Fourth Fight

by Mary Abshire

  “You need to come with me. It will help you get your mind off things.”

  The firmness in his voice hinted at something. It wasn’t concern, but more like he had to speak to Andrew. Emily had refused to talk about the demon in the apartment, fearing it had been bugged. Maybe other buildings had surveillance too.

  “Give me five minutes to shower and change,” Andrew said.

  “I’ll wait in the car.”

  Andrew was in and out of the shower within minutes. He’d brought a bag containing his supplies and clean clothes. His reflection in the mirror showed a small overgrowth on his face. He hadn’t shaved since Emily had disappeared. He’d intended to do so after his extensive workout. Hurrying to dress so he could catch up with Matt, he put off shaving for another time.

  He strode out of the gym in clean shorts and a gray t-shirt, carrying his bag. Matt sat in his maroon car with the engine running and the windows up. Cool air rushed out of the vehicle after Andrew opened the door. He stuffed his bag in the back and then settled into the front passenger seat. They were on the road and heading to the main gate within seconds.

  “She’s been watching you,” Matt said.

  “Who?”

  “Annie. She was eating lunch and staring at her computer when I walked in the kitchen. I strode behind her and saw you working out. I think she has an interest in you and it’s not business related.”

  Emily had told him the demon had an attraction to him. But watching him workout … that border-lined on obsession.

  “So she was watching me at the gym?” Andrew asked, wondering how long ago she’d spied on him and where he’d been. He’d spent time exercising at the apartment this morning before he’d gone to the gym.

  Nodding, he said, “There are cameras set up inside and out of each building. She can get access to them at any time.”

  “Are there any in my apartment?”

  “No, but there are microphones. I found recordings of you and Carrie. I honestly didn’t know your place had been bugged.” Reaching the gate, Matt entered the code. “Oh, and Sherri is back.”

  “What? When did she get back?”

  “Sometime last night. Christopher had me move her truck on the other side of the property so you wouldn’t see it. She’s been staying at the house with Annie and Christopher. She gave me the same bullshit Annie did and said Don was cleaning up a mess.”

  Andrew fisted one of his hands. “I just want to kill all of them,” he ground out from between his teeth.

  “My guess, they are working on a plan for how to handle you.”

  Andrew wanted to hit something, smash anything, hurt and destroy the demons. While they figured out what to tell him, Don could’ve raped and murdered Emily. He couldn’t stomach to think of the possibilities. The other four lives mattered too and he wanted to save them, but his focus had been on the woman his heart yearned for.

  “Did you access Christopher’s records?” Andrew asked in a snappy tone.

  “I’ve tried searching through his records a couple times and I haven’t found any information. I’ve searched by dates and locations. Nothing matches.”

  Andrew ran a hand over his head. “Troy is in Mexico. He lost Don’s signal and he can’t trace it anyway if it popped up.”

  “I’ll keep looking, but the more time I spend on the computer, the more suspicious they’ll get. I hate to say it, but I may not be able to find the information we need. I went ahead and contacted a few buddies of mine. They’re gearing up to head to Mexico. They have weapons and can meet your friend, but we still need to narrow down her location.”

  Emily had been gone too long. He couldn’t wait to go find Emily any longer. She would fight as much as she could to stay alive, but she would tire eventually.

  “I can’t stay here,” Andrew said. “I have to go to Mexico. I’ve got to save her and the other girls.”

  “Where are you going to look when you get there? You don’t know if she was taken on land or put on another boat.”

  “I’m no good here,” he said in an elevated tone and then looked away. “She could be hurt. Who knows what Don has done to her.”

  “I know you love her and you’re worried—”

  “Worried doesn’t begin to cover it.” His voice sounded shaky. He swallowed hard, fighting not to scream or curse.

  “There might be a way you can find her.”

  Andrew shifted his gaze to Matt. “How?”

  “You won’t like my idea.”

  “I’ll do anything, so tell me your idea.” Andrew didn’t care what it would take. He needed to find her pronto. The longer the delay, the more opportunity Don had to harm her, or worse.

  “You still need to destroy the demons, right?”

  He delayed his response as he inhaled deeply. He wasn’t opposed to giving up on his mission so he could save Emily and the others. But then he knew she would end up mad at him if he didn’t fulfill his task. “Yes.”

  “Why don’t you sweet talk Annie? Show an interest in her. Finesse her into sharing Carrie’s location.”

  Andrew clamped his jaw tight. “That demon wants sex, not flirtations.”

  “You said you would do anything. Why not pretend to like her to get her to talk?”

  Emily had once suggestion he show an interest so he could get the demon alone and poison her. Matt’s idea wasn’t too different.

  “I doubt she will tell me even if I act interested in her. She’ll know my act is to get her to talk.”

  Matt checked his rearview mirror as the car slowed. He steered off to the side of the road and then shifted into park. He twisted to face Andrew. “Here’s what I’m thinking… You talk to her. You miss the closeness of a woman and need to speak to one. She’ll flirt. Be receptive. Set up a time to meet her alone. Go for a walk or a late-night swim. Then go back to your place. Tomorrow, get her to meet you alone for lunch. You said you had poison, right?”

  Andrew nodded.

  “Then that’s your chance to give her the poison. You’ll meet, ask about Carrie, give her the poison and do whatever you do. I can monitor from a computer within the house to make sure you’re not interrupted. When you’re done, you can take care of Christopher,” Matt finished.

  Andrew tilted his head back. “You’re asking me to stay at least another day.”

  “Nobody knows where the girls are. My friends can be down there by the afternoon tomorrow. You can do what you have to do here, then fly or drive out.”

  Andrew’s stomach knotted, torn on what to do. He wanted to save the girls, but he needed to destroy the demon. Since nobody had a location for the gals, it seemed logical to stay and go after Annie and Christopher.

  Emily’s old cell buzzed in Andrew’s pocket. He hurried to withdraw it. After tapping the screen and putting Troy on speakerphone, he said, “Hello.”

  “Please tell me you have some good news,” Troy said. “I’m in a fucking hell hole, seriously.”

  “Matt is with me. He hasn’t been able to find any records on Christopher’s database,” Andrew said.

  “What search criteria are you using?” Troy asked.

  “Dates and locations of Annie’s shows,” Matt said. “I’m trying to find any connections or communications.”

  “What about bank transactions?” Troy asked.

  “I haven’t checked any,” Matt said.

  “From what Andrew has shared, girls have gone missing for years now. I’d venture to say they’re being sold as sex slaves. He has to be getting some kind of payment from a foreign bank. Get me the information, account number, amount, bank name and date and I can get someone to trace the funds. It might give us her location. I’d do the tracking myself, but as I said, I’m in a motherfucking hell hole.”

  Matt rubbed his hand over his lips. “All right, I’ll find a way to get the information.”

  “Any word from that Don fellow?” Troy asked.

  “No,” Matt said. “And I’ve been told he’s in San Diego cleaning up a mes
s.”

  “I don’t doubt that he is, but not in San Diego,” Troy said, and Andrew wanted to reach through the phone to strangle him.

  “I contacted several buddies of mine from the military. They have weapons and can drive down to meet you tomorrow. When I get more details, I can have Spencer give them to you,” Matt said.

  “That’s fine, but we really need to know her location. I’ve been asking around with the help of a local and nobody has seen anything,” Troy said. “If they are being sold as sex slaves, then I bet they’re being held in a very secured place. I have a friend checking out satellite images, but it takes time.”

  Two words he’d said nauseated Andrew. Lightheaded, he leaned his head into his hand, his elbow against the side of the door.

  “Maybe one of us will have better news in the next twenty-four hours,” Matt said.

  “Is the demon still alive?” Troy asked.

  “Yes,” Andrew answered.

  “Put a gun to the bitch’s head and make her to talk. Stop wasting fucking time. If she doesn’t talk, kill the bitch,” Troy spat.

  “I’m working on it,” Andrew said.

  “Work harder,” Troy said. “If I can’t get to Emily in the next couple of days—”

  Andrew tapped the screen to end the call. The line went silent.

  “You just hung up on your friend,” Matt said.

  “He’s Emily’s best friend, not mine. He’s not going anywhere until he finds her.”

  “Okay, but you need more friends than enemies right now.”

  Hands clenched, Andrew turned to look out his window. “I’m going insane without her. I can’t stop thinking about what she could be going through.”

  “Reach out to Annie and set a time to meet with her. Tell her you’re lonely and need to talk to a woman. Talk to her and let her flirt. It’s the first step to the next, which is better than you working yourself to death at the gym while I try to find some bit of information to point us to Carrie’s location.”

  Andrew swallowed the rage bubbling up in his throat and wanting to come out in a scream. His mind told him to listen to Matt while his heart wanted him to run off to find Emily. His brains ended up winning the battle.

  “Fine,” Andrew said before he returned his attention to Matt. “I will talk to her. I pretend to like her. I’ll even flirt. But I will kill her in the next twenty-four hours. I promise you that. And then I’ll kill Christopher. If anyone gets in my way, I’ll kill them too.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Female voices dragged Emily from her deep dark slumber. They were talking about someone and trying to leave. Two of them argued.

  “She’ll be dead soon if she’s not already,” one of them said, her voice a little scratchy.

  “We can’t leave her if we get out,” another spoke.

  “She’s the reason we’re here. I sure as hell can leave her. She’s getting what she deserves,” scratchy voice said.

  Emily tried to open her eyes. One of her lids refused to budge. Her other moved and revealed cloudy surroundings. She blinked several times to get rid of the murkiness. She soon discovered she was lying on the ground, flat on her stomach, with metal bars a few feet away from her. The bars separated her from an empty cage or prison cell. Her mind slowly came awake along with her memories. When she took a deep breath, hot and fierce agony spread through her body. She’d never forget the cracks of the whip and razor-sharp pain slicing into her back. She’d survived, but she must have blacked out.

  She lifted her head from the floor. The small movement made her shoulders tense. Tiny stings crawled over her back.

  “Look,” one of the ladies said. “She’s moving.”

  Emily twisted her head to the other side. Jenny sat near more bars, staring at her. Jenny’s long wavy blonde hair nearly covered her face. Tears had smeared her makeup. She held her legs close to her chest.

  With a deep breath, Emily moved her arms to push herself up. She stopped when she noticed she only had a pair of underwear on her body and one hand was too sore to put pressure on it.

  Memories began to surface of her time with Don. He’d waken her up after she’d passed out from being whipped. She’d been sitting in the chair, woozy and sick. She’d puked, but not much came out. He’d kept asking her questions. He’d gotten angry when she’d given the same responses as she had before. He’d taken two of her fingers and had broken them one at a time. The pain from the last one he’d snapped had been the last thing she remembered.

  “How long have I been out?” Emily asked, her throat sore and scratchy.

  “Sometime before it got dark.”

  “What’s she saying?” asked one of the ladies from across the room. Cheryl if Emily guessed right.

  “Is the sun up?” Emily asked Jenny.

  The young gal responded with a nod.

  “How long?” Emily asked.

  “A while. They gave us food. Your bowl is near the corner.”

  She must have slept through the night. But she had no idea if it were still morning or afternoon.

  Emily lowered her gaze to her hand. It was swollen in the size of a tennis ball. Her last two digits were crooked and out of joint. Of course the bastard hadn’t reset them. Why would he? Don wanted her to suffer.

  “Can you get the bowl for me?” Emily asked. She had no appetite, but she had to eat something to keep up her strength.

  “What is she saying?” Cheryl asked again.

  Jenny looked away for a brief moment and then back at Emily. Her eyes filled with tears. “Did you know what would happen?”

  Regret flooded Emily within seconds and encouraged her to cry. She swallowed and focused on the pain in her back and hand. It was easier to handle than having to see the frightened women she’d endangered.

  “I didn’t know,” she said, but she had suspected something was fishy after she’d researched the other shows. If only she would’ve listened to her gut instinct. She should’ve stopped the girls from getting in the van. She could’ve refused to select the four ladies. Instead, she did as she was told from a demon. It was her biggest mistake ever, even worse than dumping her best friend’s dead body in a ditch.

  Karma was a bitch and she was getting her pound of flesh from Emily, literally. So much had happened since the night Libby had overdosed and had died in her arms. Emily had nearly been raped by a demon in Pittsburgh, thrown in jail in New York, poisoned and almost died from a demon in Missouri, and now kidnapped and tortured. Meeting Andrew had been the only good thing to happen to her since discarding Libby’s body and leaving Chicago.

  “I’m so sorry.” Emily’s words were meant for the ladies and Andrew, wherever he was. She’d let him down by getting into the van and then on the boat. She’d promised not to leave him. Time and time again she made poor choices that led to dire consequences. How did he put up with her? How could he want to look at her now that she had scars on her back?

  Despair found its way into her heart. The more time she spent in captivity, the less of a chance she had for Andrew or Troy to save them.

  Jenny shifted her attention. Men entered the room and spoke Spanish. Their voices were getting closer. Pamela followed their movements. Keys jingled somewhere behind Emily, and then there was a loud squeal from metal.

  A warm hand gripped her arm and then rolled her over. Fire ignited from the skin on her back and she screamed. A cloth was dropped on her chest. Something else fell on the floor near her head. She moved her hand with the broken fingers and it throbbed in pain. She set it on her abdomen while she pulled the cloth to cover her breasts. Each breath, each little movement tugged her torn flesh. She slowed her breathing to help ease her discomfort.

  Don squatted beside her. He hooked his finger on the cloth and tugged it down, exposing her breasts. A smile spread across his disgusting face. “I was hoping to have more fun with you, but the time has come for me to leave.”

  She was in too much agony to fight him. Besides, it would have only brough
t her more misery. “I hope you rot in hell.”

  He chuckled. “I will miss you, but I’ve got to get back to take care of your husband before he starts trouble.”

  “I hope he kills you.”

  “It will be me who does the killing.”

  Fear coursed through her as she thought about Andrew. If he’d returned to Annie’s property, she hoped he destroyed the demons before Don made it back.

  Don straightened as he stared down at her. “The men here will treat you well before they sell you to someone else.”

  She pulled the cloth up to cover her breasts. “You won’t get away with this. You, the others…”

  “In case you hadn’t noticed, we haven’t been stopped yet. In fact, business is booming. Even with the bruises, cuts, and broken bones, you’ll bring in a hefty price. I just wish I could’ve fucked you first.”

  The man repulsed her. She wanted to spit in his face. Then she reminded herself he wasn’t worth any of her energy.

  He walked out of her cell. After the guard secured the door, both men left the room.

  Holding the cloth close to her chest, helplessness overwhelmed her and she balled. The wounds on her back made her weak. She couldn’t move without suffering.

  Guilt added to her sorrow. The girls in prison with her were going to share her fate. Maybe she deserved to be treated so cruelly to atone for all her crimes and poor choices, but the ladies didn’t.

  Emily tired of crying. She was not destitute. She was a survivor and always had been. Somehow she had to swallow her misery and get up. She couldn’t let the ladies be sold as sex slaves. If it was the last thing she could do in her life, she had to try and find a way to get the women out. She had to.

  Chapter Thirty

  Dressed in sneakers and swim trunks, Andrew followed the path to the pool. Crickets chirping silenced their melody when he walked near them. The night air felt good on his skin. Three-fourths of the moon shone in the dark sky. He wondered where Emily was and if she could see the white globe.