The Toybox

by Charly Cox

  A mirthless sound slipped past his lips. ‘Like you wouldn’t have been able to tell otherwise.’

  ‘True. Still, you could’ve tried. I can drop you off at the precinct to get your car, or I can take you home and pick you up in the morning if you don’t want—’

  He cut her off with a wave of his hand, his voice firm. ‘I’m going to the hospital with you. Don’t treat me like I can’t be objective, like I’m incapable of doing my job.’

  ‘I didn’t mean to do that. I’m sorry if it sounded that way.’ The rest of the drive to University of New Mexico Hospital was made in silence.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Saturday, May 25

  A steady beeping penetrated Rachel’s fog-filled sleep, and she forced her eyes open to locate the source, only to discover her brother’s face looming over her. An unpleasant sensation of being trampled by elephants replaced her confusion as awareness inched its way in.

  A deep inhalation sent shards of pain through her ribcage as if she’d swallowed shattered glass, and she gasped, then cried out when the movement seemed to rip the skin off her back. Something pulled at her arm when she struggled to sit up, and her head snapped down to see an IV poking out her arm, the drip suspended from a metal hook resting beside her bed. Next to it was a monitor flashing her vital signs.

  ‘Easy there, sport,’ Nick said as he gently pushed her shoulder until she was fully reclined again. Then he eased himself onto the side of her bed, careful not to make contact with anything but the hand he gently grasped in his own. ‘You don’t want to rip out your stitches. Welcome back, lazy bones.’ His lips may have formed a smile, but the sadness that filled his eyes was something Rachel had only witnessed once before – the day their mother had taken their new puppy to be put down after it had chewed the leg of one of her chairs.

  ‘Mom and Dad?’ Her voice was scratchy, and her throat was on fire. ‘Water?’

  Nick leaned over and dragged a table on wheels closer to the bed, and then he reached behind and above her head and pushed a button that slowly elevated her bed until she was no longer lying flat. Only then did he hold a cup for her, placing the straw in her mouth. ‘Only a little,’ he whispered. ‘You don’t want to get sick.’

  Even if she’d wanted more, the pain of swallowing prevented her from having any. Still, the coolness of the water felt good on her raw throat. After another careful sip, she turned her head so the straw would fall out. The bed shifted as her brother replaced the cup on the table before settling back down beside her, as if he was afraid to allow more than a breath of space between the two of them.

  ‘Mom and Dad?’

  His silence spoke louder than his words.

  ‘They were here a while ago, but they left when the doctors said you needed your rest.’

  When Nick lied, one eye twitched, and he always stared off to the left, like he was doing now.

  The fissure in her heart widened. How much more could she take before she broke completely? ‘It’s okay, Nicholas. You don’t have to lie.’

  Moisture pooled before one lone tear escaped down his cheek. ‘I’m sorry, sis.’

  ‘No, don’t be. You’re here. That’s what matters the most.’

  A sudden sharp pain hammered at Rachel’s head, and she sucked in a breath at the excruciating sensation, her eyes closing of their own accord. When the throbbing subsided, she reopened her eyes, catching the fury etched across the lines of Nick’s face before he could smooth out his features.

  It was her undoing, and she began to cry softly.

  Startled, Nick eased himself off the bed so as not to jostle her. ‘I’m going to get the doctor. He can give you something.’

  Rachel shook her head. ‘Don’t leave me.’

  His pained stare bounced from her face to the door and back again. ‘Please, Rach, the doctor can give you pain medicine to help.’

  While escaping from everything, including the pain, had never sounded so appealing, she knew she couldn’t risk slipping into a nightmare, one in which the drugs would trap her. As it was, the nightmares would shadow her for the rest of her life. ‘No, no drugs.’

  He tried again, this time weakly, as if he understood her need not to be medicated. ‘It might help you relax.’

  ‘No drugs,’ she repeated. ‘Will you sit with me?’ Only when he rested beside her again, her hand once more engulfed in his, did she allow the weight of weariness and exhaustion to drag her under, to lull her back into sleep, trusting Nick would still be here when she woke… or if her nightmares returned.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Sunday, May 26

  It was after midnight before Alyssa and Cord left the hospital. She’d been right in that they hadn’t been able talk with the girls since they’d been asleep – or at least resting – but they had commandeered a conference room where she and Cord met with the families. Nick had come in briefly before dismissing himself in fear that Rachel would wake to find him gone. Becca Marshall and Faye Harrison’s parents were still on the road driving in from out of state, but they’d been able to join them on the phone. The questions they asked were as difficult as the answers Alyssa and Cord had to give.

  This morning, when she arrived back at the hospital, she’d been mildly surprised to see Mr. and Mrs. Otis, who had been glaringly absent last night. No matter how angry or annoyed at their daughter, Alyssa simply couldn’t fathom them not wanting to be here, especially when they knew what had happened to her. The same could be said for Jersey’s dad.

  Whatever their reason for not being here last night, at least The Otises were here now. However, within moments of spotting them in the waiting room, Alyssa realized they were in a heated argument with their son. Or to be more accurate, Mrs. Otis was involved in the confrontation with Nick; Mr. Otis stood slightly off to the side, arms crossed over his chest, his head swiveling back and forth as if he were embarrassed to be in the middle of this. Alyssa wondered if it was because he knew some of the doctors and nurses around here, or if it was something more than that.

  They still hadn’t noticed her approach when Mrs. Otis’s hissed exclamation reached her ears. ‘She has done this to herself, Nicholas! How are we expected to feel sorry for her when she dresses like she does and attends these parties like some kind of trollop? Her actions are an embarrassment to your father and me! What do we tell our friends?’

  The color that suffused Nick’s face was not one Alyssa could describe, and if he wasn’t careful, she thought the vein would explode from his temple. Danger leaked from his pores as he clenched his teeth and leaned down to address his mother. ‘You are the most vile person I know, and as much as I loathe the very idea of you being in the same room as Rachel, this isn’t about what I need or what you want. It’s about Rachel. So, I’m going to tell you what you’re going to do, and you’re going to do it because if you don’t, you can’t imagine the type of embarrassment that’ll rain down on your head. I will personally see to it that I ruin you in front of all your so-called friends.’

  Mrs. Otis pressed her hand to her chest and took a small step back.

  ‘You and Dad are going to go into that room, and you’re going to put on the best acting hat you’ve ever worn, and you are going to pretend like you’re relieved your daughter is finally safe. You’re going to become the most loving mother this hospital has ever seen. And you will do this every’ – jab – ‘damn’ – jab – ‘day’– jab – ‘until she is released. Do you understand me, Mother?’

  ‘Nicho—’

  ‘Go ahead and call my bluff, Mother, and you’ll see how very nasty I can play. After all, I learned from the best, didn’t I?’

  Mrs. Otis paled under her son’s threats, and to Alyssa’s surprise, when the woman turned to her husband for support, he merely shook his head, his jaw tight, and said, ‘You heard him, Nina. Do what you’re best at. Act.’

  Maybe the man had a backbone after all.

  Mr. Otis faced his son. ‘Is she awake? I’d like to see her, an
d not because I’m being forced to, because I need to.’

  Nina Otis stood speechless as her husband and son turned their backs on her. But when she saw that Alyssa had witnessed her humiliation, she pretended nothing was amiss as she hurried to catch up. At the doorway, Nick stopped to talk to Alyssa.

  ‘Detective, I know you want to talk to Rachel, but first, my… parents… need to see her. They won’t be long, and then I’ll come get you. I know you need some answers.’

  Alyssa didn’t miss the hesitation when he uttered the word parents. ‘Thank you. I appreciate it.’ Before he walked off, she pulled Nick to the side. ‘I overheard what you said. Do you think it’s wise to have your mother in there with your sister right now?’

  ‘Rachel was crushed last night every time she woke up and realized they still hadn’t come. Even if it’s a lie, she needs to know they’re here for her.’

  Nodding, Alyssa let him go. As the Otises walked through the double doors, a breaking news report caught her attention, and she turned toward the television mounted in the corner.

  Channel 7 News has learned that several arrests were made last night after the shocking discovery of a sex trafficking ring. Albuquerque and Placitas police departments worked together to rescue six girls from a house previously owned by multi-billionaire Bartholomew Rosenfelt. An undisclosed source told us that Rosenfelt sold that particular property to his personal decorator, Tatiana Salazar, in 2015. Salazar, however, was not at home at the time of the raid, and police are looking for her at this time.

  Among those arrested were Daryl Wainwright, a day trader who lives in Los Alamos; Martin Mendez, a hedge fund manager from Santa Fe; Carl Morton and Charles Harper, both landscapers for Salazar. Morton and Harper have lengthy criminal records, and both have spent a good amount of time in prison. In fact, Harper was released as recently as 2018 for his part in an armed robbery. Attorneys for all four men claim their clients are innocent and look forward to clearing them of these charges.

  In the meantime, police are still searching for thirty-four-year-old Steven Yarmini, pictured here on the screen. Yarmini is suspected of raping and murdering fourteen-year-old Meghan Jessup who went missing from Santa Fe in April and who is believed to be one of the girls trafficked from the Placitas location.

  If anyone knows the whereabouts of either Yarmini or Salazar, they are urged to contact the police right away. And now, we’re going to go live to watch Captain Guthrie Hammond of APD as he addresses the media in a press release.

  Alyssa shook her head, her lip curling at the men’s proclamation of innocence. It was all they’d gotten out of them last night, too. She pulled her phone from her pocket and sent a text to Cord.

  Are you on your way?

  In the stairwell. Elevator was too crowded. Be there in thirty seconds.

  In half that time, a loud clang rang through the room as the door to the stairwell banged open, announcing Cord’s arrival.

  Except the man coming toward her was not the partner she’d known for the past five years. Instead of his usual long strides and his confident persona, he now held his elbows tightly against his sides as his eyes darted from Alyssa to the metal doors behind her which housed the girls. The way he approached made him appear taller than his six-foot-two height.

  She didn’t even get a chance to say hello before he grabbed hold of her and pulled her around a corner where they could talk more privately. ‘I just want to get this out there in the open. Yes, Shelley is in the back of my mind, but I can stay objective. Now, I stood by you when you discovered Evan Bishop was really Timmy, and so I need you to afford me the same courtesy and stand by me like we agreed.’

  Alyssa took two steps back, tilted her head back, and crossed her arms over her chest. ‘Have I somehow given you the impression that I wouldn’t? That I somehow suddenly find you incapable of doing your job?’

  Cord rotated his neck on his shoulders and rubbed one hand over his hair, sending it into disarray as he did. ‘No.’

  ‘Then afford me the courtesy of believing I would’ve stood by you without the lecture. And on that note, we have some survivors we need to interview. We’ll start with Jersey, unless you have somewhere else you’d like to begin?’

  Her partner had the grace to blush. ‘Jersey’s fine. And I’m sorry. I guess I’m more sensitive than I thought.’

  ‘Of course, you are. Just like I was.’ She twisted so she could jostle him with her elbow. ‘Now, if you’re finished being melodramatic, let’s go.’

  Cord laughed. ‘Lead the way.’

  But when they reached Jersey’s room, she was still sleeping, despite the bevy of nurses and assistants flurrying around as they poked and prodded. Alyssa nodded to Natalia Andrews who sat on the edge of her seat as she sat vigil over her daughter. The remnants of a sleepless night were evident in her puffy, red eyes and tear-streaked make-up.

  Alyssa backed out of the door, heading instead to Cheyenne Jones’s room. Just as they reached that door, the girl’s mother rushed past them and into the visitor’s restroom, emerging a few minutes later, her eyes bloodshot, her face waxy. The tiny veins on her nose stood out in sharp contrast to the rest of her skin. She skidded to a stop in front of Alyssa and Cord.

  ‘Cheyenne woke hysterical about an hour ago, and they were forced to give her a sedative.’ Her voice cracked. ‘They wanted to secure her arms and legs because she keeps thrashing so hard, they’re afraid she’ll break the railings and fall off the bed. I refused to allow them to tie her up. Hasn’t she been through enough? And what are you doing to capture these sick, twisted perverts that were on the news this morning? Why aren’t you out there searching for them before they can destroy another girl’s life?’

  Alyssa knew the woman’s anger wasn’t really directed at her, and she allowed Mrs. Jones to wear herself down before answering. ‘We do have officers searching for them as we speak. We anticipate several more arrests before this is over.

  ‘But my partner and I need to talk to the girls, find out what they can tell us. We need every bit of information we can get so we can prevent this from ever happening again.’ She retrieved a card from her pocket and handed it over. ‘This is my number. Would you mind calling or texting when Cheyenne’s awake?’

  Mrs. Jones’s fingers toyed with the card, her tears dotting the center. ‘What if she can’t talk about it? What will you do?’

  Alyssa’s hand went to Mrs. Jones’s arm. ‘Let us worry about that, okay?’

  Mrs. Jones nodded. ‘My husband is in there by himself.’ With that, she walked away.

  At the same time, the Otises walked out of Rachel’s room. Where Mrs. Otis continued walking toward the door, Mr. Otis and Nick remained just outside where they conversed, their voices low. Then, after a quick nod and an awkward one-arm embrace, Mr. Otis followed his wife, turning back twice, as if he wasn’t quite ready to leave his daughter’s side.

  ‘He’ll be back later,’ Nick said, coming up to them. ‘Rachel’s awake if you want to come in. But I’m telling you, if it gets to be too much, I’m going to have to ask you to go. I’m sure you understand.’

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Sunday, May 26

  Desperate to stop pretending, Rachel was relieved to see her parents, especially her mother, leave her room. Though her father had remained quiet throughout the visit, the way his hands had shaken as they’d clasped hers, his eyes shimmering with tears, she knew his concern for her was genuine. However, it didn’t matter how large a smile she pasted on, her mother wanted to be anywhere but in a hospital room with her only daughter. Rachel tried to tell her heart it didn’t matter. Even if it did.

  Not once in her life had Nina Otis flitted about, plumping pillows, feeling her forehead, and straightening her covers – not when she’d had the chicken pox in first grade or when she’d had the swine flu in seventh. Her mother preferred to leave the actual mothering to whatever maid was on hand. Yet hover, fluff, and smooth was exactly what she did for thirty minutes before
Rachel claimed she was exhausted and needed to sleep, even going so far as to close her eyes until they left.

  She reopened them when the door swooshed open. Expecting Nick, she was surprised to see the auburn-haired officer who’d rescued her and beside her, a man who was head and shoulders taller. Shame that this woman had seen her suspended naked from the contraption washed through her, even though, in the back of her mind, she knew she had nothing to be ashamed of.

  But it was the sight of the gun resting at the man’s hip that triggered her panic. Rachel ripped and pulled at the tape holding the IV in place as she tried to yank it from her arm. She knew nothing except that she had to get away, get out. She swung her feet over the side of her hospital bed, ignoring the wave of dizziness. She had to get to the window. She’d leap from it before she allowed herself to be taken back to that place.

  ‘Rachel! Rach! It’s okay, you’re okay. You’re safe. No one’s going to hurt you, not ever again.’ The pain and urgency in her brother’s voice penetrated the overwhelming terror streaking through her, and as it did, she became keenly aware of a high-pitched wail, realizing it was her own only when Nick spoke softly as he gently lifted her legs back to the bed. ‘Breathe, Rach. You need to take a steady breath. Come on. With me. In, out. In, out. There you go. Let’s do it again.’

  She forced herself to focus on nothing but the soothing tone of his voice. And when she was finally back in the hospital room, not in The Toybox, she blinked and concentrated on inhaling and exhaling, the whole while squeezing Nick’s hand as if it were her lifeline.

  It was only minutes, not the hours it felt like, before the female detective stepped forward, introducing herself. ‘Hi, Rachel. I’m Detective Alyssa Wyatt. Do you remember me?’

  Rachel’s chin dropped forward, but she didn’t trust herself to speak. Not yet.