Hell And Back

by Natasha Madison

  “What’s her story?” Mick asks.

  “Maya, sixteen, pissed at the world, hangs at the mall with her friends, bitches about her parents, bitches about school, bitches about other people breathing from what I could tell. Guy approached her when her friends left. Started flirting with her. Clean-cut guy, maybe seventeen or eighteen tops. Kept talking about his friends having a party and how he wanted her to go. Something about him was off, she said.”

  “Finally, bastard got sloppy,” Mick says, crossing his arms across his chest.

  I look over at Mick, watching Roger walk out. “You okay to do this?” I ask him, knowing he’s emotionally involved even if he wants to deny it. Marissa has got under his skin, but I’m not sure he even sees it yet, let alone will admit to it.

  “What the fuck are you asking me, Jack?” I know I hit a nerve when he uses my nickname.

  “I’m asking you right now if you are okay to do this.”

  “I’m getting her back. You can do it with me or you can watch. Either way, you let me know what you are going to do.”

  I nod my head, knowing he is okay with this but most of all I’ve got his back.

  “Let’s bring her home,” I tell him, then follow him into the room.

  I enter the room and immediately take in the hot pink-tipped, blonde-headed girl. Her brown eyes are bloodshot and puffy from crying. She has a blanket wrapped around her, and she’s rocking back and forth. Her adrenaline is finally crashing. My first thought is this could be Lilah in a few years, which makes me clench my fists.

  I sit down across from her. “Hey, Maya. I’m Jackson. This is Mick. I know someone was in here earlier asking you questions. Mind if we go over a couple of things?” I ask her.

  She nods her head yes.

  “Can you tell me this guy’s name?” I ask her.

  “Called himself Ryan,” she whispers.

  “What did he look like? Any scars? Tattoos? Anything special about his appearance?”

  “He had brown hair, brown eyes, shaved sides and longer on top. He was wearing cargo shorts and a plain white T-shirt.” She closes her eyes like she is trying to picture him. “Oh, and he had a tattoo.” She opens her eyes. “I just remembered. It was a diamond with the word Peace under it on the inside of his right wrist. I remember it now. I saw it when he grabbed my wrist and squeezed me.”

  I look over at Mick, and he walks out of the room. He’s going to be checking the database for the tattoo.

  “Did he tell you where he wanted to take you or what he wanted to do?”

  “He said his friends were having a party, so he wanted to bring me to show off how hot I was.” She looks down at her hands, which start shaking again. “I almost went. Then I remembered hearing a story about some missing girls.” She looks up at me. “I don’t know what it was, but it didn’t feel right. I didn’t want to be another one of them.”

  Before I can answer her, there is a knock on the door, and Mick comes in with a silent nod, followed by Maya’s parents, who both rush to hug her.

  We step outside to give them some privacy. I look at Mick, waiting for some answers. “What did you find?”

  “Name’s Ryan King, calls himself Diamond Boy. We have an address, and an undercover is heading there now to see if we can pick him up.”

  “So we wait?” I ask him.

  “We wait.” He turns, walking to his desk as I walk to my computer to search anything else I can find on this Ryan King. Nothing really pops up. Semi-decent family, a couple of misdemeanors, but as a minor, they’ll be sealed as soon as he turns eighteen in three days.

  The phone on Mick’s desk rings, and he picks it up. His answers are curt. Hanging up the phone, he looks at me as he says the words that will change the course of the next couple of hours. “We got him.”

  I nod at him and begin getting ready for when they bring in Ryan King. It takes about twenty minutes to bring him in and install him in a room on the other side of the building so Maya won’t see him.

  I look over at Mick, who is practically bouncing on the heels of his feet like a boxer getting ready to enter the ring.

  “I think it’s safe to say I’m going to be the one doing the talking. You should sit back and listen. Yeah?” I ask him, opening the door, and coming face to face with our first real lead in these cases.

  He sits there in baggy sweats, tight T-shirt, and one of those stupid flat-billed baseball hats with diamond logos all around it. He looks like the punk that he is.

  “Hey, Ryan, thanks for coming in.” I’ll start easy with him.

  “Well, I didn’t really have a choice since they cuffed me, put me in a car, and brought me here.” I sit back, throwing the pen on the table, already knowing this little shit is going to push me to my limits.

  I’m also hoping he doesn’t push me so far that Mick has to take over.

  “All right then, let’s cut the bullshit. Where were you yesterday afternoon?”

  “Out and about,” he answers with a smirk.

  “You go to the mall yesterday?” My voice is calm and even as I wait for him to dig his own hole.

  “Yesterday? I don’t really know. Maybe I should check my calendar.” Such a wise-ass. I can feel my blood pressure ticking up.

  “No need to check your calendar. You see, we have video.” It’s a stretch. We haven’t seen the video yet, and I have no idea what’s on it, but Ryan’s expression immediately changes.

  His smirk gone, the vein in his neck starting to pulse faster.

  “What video?” His face pales as he asks the question.

  “Come on, Ryan, smart guy like you? You have to know there are cameras all over that mall. It’s all going to be there, my man.”

  He swallows, his leg starting to bounce. “I was told they weren’t working,” he mutters.

  Bingo. “Who told you that? Dude, you got played. It’s all there. Gotta say”—I shake my head at him—“you had us going there for a bit, but it was only a matter of time.”

  “I didn’t do anything.” He pushes himself forward, placing his hands on the table.

  “See, Ryan, that’s where you’re wrong,” I tell him and when he doesn’t say anything further, I continue. “I gave you a chance to tell us your side of the story, but you think you’re smarter than us.” I lean back into my chair while Mick is leaning against the wall with one foot folded over the other.

  “I did nothing wrong.” He looks at both of us, trying to convince us.

  “That isn’t what the video shows. You know it.” I point to Mick. “We know it.”

  “Listen, I don’t know what you have, but I did nothing wrong.”

  “You baited them.” Short and sweet, I tell him, “The video shows you even slipped them something.”

  “That’s bullshit! I didn’t give them shit till after we left!” And just like that, he buried himself. He knows it now just like I know it.

  “Really? Then it’s my mistake. You drugged them after you left, took them to wherever it is you took them, and now you are going to go down for drug possession, kidnapping, assaulting, and I gotta be honest with you, Ryan, no one in jail likes someone who drugs helpless women. Let alone sex offenders. They get the worst treatment in jail.”

  “I didn’t kidnap anyone. They came with me willingly.”

  “Where are they then?” I ask him. “Give me a location.”

  “I...I...”

  This is when I snap. “You what? Did you kill them?” I raise my voice.

  He just shakes his head no.

  “You drugged them, lured them out, raped them, and then killed them.” My voice gets louder. “Then you disposed of their bodies. Where are they?” I slam my hand on the table, making him jump. “Pretty boy like you in prison, going to be rough keeping the boys at bay. Tell me what you did with them. TELL ME!”

  “I get paid to find the girls and drop them off. That’s it!”

  “Who pays you?”

  “No clue. Calls himself Chucky, like the Chucky d
oll. I bring them to him. He pays me ten grand per girl.”

  “How many?” I ask him, hoping he isn’t going to stop talking.

  “Three so far.” He looks at us. “I wanted to stop, but he wouldn’t let me. He kept calling, said he’d dump them off at the cops and all they’d have was my name.”

  “Where did you drop them off?”

  “Some cheap motel off the interstate. I walked them in pretending we were going to a party, and then once we were inside, I just left. He had his guy waiting for them there.”

  “So you brought those three innocent girls to the devil’s doorstep.”

  “I did nothing wrong.”

  Mick finally snaps. “You lured three young girls away from their families through the use of an illegal substance. You then brought them to someone who rapes and probably beats them, while you walked away with thirty grand. And you think you didn’t do anything wrong here, Ryan? If any of those girls are dead, you will be charged with accessory to murder.”

  Mick leans over the table, looking him in the eye, and says, “And you better fucking believe I’ll be the one to put you in there. I’ll lead you in there like you led them in there. How is that?”

  He doesn’t get to answer before my cell phone goes off with the alarm company name.

  Getting up, I answer the phone. “Hello.”

  “Hey, Jackson. It’s Brian. Are you home?”

  “No, I’m at work. Why?”

  “The silent alarm was just triggered. We called the house and nothing. Tried the cell phone and nothing,” he says and the hair stands up on my neck.

  “What about Brenda?” I ask, running out of the room to get my keys.

  “Nothing. We called everyone. I have someone arriving right now. I’m sure it’s nothing. He’s calling in now. Give me a sec.”

  “Mick,” I yell for him, and he comes out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

  “Silent alarm was just triggered at Bella’s. Someone is on the scene, but I’m waiting for an update from Brian.” I put him on speakerphone so Mick can hear.

  “Jackson, where are you?” His voice is tight. It’s curt and angry.

  “Give it to me.”

  “They have an ambulance going there now. Brenda has been beaten pretty badly. Lilah was the one who ran and hit the alarm.”

  “Where the fuck is Bella?”

  “Jackson.” He exhales a deep breath. “She’s nowhere to be found.” And in that minute, my phone flies across the room, my knees buckle, and I almost fall down.

  Mick looks at me. “We will get her back.”

  I look at him, trying to wrap my head around all this.

  “We will fucking get her back.” He grabs me by the shirt, shaking me. “You need to snap the fuck out of it and help me find your woman. You need to lock your shit down and fucking focus here, Jackson.”

  I know who took her, just as I know I will find him and I will kill him myself.

  Chapter Forty-Five

  Bella

  Our day is just like any other day: eat, clean a little, and play. It’s our normal routine. Sometimes we also add a walk, an errand or two or some other activity.

  Brenda usually joins us on the walks. Depending on Lilah’s mood, we’d either put her in the stroller or one of us would hold her hand as we walked. Our route is pretty much the same, though—just a leisurely walk around the neighborhood.

  Sometimes we would stop at the big park where Lilah would sit on the swings. She could be pushed on them for hours if I let her.

  But, today, we sat in the backyard at the little table I picked up, drinking some lemonade Brenda brought over.

  Just watching Lilah run around, chasing bubbles from the machine Jackson hooked up.

  Her giggles are so loud. So carefree.

  “You did it,” Brenda says, breaking our comfortable silence. I look over at her, knowing exactly what she is referring to. “The first day I met you, I was afraid it was too late. I thought you had already given up.” She takes a sip of her lemonade. “But then I saw you fight your way back. Not only for yourself, you were fighting for her.” She points to Lilah, who is now skipping after the bubbles.

  “You helped me.” I grab her hand and squeeze it. “You wouldn’t let me give up. You were my fairy godmother.”

  She laughs at me. “Nope, just wanted to show you that life, it can be beautiful. It can be so wonderful, and it is worth fighting for.”

  We are both looking at each other, and we don’t see Lilah has stopped skipping. Her giggles have stopped. We don’t notice her standing in the middle of the yard or that she has just wet herself.

  Turning my head, I’m faced with the horror of my past.

  Adam.

  But not just Adam. Chuck, his dealer, is with him, and he’s got a gun aimed straight at my little girl.

  I get up but can’t move. “Adam,” I whisper.

  “Bitch, you do not talk to him.” Chuck turns the gun to me, then to Brenda.

  “Just, please, put that away. We won’t fight. I’ll give you whatever you want,” I tell them while I try to shield Brenda behind me.

  “DON’T FUCKING MOVE!” Chuck yells, halting us.

  I look at Adam, hoping a tiny part of him would not actually be okay with this man killing his young daughter. I can see his dilated, black, soulless eyes, and I know he’s high. He probably doesn’t even realize what’s going on.

  “Go get the girl.” Chuck gives him an order, but Lilah quickly runs to me, and I scoop her up in my arms.

  Adam walks over to us, reaching out to rip her from me, but Brenda steps into his way. She isn’t there for long before he backhands her across the face, sending her down hard.

  Lilah and I both yell out in horror.

  Adam turns to look at us. “Shut the fuck up, you two. Pains in my ass, that is what you guys are.”

  I hold her closer to my chest, whispering to her to be quiet. Her sobs gut me. Her tears fall onto my skin.

  “Give her to me, Bella, NOW!” he yells in my face, his spit landing on us.

  “Adam, don’t do this. Don’t take her. Take me.” I stand here, offering my life for my daughter’s, praying they’ll accept. Deep down, I always knew someday I would have to do this.

  Adam turns around to look at Chuck, who is still holding the gun at us. “We should just take Bella. Sell her off.”

  Chuck smiles at us. “Good call, Adam. Let’s take the other two inside.” He turns the gun sideways, aiming a sadistic smile at me. “Walk, bitch.”

  I look down at Brenda who has a swollen eye, but she rolls onto her hands and knees and manages to get up. She reaches her hand out to us.

  We walk into the house. I’m hoping I can slip away and press that button, do something that can help us.

  We walk over to the couch, all three of us with tears running down our faces.

  “Old bitch, get over here,” Chuck says once he closes the door behind him.

  Brenda looks over at us, then at him while he waves the gun at her. When she doesn’t move he yells, “NOW, BITCH!”

  I try to get her hidden behind me, but she walks over to him with her head held high, her shoulders straight.

  The minute she’s in front of him, he takes the gun and points it right at her forehead. “I’m going to blow her brains out if you don’t drop that fucking brat and get your ass over here.”

  I put Lilah on the couch, kissing her before I turn around and make my way to him.

  When I’m close enough, he turns sideways and hits Brenda with the back of the gun right on the side of her head.

  She falls down, blood seeping out from where the gun struck her.

  I cry out in shock as I fall to my knees next to her.

  “Get the fuck up, bitch! NOW!” His hands are now shaking.

  I stand up and look over at Adam. There is no way for me to adequately capture the hatred I feel for him.

  He walks over to the fridge where there is a picture of Jackson, Lilah, a
nd me taken at an ice cream store two weeks ago. All smiling for the picture Jackson snapped.

  “Look at this bullshit. You fucked my brother.” He throws his head back, laughing. “You give that pussy away for free.” He walks over to me with the picture in his hand. Getting into my face, his nose almost touching mine, he growls, “NO MORE, BITCH.” And he strikes me fast and hard.

  Lilah is on the couch watching this, rocking back and forth, hands over her ears. We don’t notice that Chuck has turned around to kick Brenda while she lies unconscious on the floor.

  “Enough, please.” I try to talk despite the taste of metal in my mouth. “Just take me. You came for me, take me.”

  This is like walking into a lion’s den wearing a meat necklace. I am so scared, but I’ll be damned if I let them see it.

  He points his gun down and fires a shot right at Brenda. The wails coming from my throat are hoarse and burn my throat as they leave my mouth.

  I did this to her. I brought this to her. All of this is my fault. I won’t let it fucking hurt anyone else.

  “You came here for me. Now you have me,” I say to them.

  “This is how it’s going to go. We are going to walk out of here and you don’t try to be a fucking hero. You walk to my car, get in, and if you listen like a good little girl, I’ll fuck you once more before I sell you. How’d you like that? You miss me?” Chucks says to me.

  Adam grabs my arm, almost twisting it. I cry out in pain but not for too long since I feel the gun in my backside.

  I have Adam on one side, Chuck on the other, both holding my arms in a death grip.

  I look over at Lilah, her eyes wide with fear, with horror.

  “I love you, baby girl,” I tell her right before they push me forward. Right before they close the door on Brenda lying there, probably dead, and Lilah watching her mother being ushered to her own death.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Jackson

  Mick does the driving, and we make it to my house in record time. By the time we get there, two cop cars are already parked at the curb, their lights blaring, along with an ambulance.

  I run inside and the sight before me is like a sucker punch to the gut. The EMTs are working on Brenda, who is lifelessly lying in a puddle of her own blood.