Salvage

by Debbie Civil

Chapter 14

  Will leaves me to take Ivy back to her prison. This time when the door shuts, it’s locked. I have no idea what to do. The smell of fast food is making me feel sick. Somehow, I know that if I don’t eat it, someone will be penalized. I wouldn’t want Will taking out the people from this restaurant. I open the bag and frown. In there is a burger, large French fries, napkins, and ketchup. After I take all of the items out, I see a black iPhone. I don’t pull it out of the bag in case Will is watching. Instead, I take the bag and go to the bathroom and shut the door. Facing away from the camera, I pull the phone out. He has a password. It isn’t too hard to figure it out. I type in 071795 and bingo. I’m in his contacts. I’m not dumb enough to call someone. He will notice. Instead, I open up a new text message and type in Carmen’s phone number. She forced me to remember it the other day. And I’m glad I did. I type in “Help. I’ve been kidnapped. Call 911. He’s coming back. I can’t” and hit send. Not twenty seconds later, her texts back.

  “Call them, Chelsea. They can trace your call.” Carmen’s right, I need to alert the police, even if I don’t think that I have much time. Please, let Ivy’s sobs be distracting. I quickly dial 911.

  “911 what’s your emergency.”

  “I’ve been kidnapped. Help me,” I plead into the phone.

  “Where are you?” the male voice asks.

  “I don’t know. He drugged me before he took me.”

  “Miss, what’s your name?”

  “Chelsea Philips. I’m not the only one. He has Adam Smith, Ivy Miller, and Teresa Gibson …” I pause because I don’t know if Will has anyone else for sure. He could be bluffing about having some of the men that hurt me. “ I know he has Ivy and Teresa for sure. He has us separated.”

  “Stay calm. Where are you?”

  “In the bathroom. He’s gone down to lock up one of the others. He accidentally left his phone with me. Please come. Adam’s bleeding. His blood was all over will’s shirt.”

  “Who’s Will?”

  “My kidnapper. He told me that he wanted to marry me.” My mouth won’t stop moving. Great. This isn’t useful. Think Chelsea. Give him something useful.

  “Ma’am, how did he take you?”

  “He broke into my house and drugged me. He said that he paid someone to make the elevators stop working. By the time they noticed that I was gone...”

  “Chelsea, you are in major trouble,” Will yells. “You had a chance to make this easy. Now, we will have to go into hiding. I can’t believe how stupid you can be.” I slip in time and scream. Will has a cloth in one hand and a taser in the other. Without blinking he swings his fist at me. I dodge it and kick out my foot. It connects with his knee. Will roars and lunges for me again.

  “Ma'am? Ma’am?”

  “He’s here,” I shout as my legs hit the back of the tub. I’m cornered, crap. Will takes my momentary silence to his advantage. He grabs the phone from me.

  “You are never going to take my fianceé away from me,” he shouts at the dispatcher, then, he tosses the iPhone into the tub and raises me. The pain is ridiculous. I fall into the tub, my head smacking against the wall. The last thing I remember is the dispatch calling for me, then the blackness consumes me yet again.

  “Let us out of here,” I hear Molly scream. Her voice is the equivalent of a skillet banging against my aching head. The pain is excruciating.

  “Blame your discomfort on my fianceé. She betrayed me,” Will shouts back. Ouch! I’m moving. That’s the only thing that I discover. I peel open my eyes and frown up at the roof of a car. I try to move my hands, but they have been tied and resting against my stomach. My feet have been done in the same fashion. I’m lying in a van. I’m also buckled in. The windows are ridiculously tinted, so I doubt anyone could see in. My throat is dry, and my bladder is screaming. I want to complain, but Will is very unhappy with me.

  “Why can’t you let me go?” Molly wines. She’s in the seat in front of me.

  “Because, you need to be punished for what you did to the love of my life,” he answers calmly.

  “That’s not fair. You left Teresa behind.”

  “She’s the one Chelsea chose to save. Well, not really. She’s who I chose. Since my fianceé lied to me, she doesn’t get that privilege.”

  “And Adam?”

  “He’s dead. So there’s no purpose in transporting him. From what my buddy said, the police were on to us. We had to leave as quickly as possible. It’s a good thing that I have eyes in many places,” Will banters. I can’t think of Adam. He’s dead, though I suspected as much when I saw the blood on Will’s shirt. But Teresa is safe. Maybe I can play extra nice for a few days. I hope he is careless again. Though, I doubt that he would be. That had been my only opportunity. I’m still glad I texted Carmen. They will have an easier time tracing the number that way. No matter how much Will hides us, he will be caught eventually. Thank goodness, I erased those texts. I would be saved soon. It’s only a matter of time.

  “Why do I have to be punished?” Molly asks, and I want to tell her to shut up. Her voice has always grated on my nerves. But with the pounding headache, it’s downright intolerable.

  “Molly, you broke my fianceé's ankle. You physically harmed her. That’s just unforgivable,” he argues.

  “But, she stole Teresa’s boyfriend,” she protests. What an idiot! Molly isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.

  “If you say another word against her, I will cut your tongue out,” Will threatens.

  “What about the police? Won’t they know who you are? The house is in your name,” Molly says, derailing him from the topic.

  “No, it isn’t. The house is in the name of Billy Milton, my ailing uncle. Or at least that’s what I told the contractors. The house belonged to Billy Milton, but he’s dead. I shot the old man and buried him. Then, I had a contractor build a replica of Chelsea’s room. It’s amazing how quiet people are if you pay them well,” he laughs.

  “Why are you doing this?” Molly screeches.

  “Why are you asking so many questions,” Will asks.

  “Because, I’m bored. So why are you doing this? You might as well tell me since you’re going to kill me,” Molly points out.

  “Because, Chelsea is the woman that I love.”

  “So take her away and leave the rest of us out of it,” Molly snaps. Gee, thanks. This girl is pure evil.

  “I can’t take her until everyone that ever hurt or kissed her is dead,” he says. Molly laughs.

  “What about Peter Jacobs? He’s definitely kissed her,” Molly says. My blood runs cold. She’s the one that’s been feeding Will stories about Peter. No, he can’t take Peter. I instinctively curse, and Molly laughs. “Do you know what I heard?” Molly asks.

  “What?” Will asks.

  “I heard from my friend Lilly that they shared a bed. She walked in on Peter and Chelsea sleeping. She told me that they were all cuddled up. Peter’s mom also saw and was pretty upset. But his brother Malcolm told her to get over it. They are in love,” Molly taunts. Seriously? Boy, Mrs. Jacobs has a hundred reasons to hate me.

  “Peter Jacobs. I was supposed to take him. But he’s under the radar. My police friend has been looking for him. He can’t track him down either. He hasn’t used his cell phone in days,” Willy says. “What teenager doesn’t use his cell phone? I don’t understand why he’s so hard to find. I’ve even paid a few thugs to watch his house. No one has been home in days,” he whines.

  “I know where he is,” Molly says in a low voice. “If I tell you, will you spare me?” The car is silent.

  “Don’t do it,” I beg Molly, but she ignores me. I’m powerless to protect Peter.

  “If you tell me where Peter Jacobs is, I’ll make you Chelsea’s lady maid.” Molly sighs.

  “Sorry, I’m not saying.”

  “I could torture you. I guess it’s your choice Molly. Either I torture it out of you, or you take care of Chelsea,” he offers. Molly sighs.

&nbs
p; “Have you been tracing Malcolm Jacob’s cell phone?” she asks.

  “No,” Will admits. “Why?”

  “He’s dating my best friend, Lilly Gomez. They are in constant contact. Peter’s with him,” Molly announces with smugness in her voice. I can’t believe Peter’s about to be in danger again. There’s no way I can fix this. He won’t believe me if I talk Peter down. We are both screwed.

  “My buddy doesn’t want to trace any more calls for me. But maybe for the right price, he’ll agree,” he says smugly. I have the slightest hope that will gets so distracted bargaining with his buddy so I can escape. But that isn’t going to happen.

  “How mean is Lilly to Chelsea?” he asks, suspiciously.

  “Oh no. Lilly is kind to Chelsea. In fact, she saved Chelsea from the mugger.”

  “Albert Green? He is detective Green’s loser nephew. I paid someone to kill him in prison,” Will confesses. “He gave Chelsea a concussion. Can you believe his nerve?”

  “You’re right. He was a loser. You probably did the world some good,” Molly agrees, and a tear falls down my cheek. The thug wasn’t kind to me. But he died because some weird man wanted to express his love for me. I could never understand why murdering a defenseless person is any declaration of love. How is Molly able to talk to him? She’s beyond helping. The girl is sadistic.

  “I didn’t kill Albert Green for mankind. I did it because he had the nerve to touch what wasn’t his. Molly, I only do things for Chelsea. If Chelsea begged me, I would kill you,” Will snaps. Molly sucks in a breath. This didn't occur to her. She’s so lucky that I don’t have the heart to capitalize on this. I think back to the recording. Maybe the police will figure out that he’s taking anyone that either hurt me or kissed my lips. They are usually good at noticing patterns of behavior. I hope that Grandmother tucks him away in Europe. I’m pretty positive that Will’s influence doesn’t stretch that far. I close my eyes and begin to pray with all of my might. All I need is for Will to make another mistake. All I need is for Malcolm to stop using his phone. Though, I doubt that. At the cabin, he was on his phone nonstop.

  “Chelsea, doesn’t want you to kill any of us,” Molly argues.

  “Sometimes, Chelsea doesn’t know what’s best for her. She needs to be surrounded by people that won’t hurt her,” Will insists. “That’s why I paid someone to kill Ashley Webber.” Who’s Ashley Webber?

  “Who’s Ashley Webber?” Molly asks.

  “Ashley Webber is the reporter that interviewed Adam. It wasn’t hard to secure her hit. She’s pissed off a lot of people,” Will says.

  “Will, you’ll get caught. What if your killer gets caught,” I rasp out hoping that it would denture him from killing her.

  “Sorry, Pumpkin. You lost the choice to save someone. I chose for you because you were a naughty girl,” he declares. “Now that you’re awake, do you want to eat?” The thought of food isn’t appetizing. Besides, I really need to go to the bathroom.

  “I need to pee,” Molly complains.

  “We are twenty minutes away from home. Don’t you worry, Molly? You will be taken care of.” His words give me a chill. But Molly doesn’t catch the undertone of those words. She sighs.

  “Good. Because I seriously can’t take being locked up in a basement for much longer.”

  “Where are the others?” I ask hoarsely.

  “Sleeping in the trunk,” he answers in a matter of fact tone and I shiver. This is far worse than dealing with Uncle Eric. Once he was discovered, he didn’t ship us into a different location. Though, he wasn’t capable, thanks to me. I guess I will really have to kill Will. There is no rationalizing with him. In order for the rest of us to leave, he will have to die. Now that my main mission is killing him, I oddly feel better. I don’t have to wait for a moment that his guard is down. I have to wait for a moment when I get my hands on a weapon. It’s too bad Adam can’t take him out. He’s the career criminal. I’m just a girl who defends the people she loves. No, Adam was the career criminal. He’s dead. And despite it all, that thought doesn’t sit well with me. For goodness sakes, at one time, I kissed his lips and now he’s dead. At one time, I wrapped myself in his arms and told him I loved him. But now, Adam’s dead. It’s a hard fact to face. It’s also a little unnerving that I was one of Adam’s last experiences.

  “What are you going to do with me? I ask, fearing the worst. Will is silent for a moment.

  “Well, you have to be punished for what you did. I don’t think making a choice for you is sufficient. Chelsea, you betrayed me by loving another man,” Will says, and his threats don’t bother me anymore. Someday, they will find me. I’m not sure when or how, but I’ve got to get through this. It’s either that or kill Will. Let’s just hope that the police finds us.

  “She won’t love you until Peter’s dead,” Molly hisses. Her words turn my blood cold. What’s wrong with this girl? Is she really this concerned with being on Will’s good side?

  “If you kill Peter, I will never love you,” I shout, which sounds awful. Will doesn’t reply to that. All I hear is the sound of the air conditioner and the per of the motor. It’s as if my statement is the conversation closer. Apparently, not even Molly has anything to say. Thank goodness. I don’t want her leading to any more innocent people. The silence is choking. It makes me uneasy. I begin to worry that I’ve said the wrong thing. But I don’t have the chance to apologize. The van suddenly stops, and I look out the window. How amazing! He has another house in the middle of nowhere. It’s white with blue shingles. The lawn is overgrown, and weeds are everywhere. Seriously, Will needs to hire a gardener. He pulls the van into a driveway that is bumpy and cracked and turns it off. Maybe this is the time where I can take him out. Nope, Will is smart. He unloads the people in the back, first. Then I see him carry them inside. Ivy and James don’t struggle. By the time he picks Derrick out of the front seat, sweat is covering Will’s face. Apparently, hauling prisoners about is a lot of exercise. He comes for Molly next. She complains about how she can walk on her own. Will doesn’t listen to her protests. I have the sinking feeling he might kill her if she gets too annoying. Finally, he comes for me. He opens the door and slides into the back. He unbuckles the seat belt that’s around my stomach and puts his hands under my shoulders and helps me sit up. My bladder is complaining from the movement. “Baby, are you still mad at me?” Will asks as he sits beside me. I get a whiff of lemons, sweat, and peppermint. The mixture upsets my stomach.

  “For what?” I ask.

  “For freeing Teresa. I know that she’s done a lot to you. But I figured that I had to choose someone. You betrayed me, Chelsea. You deceived me. I can’t believe that you would do something like this to me. I’m sick and tired of Will’s complaining. My head hurts, I need to pee, and Molly just gave this monster a way to find Peter. Let’s just say, my temper is short.

  “Will, shut up.” My words make his mouth fall open. “I’m tired of hearing your complaints. Let’s just go inside so I can pee,” I snap, Will looks mortified. He undoes the seat belt that’s holding my feet then gets out of the van.

  “Go on, baby. Slide over to me.” If I didn’t have to pee, I would have stayed in the van. It’s extremely difficult to move with your feet tied. I swing my legs over and stick them in between the seat in front of me and the open door. Since my hands are tied, I can’t hang onto the seat. I curse and scoot forward and land on my butt, hard. Ouch! I push myself forward and wince as I smack my hip against the side of the van. I slide until my backside is on the steps. Will picks me up and carries me into the house. The house is empty, without any furniture. It’s apparent that Will wasn’t prepared for the evacuation. I want to feel smug. Good, something in this pretty boy’s life goes wrong. Will practically runs through the living room, which has lime green carpeting and matching walls. Then jogs up the narrow staircase. He runs into the bedroom, which has nothing other than a dresser and a queen sized bed. He places me on the soft mattress with care before runni
ng over to the dresser. He cuts the ropes binding my hands and feet with a pair of scissors. When my limbs are released from the uncomfortable position, my muscles protest. I wince as Will begins massaging my arms and legs.

  “I’m so sorry, Baby. I had to tie you up. You don’t understand that it all was for your own good. Please, forgive me. Please,” he begs.

  “I need to pee,” I hiss and Will carries me to the bathroom.