Chapter 27
27
C arley wiggled her hand back and forth on the bedspring, hoping that she could wear the zip tie down or break it completely. It bit into her wrist, and she could feel the moisture as her wrist started to bleed. But she was so worried about what else might happen if she stayed where she was.
That stupid medallion, why did she ever pick the damn thing up to begin with? She should have just left it there in the closet. But then again, Mason bought that condo, and this guy would be after Mason. Though he wouldn't have been able to pick him up and carry Mason away as easily as he carried her.
She continued to work her arm back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, praying the entire time, "Please God, please let me get loose, please let me get loose, please let me get loose."
She heard the key in the door, and she froze. She whispered to calm herself. "He's back, he's back, he's back. What am I going to do?"
She hoped he wouldn't look at her wrist and see it was bleeding. The door opened and he stepped inside and closed the door, rendering the room dark once again.
The slow measured steps coming toward her made her eyes tear up. Even breaths, she told herself slowly.
"Even breaths," she whispered again.
He sat in the chair, it creaked slightly. It creaked again and she felt the heat from his body as he moved closer to her. Her emotions battled between feeling like she was going to vomit, to feeling complete and total fear.
She swallowed and waited. "It looks like your brother-in-law has been a busy duck. I don't like busy ducks. Do you understand me? I don't like them at all." He moved closer, his breath brushed over her cheek. "There's people milling about his business. They’re at the back door, the front door, everywhere. Police are combing the parking lot, so I couldn't get near. Tell me this, Carley Page, if your brother-in-law gave my property to the police, why would the police be at his place?"
Her mind raced. She didn't know. How would she know?
"I don't know. Obviously, I'm here, not there. I don't know what's going on."
"I think you're lying to me is what I think. I think you're holding out on me, and I don't like it."
She swallowed the large lump in her throat. He sounded as if he was getting angry. Probably wasn't a good idea to make him angry.
"I don't know what's going on. I'm guessing the police are there because they know I'm missing, and that it has nothing to do with your property. But that would just be a guess."
He sat back. She could hear the rustling of his clothes. He wore some sort of material that made noise. Like a ski jacket or something.
"Well, I guess my next step will be to go talk to someone else that might know something. Maybe your sister."
A sob broke out Carley's throat. She didn't mean for it to, but it did. "Please, please don't bother her. Please don't. Please leave my sister alone. Please. Please leave my sister alone." She begged.
"Well, if her husband has something that belongs to me, she and I are going to have a problem. And if she confirms her husband actually did turn my property over to the police, I'm going to have to move on to Plan B or C. Someone's not telling me the truth somewhere along the way and that bothers me. Plus, if I have your sister, I can trade her for my property."
"I'm telling you the truth. I swear it." She swallowed, "I gave it to Jace. Jace gave it to the police. I don't know what else to tell you. I don't have what you're looking for. I don't have it. I gave it to Jace."
"Well, we'll see about that. If Jace has it, I'm sure your sister knows where it's at. Maybe a gun to her head will help her locate what I'm looking for."
She sobbed, and her body shook. He got up abruptly and moved toward the door. He slammed the door behind him, sliding the key into the lock once again. She listened as his footsteps faded away.
She started sawing madly at the zip tie on her wrist. She needed to get out of here.