“Sure.” Justin moved over to his bar that stood near the glass balcony doors. He poured himself another drink and stepped outside. He stared out onto the beach, settling his gaze on a couple snuggled underneath an umbrella. His thoughts carried to the night he and Ava had made love on the beach beneath the stars. As he thought more of that night, his body tensed, and the muscles in his face were on the verge of opening the floodgates. He couldn’t allow his mind and body to feel what it’s been dying to.
“Justin!” He turned at the sound of Meg yelling his name. Her face was a tinge brighter than her ruby red lipstick, her phone trembled in her hand, and her eyes were wide with more fear than it had the night before.
“Who was on the phone?”
“I asked her to speak with you, but she didn’t have time.”
He moved inside, noting the panic that coated her words. “Who, Meg?”
“Tess. She just called.”
“Okay.” His heart raced as he moved closer towards her. “What did she say?”
Meg closed her eyes as tears fell, and the words flew from her mouth. “Brandon is out!” she blurted.
Justin eyed her, confused. “What? What do you mean he’s out?”
“Brandon made bail a month ago, and he came here for Ava.”
Justin fell silent as he allowed the words to penetrate. Brandon is out. Came for Ava. “I should’ve believed her!” he mumbled. His free hand washed over his face before it formed a fist. “I should’ve fuckin’ believed her!” His jaw clenched as he threw his glass against the wall. He noticed Meg jump at the sound of it crashing. Justin stormed towards his bar and lifted one bottle after another and aimed them towards the wall.
“Justin! Stop!” Meg screamed between the sound of the shattered glass.
He turned towards her with fury coursing through every cell of his body. “Ava told me twice she had seen that bastard, and I wouldn’t listen. I told her she was stress and filled with anxiety.”
“Who would’ve believed it? Chase and I said the same to you when you brought it up yesterday.”
“I should have put security on her at all times. If only I’d believed her.”
“Justin, how would you have known? If she told me she’d seen Brandon, I probably thought she had lost her mind.”
He paused and closed his eyes. His heart rate slowed as he allowed his anger to subside and the anguish to take control. “Meg, I’m her partner. She should trust I can protect her, and I didn’t. I failed her, again!”
She moved closer to him, kicking aside the shards of glass on the floor. “What do you mean again?”
Justin tightened his lips as his eyes watered. “The first time, I played right into Brandon’s hand and allowed him to separate us. I promised myself I would never let my guard down, and I did.” Tears trickled from his eyes.
“He was in jail for almost a year. Why wouldn’t you lower your guard and live your life?”
“None of that matters because I failed her. He has her, and I have no clue where she is.” Justin closed his eyes, and when he reopened them, the floodgates lifted, and the pain revealed itself in the tears that rushed from his eyes. He thought of the torture Brandon had put him through, and the thought of Ava going through the same hell killed him. His legs wobbled, and the gut-wrenching pain inside worsen. He fell onto the chair and continue to allow the pain to swallow him whole. Meg stood over him and tapped his shoulder. He looked up at her through a blur of tears. She extended her hand forward with his phone in her hand. He didn’t hear it ring. “Who is it?”
“I answered it when I saw his name on the screen. It’s Blake.”
Justin sat up and wiped his face. “I hope you have news for me,” he said, composing himself.
“As promised. Cameron had his people piece together a timeline of Ava’s car. He began from the time she left her home until its last movement on Moonlight Beach. Because your building’s parking lot doesn’t have cameras, there’s a gap.”
“Can you bottom line it for me? Did you find anything we can use to locate her?”
“Once the car reached the beach’s parking lot, a male appears on camera exiting the vehicle. It’s not a good image, so it’ll take time to identify him.”
“I know who it is. Brandon Porter, Ava’s ex.”
“The one who…”
“Yes. He’s obsessed with her. So, time is not our friend.”
“We should bring in the authorities.”
“Not until we find her location. If he believes the police are on his trail, he might move her or worse.”
“It’s a waste of time to tell you not to worry therefore I won’t. What I will say, is we’ll do everything in our power to find her. First, we’ll retrace his steps from the moment he left lockup in Atlanta, until he arrived here in San Diego.”
“He’s smart, Blake. He was once a detective and knows how to remain under the radar.”
“Except, he hasn’t. I’ll touch base with you no later than tomorrow.”
“Thanks, and if I obtain additional information on my end, I’ll let you know.”
Chapter Twenty-seven
Ava never received an answer from Brandon when she’d asked him if he’d planned to kill her. He stormed out of the room and didn’t return until hours later. He always returned with what she called his black bag of goodies. He carried a black duffel bag with items he believed she needed. One time, he brought a stack of puzzle books, and another time it was copies of the local newspaper business section.
She has used nothing he has brought to her. Instead, she has spent her minutes devising a plan of escape. So far, she has convinced Brandon to unshackle both arms and a leg. He’d said until he knew she wouldn’t leave him; she must remain chained.
As part of her escape plan, she has devised a mental blueprint of the house he has held her captive. It began once she realized she could hear his movements on the upper level. The sound of footsteps helped her determine when he entered and exited the house. She’s spent hours counting the total number of steps. From the front door, to the stairs that led to the lower level, are nine steps. Next, he descends six flights of stairs to the room where he held her.
The loud noise of the condenser cutting on the old refrigerator woke her from her sleep. She peeled opened her eyes to darkness. The lights don’t come on until Brandon cuts them on. It’s dark which meant, he wasn’t in the house.
She wondered what day it was. By now, she assumed Justin knew she’s missing and has gathered a search party to find her. Justin! I miss him so much. Tears fell from the corner of her eyes as his handsome face filled her thoughts. She closed her eyes and imagined his arms were around her, providing the comfort she needed. His lips would kiss the spot on the back of her neck that made her body tingle. She turned over and pretended they were face to face and allowed their lips to meet. He then kissed her with all the passion inside of him.
Footsteps!
Ava’s eyes shot open. Nine steps and then the door. Six steps and a flick of the light switch. Ava’s eyes squinted underneath the bright light.
“Morning,” said Brandon, stepping towards her with his black duffel bag on his shoulder.
Ava pushed her body into a sitting position. He handed her a white paper bag and coffee in a styrofoam cup.
“I bought two glazed doughnuts and made your coffee just the way you like it.”
He loomed over her as if he wanted a thank you. She tossed the bag aside and sipped the hot coffee. As the liquid invaded her taste buds, anger seared through her thoughts. She should be with Justin, in their home, and in their bed sharing a morning brew. Instead, she’s in a dirty, filthy, and windowless room with an ex that has refused to let go. Ava’s eyes moved upward, and he met her with a smile she has come to hate. With rage surging through her veins, she threw the hot coffee across the room. “This ends now! You need to let me go!” she screamed.
He stared at her with his eyes bugged. “What’s gotten into you?”
“What’s gotten into me? I’m sick of you and your inability to face reality! It doesn’t matter how long you hold me here; I will NEVER be with you!”
His lips pursed with a slight nod of his head. “You don’t mean that.”
Ava’s teeth clenched as she held her glare. “I meant every word.”
Brandon removed his duffel bag from his shoulder and dragged a chair in front of her cot. They sat close enough their knees touched. “You may be with him, but the love we shared just doesn’t die.”
“It did, along with the person I used to know.”
“That guy wasn’t there when you were too afraid to leave the house, or when you woke from a nightmare about Phillip. He didn’t hold you in his arms until you fell asleep. I did! I was there through it all!”
“That doesn’t give you a pass for all the hideous things you’ve done since.”
“You’re not in love with him. It’s his money, the flashy cars, and the mansion you love.”
“And if you believe that, you never knew me.”
“Ava, be honest, you know we were close to reuniting until that son of bitch detonate what we had.”
“You’re the bomb-thrower with kidnapping as your method of choice. First Justin, and now me.”
Brandon reached for her hand, causing her to pull away. “Don’t you dare touch me!” Her upper lip formed a snarl.
He removed his hand and scooted his chair backward, allowing space between them. “I wish you would admit we were happy and working on our relationship when he came along.”
“Wow!” she scoffed. “Gotta love your revisionist history, Brandon. We hadn’t been together in over eight months, and being the pathetic loser you are, you refused to let go.”
He jumped from his chair and rushed towards her. He gripped her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him. “I will never let him have you.”
“Well then, you better kill me now, because I will always choose Justin over you.”
With his one hand still firm on her chin, he stroked her hair with his free hand. His eyes softened as he gazed at her. “I love you and will never cause you harm. Your boyfriend is another story. You can’t choose him if he isn’t an option.” He released her from his grasp and walked away.
“Brandon!” she yelled. Tears fell from her eyes as panic course through her body. “Brandon! Please don’t hurt him!” He reached the stairs and was soon out of sight.
“Brandon!” she cried one last time before falling over and sobbing into her pillow.
Chapter Twenty-eight
The aromatic smell of a home-cooked meal met Justin at the door. He just returned home from a work meeting he could no longer put off. He followed the scent into the kitchen as his stomach rumbled from hunger. “Smells delicious.”
“Thank you,” said Evelyn. She greeted him with a bright smile and one hand on her hip. “It gives me something to do instead of fretting over Ava. Any news from your detective friend?” She turned to stir a pot on the stove.
Justin frowned. “Not yet. Blake became frustrated from being stonewalled over the phone, so he sent his brother, Cameron, to Atlanta to retrace Brandon’s steps.”
Evelyn nodded her head and continued with her meal. Two days ago, Justin had called Ava’s mother about her daughter’s disappearance and Brandon’s involvement. The following day, he flew her to San Diego so they could wait out the news together.
“Are you ready to eat?” she asked.
“I’ll wash up and help you with the plates.” Justin washed his hands and retrieved two stoneware plates from the cabinet. Evelyn filled each plate with a rack of lamb, mashed rhubarb, and mixed vegetables. Justin grabbed a beer from the fridge and sparkling water for Evelyn. Together they retreated to the dining room, where they sat across from one another.
“Thank you for cooking, Evelyn. I believe this is the first meal cooked in this house.”
Her eyes peered over her black-rimmed glasses. “You’re kidding?”
“No. Ava and I either go out to eat or order takeout.”
She sliced her lamb. “My daughter has many skills, but cooking isn’t one.”
Justin chuckled with a slight nod in his head. “She’s improved since the first meal she’d cooked for me.”
“Really? What was that?”
“Salmon. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings by telling her she had overcooked it.” Justin placed the last of the vegetables in his mouth and push his plate aside. Since Ava’s disappearance, his appetite had decreased. It doesn’t take much food to fill him up. “I miss her terribly.” Justin closed his eyes with his hand covering his face. “I failed her, Evelyn. I dismissed her claims she’d seen Brandon. If only I’d believed her.”
“I’m guilty of the same.”
He gazed towards her. “She told you about Brandon?”
“Yes, and I thought it was anxiety about the trial. I told her to focus on you and begin planning the wedding because it’ll help with the stress. Years ago, Ava developed an extreme level of anxiety she never shook.”
“Because of Phillip?”
“Yes. Trauma of that nature never goes away. It only becomes less prominent in your everyday life. She learned to live life less afraid.” Evelyn relaxed in her chair with a faraway look in her eyes. “She regained her strength after she left Brandon, but when she met you, she blossomed.” She fell silent and appeared lost in her thoughts.
Justin watched as a tear fell from her eye. She removed her glasses and wiped her face with the back of her hand. She must’ve noticed him watching because she slid her glasses up the bridge of her nose and her lips formed a nervous smile. “I’m sorry. Just thinking of all she’s gone through makes me emotional.”
“It’s okay. I understand,” he said.
“My daughter didn’t have many relationships. She is very picky, so when you came along, I thought she was out of her mind getting involved with you.”
“Until my charm won you over.”
“It did.” She laughed. “Once I gave Ava my blessing, she was all in. Then her world fell apart. You had gone missing and when she’d learned Brandon was behind it, all the emotional progress she’d made dissolved. She hid from you the amount of fear she had of Brandon.”
“That doesn’t absolve my feelings of guilt, Evelyn. I should have recognized how emotionally fragile she was.” Justin stood to clear the table. After placing the dishes in the sink, the doorbell rang. He wiped his hands on a kitchen towel before proceeding to the front door. Evelyn was right behind him.
“Blake!” said Justin, surprised to see him. It was almost eight at night, and he always called before he stopped by.
“I apologize for dropping by without calling.”
“No need for apologies, come in.” Justin closed the door behind him. “This is Ava’s mother, Evelyn Sinclair. Evelyn this is, Blake Laredo, the family friend who has spent day and night searching for Ava.”
“Nice to meet you,” said Evelyn. “Thank you for what you’ve done so far to locate my daughter.”
“I consider Justin family. Therefore, so is Ava.”
Evelyn responded with a thin smile. “I assume you have an update.”
“I do.”
“Let’s sit down.”
Justin led them into the living area where Blake delved into his progress. “As you know, Cameron flew to Atlanta to follow up on several leads. His goal was to locate anyone in touch with Brandon before or after his release.”
Justin sat with a forward lean in his chair as his foot played a nervous rhythm on the floor. He listened to Blake run off a list of people Cameron had spoken with, but he only wanted to hear exactly what he found. “Blake, excuse me, but you know patience is not my strong suit. Can you please bottom line this for me?”
“Sorry, I prefer to give a thorough report. From now on, I’ll lead with my findings, instead of how we got there.”
“Thank you.”
“A female named Kai Samuels bailed Brandon out of
jail. That name may mean nothing to you, but this one will. Lindsey Meyers paid Kai one-thousand-dollars to pay Brandon’s bail. She used Kai as a middleman.”
Justin fell back into his chair. “Lindsey? You’re sure?”
“Positive.”
“Is this the same Lindsey who caused all that havoc months ago?” asked Evelyn.
“Yes. Ava warned me not to involve myself with her, and once again, I didn’t listen.” Justin explained to Evelyn and Blake how Lindsey insinuated herself back into his and Ava’s lives.
“There’s more,” said Blake. “Brandon stayed with Lindsey at her home during his time here. Cameron spoke with neighbors who recall seeing him coming and going, but they weren’t aware of his charges in Georgia or recognized him.”
“I’m an idiot!” Justin slammed his fist onto the coffee table. “She played me from the start!” Justin jumped from his seat, ready to punch a hole in the wall.
“Don’t go there, Justin. Don’t blame yourself for believing her,” said Blake.
He turned to face his guests. “You don’t understand. Ava said not to trust her right away, but I told her to put business first. I gave Lindsey the ability to plan this right underneath my nose.” He swung his fist into the air. “Lindsey knew of Brandon’s plan. This all boils down to her wanting revenge on my father.”
“Your father? I don’t understand,” said Evelyn.
“I know how she thinks. She blames my father for losing her baby, so she wanted to hurt him by destroying everyone he cares for.”
Evelyn twisted her lips into a frown. “What should we do next?”
“I suggest involving the authorities. Here’s a copy of everything we found so far.” He handed a folder to Justin.
“You’ve done more in four days than the police. I thank you for everything, Blake.”
“Are you giving up? You won’t continue until you find her?” asked Evelyn.
Blake glanced at Justin. “I can if you like or if you rather the police jump in, I’ll step back.”
“No, continue what you’re doing, and in the morning, I’ll speak with the detective. It won’t hurt to have double the effort.”
Conned by You Page 12
