by Sarah Markel
Gabby’s hands were released from the cuffs, and she hurried to comply. She slipped out of her filthy tank top and the grungy underpants she’d been wearing when she disappeared. She instinctively moved to cover her nudity, and the figure chuckled mirthlessly.
“I’m not interested in your body,” the person said, motioning to the tub with the gun, “get in.”
Gabby stepped into the cold tub and crouched down. The figure kept the gun trained on the girl as it bent to pick up the hose. Gabby squealed as her overheated skin was blasted with the soft spray of cold water. The initial shock to her system fled quickly, and Gabby felt a wave of relief wash over her as the water rushed over her body.
“The soap,” the person directed, halting the spray.
Gabby quickly grabbed the bottle of strawberry scented body wash and squeezed some onto the puff that rested beside the bottle. She scrubbed her body thoroughly and braced herself for the next blast of water.
The figure kept the hose steady as Gabby rinsed herself, before stopping the spray once again. Before the person had time to give the order, Gabby picked up the shampoo and lathered it into her hair.
Once the girl was clean, the figure took a towel from another cart nearby. “Quickly,” the figure instructed, handing the towel to Gabby.
As the teen dried herself, the masked figure picked up a small green can and opened it. “It’s a skin protectant,” the person said, holding the can toward Gabby, “you’re getting a rash.”
Gabby glanced down and frowned at the bright red area between her legs. “Th-thank you,” she said, swiping her fingers through the thick, oily salve.
The person seemed to hesitate for a moment, before averting their gaze so the girl could apply the ointment.
“Okay,” she said quietly.
The figure grabbed a clean tank top and fresh pair of white cotton boxer-briefs from the cart. Without a word, they extended the items to Gabby and waited while she put them on.
“Why are you doing this?” Gabby asked softly, appearing as non-threatening as possible.
“Your actions have landed you here, Gabriela. Reflect on your sins. Once you can identify which of those sins has brought you here, you will be returned to your mother.”
***
When each of the girls was clean and once again shackled to their posts, the figure moved to the cart in the center of the room. They removed a plastic wrapped paper plate and set it on top of Gabby’s post. The move was repeated in silence, until each of the girls had a plate and bottle of water.
“You’ve all been given instructions on how to free yourselves,” the recorded voice blared, “I will return tomorrow. If you can give me the correct answer, I will set you free.”
Without another word, the figure gripped the housekeeping cart and backed out of the room, leaving the bare bulb on. The door closed with a loud thud, and the girls waited for several tense moments before speaking.
“What did he tell you to do?” Frankie asked Gabby.
Gabby pulled the plastic from the plate and took a grateful bite of a peanut butter sandwich. “He said that I was the reason I am here. He told me to figure out which sin I’ve committed and if I can tell him which one it is, he will take me back to my mom.”
“Same here,” the other girls chorused, between bites of their food. Each girl had a similar meal; two sandwiches, carrot and celery sticks, two string cheeses, and cut fruit. There were variations on a few of the plates, and Piper frowned when she noticed them.
“It’s someone who knows us,” she whispered suddenly, interrupting the quiet meal. The others glanced at her curiously, but didn’t stop eating.
“Of course, it is,” Frankie scoffed, washing down her food with some water, “there’s not that many people in this town. Everyone knows everyone.”
Piper rolled her eyes and pointed to her sandwich. “No, Frankie, I mean it’s someone who knows us. It’s not just someone we know in passing. Whoever that guy is, it’s someone who knows about our lives.”
“I think that cold shower froze her brain,” Angelica muttered, loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Fuck off, Angelica,” Frankie commanded before shifting to look at the blonde girl on the mattress across from her. “Why do you say that, Piper?”
Piper took her plate from the post and set it on the end of the mattress. “Look at our food. We all have similar meals, but a couple are different. Me, Gabby, and Bailey all have something that’s different from everyone else.”
The girls grabbed their plates and placed them on the end of their mattresses. They each looked at everyone else’s plates, before glancing curiously back at Piper.
Piper rolled her eyes and picked up her sandwich. “What kind of sandwiches do you guys have?”
“Peanut butter and grape jelly,” the girls replied in unison.
Piper set her sandwich back on the plate and pointed to the mixed fruit chunks. “Apples, bananas, strawberries, and grapes, right?”
The others nodded, except for Bailey. “Mine doesn’t have strawberries,” she said.
“Gabby,” Piper addressed the younger girl directly, “do you have cheese on your plate?”
Gabby looked down at her plate and shook her head. “No. I have pickles, though.”
“None of the rest of us have pickles,” Piper explained, “and my sandwiches aren’t peanut butter. Gabby, if there was cheese on that plate, would you eat it?”
Gabby shook her head quickly. Piper looked at Bailey, “Would you eat the strawberries?”
When Bailey shook her head, a look of realization crossed her freckled features. Piper looked back to Angelica and Frankie and explained.
“I’m allergic to peanuts. Bailey is allergic to strawberries, and Gabby is lactose intolerant. Whoever is doing this knows about our diet restrictions! How many people in town would know, and remember, that we have food allergies?”
The girls exchanged a surprised look. “Oh my God,” Frankie breathed.
Piper bit into her sandwich and spoke around a mouthful of food. “The people at school, the owners of the bar, and the guys that own the restaurant would know about our allergies. So would Pastor and Mrs. Fisk, and the people who work at the community center during the summer.”
“That’s still a lot of people, Piper,” Angelica said, polishing off the last of her fruit. “And, it doesn’t help us get home. If we want to get out of here, I suggest we all start thinking, long and hard, about what we did to end up in this place.”
“Wait a minute,” Bailey said loudly, startling the others with her exuberance, “that’s it! Whatever we did, we had to have done it to the same person. Otherwise, why would we be here together?”
“That’s a good point, Bay,” Piper complimented, “Let’s brainstorm a bit and see if we can narrow down a list of people we’ve all wronged. That might help us figure out exactly what we did, so we can tell him and go home!”
The girls started talking at once, their words slamming together in the air as their voices battled to be heard above the others.
“Hold up!” Frankie yelled, quieting the others, “Let’s say we do manage to figure out who is doing this. Then what? Do you really think he’s going to let us go home? Figuring out what we did means figuring out who we did it to. If this guy is the one we’ve wronged, that means he will know that we know who he is.”
“Besides,” she added morosely, “what if this guy isn’t the one we messed with? What if he’s like The Confessor; avenging those who were screwed by others? No, I don’t think we are getting out of here alive.”
Chapter 9
“Why are you packing for the night?” Dani asked, emerging from Max’s en-suite as she toweled her long red hair. “We’ll never make it back in time for school tomorrow.”
Max glanced up from the overnight bag and sucked in a breath as her eyes devoured her wife’s nude form.
“No school,” she managed, her mouth beginning to water in anticipation, “That’s why ther
e was school on Friday. We’re staying at a hotel for the night.”
Falls City schools typically ran a Monday through Thursday school week, with Friday’s being reserved for make-up days.
Because of the town’s elevation, winter conditions usually resulted in several snow days each year. To keep the students on track with other schools in the area, Falls City kids had extended school hours on the days they were in school.
To accommodate a local holiday, the students of Falls City would not be at school until Tuesday.
Dani saw the desire in Max’s eyes. “Hmm, a whole night away? Just the two of us? What ever will we do without Young and Harrison in my ear?”
Max chuckled and moved around the end of the bed. She slipped her arms around Dani’s waist, and ducked her head to capture the redhead’s lips.
“I can think of plenty of things that will keep us tied up for the night, baby.”
A flash of heat scorched through Dani’s center, making her gasp when Max pulled her closer. “Tied up, huh?” she asked, closing her teeth over her bottom lip, “Better make sure to pack your handcuffs.”
Max laughed and kissed Dani again. “What makes you think I’m going to use them?” she asked teasingly as she broke the embrace and returned to her packing, “Maybe I’m not in the mood for kink. What if I want to spend the night making slow, passionate love to you?”
Dani shrugged her shoulders and perched on the edge of the bed as Max finished packing the duffel. “Who said they were going to be used on me?” she retorted, “What if I want to cuff you to the bed and have my way with you?”
Max’s head shot up and the color drained from her face. “What?” she choked. Max hoped Dani was joking, but the woman’s expression was unreadable.
In the three years they had been together, Dani had never taken a dominant role in their love making. She wasn’t a pillow princess, by any means, but she wasn’t one to be aggressive, either. Dani preferred to be submissive when they were rough, and Max liked it that way.
The couple stared at each other for several moments, neither moving a muscle. Max’s surprised expression was the first to falter. “Not funny, Daniela Prescott. Not funny,” she said as Dani dissolved into a fit of laughter.
“You should have seen your face, Mackenzie,” Dani giggled, dodging a rolled pair of socks that Max aimed at her head. “Oh, that’s mature. I’m supposed to be the child here, remember?” she asked, lobbing the socks back.
Max shuddered visibly and caught the socks in mid-air. “No, don’t say that. From right now, until we get home tomorrow, you are not my daughter. You are my wife, the woman I love, the woman I am going to make scream my name over and over. Now, go to your room and get dressed. Your breasts are distracting me, and I want to get away from here as soon as possible.”
Dani snorted and wrapped the towel around herself. “Yes, Ma’am,” she said with a salute.
Max chuckled and watched as Dani sauntered out of the room. When she was sure the sexy redhead wouldn’t return right away, Max reached under the bed and pulled out a rectangular box. With a sly smirk, she tucked the box under the clothing in the duffel and zipped it shut.
“Happy Anniversary, Dani,” she mumbled sweetly as she stepped into the bathroom to shower.
***
“Sweetheart, this place is too loud,” Dani said loudly, clamping her hands over her ears as they entered the night club. The sudden, pulse-pounding thrum of music assaulted Dani’s highly sensitive ears, giving the young woman an immediate headache.
Max glanced around at the crowded space and felt the tiny hairs on the back of her neck raise. Eyes from every angle swung toward the pair and whistles could be heard over the music. She was sure it was Dani they were whistling at and pride began to swell inside Max.
As they followed the buxom bottle-blonde through the throng of people, Max got the eerie sensation of being watched. Her eyes scanned the room, committing the scene to memory for later contemplation. She hoped the feeling was due to the attention her stunning wife was commanding, but felt it better to be safe than sorry.
Max draped her arm over Dani’s shoulder and pulled the smaller woman close. She dug into her purse as they were guided to their reserved table, producing a small plastic case. She handed it to Dani and thanked the waitress with a smile and nod.
Dani dropped into the chair Max held for her and quickly removed two ear plugs from the case. She rolled the soft silicone between her fingers and fitted them securely into her ears. The blaring din of the club was immediately muffled, giving Dani relief from the protest her brain was staging.
Thank you, honey, Dani signed, smiling gratefully at her wife.
“You’re welcome, baby,” Max replied, her voice lost to the cacophony of club-goers. Dani was an adept lip reader and Max was grateful she wouldn’t have to use her hands to converse. She was highly capable of signing, but didn’t employ the skill unless she had to.
“Can I get you ladies a drink?” the waitress asked cheerfully when she returned a moment later.
“I’d like a Vieux Carre cocktail, please,” Max replied, glancing to Dani, “and my wife would like a Long Island Iced Tea.”
The bubbly brunette tapped their order into her tablet and smiled at Dani. “I’m sorry, Miss. Can I see your ID, please?”
Max stifled a chuckle and Dani shot her a withering glare. Don’t say a word, Mackenzie, she signed.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” the waitress said, her face contorting with embarrassment, “Can she not hear me?”
Max waved off the woman’s embarrassment. “She’s not deaf. Her ears are very sensitive, so she’s wearing ear plugs. She is reading our lips and using sign language, rather than screaming over the music.”
Dani watched the exchange as she fished her driver’s license from her purse. “I can understand you just fine,” she said to the waitress, who looked skeptical, “I sign so my wife can understand me in loud situations.”
The waitress studied Dani’s driver’s license before handing it back and tapping the screen of her tablet. “Your drinks will be out in a bit,” she said with a smile before taking her leave.
Dani reached across the table and took Max’s hand. She laced their fingers and smiled at the diamond that once again rested on her finger. She knew she’d have to remove it before they went home the next day, but she was happy for the hours she’d get to wear the symbol of their marriage.
“What do you really think about Falls City?” Max asked, stroking her thumb over Dani’s.
Dani smiled and brought Max’s hand to her lips before releasing it. I like it. It reminds me of the town we lived in when I was little. My mom used to take me out in the woods to pick wild raspberries. We would pick buckets full of them and use them to make pies and jams and smoothies.
Max frowned at the slight tremor of Dani’s chin. Her young wife always became emotional when reminiscing about her departed mother. “Would you consider living there? Full time, I mean.”
I don’t know, sweetheart. Give me some time to think about it, okay? She didn’t want Max to know how ready she was to leave Boise for good.
Max nodded and thanked the waitress when she set the drinks in front of the couple. She sipped her cocktail lightly, savoring the cohesion of the different bitters.
“That’s the first Vieux Carre I’ve had, outside of New Orleans, that tastes good,” she complimented, smacking her lips happily. She sipped again as she watched Dani’s lips curl around the straw of her drink.
Oh, sweet baby Jesus, Dani signed with a groan of pleasure, that’s fabulous. I will never take my age for granted again. You don’t know how frustrating it is to not be allowed to go into the bar and order a drink. I’m getting sick of beer and wine.
Max chuckled. “I know, sweetheart, and I’m sorry. The store only sells the beer and wine, and I don’t want to run in to someone at the liquor store in Marilynn and have to explain why I’m buying so much alcohol. I’m sure it would get spread around and th
e town folk would start thinking I’m either a boozehound or a partier.”
Dani rolled her eyes and shook her head. She really hated this assignment, but she couldn’t just walk away from it. There were five young girls out there somewhere, and she needed to do what she could to help bring them home.
It’s alright, Max, I can live without the booze. I was just explaining my frustration. Let’s dance before we eat.
Max nodded and leaned across the table, claiming Dani’s lips in a gentle kiss. It felt nice to be able to do that outside of their bedroom. “Let’s go,” she said, taking Dani’s hand and leading her out onto the dance floor.
***
Several feet away, a tall brunette watched the couple as they stepped away from their table. She’d seen them enter, and had been stunned when she’d seen the ring Max wore around her neck on Dani’s finger.
She’d watched, grateful for the short wall that separated the reserved tables from the rest of the seating area, as the waitress placed a drink in front of the redhead. When Dani signed to Max, the woman wished she understood sign language.
She wondered what Max had told the waitress, and what Dani had showed the woman, to convince her the teen was old enough to drink. A group of people on their way to dance had obstructed her view of the pair for a moment, and when her line of sight was restored, Max and Dani were getting up from their table.
Her attention remained glued to the couple as they melded together on the dance floor, and her eyes narrowed when Max’s hands caressed Dani’s back. It was obvious the relationship between the two was more than they portrayed it to be, and the woman was stunned by the affection Max showed her daughter.
The brunette’s attention had been immediately drawn to the provocative gown Dani wore, and her mind flashed back to an image of her own daughter in a similar dress. Sleek and black with a long slit up one side, the dress clung alluringly to Dani’s curvaceous body. In the woman’s opinion, the backless design showed off too much of the teen’s creamy, flawless skin.
