Chapter 13 #3
He slapped a rag on her face. It smelled of hospital corridors and science classes she thought she’d forgotten.
“Consider yourself kidnapped, honey, and hope that someone in your family thinks you’re worth the price it’s gonna take to get you back home.”
She screamed and fought, tearing the cloth from her eyes and kicking off her shoes as she tried to run. Something sharp pierced her arm, then the world opened up and swallowed her whole.
* * *
Ryder got as far as the edge of town and knew he couldn’t wait any longer to see his wife.
Night was too far away. In spite of the fact that he looked as if he’d slept in his clothes, which he had, he needed to see Casey now.
He parked in front of the Ruban Building and told himself they would find a way to make things right.
Nola Sue gasped as Ryder walked into the office. “Mr. Justice, thank goodness you’re all right!”
Casey’s secretary wasn’t making much sense. “What do you mean?”
“You know. With your wreck and all, we had no way of knowing how serious your injuries might be.”
He frowned. “I wasn’t in any wreck.”
Her hands fluttered around her throat as his words sank in. “But Mrs. Justice said you’d had a wreck. She raced out of here in a terrible state.”
Suddenly there was a knot in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t want to think about what this might mean. “When?”.
Nola Sue glanced at the clock. “Oh, at least an hour ago, maybe longer.”
A muscle jerked in Ryder’s jaw. “Who told her something like that?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I just know that someone called her on the private line. You know, the one the family uses.” She blushed. “I heard it ring. The walls aren’t all that thick.”
Damn, this doesn’t feel right. “I want to look inside her office. Would you come with me? You’ll know better than I would if something important is missing.”
Nola Sue followed Ryder inside, and together they made a thorough search of the place.
“No, I’m sorry, sir, but everything looks the same.”
Ryder tried a smile. “I’m sure we’re just borrowing trouble. She’s probably at home, cursing the fact that someone sent her on a wild-goose chase.”
Nola Sue nodded. “I’ll bet you’re right.”
Even though he suspected it was useless, Ryder continued to stand in the middle of the room. He kept thinking that they’d missed something. He could almost feel it.
When they’d started their search, her top desk drawer had been half-open, but Nola Sue had said nothing was missing. There was a pad of paper and a pen right by the phone, just like—
He froze. The pad. Maybe she’d written something on there that would give him a clue.
He raced to the desk, then dug a pencil out of the drawer.
Carefully, he rubbed the side of the lead on the blank piece of paper, going from side to side as he moved down the page.
Inch by inch, a set of directions was slowly revealed.
Nola Sue leaned over his shoulder. “Oh my goodness. That’s way out of town. In fact, if I remember correctly, that’s out in the marsh.”
His gut kicked, reminding him that fate was not kind. “Call the house. See if she’s home.”
Nola Sue did as she was told and, moments later, gave him the bad news. No one had seen her since early this morning.
Ryder looked down at the pad, afraid to consider where his thoughts were leading, and picked up the phone.
“Where are you doing?” she asked.
“Calling the police. Something’s not right. Someone has played a pretty sick joke on Casey, or her life could be in danger. Either way, I’m not waiting to find out.”
* * *
Casey woke up with a start. Several things became obvious to her all at once. She couldn’t see. She couldn’t move. Her arm was sore and there was a bitter taste in her mouth. And, she remembered why. She took a deep breath and heard herself sob.
“So, girlie, girlie, I see you’re comin’ around.”
She froze. Oh God, I am not alone.
“Please, let me go.”
He laughed, and Casey felt like a fool. It had been a stupid thing to ask, but she’d had to, just the same.
“Now, we can’t be doin’ that. Not until your people come up with the dough. We went to a lot of trouble to set this all up, you know. Don’t you think we ought to be paid for our time?”
Dear God, I’ve been kidnapped! “They’ll pay,” she said, and then choked on a sob.
He laughed again. “And why the hell not? It ain’t like you’re short on dough, now, is it?”
Something skittered across her leg and she kicked and screamed in sudden fright.
“Hey! Ain’t no need for all that screamin’. If you can’t keep your mouth shut, I’ll just have to gag you, too—you hear?”
Her voice was still shaking, but there was just enough indignation to get the man’s attention. “Something ran across my leg.”
“Probably just a lizard. They’s all kinds of water critters down here. Be glad it wasn’t no snake.”
She shuddered and thought of Ryder. Obviously, he hadn’t been in any wreck.
They’d used that excuse to sucker her right into their hands.
If she’d had a foot free, she would have kicked herself.
And along with that knowledge, came a question she was afraid to have answered.
If Ryder wasn’t in a wreck, then where was he?
The thought of never seeing him again, of dying and not being able to explain to him why she’d done what she’d done was devastating.
“I need to go to the bathroom.”
The man cursed. “I told ‘em not to leave me out here. I told ’em somethin’ like this was bound to happen. But hell no, did anyone listen?”
“Please.”
He yanked at the cord binding her wrists to get her attention, then untied her ankles, dragging her up from the bed and standing her on her bare feet. A few steps later, he gave her a push.
“You got a couple of minutes, no more. And don’t try nothin’, either.” His hand cupped her breast, and Casey could feel his breath on her face. “You’ll be sorry if you do.”
Casey wouldn’t move, wouldn’t let him know how scared she was, or how repulsed she was by his touch.
“Well, what the hell are you waitin’ for?” he yelled.
She held out her hands. “For you to untie me.”
He cursed, but moments later, she felt the rope come loose around her wrists and heard the door slam shut between them.
“No funny business,” he yelled. “And remember, I’m right outside this door.”
Her hands were shaking as she tore at the rag covering her eyes.
When it fell free to the floor, she staggered from the unexpected glare of light.
Quick to take advantage of the privilege she’d been granted, she did what she had to do, aware that it could be hours before he might let her get up again.
As she washed her hands, she searched her surroundings for something—anything, that might help her escape. But there was nothing in sight. Not even a window in the tiny, airless room.
The only remarkable thing she could see was a varied assortment of crocheted knickknacks sitting on floors, on shelves, even hanging from the walls. It explained nothing.
“Get out here, now!” the man yelled, and Casey jumped. “And put that blindfold back on your face or you’ll be sorry.”
She did as she was told, although she was already as sorry as a woman could be and still be breathing. If only she could start this day over.
Her hand was on the doorknob when the man suddenly yanked it open. He grabbed her by the hand, retied her wrists and ankles, and shoved her back down on a bed.
Loath to recline in a room with a man she could not see, Casey sat with her back against the bedstead, her knees pulled toward her chin.
It wasn’t much, but it was as good a defensive position as she could manage.
The urge to come undone was almost overwhelming, but she refused to give way.
She was going to need all of her wits to survive.