“She left at 4:10 pm.”
Justin nodded his head. “At least, I now have a time frame to work from.”
“If there’s anything else you need, let me know.”
“I will. Thank you.” He walked outside and dialed Chase’s number. He asked him to meet him at his house right away. He then hung up and made his way to his car. He paused as he eyed the outside of the building. That’s when he noticed the security cameras. He rushed back inside. “Diana, the cameras! Do you have access to yesterday’s video?”
She shook her head and frowned. “Sorry, Mr. Harrington. They don’t work.”
“What?”
“They haven’t worked since I’ve been here. I believe it’s a decoy.”
Justin grimaced. Cheap, bastard! With the exurbanite amount of rent he pays, Elijah could more than afford working security cameras.
“You should contact the police,” said Diana, bringing Justin out of his thoughts.
“Not until I’ve exhausted all possible avenues.”
Chapter Twenty-two
Ava has lost track of the time. When you’re locked away in a dark, windowless, damp pit, it’s hard to tell when one day ends, and the next one begins. She has slept most of the time with Brandon watching over her. He has tried to talk to her, but she goes inside herself and refuse to speak to him. She closes her eyes and goes into an alternate place in her mind. In this alternate place, she and Justin are together. If she could remain there she would, but eventually, she awakened into her living hell.
“Ava, wake up.” Brandon nudged her on the shoulder.
“I’m not asleep.” She moved her gaze towards him. He stood over with a greasy paper bag in one hand and a black duffel bag in the other.
“You need to eat.”
“I’m not hungry,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper.
He knelt beside the cot. His fingers swept through the hair that covered her eye. “I bought you a cheeseburger and fries from a place around the corner. Let me help you up.” He held onto her arm as she rose to a sitting position. He’d finally uncuffed her hours ago. “I also bought you personal items such as deodorant, cleaning wipes, and a toothbrush.”
Brandon removed the food from the bag and placed it beside her. The aroma of the burger made her stomach growl, but she refused to eat. Maybe if she starved herself, she would get sick enough for him to seek help. That’s what she had hoped, anyway.
“Ava, you forget I know you better than anyone. Certainly, better than him. You think if you starve yourself, I’ll let you go.”
She stared at him.
“It won’t work because I won’t allow you to harm yourself. You don’t have to eat the burger. Just try the fries.”
She wanted to be strong and not give in to him, but her body ached for food. She reached for a fry and placed it in her mouth. He watched her every move. He revealed a satisfied grin by the time she ate the third fry.
“I’ll make you a deal,” he said. “If you eat all your food, I’ll answer any questions you have.”
Ava shook her head in disbelief. “You’re lying. You refuse to tell me where I am or how you found me.”
“If you eat. I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”
Ava grabbed the burger and wolfed it down in four bites. She finished off her fries, and when Brandon handed her a bottle of water, she guzzled it down without stopping.
Brandon sat on his wooden chair with his leg propped across the other and arms folded. He had a smug smile on his face. She glared in his direction and fired her first question at him. “Where in the hell am I?”
“In a rental home.”
“Are we still in San Diego?”
“We are.”
“How did you find me?”
“I knew where you were the moment you left Atlanta. I still have friends in meaningful places.”
“So, I was right. Scott helped you.”
He chuckled. “You forget I’m a detective. I didn’t need to find you if I already knew everything about your boyfriend. Remember that background check I ran on him? It’s up here.” He tapped his head with his finger. “His personal and business addresses, make and model of every car he owns, his banking information… everything.”
Ava wanted to lunge at him with all the fury inside of her, but she had to remain coolheaded. She’d convinced him to remove her arm restraints, maybe the ankle cuffs could be next. For now, she’ll collect information to use for her escape.
“Where did you get the Bentley?”
He repositioned his leg onto the floor and leaned forward. “What are you talking about?”
“One day I saw you drive by my house. You drove a silver Bentley, and the next morning you were on the beach.”
“Where would I get an expensive car like that?”
“Are you denying it was you behind the wheel?”
“It wasn’t me in that car. But on the beach, that was me. I saw you looking as beautiful as ever on your balcony. I got outta there when he showed up.”
She stared at Brandon. Nothing has changed. He’s still an excellent liar. “I’m tired. I want to sleep.” Ava wanted nothing more but to return to her dream world with Justin.
“That’s it? No more questions?”
She laid down without saying a word.
“If you have no other questions, then it’s my turn.”
Her eyes shot towards him. “I’m not talking to you about Justin.”
“When were you going to share the news, Ava?”
“What news?”
He leaned forward, grabbed her arm, and forced her back into a sitting position. He placed her left hand in his. “This!” Brandon pointed to her engagement ring.
Ava jerked her hand out of his grasp and cover her ring with the hem of her shirt. It was the one thing she had that helped her feel close to Justin. She’ll fight him like a vicious dog to hold on to it. “I don’t owe you an explanation.”
“Scott visited me and broke the news. At first, I couldn’t believe it. But then I remember how hypnotized you are by his bullshit.”
She refused to give him the satisfaction of a response. Ava held her gaze towards the floor while he continued with his ranting.
“You turned down my proposal, then left me, but you want to marry that guy!” He stood and kicked his chair across the room.
She flinched, and her heart jumped at the sound of the wooden chair tumbling across the floor. Brandon moved inches away from her face with his finger pointed at her. “I hate to tell ya, but it won’t happen. There’s no way in hell, you’re marrying that prick!”
Their eyes locked. Her teeth grazed, and fury ran through her veins. “I can’t believe I ever loved you. Justin is one hundred times the man you are. I love him, and it has nothing to with his wealth or position. He treats me as his equal. He doesn’t use fear and control to keep me with him.”
Brandon’s face reddened, and his eyes became deflated as if she shot daggers into his heart. “It’ll never happen. You won’t marry him.”
“Why? Do you plan to kill me first?”
Chapter Twenty-three
Justin rushed towards the front of the house the moment he heard the slam of Chase’s car door. He burst opened the front door, surprised to see he wasn’t alone. “Meg, I didn’t realize you were in town.” He allowed his guests to enter.
“Just for a few days,” she said.
Chase looked at Justin as if he knew something was wrong. “Why the frantic call?”
Justin lowered his gaze as he tried to gain his composure. That only made the concern on both Chase and Meg’s face grow. “Ava is missing.”
“What?!” Meghan covered her mouth with her hand.
“Missing? Are you sure?” asked Chase.
“I’m afraid so.” He shared everything he knew. Beginning with the last text he received from her and ending with when she left the office the day before.
“Have you called the police?” asked Meghan.
“Not yet.”
“What are you waiting for?” she asked.
“I’ve spent the entire morning at the hospital. My father had emergency surgery.”
“Jeez! I’m sorry, man.” Chase patted his friend’s back.
“I just realized something has happened to Ava right before I called you.”
“Alright, let’s back up. You said she left work at ten minutes after four, and you haven’t spoken to her. I’m sure there’s a simpler answer than something nefarious has happened,” said Chase.
“I thought the same until I found this.” He walked over to the entryway table and removed the smashed phone from its charger.
“That’s Ava’s phone,” said Meghan.
“Look at the screen. It looks purposely cracked. It died, but I believe it has enough juice to turn it on.” Justin pressed and held the power button.
“We can at least see who she last spoke with,” said Chase.
“Did you speak to her at all yesterday?” Justin asked Meghan while he waited for the phone to power on.
She shook her head. “We texted each other, but not yesterday.”
He frowned and entered Ava’s passcode into the phone. Seconds later, the time and apps populated. The trio watched with anxious expressions as they waited for the phone to complete its series of notifications. Once done, Justin opened her phone log.
“Tess! She called at 3:59, and the call lasted for twelve minutes. That means she was on the phone with her the entire time. She then called back, but it’s logged as a missed call.”
“Tess spoke with Ava for twelve minutes. She calls back, but Ava doesn’t answer. Whatever happened, happened within that window between the first and second call,” said Chase.
“Guys! We need to call the police.” Meghan wiped the tears from her eyes. “What are you waiting on?”
“I’ll call them now,” said Justin. “You call Tess and find out whatever she knows.”
She nodded and walked away with her phone in her hand.
Justin reached for his phone, but before he could dial 911, his mother called. “Mother! I didn’t forget about the medications. I’ll be there shortly.”
“You need to get here right away! Your father is losing oxygen, they want to ventilate him.”
Justin covered his face with his hand. He didn’t know how much more he could take. “I’m on my way.” He walked away from his guests as he fought back tears. He had to remain strong for both his mother and Ava, he couldn’t afford to fall apart.
Chase stepped beside him and placed his hand on his shoulder. “What happened with your dad?”
“It isn’t good. The doctor is placing him on a ventilator.”
“Sorry, man.”
“I have to get to the hospital, but I need to stay here to speak to the police.”
“I can go be with your mother.”
Justin shook his head. “If you show up, she’ll know something is wrong. She's stressed enough about my dad. I can’t tell her about Ava just yet.”
Meghan walked in between them. “Tess is not picking up. The call is going straight to voicemail. She’s still on her mountain trip with Scott, and the cell service isn't the best.”
“Thanks for trying, Meg.”
Chase turned towards her. “Hey, can you give us a second? I need to speak to Justin alone.”
“Sure. Do you mind if I fixed myself something to drink?” she asked Justin.
“Of course. Hey…” He grabbed her arm before she could walk away. “Thanks for being such a good friend to Ava.”
“She makes it easy,” she smiled.
Once Meghan rounded the corner towards the kitchen, Chase turned towards Justin. “Listen, I’ll be frank with you. The police will blow you off if you call them now.”
“Are you suggesting I don’t report Ava missing?”
“What I’m saying is you have time. She’s an adult who has gone less than a day without communicating with you.”
“But I haven’t heard her voice since before I left for my trip.”
“That was yesterday morning, but she has texted you since that time. Correct?”
“Yes, right after her meeting. About an hour and a half before she left the office.”
“That’s the time the police will use. Go to the hospital and check on your father. Once that is dealt with, then call the police.”
Justin nodded his head. “You’re right. That’s all I can do. What about Meg? She insisted we call the police now.”
“I’ll explain it to her. If it is okay, I think she’ll feel better if we waited here for you to return.”
“Yeah, sure. I prefer that. I don’t want to deal with the police alone.”
“And we’ll be here if Ava returns. It’s possible she lost her phone and is out running errands. You said she believes you’re still out of town.”
“She does.”
“Therefore, if it is a misunderstanding, Meg and I will be here.”
Justin knew his friend was trying to make him feel better, but it didn’t work. He knew deep in his gut this wasn’t good.
Chapter Twenty-four
Distraught engulfed his mother’s eyes. Although she hadn’t admitted aloud, there was no mistaking how much she still loved his father. When she looked up from her chair in the waiting area, she ran over and pulled Justin into an embrace. He wrapped his arms around her to comfort her.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she said, pulling away. “They kicked me out of the room, and I haven’t been able to see him.”
“They will once they’re finished. Can you tell me what happened?” He led her to two empty seats. Besides themselves, an older gentleman sat with a young female on the other side of the room.
Corrine wiped her eyes and drew in a breath. “I was talking to your father. Just memories of when you and Jack were boys. All of a sudden, the machines in the room began beeping, and a nurse rushed in. She asked me to leave and called for the doctor. It wasn’t until later, the doctor explained, they will ventilate him to help him breathe. We both know some people don’t come back from that.”
“You can’t think that way, mother. We have to remain positive.” He handed her the plastic bag that contained Chris’ medications. “James gathered everything prescribed to dad. He even threw in his vitamins and supplements.”
Corrine placed the bag on her lap. “I should call him. I’m sure he’s just as worried.”
Justin shifted his gaze downward with his mind on Ava. He should be out searching for her, but his mother was falling apart before his eyes.
“There’s something else bothering you, isn’t it?” asked Corrine, disrupting his thoughts.
“No. Why do you ask?”
“Justin, I’m your mother, and I can always tell when you’re holding something back from me. So, what is it?”
He faced Corrine and looked into her worried eyes. Tears from his own eyes wanted to fall, but he remained strong. “I want to be here for dad and send him positive thoughts from his bedside, but I can’t.”
“Why not? What’s stopping you?”
Justin expelled a sharp exhale. “I can’t find Ava, mother. She’s not at home or at the office. Someone found her phone smashed in the parking lot.”
“My God, Justin! Have you called the police?”
“I was going to when you called.”
“You need to leave and find her. I’ll be okay.”
“Are you sure? I hate to leave you alone.”
“There’s nothing more you can do for your father. I’ll stay and call James to keep me company. If there’s any change, you’re only a phone call away.”
Justin leaned over and kissed his mother’s cheek. “I’ll return to check on you.”
“You do no such thing. Your father would want you to put all your focus on finding Ava.” She rose and tugged at Justin’s arm. He stood and entered her waiting arms. “I’ll say a prayer for both your father and Ava.”
∞�
��∞
“A detective is on his way over,” said Justin to Chase and Meg as soon as he returned home. “I called the police on my way here.”
“How’s your dad?” asked Chase.
“I didn’t see him. My mother practically kicked me out of the waiting room once I told her what happened with Ava.” He looked over at Meg who appeared in deep thought as she paced the living room floor.
“Have you heard from Tess?” he asked.
Meg shook her head and frowned. “I don’t understand any of this. Where could she be?”
“I’ve wracked my brain and come up empty. Once the police arrive, we’ll have eyes out searching for her.”
“We can also do a social media blast for anyone who might have seen something,” added Chase.
Justin’s eyes peered out the window. “He’s here.” He rushed towards the front door.
“Mr. Harrington? I’m Detective Gray.”
“Yes, come in. Thanks for agreeing to meet at my home.” He shut the door behind the detective, who appeared no taller than five-nine and wore his ginger-colored hair closely cropped. “These are mine and Ava’s close friends, Chase Bennett and Meghan Dawson.”
“Ava? Your fiancée, who you believe is missing?”
“I know she’s missing. Let’s have a seat.” He led Detective Gray into the living room and gestured for him to sit in a chair while Justin faced him on the sofa where Chase and Meg sat beside him.
“Tell me what you know,” said the detective as he retrieved a small notepad.
Justin shared the last time he had spoken to Ava before he’d left for Seattle and everything that has occurred since his return. He showed the detective the smashed phone found by a groundsman.
“Ava would never go this long without reaching out to me or her friends,” said Justin.
“Are you two having problems?”
“No! We’re happy and will soon become married.”
“Engaged couples fight all the time, Mr. Harrington.”
Conned by You Page 10
