was sure there was a logical explanation.
I heard the click as the central locking was activated and I tried my door. It was locked from the front and I was trapped in the car. I could feel my heart starting to race and the panic set in.
“What’s going on? Why have you locked the doors?”
My voice sounded high and screechy but I just had this horrible feeling that something was wrong, very wrong. Why wouldn’t the driver answer me?
I looked out the window trying to get my bearings and could see we were heading towards the harbour bridge, to the north of Auckland. I had about twenty minutes to get out of this car before we got to the motorway heading towards Northland. Think Jessie think.
Was it the security guard all along who was sending me those letters? There was something really strange about the way he was looking at me in the rear view mirror. Like he knew me and hated me.
“Were you behind those letters I was receiving?”
“Why, did you like reading them? Was it good foreplay? You and I are going to have so much fun baby.”
He spoke slowly and calculatingly and the chill I felt was nothing to do with the air conditioning. He had been planning this and I had fallen in hook, line and sinker. Mack wouldn’t be back to the hotel until much later so no one would know I was missing. By the time someone sounded the alarm I would be long gone. I felt my stomach contract as I realised I was on my own.
We pulled up at a red light at the next intersection and I looked out the window. There were lots of cars around and I tried to wave to them, to let them know of my situation. The people seemed to be looking straight at me, but through me at the same time, and I realised that they couldn’t see anything through the tinted windows.
“Help, help, somebody help me.” I shouted and banged on the window, willing someone to hear me.
“You’re wasting your breath baby, these cars are tinted and sound proofed. We could be fucking like bunnies, with you yelling your head off and people still wouldn’t know there was a problem. You’d like me to be fucking you, wouldn’t you baby? Girls like you like that sort of thing. I can’t believe I ever loved you. You’re nothing but a filthy whore!”
The more he talked the louder, more aggravated he started to sound. Who did he think I was? All I knew was that I needed to get out of the car before we got to his intended destination. This guy seemed capable of anything and I did not want to be alone with him.
“Do you know me from somewhere, as I’m sorry, I don’t remember you?”
“What the fuck do you mean you don’t remember me? How can you marry someone then just walk out and forget them? After all we went through, how the fuck do you do that? I’ll tell you how. You meet a man who you think can give you more than I can. You are just another dirty, fucking pussy. I should have known all women were like my mother. They all deserve to be dead.”
“But I’m not your wife. I’ve never even been married. You have the wrong person.”
I could feel the panic escalating and I tried to breathe through it. I needed to figure this out. He had seemed in control at first, and rational, but with each word he was starting to sound crazier and more delusional. This guy seriously thought I was his wife.
“Shut the fuck up and save it til we get home, then you can moan and cry all you want. I might even give you something to moan about.”
He paused and caught my eye in the rear view mirror and I could see the anger and the hate he felt for his wife, for me, on his face. But it was something else that chilled me to the bone. He was enjoying this, savouring it. For him, this was just the beginning.
“I’m going to make you feel as fucking miserable and degraded as I’ve felt over the last six months. But worse. So much worse. You’re going to wish you were dead by the time I’m finished with you. Did you really think you could just leave me, you stupid fucking bitch?”
He started to laugh as
if he had cracked a joke which only strengthened my resolve to get out of the car. With every word and look I knew I needed to escape from what this crazy guy was offering.
We had just gone over the harbour bridge and were almost in Takapuna which was probably my best place to try and escape. It was full of cafes and bars and would still be busy at this time of night. How to do it? The doors were locked so my best plan was to try and engineer a crash. I looked at the driver and realised any chance of getting the wheel from him were slim. He wasn’t much taller than me but he was stocky and looked strong.
Suddenly I remembered a movie that I had seen recently where the daughter had put her hands over her mum’s eyes and she had crashed. Would it work?
My survival instincts must have kicked in as I felt calm and focussed. I knew I would rather die trying to escape than subject myself to what this man had planned. There was no doubt in my mind that he was seriously delusional and thought I was his wife and from his letters over the last month I knew what he was capable of. What his fantasies were. I knew I never wanted to be alone with him. That would be worse than death. My faith in humanity destroyed.
I knew there was a police station a few blocks from here and that would be the best spot to try this. We would have passed most of the cafes and bars and it would be quieter on the streets.
I wished I had told Mack I had loved him this morning. Why do I keep waiting for the perfect time and playing this game of being casual and hip. The games of love were pointless if you missed the opportunity of saying what you felt. Please god let me live to tell Mack how I feel.
I quietly undid my seatbelt and slipped behind the driver seat. And as he accelerated on the green light I squeezed my hands over his eyes, covering them. I felt him stiffen and then with one hand try to rip my hands away but I just pushed my fingertips deeper into his eye sockets; using my nails to inflict pain. I felt his hand reach past me to my hair and he grabbed a handful trying to pull me off.
“What the fuck do you think you are doing? You will pay for this you stupid bitch.”
There was a blinding pain in my head as the hair came loose and I sunk my teeth into his arm. It tasted warm and salty and instinctually I wanted to take my mouth off and spit. I could feel blows to my head and more yelling but I just hung on. Time slowed and seemed to stop. Like we had come to a fork in the road and my future direction was being decided.
Then I felt rather than heard the impact and all the breath was forced from my body and blackness overtook me.
Mack
I felt so hopeless waiting at the station for news. I wanted to be out there doing something but George had persuaded me to stay. And he was right. I would be in the way out there and probably a liability as well.
Shit it felt like my life had been tipped out of its nice comfy box and stomped on. How could anyone have a vendetta against Jessie, let alone kidnap here? I wanted to find this guy and smash him. And if he had touched one hair on Jessie’s head, hell he was as good as dead. I had never felt such intense rage.
I was almost at the point where I couldn’t sit anymore when the call came in. There had been an accident on the north shore and it was one of our security cars. It took only moments to confirm the plates were the same as the car Jessie had been in. I could hear talk of injuries and ambulances and I thought I would go insane.
George came over and filled me in.
“Mack the car they were in has collided with a lamp post on the way out of the city. They don’t know what caused the accident but both are injured. I don’t know how extensive they are but the ambulance is already on route to take them to hospital. And Pete is under police escort, so Jessie is safe.”
I could feel the shakes overcome my body and George helped me to a seat. Please let Jessie be alright. I wanted answers, but there was none yet to be had. Focus Mack on the positives. She was safe. We had found her.
“Thanks George. Can you organise a car to get me to the hospital and can you ring Cam and the boys and let them know she is safe and where she is.”
My voice sounded shaky and I knew I was close to tears. My throat felt hoarse from the pretence of being ok. I just wanted to hold Jessie in my arms and hear the words that she would be alright.
It took half an hour to get to the hospital and by the time I arrived Jessie was in theatre. The nurse did not know the extent of her injuries so it was back to waiting.
The police filled me in on what they knew and I was astounded at Jessie’s bravery and resourcefulness and if anything, loved her even more. She was the kind of person you would always be able to rely on, what ever happened. Jessie didn’t give up or lie down and take things. And I knew without a doubt that this was the person I wanted to live the rest of my life with. Have children with and wake up every morning beside.
I rang Lance as an idea formed in my head and was glad to hear the excitement and approval in his voice. They were already on their way to the hospital so he assured me it would be a small matter to do as I asked.
A nurse came out with an update on Jessie. She had broken ribs, collar bone and some internal bleeding but was out of immediate danger. They were also monitoring her concussion as there was mild brain swelling but they wouldn’t know the full extent of that damage until she woke up.
I was digesting this news when the boys turned up. I filled them in on what had happened and that Pete was also in hospital, but in police custody. They were as astounded as I had been at Jess’s bravery and determination.
“Did they find out why Pete had it in for Jess?” Lance inquired.
“They are slowly joining the dots. One of the guards I spoke to had said he was constantly nutting off about his ex, who strangely looks a lot like Jessie. Also the police said when Pete regained consciousness in the ambulance he was raving about where his wife was. They seem to think he was delusional and thought Jessie was her. Christ I am so glad she is safe.”
I took a shaky breath as the feelings threatened to overtake me again and I felt Lance sit down beside me.
“She will be ok Mack. And we stopped and got a ring. The other guys know as well, hope that’s ok, and we kind of did a joint effort in the choosing. You want to see?”
I looked up at Lance’s excited face and envied his ability to move on so easily. But he was right, it was over, Pete would never bother Jessie again. It was time to stop dwelling on what might have been as that wouldn’t help Jessie.
“Go on then.”
“Ok Mack, prepare to be dazzled!” And Lance ceremoniously pulled out the case and opened it.
It was beautiful. I took it from the case and had a closer look. It would look fantastic on Jessie.
“Great choice, Jessie will love it.”
“Well it’s mainly Cam you should thank. To be honest Josh, Robbie and I were a bit overwhelmed and were going for the bling, but Cam seemed to know exactly what she would like.”
Cam laughed, “It’s from having gone shopping with her a hundred times. Girls like to window shop and tell you exactly what they would buy! And I knew Jessie would like subtle rather than flashy!”
“Thanks Cam, I love it! Now I just have to get her to say yes!”
“Don’t think you are going to have problems on that front!”
I looked up to see the doctor walking towards us and I had a moment of apprehension before he smiled.
“Everything went well. Bleeding is all under control and she briefly regained consciousness and was lucid. So things are looking good for a full recovery, in time.”
I could have hugged the man, but instead I held out my hand and took his, in both of mine, “I can’t thank you enough.”
“You’re welcome. They’re taking her through to the recovery ward now and I will get a nurse to take you up when she is settled in. She will be very weak so keep conversation to a minimum and let her sleep.”
“Will do and thanks doc.”
After the doctor had left it dawned on me that we hadn’t got in touch with Jessie’s
parents.
“Cam did you get hold of Jessie’s parents.” I felt terrible and was relieved when Cam said he had.
“You’re a life saver. Are they on their way?”
“They are; should be here within the hour.”
Jessie’s parents looked grey with worry when they turned up and we quickly filled them in on all the details.
Jessie’s dad was shaking his head, “What a story but thank goodness Jess is alright. When will we be able to see her?”
It was about another hour before we were able to see Jessie. She was still sleeping and there were tubes everywhere, but she looked peaceful and very much alive. The relief was immense.
Over the next twenty four hours Jessie improved hugely. I had already broached the subject of our relationship with Jessie’s parents and was relieved to find out it was old news. And they were happy to give their blessing on my desire to propose, as long as I promised to bring her back for regular visits.
“We will have to figure out the details but I know Jessie would never want to be away from you guys for long. I’m thinking along the lines of two homes, one here and one in Scotland, but I will talk to Jessie when she is strong enough. But rest assured we will always be a big part of your lives.”
Jessie’s mum gave me a hug, “Glad to hear it and welcome to the family.”
She gave me a bright smile and I felt like I was looking at Jessie thirty years from now. I liked what I saw. It also explained, in part, why Jessie was such a great lady; she had been blessed with loving, caring parents.
All I had to do now was pop the question. I had smuggled Jess in a cheese burger, to help combat the monotony of the hospital food and had slipped the ring inside the wrapper.
“Cheese burger as requested!”
I perched on the side of her bed and gently stretched over and gave her a kiss. I could feel the grin plastered across my face and hoped I wasn’t giving the game away!
Sing a Song of Love Page 11
