by Susan Stoker
“I bet those planks of wood at the bottom were placed there on purpose too,” Hollywood surmised. “They kept her mostly out of the water, again allowing her a better chance of survival.”
“But why?” Ghost asked the million-dollar question. “No one was there when we arrived. No one could see what she was doing or how she was doing. Why did they want to keep her alive?”
Beatle hadn’t joined in the conversation because he’d seen something else the last time the video had played. “What’s that?” he asked his teammates, standing up and going over to the large-screen TV. He pointed at something.
Everyone’s attention swung to him.
Beatle narrowed his eyes and peered at the screen. “Right there. When we toss that second board. What’s that?”
There was silence in the room for a beat before Blade said, “Goddammit, motherfucking son of a bitch!”
Beatle couldn’t agree more.
He’d frozen the video at exactly the right place. One frame earlier, and it couldn’t be seen. One frame later, and the board was lying on the ground.
“The bastard was watching her,” Ghost said, putting to words what no one else had been willing to admit out loud. “That’s a motherfucking camera.”
And it was.
The video showed thin black wires hanging down from the last board. They’d all thought they were more vines, until this one frame of the video. The sun had caught the board at exactly the right angle, and the reflection of the light off a piece of glass could clearly be seen.
“That had to be a night-vision camera. It was pitch black in that hole. Bastard was keeping her alive and filming it,” Coach said. “He knew the moment she was rescued because he was watching. That’s how he knew to look for us in the jungle. I thought it was a bit odd that she’d been missing for as long as she was, and right after we rescued her, all of a sudden the jungle was full of people who wanted to prevent her escape.”
“I can’t see the camera all that well. I’ll show it to tech, but I have a feeling that kind of sophisticated equipment is way over those natives’ heads. If the village was any indication, they were technophobes,” Hollywood told them.
Beatle looked at his friends. “So the question remains, who knew Casey and her students were in Costa Rica, and why did they want to film Casey in that hole? Was she deliberately chosen, or was she simply the unlucky one to be separated from the others?”
“It was deliberate,” Truck said firmly. “Your woman is smart. She knew exactly what to do to keep herself alive. Do you honestly think a twenty-something college student would have the presence of mind to make a bra water filter?”
“I don’t know,” Beatle told his friend. Then he looked around the room. “Who’s at the house watching her?”
“Chase, Rayne’s brother. He said that he’d stop by after lunch and check on them and make sure all was well,” Fletch told him
“I need to get back there,” Beatle said.
Fletch put his hand on his friend’s arm. “Easy, Beatle. Call her first. Before you panic and go rushing off, see if you can reach her. I’ll call Chase.”
Beatle took a deep breath. “Right, okay. Yeah, give me a second.” He reached into his pocket and stepped away from the table. He turned to face the wall and dialed Casey’s number. It rang several times, then went to voice mail. He left a short message, then dialed again, hoping she was just doing something away from her phone and couldn’t get to it in time to answer. He held his breath…then sighed in relief when she answered this time.
“Hello?”
“Hey, sweetheart. It’s me. I just wanted to call and check on you.”
“Hi, Troy. I’m good.”
“Awesome. I’ll be home around five-thirty, I think. You want to go out for dinner or did you have plans?”
“Going out sounds good,” Casey said.
“Cool. You choose this time. I picked the place last time.”
“Okay. Troy?”
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“I just…I love you.”
Beatle felt as if his heart was going to explode out of his chest. They hadn’t said the words to each other yet, but he sure as hell had been feeling them. “I love you too,” he said huskily. “I’ll show you exactly how much tonight, yeah?”
“Yeah,” she said softly. “You’ll never know how much the last few weeks have meant to me.”
“They’ve meant the world to me too. I gotta go. I’ll see you later.”
“Bye, Troy.”
“Bye, Case.”
Beatle hung up, and then scrunched his nose, wondering at her use of his real name. She’d almost always called him Beatle. But maybe she’d been visiting with Emily and had decided to use his real name for some reason. He turned to his friends and nodded. “She’s good. Sounded a bit off, but I’m not sure why.”
Proving they were way more sensitive than he’d been when they’d first found the women meant for them, no one gave him shit about telling Casey he loved her over the phone. He looked to Fletch, who had just hung up his own phone.
“All’s well. Chase is at the house with Em. He said that Casey was in the apartment with two of the women she’d been with in Costa Rica.”
Beatle’s gaze whipped to Fletch. “What?”
“He was concerned at first, but made sure everything was all right before they went up to the apartment. She assured him they were good and said she’d see him later.”
Beatle wasn’t happy to hear that Kristina and Jaylyn were at their apartment with Casey while he wasn’t there.
“He also said there was another woman there too. A Doctor Someone-or-other.”
“Doctor Santos?” Beatle asked.
Fletch shrugged. “I guess. Casey told Chase that they were going to all talk for a while. He said he pushed a bit, trying to make sure everything was good, and she reassured him it was.”
“I’m not sure I like this…” Beatle said.
“All right, everyone. We need to figure out who’s behind this kidnapping, pronto,” Ghost said in a no-nonsense voice. He’d stepped out to talk to someone about the videos, and had just re-entered the room. “Fletch and Blade, you guys go talk with tech and see if they can’t sharpen up this image even more. Coach, you call Ambassador Jepsen. See if his daughter can shed any light on this. Truck, you and Beatle talk and try to remember everything Casey said when you were in the jungle that could be a clue to this shitshow. Hollywood, get ahold of the officers down in Costa Rica and tell them what we suspect and see what they know. They know more about corruption and shit in their country than we do. I’m going to meet with the commander and bring him up to speed. Any questions?”
Everyone shook their heads and got to work.
Beatle clenched his teeth. He wanted to head home and make sure Casey was all right, but he also wanted to dissect every second the team was in the jungle with Casey. Wanted to talk to Truck about the time they’d spent with Casey fleeing the village. Someone hadn’t wanted Casey to die right away, but they sure as shit hadn’t done anything to make sure she survived either. Not to mention, they’d sent the natives after her. He’d do what he could to make sure she never had to worry about going through something like that ever again.
Putting aside his worries for the moment, deciding that she’d be okay with Chase at the house, Beatle got to work.
Chapter Twenty-One
An Hour Earlier
* * *
Casey was sitting on the front porch of Emily’s house with both Emily and Chase Jackson. She hadn’t talked to the man very much the other night at the party, but she definitely liked him.
Rayne was older than her brother by a year, but you’d never know that by listening to Chase. He was a captain in the Army, having been promoted sometime in the last couple of months, and was in counterterrorism. He didn’t talk about what it was he did specifically, but Casey got the impression it was some pretty serious shit. Rayne had mentioned that she didn’t get to see her brot
her as much as she thought she would when she’d moved to the area, because he was constantly traveling with one unit or another.
They’d been watching Annie zoom around the yard—okay, zoom wasn’t exactly the right word, the tank wasn’t all that fast, but she made zooming noises with her mouth when she drove around—when a car pulled into the driveway and came toward them.
Chase immediately stood, ready to protect them all. Emily did as well. She yelled one word to her daughter, “red,” and Annie immediately climbed out of the tank and ran to her mother.
The car stopped in front of the garage—and Casey gaped when she saw who got out.
Marie, Jaylyn, and Kristina.
What in the world were they doing there? She was going to talk to Marie about meeting at Doctor Martin’s office in the next day or so. And more importantly, how had they known where she was?
“It’s okay. I know them,” she told Chase, who looked like he was about ready to pull out a gun and shoot them right there.
“You sure?” he asked.
Casey nodded. “Yeah, the girls were with me down in Costa Rica.”
“And the woman?”
“That’s Doctor Santos, a colleague from home. She’s a psychologist and has been counseling Jaylyn and Kristina.”
“I’m not sure it’s a good idea to meet with them without Beatle. You want me to come with you?”
Casey shook her head. She wasn’t happy with what Marie had done, but she didn’t want to upset the girls. And they definitely looked uncomfortable. “We’re just going to talk for a bit, not get into anything heavy. I’ll be fine.”
Chase’s expression changed. He looked more sympathetic than alarmed now.
“I’m sorry about the interruption,” Casey told Emily.
“If you need us, just call,” Emily told her.
“I will.” Casey smiled at her new friends. She was upset about Marie and the entire situation, but she didn’t want to worry anyone.
She waved at Annie as she ran back to her tank to play. Her students and Marie were standing by the car, waiting for her to approach.
The first thing Casey did was hold out her arms to Jaylyn and Kristina. Both women threw themselves into her arms and they stood there in the Texas sun, embracing for a long moment.
“It’s so good to see you guys,” Casey told them.
“You too! We thought you were long gone, back home, then when the soldiers came and found us and told us that you’d disappeared, we were so worried!” Kristina said, her words all running together.
“I’m okay,” Casey soothed.
Jaylyn didn’t say anything, but hugged her tighter in response.
“Is it okay if we visit for a while?” Marie asked.
Casey had the snarky thought that it was about time the other woman actually asked rather than just doing whatever the hell she wanted, but she sighed and nodded. She dug into her pocket and pulled out her keys. She handed them to Jaylyn and said, “Above the garage. Go on up, guys. Get yourselves a drink or something. We’ll be up in a sec.”
Without protest, Jaylyn took the keys and the two women turned to the stairs.
Casey waited until they were inside before turning to Marie. “What the hell, Marie? I can’t believe you flew all the way out here with them! Are you crazy?”
Marie didn’t look affronted by her outburst. She merely tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear and smiled at Casey. She was impeccably dressed, as usual. She was wearing a knee-length gray skirt with a pair of high-heeled open-toe shoes. Casey had the thought that the long-sleeve suit jacket she was wearing had to be warm in the Texas heat, but Marie didn’t look like she was uncomfortable in the least.
Marie was almost thirty years older than Casey, but she didn’t look it. She didn’t have any gray in her hair and her makeup hid any stray wrinkles that might indicate she was older than she looked. All in all, Marie Santos looked and acted like she was an important person who had everything going for her. Casey had always admired her; she seemed to be a part of the most influential groups on campus and had served on more dissertation committees than Casey could begin to count. She had tenure, which meant she couldn’t be fired unless she did something completely out of line.
Like dragging two students who had been through hell across the country for no reason whatsoever.
Casey was suddenly really uneasy. She didn’t want to be alone with Marie, not even with her students there. She wanted nothing more than to tell the woman to go back to Florida, and refuse to cooperate with her group session. But she also didn’t want to do anything that would harm the two women waiting for them upstairs.
“There’s no need to get upset,” Marie said calmly. “I brought this for you.”
Casey looked down at the piece of paper Marie was holding out.
Feeling as though it was a bad idea, she reached for the paper. It both looked and felt weird, like it was some sort of absorbent material, not a regular piece of paper. She looked down and saw a picture of Astrid with an older man Casey assumed was her father.
“She’s doing really well. But the other girls truly did need to see you for themselves. To make sure that you’re all right. You did say that you’d do a group session with us.”
“Yeah, but I was going to call or Skype in. I didn’t think you’d show up on my doorstep. How’d you know where I was, anyway?”
“I asked the dean.”
Casey was going to have a long talk with the dean when she got back to Florida. “I’m not sure this is a good idea. I’m worried about Jaylyn and Kristina. They don’t need to be tromping around the country like this. They should be home with their families.”
“They’ve got me,” Marie said calmly. “I’m their counselor, and I’m helping them get through this awful experience. But they need your help. You were there with them. You’re the only one who truly knows what they went through.”
“Maybe, but—”
As if she knew Casey was caving, Marie continued quickly, “Jaylyn said that she was scared, but you kept her feeling positive. She trusted you one hundred percent, Casey. And Kristina told me that when you were taken away, she felt lost. She’d begun to think of you as a mother figure, and it physically hurt when you left.”
Casey put a hand on her heart. She ached, thinking about how terrified and confused the girls had to have been when she was taken away.
“They were desperate to see you,” Marie pushed. “But after I talked to you, and you indicated you weren’t coming back to Florida anytime soon, they were afraid you didn’t ever want to see them again. That you were ashamed of them and their behavior in that hut after you left.”
“No, I’d never feel that way,” Casey protested, shocked that Jaylyn and Kristina would ever think that.
“Talk to them. Please?” Marie asked. “I really do think it’ll do everyone a world of good.”
Casey sighed. She knew she was being manipulated, but she capitulated anyway. “Okay. But just for a little bit. I don’t want to do an entire session. I talked to my own counselor, and he thinks it would be best if he was there when we all do sit down and talk about everything.”
Marie smiled huge then nodded. “Great. No problem. I’d appreciate his input as well.”
Casey folded the paper Marie had given to her and put it in her back pocket, then turned toward the steps and looked back at the front porch one more time. She could see Chase watching her. She gave him a small wave and got a chin lift in return. Then she led Dr. Marie Santos up the stairs and into her apartment.
Casey tried to control her impatience as she got everyone settled in the apartment. Jaylyn and Kristina sat on the couch and Casey pulled up one of the chairs from the dining room table. Marie sat on another chair on the other side of the couch.
Once they were all settled, Marie said, “Girls, you agreed that today was going to be the day that you tried hypnosis, right?”
Casey blinked. It wasn’t out the realm of possibility that a psych
ologist would use hypnosis; heck, she and Eddie had tried it today. But it did seem weird to fly across the country and then decide to do it for the first time. She’d also told Marie downstairs that she didn’t want to do a full-blown session. “Maybe we should just talk first,” Casey said.
“Why, are you afraid?” Marie asked a little belligerently. “Maybe you’ll remember something that will help. You’re afraid of the dark now, aren’t you? Maybe a little claustrophobic?”
Casey frowned at the harsh words from the older woman. “Well, yeah, but—”
“But nothing. I can help you with that. Unless you like being the weak little woman to your new boyfriend. Maybe you’re milking it to get attention?”
“No, of course not, but—”
“Then why are you fighting this? Jaylyn and Kristina said they’d do it if you would too. You told me yourself that you can’t remember everything that happened to you. If this would help, why wouldn’t you do it?”
Casey had been about to tell Marie that she’d already tried hypnosis with Dr. Martin, and it hadn’t worked, when Jaylyn spoke up.
“Dr. Shea?”
Casey took a deep breath to control her anger. She wanted to tell Marie to go fuck herself, but she absolutely didn’t want to do anything that would damage the two young women currently looking at her with wide, worried eyes. “Yes, Jaylyn?”
“Will you try? For us?”
Casey wanted to say no. Wanted to call Marie out on her unethical behavior. But more than that, she just wanted this to be done. She nodded at Jaylyn. “Okay, sweetie.”
The relief on both Jaylyn and Kristina’s faces let Casey know she’d made the right decision, even though it wasn’t the easy one.
Just then, Casey’s phone rang. It was sitting on the counter in the kitchen. She got up to go answer it, needing some space between her and Marie for a moment.
But the older woman followed her, and before Casey could answer the phone, grabbed her, digging her nails into her upper arm.
She winced, and her eyes widened as Marie leaned in. “Don’t tell him we’re here,” she threatened, obviously having seen Beatle’s name on the screen. “I mean it. You need this, Casey. You’re obviously suffering and having a mental breakdown because of whatever you can’t remember. I need to know what you remember about that day. Get rid of him then come back. Jaylyn and Kristina’s mental health is depending on you.”