by J. A. Kalis
Patrick could see a narrow gap in the middle of the limestone wall. It was barely noticeable and could be easily taken for a simple fracture. But then he realized it was a cave entrance.
Was this where Carol was?
Patrick’s heartbeat quickened as excitement overwhelmed him. Something told him they were getting closer to her. In a couple of minutes, he might see his daughter. Then he would try to fight his abductors off and flee.
‘Get in there!’ Lucien waited for them at the mouth of the cave. He held a torch in one hand and a knife in the other.
Patrick went in first. As soon as he forced his body through the narrow gap, semi-darkness surrounded him and a gust of chill air brushed his face. Mike followed, but because of his wounded hand, it took him longer to squeeze through. Lucien entered the elongated chamber and shone his torch around it. Corinne came in right behind him. She, too, had a torch in one hand, still holding the gun in the other.
They crossed the high-ceilinged, empty space heading for what looked like the entrance to a tunnel. Their footsteps echoed around the cave walls. With each movement, eerie shadows trembled on the rough stones in a distorted dance. Eventually, the twisting tunnel ended and they emerged into another chamber, and then another narrow passage. From there they walked along a snaking corridor that seemed to stretch forever. In places, it was so low that they had to stoop to go through it.
The deeper they went, the thicker and more humid the air became. As they walked, all Patrick could hear was his own laboured breathing accompanied by the scraping of shoe soles against the limestone.
Then, suddenly, his ears picked up a new sound, the sound of dripping water. It seemed to come from some distance ahead of them. It grew stronger with each step they took.
After they rounded another bend, the narrow passage gave way to a vast chamber containing an underground lake surrounded by rock formations.
Only a step away from the lake’s edge, Lucien stopped and put down the two overnight bags he carried. The tranquil, jade-green body of water gleamed mysteriously as he swept the beam of his torch over it. It looked deep, the water in the centre dark and impenetrable.
Hardly able to control his excitement, Patrick glanced inquiringly around the chamber expecting to see Carol any moment. But she was nowhere in sight.
Where was she? Fear and doubt assailed him. Was she even here at all?
Were they about to die here, in this secluded spot somewhere deep in an underground network of tunnels and caverns?
What were their abductors going to do to them, push them into the lake?
Suddenly, he felt trapped.
Wherever he looked, he saw no chance of escape, no way to get out of the trap. His hastily crafted plans of saving his daughter started to evaporate.
‘So, here we are.’ Lucien turned towards Corinne.
‘This is it? This is your secret hiding place?’ Her eyes scanned the vast space of the cave. ‘Not bad. Not bad at all. But why in here, with all this water? What do you want to do with them, dump them in here?’ She pointed at the lake.
‘Not exactly.’
‘Why not? It looks deep. If we weigh their bodies with stones, they will sink to the bottom. Nobody is going to find them here.’
‘I need to keep them alive a bit longer. I’ve got another idea …’
‘Where is my daughter?’ Incapable of controlling his frustration any longer, Patrick broke in on their conversation, looking Lucien square in the eye. ‘I heard you saying she was here, in the cave. Why don’t you bring us to her? I want to see Carol. Where is she? I know you’re going to kill us but let me see her before I die.’
‘Oh, so that’s what you counted on. You believed I would bring you to your daughter? A happy family reunion? Sorry to disappoint you but that was never my intention.’ He laughed, a low raspy laugh. ‘It’s a little too late for all these questions. And don’t tell me what to do. I’ve got my own plans. You’ll discover soon enough what they are. Have a bit more patience and wait. I’m nearly done with you.’
‘Where is the girl? Tell me.’ Corinne wanted to know too.
It took Lucien a moment to bring himself to answer her.
‘She’s in a safe place, another chamber, quite a distance from here. Don’t worry, she can’t escape.’ His jaw clenched while his eyes narrowed and avoided her insistent gaze.
‘You must kill her after we’re finished with these two,’ Corinne said in a firm voice.
He didn’t bother to argue.
Mike shuffled closer to Patrick and whispered in his ear. ‘They will kill us. Are we going to let them do it without a fight? It’s our last chance to give it a try. Who’s going to save Carol? Without our help she will die here.’
Before Patrick had time to reply, Lucien strode up to Mike and yelled at him. ‘Shut up! Don’t try to communicate behind my back. I’ve already warned you once before but you wouldn’t listen. How dare you disobey me? You don’t take what I say seriously, do you? That’s a very, very huge mistake.’
Rage beamed from his eyes. The knife glinted in his hand. He lifted it and thrust down, aiming for Mike’s chest. Mike saw it coming and twisted his body sideways in a desperate attempt to avoid the blow. But he was a split second too slow. A sudden searing pain tore through him as the sharp blade cut his skin and sank into his soft flesh. He staggered. A cry of agony escaped his lips. His face paled and twisted in a grimace.
His chest rose as he inhaled deeply. Slowly, he opened his eyes and his face registered surprise and relief when he saw that it was his left arm that had been stabbed, not his chest.
‘This will teach you not to disobey me.’ In one quick move Lucien pulled the knife out of the wound.
Warm blood oozed down Mike’s hand. In an instant, the first drops hit the cave floor.
‘It’s your lucky day. I’m not really in the mood to kill.’
Lucien turned towards Corinne. ‘Give me the ropes. Let’s get it over with. I’m starting to feel hungry. We should have had breakfast.’
After the incident with Mike, Patrick tried even harder not to do anything that would enrage Lucien again. There was no need to aggravate the situation. But it took a lot of effort to stay calm, and he had to fight the temptation to kick the man or push him into the lake.
Arming himself with patience, he decided to wait until the couple was gone before he made his first attempt to escape. He hadn’t yet figured out what to do, but he was ready to do whatever it took to free himself and Mike. Even without having a chance to assess how serious Mike’s stab wound was, he realized the importance of attending to it as soon as possible. Besides, there was still a sliver of hope left that they might find Carol in time to save her.
***
Ten minutes later, Patrick and Mike found themselves standing on a rock ledge below the water surface of the lake, their bodies submerged to mid-chest, their backs braced against the rough stone wall for support. To secure them, Lucien had looped a rope around their waists, and tied the other end to a stalagmite that rose like a pillar from the shore, close to the edge.
Patrick realized that they had to try their hardest to stay there on the ledge. If they slid off it, they would drown. The rope seemed to be too slack to prevent them from going under water. But it was difficult for them to stay in one place as their feet were constantly sliding on the slick stone, almost losing their grip.
Their flimsy clothes failed to protect them from the water’s chill, seeping into their muscles and bones, draining them of energy.
A torch beam swept over their huddling, shivering bodies. Patrick managed to turn his head to his right. He saw Lucien standing just a few steps further away, holding a torch in his hand. He was examining them closely. The expression on his face told him that he was satisfied that everything was as he wished it to be. Then he heard him say to Corinne:
‘We’re done with these two. What do you think, don’t they make a pretty sight, standing so snugly side by side? They may die a slow d
eath or a quick one. It’s up to them. Can you hold the torch for a moment?’
‘Why?’
‘Such a perfect scene, I want to immortalize it.’
As soon as Corinne took the torch from his hand, he held up his phone and snapped several pictures of both captives.
‘You know, you’re really strange. I just don’t get how you can think of such trifles at a moment like this. What matters most is to make sure they won’t be able to escape.’
‘Trust me, they can’t escape from here. It’s impossible to untie those knots I made. I’m done. Let’s go now.’
As the last sliver of light disappeared, pitch-darkness surrounded Patrick and Mike.
Finally, they were left alone, feeling blind and helpless.
As the last footsteps faded away, an eerie silence fell, broken only by the occasional sound of dripping water. The steady drip now seemed even louder and more sinister than before, each drop reminding them of the final seconds of their lives ticking away.
Patrick realized they were running out of time and they had to act now. His throat went dry, his heart pounded wildly in his chest. A flurry of thoughts whirled around his mind as he tried to determine what to do.
Several more precious seconds ticked by.
It seemed he had no options left. With his arms bound and almost all his energy put into struggling to stay on the narrow ledge, he could do nothing at all.
‘Cold … I feel so cold. And I hate darkness, can’t stand it. We’ve been waiting too long. Now it’s too late. We are going to die. We’ll never be able to get out of here. I don’t want to die. Please, Patrick, help me. You must do something,’ he heard Mike say through chattering teeth, his voice pleading.
‘I know, but what? Tell me. What options do we have?’ Patrick paused as he heard a new sound, something other than the dripping water. His mind struggled to figure out what it was. Mike must have heard it too, because he stayed silent, as if he was listening.
Then, all went quiet. Patrick waited for the sound to repeat itself, straining his ears, afraid to miss it. Seconds ticked by. Nothing. Silence.
Was it only his imagination? Had he really heard something?
About a minute later, once more, his ears picked the same muffled noise. This time it was clearer and he could swear it sounded like a human voice, as if someone was moaning or softly calling out. He froze, hardly daring to breath. Weren’t they alone? Were their abductors coming back? But the sound seemed to be coming from a different direction than that in which they had disappeared a few minutes ago.
There it was again. Unmistakable. A word. This time he could make it out.
‘Dad?’
His heart fluttered with joy and his breath quickened as he recognized Carol’s voice. There was not a shred of doubt in his mind it was her. Mike heard her too and stirred nervously, then stiffened.
They stood still for a while holding their breath, as if afraid the slightest movement might scare her away.
A few tense seconds passed before they heard her call out again, her voice louder, but tentative. ‘Dad, Mike, it’s me. I’m here, on the other side of the lake.’
CHAPTER 17
Taking the lead, Lorenzo walked along the narrow winding passageway. Corinne trailed a few steps behind him, shining her torch over the eroded stone walls. When, about halfway through the tunnel, they came to a point where it branched off, Lorenzo stopped and turned to face his companion.
‘I want to check on the girl,’ he announced, thinking about how to discourage her from following him to the spot.
‘What do you mean, check on her? There’s nothing to check. You must kill her. And don’t you dare play any dirty tricks behind my back. No more stalling. Just shoot her. Take it!’ She handed him the gun, fixing him with a wary, sidelong gaze, her eyes narrowed, her eyebrows raised.
‘I see; you still don’t trust me. You’re right, she must die. No need for you to accompany me. I can handle her myself. I swear, there will be no more stalling. This time I will kill her. No one is ever going to find her body here.’ He broke eye contact, looking down at the cave floor. A forced smile curled the corners of his tightly pressed lips.
‘I don’t want to watch you killing her. I’m going back to the car and will wait for you there.’
‘Right thing for you to do. So, suddenly you have become a truly sensible girl!’
‘Stop being sarcastic. It doesn’t suit you.’
‘Are you sure you can find the way out on your own?’
She hesitated before answering. ‘No, I’m not so sure, now that you’ve asked. I may get lost.’
‘I’d better take you to the exit. Otherwise you might wander around the place for hours. It’s a real maze down here. Easy to take the wrong turn and lose your way.’
They set out again, keeping silent, each of them drifting off into their own thoughts.
Once more, Lorenzo had lied to Corinne, making a promise he had no intention of keeping. He wasn’t going to kill Sandy’s sister. At least not yet. Why not wait a few more days? Especially now that he felt quite pleased with the way things seemed to be falling into place. Why then desist from his initial enticing plans? There was no need for that, he decided.
Since it was quite some time ago that he had checked on the girl, he wanted to see how she was doing. Even though he considered the odds of her getting away extremely slim, he had to make sure she hadn’t somehow managed to loosen the bonds. Then, later on, after he’d rented a car using the stolen credit cards, he would come back.
By now the girl must be weak, drained of energy and easier to handle. He smiled, thinking that he had something else in store to make her even more compliant: her father and her boyfriend. They were all in his power now. The awareness that he could decide whether they lived or died thrilled him. It made him feel omnipotent.
He would show the girl the pictures of the men he’d snapped on his phone to make it clear to her he was in full control of the situation. Her only option was to obey him and do everything he asked her to unless she wanted them to die. That seemed like the perfect way to make her his slave. Anticipating her reaction at seeing them so helpless, bound and immersed up to their chests in water, he felt a rush of blood to his head and his heartbeat quickened.
With the three of them stuck safely in the cave, there was no urgency for him and Corinne to flee the country. Such a cunning setup gave him enough time to lure the blonde from Cahors, Véronique, and have some real fun at last.
He was so engrossed in his thoughts that it took him a moment to react after Corinne called out, ‘Lorenzo, slow down a bit. My legs are killing me. I can’t keep up with you.’
He turned around and saw her trudging quite a distance behind him. He stopped and waited for her to catch up with him.
They emerged into an elongated, tall chamber where shafts of bright daylight were streaming in through the narrow mouth of the cave.
‘You’ll manage from here?’
‘Yeah, I should be fine now.’
‘Wait for me in the car. I won’t be long.’
‘Remember, keep your promise. All you have to do is kill the girl. One shot in the head or heart is enough.’
Not bothering to respond or wait until she’d left the chamber, Lorenzo turned around and headed back into the depths of the underground labyrinth. Making brisk steps, he soon reached the vast room with the stalactite ceiling. He crossed it and entered a winding tunnel. Impatient to see the girl, he picked up his pace.
The moment he stepped into the small chamber where he had left her tied up, he sensed something was wrong, before even he saw what it was.
He stopped short at the entrance, pointing his torch beam at the spot where the girl should be.
Only she wasn’t there.
As he swept the torch around the chamber, he felt the muscles in his jaw clench and the veins in his neck stand out. The space was empty. The girl was nowhere in sight. He furrowed his brows and rubbed his chin, unable to
comprehend what he saw. How could this be? Maybe she had just huddled somewhere in a dark corner and he hadn’t noticed her.
His eyes darted back and forth over the interior, scanning its every nook and cranny. And then he spotted the severed ropes lying close to the sleeping bag and an empty water bottle. Still refusing to believe what he saw, he approached the discarded ties. For a long moment, his right hand felt the damaged strands of cord, the tangible proof of her escape, almost caressing them. The facts were staring him in the face. Yet it took him another long while to accept them. The girl had somehow managed to break the ropes and escape.
Again, he shone the torch around. Slowly. Something glistened at his feet. He bent down to examine it. Shards of glass, most of them very tiny. A bit further to his left he noticed a broken torch.
‘The bitch …’ he muttered under his breath, feeling his jaw clench even harder than before and the veins in his neck throb. ‘That’s how she was able to get free. But without a light she mustn’t have gone far. I will track her down. And when I do find her, I will make her pay for what she has done. She’ll regret the day she was born.’
But where was she? He had no idea where she could have crawled to.
He hadn’t seen her on the way here. He acknowledged the possibility that he might have failed to spot her because as he was walking swiftly, his mind absorbed by all kinds of thoughts. She might easily have been hiding behind one of the numerous calcified forms rising from the ground.
Feeling the need to hurry, he retraced his steps, checking every centimetre of the passageway leading to the vast chamber where he planned to look behind each stalagmite.
Half an hour later, he’d finished scouting both places, coming up empty-handed. He couldn’t find the girl.
Had she already reached the exit and left the cave? His gut feeling told him she hadn’t. Maybe she’d got confused and instead of heading towards the exit, she had advanced deeper into it.
The biggest question remained unanswered: where was she?
There were countless places where one could hide. How was he ever going to find her in this extensive network of tunnels and chambers? It was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
