by Anna Scott
"There's more," Luke called from behind me.
I waved him off, knowing that I had to get on this information first. I had only seen a couple of pictures of Brooks, he'd somehow been able to avoid arrest for years so the information we had on him was sketchy at best. I looked down at the cell phone clutched tightly in my fist and started to wake it up, but Luke put a hand out to stop me.
"Wait, let me tell you everything I found out before you make your call."
I glared at my friend and waited, unhappily.
"You know Missy cleaned her shit up a few years back," I nodded, and he continued, "Well after her mother died last year I guess things got tight or something happened, and she went back to work at Skinny's, a strip club in Shreveport. Apparently, it's a pretty sleazy place owned by some guy named Marco."
My face was as hot as the Texas sun and I took a step back to steady myself before I went down. "What the fuck?" I asked, barely above a whisper, but Luke heard me. He nodded in confirmation and continued.
"She never got picked up for solicitation or drugs or anything else so they don't know if she was involved in the shadier aspects of that business. The investigators in Shreveport have talked to a couple of the girls on the sly, they're freaked out about what happened to Missy. They said that she was the boss's favorite. This Brooks character apparently runs the club with another guy, Jonesy, Marco whoever isn't ever there. So bad shit rarely happened to Missy like it did to some of the other girls. The girls said that Missy was really quiet and one of them told the officers that Missy didn't want to be there anymore but she couldn't quit."
"She couldn't or they wouldn't let her?"
"Don't know, the gold Lexus you saw is linked to this Jonesy person. Did you see him, any part of him?"
I shook my head in total frustration. What the fuck was going on here? Was Kelly Brooks' daughter? Did he somehow track Gillian back to McKinney? There was so much I didn't know, but the most important thing was that Gillian and Kelly were missing and I had no idea where they were. The task of finding them seemed almost impossible, they could be anywhere.
Luke reached out a hand and clasped my forearm, squeezed my arm and quietly asked, "How are you holding up?"
I sucked in a sharp breath, and shook my head, worried that I was about to lose my shit and ball like a baby. "No fucking idea," I answered gruffly. Luke nodded in understand, his eyes showing his concern, he knew that if Aurora were in the same situation he'd be breaking too.
After talking to Luke and trying to figure this shit out, I finally made my call and relayed all the information I had to Tyler. He gave it all to the rest of the team at the office and showed up a while later to help in the search, and probably to keep me from loosing my shit.
Chapter 12
Gillian
Something or someone jostled me awake. My dry, scratchy eyes opened, but I must have still been asleep, because I couldn't see anything. It was completely dark, there were no lights and only the sounds of the road. Where was I? Where was Kelly? Where was Reed? My head was spinning and as I tried to lift it from the hard thing I was laying on, I clutched at the cold metal beneath me. The entire world spun and tilted crazily. I lost my fight at consciousness.
I heard her, Kelly, I heard her babbling. Did she just say daddy? My brain was in a complete fog and I didn't seem able to wake from the strange dream I was having. I'd been lost in this horrible nightmare for ever, it seemed. Strange images flashed through my mind; a man in my house, the blaring sounds of the alarm system, Kelly screaming, thudding footsteps. None of it made sense and I lost the battle again and slid back into my nightmare.
***
A tiny hand pressed against my cheek. I was laying on something soft but the fabric was scratchy like an old sofa. "Gilli, wake up," Kelly's tiny voice whispered into my ear. I tried to open my eyes, but they were so heavy. My entire body felt like it had been weighted down. I couldn't move, couldn't respond. I tried to lift my hand to soothe her, to care for her but my body wasn't obeying me. Just before I fell back into oblivion, I heard her again; "She's not awake daddy."
"Shit man, how much did you give her?" I heard a man ask from just over me. I didn't think anyone was touching me, but he sounded close. I tried to get my muddled mind to focus on him, but I didn't recall his voice.
"Shut the fuck up, it was the normal amount," another voice growled. That voice did sound familiar; it was the guy who'd haunted my dreams for the last several hours.
"I think you killed her," the first man sounded agitated and like he'd moved a little farther from me, though as the two men talked back and forth, it was clear they were nearby. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to open my eyes, they were so heavy, but I didn't try, didn't want to bring any attention to myself.
"She's not dead, dumb ass, she's still breathing."
"What's Marco going to do to you when he finds out what you did? He's gonna fucking kill you for taking some cop's woman." Were they talking about Reed? Who were they and how did they know about him?
"She's my ticket."
"To where, Hell?"
"No douche, my ticket out of this mess. You know they're going to find this place sooner or later, then we're all fucked." I knew that I was confused, but either I was still dreaming and I had begun to have one of those crazy dreams that never made sense, or I really didn't understand what was going on.
"No way, Marco has this place so off grid, no one is ever going to find it."
"You better hope that's true, but there's no way to know how much shit Missy spilled."
"You really think Missy talked to the cops?" Oh crap, had Missy done something, what was she mixed up in? Is that why she was killed?
"Seems like it, it's all a little too convenient don't you think?"
"Your girl's awake, Rod," a third man yelled from somewhere in the distance. Their footsteps were loud as they moved away and it sounded like a door shut and boots stomping up the stairs. I cracked one eye open to complete darkness and fought to move, but couldn't. I laid there for a long time trying to make sense of everything, trying to get my body to cooperate, but it wouldn't.
After what seemed like hours, the door opened again and I was able to make out a large figure moving toward me. The light from the open doorway cast him in shadow, so I couldn't see any part of his face, but he was holding something, or someone.
To my utter shock, he set Kelly down next to me. Within seconds, she curled into me and the figure moved away, but not toward the doorway. He moved to the right, opened another door and flipped on a light. The room was still dim, but at least I could see a little, it made the room feel less ominous. He left again through the first door, closing it tight behind him. I lay there for a long time, with Kelly nestled into me. It took a while for the lethargy to finally lessen, and I was able to move my arm to cradle the sleeping child against me.
I lay there for what seemed like decades, moving from a light sleep to wakefulness over and over again. My body jolted every time I heard a noise above us. It seemed that we were in a basement, or a small room inside a basement to be more precise. I couldn't see a lot, but the damp musty smell of the space as well as the dirty cinder block walls told me that was probably where we were. Kelly slept for a long time, though her sleep was fitful. She rolled and whimpered in her sleep, seemingly having dreams or probably nightmares. Finally, I woke fully when a little hand slapped my arm and I heard Kelly as she cried.
"Shh, it's okay baby girl. I've got you." I cooed to Kelly as she whimpered in my arms. Thankfully where ever we were, we appeared to be alone. It was a vast, dank open space. The dim light that shown from a small shabby bathroom that looked like it had been built in the fifties gave off a sinister glow around the space, creating creepy shadows. When I'd finally come to, just about an hour ago, I was laying on an old sofa, Kelly snuggled up close and sucking her thumb. The tight grip she had around my arm was so strong, when I tried to remove it so I could get up and stretch, it strengthened even more. She wo
uldn't let go.
"I'm scared, Gilli," she cried. My heart broke for her and I prayed, yet again that she wouldn't remember one more horrendous thing that was happening to her.
Since the area was so dimly lit, and no windows were visible, I had no idea how long we'd been there. I had checked for a possible escape route, but the only door besides the bathroom was firmly locked with a deadbolt and unfortunately I hadn't figured out how to move through walls yet.
Food, diapers and a few water bottles were on a long counter against one wall, for which I was immensely grateful, but the gesture gave me pause, whomever had taken us must intend to keep us down here for a good long time. Just how long, I didn't know but at least we had the basics, hell, I didn't even know how long we'd been here already.
My entire body shook with fear as I thought about the man who had broken into my house, the way he held Kelly just before the entire world went dark. I assumed he tazed me or something but he must have done something else too, since I'd been unconscious for so long. I vaguely recalled trying to hit the panic button on my key ring and hoped that someone was looking for us. I wondered if Reed knew, if he was looking for us, if he even cared. Okay, that was totally bitchy, but I was feeling a little sorry for myself so I gave myself a pass this time. Self-pity wasn't my normal go-to emotion, but this was a pretty extreme situation.
Things had gotten so screwed up between us over the past few day, that I honestly wasn't sure where we stood. After running into his ex, then my parents showing up and the craziness that ensued it was all too much for me. I had needed a little time, which he'd given me without even one hint of hesitation. Reed seemed to need some space from me too, I'd barely heard from him over the past couple of days. I knew he was working, but this was the second time in our very short relationship where things were strained. I didn't think that was a good sign for any sort of future together, not that I really thought he wanted one. There was still so much about him I didn't know, so much we hadn't shared.
For one, I didn't know about his ex, how his dad or his sister died, and he didn't know about my brother and the long history of trouble I had with my mother. It seemed like we'd spent so much time together, but the first few weeks, we talked about all of the normal getting to know you stuff, then Missy died, Kelly came to live with me and even though he had basically moved in with me, we didn't talk about much more than her needs and our schedules. Of course, that wasn't completely true, but we hadn't shared the deep stuff, the stuff that molds us into the people we are, and with Sandy back in the picture, I wasn't sure we ever would.
It was crazy but, even with all that, I knew I loved him. It wasn't because he was the only person in my life who had ever stood up for me, it wasn't because he was so tall and sexy, it was the little things he did and the honest to goodness, honorable man he was. I loved how nervous he was when he came to pick me up for that first date.
As I held Kelly close and prayed for rescue, I remembered his shy smile and all the little touches he snuck in that night. When I was in the moment and nervous myself, I don't think I noticed them, but in retrospect, I could see his interest so much more clearly. When he had driven away without a kiss, I had been so devastated and thought that I had seriously messed up the date, but when he came back and kissed me so passionately, he touched a part of my heart that hadn't ever been touched before. The year before he asked me out, I had been flustered by him. I loved to watch him whenever he was around, but I never knew quite what to do with him. He had never overtly flirted with me and it had left me seriously confused. It would just about kill me now to lose him. I couldn't help but admire him, and I started to fade from my present hell back to the day he came into my bakery when I'd had that horrible headache. He had taken me back to his place and had taken care of me completely. Reed had even called his mother, looking for her help, that day would forever be one of the best days of my life, not because of the nasty headache of course, but because a kind, gentle, giant of a man showed so much compassion and care for me. He showed me that day that he thought I was special and that it wasn't just that he wanted in my pants, but he was willing to put the work into a real relationship with me.
A door slammed somewhere above us, I flinched and Kelly jumped in my arms. I looked expectantly, warily at the ceiling and to the door a few times, wondering if it were about to fling open and wondered if it did, what that would mean for Kelly and for me. I would shield her, protect her as best as I could, but if something happened to me, if they incapacitated me again, I wouldn't be of any use to her.
Pounding footsteps thudded somewhere nearby and after a few seconds, the heavy door slammed open, bouncing on the wall behind it. I stared up into the gleaming blue eyes of the man who had taken us. I didn't know him, didn't know anything about him, but there was something familiar about his face. I tried to pull up a distant memory but aside from some hazy shadows in the cobwebs that filled my mind, I drew a blank. Thankfully Kelly didn't stir from where she'd nuzzled into my shoulder and stayed quiet.
"You're awake," he said, sounding surprised. I didn't reply, since it was obvious and I had nothing I wanted to say to him. The last thing I needed to do was to piss him off. My entire body shook with fear, my life, the life of my sweet little cousin lay in this stranger's hands. I watched as he glanced at the counter and moved to it, setting down a large box of crackers, more water and a package of lunchmeat. He kept his body angled toward me, probably watching to be sure I didn't make a break for the still open door, but with his eagle eye taking in my every movement, I knew I wouldn't have a chance to get away, not yet. I would have to bide my time and figure out how to get out of this mess.
I didn't know how long Kelly and I had been there, but I knew for certain that it had been at least several hours, I could only imagine what was going on out in the world without us. I hoped that I had been able to hit the silent panic button on my key ring, if I hadn't, I wasn't sure that anyone would even know we were gone. I wasn't scheduled to start working for Miranda out at the ranch for another week, and the employees at the bakery knew I wouldn't be there, so who would know we were gone if I had failed?
"How long have you been dating the pig?" His sneering tone set me on edge. It took me a full minute to understand what he meant, but when it registered, I wanted to snarl and spit at him. I didn't of course, but the idea that he called Reed such a vile name infuriated me.
"Answer me, bitch, fucking answer me now, or things will get a hell of a lot less comfortable for you."
"A few weeks," I whispered, praying Kelly would stay asleep after his outburst.
"So, he couldn't get anything on me on his own, so he found Missy's mousy, naive cousin and convinced you that he - what, was in love with you or some shit? That's some fucking classic police work."
I had no intention of telling this guy that Reed worked for the ATF and not the police department, if he didn't already know that, it might just send him over the edge. I wondered how this guy was involved. I knew that Reed had been working a big case, but I didn't know anything about it. I tried really hard not to let my mind run with the idea that Reed had been using me. He hadn't ever once asked me about, well, he did ask me about Missy, but I didn't know who she ran around with, which apparently was this guy, but Reed only asked about things that pertained to Kelly, right?
"Nothing to say, little girl?"
I just kept my gaze on Kelly, I didn't want to say anything to this man. I was scared out of my mind, worried about what he had planned for us.
"What did Missy tell you? Did you tell it all to your pig boyfriend?"
"I don't know anything and I haven't told him anything."
"Yeah, right. I know she went to see you a few weeks ago, fucking snitch that she was, did she see him too?"
"No, she didn't. She came to see me, she stayed with me."
"Oh yeah, I know she stayed with you. I had someone follow her right to your door. Why do you think it was so easy for me to find you again?"
&n
bsp; I didn't have any idea what to say about that. This guy had Missy followed and watched while she was in McKinney? If that was the case though, he should know that she never met with Reed.
"Fucking cheating bitch, stealing my kid, fucking lying whore, telling my secrets to the fucking cops. I can't believe her lying ass. You're my only hope, my golden ticket out of this shit." The man rambled on and on angrily slashing his hand through the air. Apparently, this was Kelly's father. Why hadn't he been in the picture? Or, maybe he had to some extent and Missy just hadn't ever told me. Would she keep something that monumental from me? Obviously she had, the proof was standing in front of me, still muttering nonsensical words of anger and frustration. What did he mean by us being his golden ticket? I had no clue, but I sure as hell wasn't about to ask him.
I wanted to ask what he intended to do, what he planned for Kelly and for me, how long we'd been there, but I was afraid of hearing the truth. He had kidnapped us after all, he had knocked me out somehow and locked us in this basement, but why? That, I didn't know. I prayed that whatever was going on, that Reed had somehow figured it out and was even now looking for us. If this guy was a part of the operation Reed was currently working, did that mean he would know where he would stash us? I hoped so, but how long it would take, I didn't know. At least we were being reasonably well taken care of, our basic needs had been met and we weren't being hurt or abused, yet.
"Rod, man you gotta come, fuck, right now!" The shouts from another man, clearly terrified came from just beyond the steel door, presumably from the stair well. Rod, apparently was his name, swung his head toward the open door where now a young guy with long black braids and creamy mocha skin was standing. His hands moved frantically as he continued to plead. The newcomer swung his gaze quickly over me and Kelly, who was thankfully still quiet in my arms.
"Don't move," Rod commanded, pointing a finger in my direction. "Don't try anything stupid, you get me?" I couldn't do anything else but nod as I appraised him with new understanding. I could see it now, the shape of his eyes, his cheek bones, his nose, they were so like Kelly's.
