Chapter Thirteen
Consciousness came slowly. The first thing she became aware of was a pounding headache. She winced and tried to climb out of the dense fog that seemed wrapped around her brain.
She attempted to open her eyes, but it was too much of an effort. What was wrong with her? She tried to gather her thoughts. She’d worked the late shift at the café. So, what had happened after that?
Suddenly, memories flooded through her brain. Walking out to her car…the masked man jumping out from behind the dumpster…the prick in her arm…and then nothing.
She gasped and sat straight up as her eyes flicked open. She released another gasp as she looked at her surroundings. She was in a bed, covered with a pink spread.
As she took in the room, her headache banged harder. It was only when she tried to raise a hand to her head that she realized her wrists were tied down.
A rope also surrounded her waist along with another rope around her ankles. She yanked on the ones holding her wrists down. Desperately, she jerked and pulled in an effort to get free, but there was no give at all in the ropes.
Who had brought her here? The door to the room was closed and she didn’t hear anything or anybody. Who had drugged her and put her in this bedroom?
She knew it was the person who had written her the notes…the man who had killed a poor bird and left it on her doorstep. Was it one of her regulars at the café, or was it somebody no one even considered?
Once again, she tugged at the ties that bound her as her veins iced with fear. Did anyone even know she’d been taken? Was anybody out looking for her? How on earth would they find her? She didn’t even know where she was.
Deep sobs exploded from her as frightened tears raced down her cheeks. “Somebody help me!” She began to scream at the top of her voice. She screamed over and over again as she bucked and kicked in an effort to get free.
Finally, she collapsed back on the bed, her throat hurting and her sobs slowly halting. Surely, if anyone was nearby, they would have heard her screams.
She listened for a long moment. The room was obviously in a house, but she sensed she was all alone. She looked around again at her surroundings, hoping to see something that would give her an indication of where she was and who had taken her.
There was a small dinette table with two chairs, and a vanity with a plush bench seat. What she didn’t see was anything personal and she also realized there was no window in the room.
A closet door was open and inside women’s dresses hung from the hangers.
Somehow the sight of the dresses terrified her almost more than anything.
It was an indication that somebody had gone to a lot of trouble to make sure they could keep her here.
There was another door that was closed and she assumed it might be a bathroom.
Whoever held her captive could feed her at the dinette table. She would wear the dresses from the closet and there would never be a reason for her to leave this space.
With this thought in mind, she screamed again. She screamed as loud and as long as she could until she was finally out of breath.
Luke. Was he looking for her? Oh, how she wanted his strong arms around her now. She wanted to be enveloped by his familiar scent and feel his heart beating against her own.
If he knew she was missing, then he would be out pounding on doors and searching everywhere to find her. He would hunt for her with everything he had because he was in love with her.
She began to cry once again. She was afraid and alone and she didn’t know what would happen to her. Who was going to walk through the door?
The only positive she could see in the situation was if he killed her, then she would be reunited with the mother she loved.
BY THE TIME they reached the station, Luke was beyond frantic. They went into the murder room where Daniel and Clay sat and Luke paced the floor. How could they sit when Dominique was missing? Kidnapped?
“Luke, I know this is difficult for you, but you need to keep yourself together,” Daniel said.
“How are we going to find her? We have no idea where to look,” Luke replied, his anguish deepening his voice. “I should have been shadowing her movements. Dammit, I should have been a real bodyguard keeping her safe.”
“Right now, what we need is a game plan to find her. The first place we need to start is with the men who were her regulars at the café,” Daniel said.
“Burt Stanfield, Austin Colbert and Jacob Benoit.” The names tripped off Luke’s tongue.
Daniel nodded. “Clay, why don’t you and Roger go check out Austin Colbert. If he isn’t at work at the library, go to his home.” Daniel quickly looked up the address. “Call me as soon as you check him out.”
“I’m off,” Clay said. He stood and quickly left the room.
“Luke, you and I will see if Burt is at work today. We should be able to find him in his office. And if he isn’t there, we go to his house and check it out.”
This is what Luke wanted…action. “What about Jacob?”
Daniel stood and frowned. “I honestly don’t think anyone who lives in the swamp has her. It would be very difficult to hold a woman there and keep it a secret.”
Luke followed Daniel out of the room. Burt’s office was in city hall and that building was close enough that they could walk. “I have all the men out looking for her,” Daniel said as they hurried down the sidewalk.
God, they had to find her. They had no idea what the kidnapper might do to her. Hopefully, he wouldn’t hurt her in any way. The thought of that happening shot a shaft of pain through Luke’s heart.
They reached city hall and went inside. Daniel led him down a long hallway and then stopped and knocked on one of the closed doors.
“Enter,” Burt’s voice called out.
Daniel opened the door and as he and Luke walked into the office, Burt jumped up from behind his desk. “Chief LeCroix… Officer Madison,” he said with surprise. “What can I do for you?”
“We have a few questions for you,” Daniel replied.
“Questions about what?” Burt asked. He sank back down behind his desk and gestured them to two chairs in front of it. But Luke and Daniel remained standing.
“Dominique Santori,” Daniel said.
Burt once again looked surprised. “What about her?”
“When was the last time you saw her?”
Luke stared at the man, looking for any signs of deception.
“Uh… I guess it was the day before yesterday when I went in for a late breakfast. Why? Has something happened to her?”
“She’s been kidnapped,” Luke blurted out.
“What?” Burt stared at Luke and then back at Daniel. “Oh my God. What can I do to help?”
“Nothing at this point,” Daniel replied. “What were you doing last night around eight?”
“I was at the office working overtime to get things ready for the upcoming fall festival,” Burt replied.
“Did anyone see you there?” Daniel asked.
“I’m not sure but I think Margaret Delaney might have seen me. I think she was working late that night, too,” Burt said.
Luke shifted from foot to foot as a deep anxiety filled him. It was time to get moving…but get moving where?
They finally left Burt’s place and headed to the café. “We need to question all the people who were working in the kitchen last night,” Daniel said. “Maybe one of them saw something that might help us in our search. Whoever took her had to have had a vehicle. Maybe somebody saw it.”
By that time Clay called and told them that Austin was at work in the library. His alibi was that he had been at the Voodoo Lounge the night before and it had been two days since he’d seen Dominique. Clay was headed to the bar now to check out the alibi.
When they reached the café, several of the busboys who had been at work last night were there. Daniel interviewed them one at a time, but none of them had seen or heard anything from the parking lot the night before.
It was almost seven o’clock when they went back into the station. When they walked through the front door, Angelique and Monique were there, both frantic with fear for their sister.
“Any news?” Angelique asked, her light brown eyes simmering with emotion.
“Not yet,” Daniel replied.
It would be dark soon and the darkness crept into Luke’s very soul. If they didn’t find her soon, then this would be the second night she’d be with her kidnapper.
The very idea tortured him. What was she going through? She had to be scared out of her mind. The thought of her frightened tore him up inside.
“Luke, I’ve changed my mind. I think we need to head into the swamp and check out Jacob Benoit and Oliver LeBoeuf. No stone left unturned, right?”
“Right,” Luke replied.
Daniel turned back to the two women. “Go home,” he told them. “I promise I’ll call you both with any news we get. There’s nothing you can do here.”
He reached out and touched Angelique’s cheek. It was the same way Luke had touched Dominique and it brought the sting of tears to his eyes.
The four of them left the station together. Angelique and Monique headed to their homes and Luke and Daniel with three other patrolmen headed for the swamp.
Luke was grateful Daniel turned on his lights and siren, indicating it was an emergency. It was an emergency. It didn’t take long for them to reach the swamp entrance.
They all got out of their cars and pulled flashlights against the encroaching twilight shadows. Daniel led the way and the rest of the men followed him on the narrow path.
They had been to both men’s shanties before. Both were small. All they’d have to do was open the front doors and it would instantly be known if Dominique was being held in one of them.
Let her be here, Luke prayed. Let her be here so we can rescue her and take her home. They would arrest the kidnapper and she’d never have to worry again. And let her be okay.
At the idea of the kidnapper harming her in any way, a rage momentarily stole the fear from Luke. Who was this creep who thought it was okay to take a woman from her life and those who loved her?