I'd wake often, the night dark and silent outside. I couldn't hear the sound of anything save birds in the day and crickets at nights. There were no cars, no voices, just the odd distant rumble of a plane as it soared miles overhead. I knew from the warmth of the sunshine that I was no longer in Montana. No, I knew this weather well. I'd grown up with it.
I was back in California.
Brad came and talked to me often. I had little to say to him, but tried my best to engage. He tried to kiss me again, but I resisted. The look on his face made me shudder as I shunned him. I knew that if I didn't give him something he might get violent, force himself on me. But, at the same time, I knew that if I did kiss him back he'd take it as a green light for more. Either way, every time his eyes lingered on me my heart began racing, my body tensing and retracting into it's shell.
He seemed completely unstable. One moment his eyes would be full of compassion and regret for what he was doing, while the next they'd fill with anger as he told me he loved me without getting the reply he wanted.
I knew now that I wasn't just dealing with a man with a broken heart. I was dealing with a man with a broken mind, damaged and malfunctioning.
I lay there now, thinking of what was going on back home. I knew Alice would have raised the alarm by now, seeing as I hadn't been there for days. I knew that word would have reached Crash's ears after I'd failed to turn up for dinner with him. I knew that they'd be doing what they could to find me, that the police would have been informed.
The thoughts surged through my head and gave me hope. Hope that they'd track Brad down and find me. Hope that my torment wouldn't last too long. Hope that they'd realize that it was actually him who was to blame.
That's all I had right now though - hope. Without it, I'd begin to go as mad as he was.
Chapter 31 - Crash
Crash
I knocked on the door and waited patiently for an answer. There were footsteps inside as someone approached.
“Who is it?” came a voice, suspicious and frosty. It was a woman.
“Mrs Scott? My name is Richard, I'm an old friend of your son's.”
“He's not around,” came the quick reply.
“Well I wonder if you might know where he is?”
“Probably at college, I don't know. I don't frankly care.”
“I've been to his college and he's not there. They told me that they hadn't seen him in days. I'm a little worried Mrs Scott.”
I'd been there earlier that day, going straight to his halls from the airport. I'd asked around and no one had seen him for a few days, ever since Alice went missing. So it was him. It must be him. The fucking little cunt.
There was a short silence before the door cracked open, still locked on it's chain. The woman peered through, her eyes hooded and dark and heavily wrinkled. She looked old, too old to be his mother. She must have had him late. Or aged fast.
“Who are you? I don't recognize you. You're not from college?”
“No, I'm an old friend from school.”
“You look a little older than my boy.”
I planted a fake smile on my face, trying to be as easy as possible. “Yes, well he was a couple of years younger. Do you mind if I come in and have a glass of water, it's really warm out here.” Now that wasn't a lie.
Her face remained completely suspicious. “What school?”
“Granborough High. He was a couple of years below me but we played basketball together.” Jones had done his job well, giving me a whole load of info about Brad to allow me to flesh out this charade.
“He always did like his basketball,” she said, her face easing up.
I saw her hand lift to the chain and slide it along the latch, opening the door up fully.
I stepped inside, smiling, as she shut the door behind me.
She walked me through into the kitchen and poured me a glass of water. “So what's all this about Richard,” she asked, handing me the cool glass. “You say Brad's not been around college?”
I took a sip. “Yeah, by all accounts he's gone missing, run off somewhere. I went up there to surprise him but he wasn't around. Thought he might be here, but obviously not.”
She shook her head, her eyes dropping a little. “No, he hasn't come back here in a while. We don't really see eye to eye these days.”
“Oh,” I said, planting a look of sympathy on my face, “that's a shame. Why's that?”
“You probably know more that I do if you're his friend. He was never the same since that girl broke his heart.”
“You mean Elle?”
She nodded. “I usually don't like to swear but she was a real bitch.”
My body stiffened at her words.
“I mean, she was everything to him and then she just ditched him like that, without a reason, without a word. I mean, asking her to marry him was a bit much, but the way she reacted was very hard on him.”
Marry him! Holy shit.
“After that he was always depressed and lonely. Couldn't recover.”
I nodded. “Yeah, he was pretty low when I saw him last. That's why I wanted to surprise him. Come and cheer him up and see how he was doing.”
A sad smile appeared on her face. “That's nice. It's nice that he's got a friend like you. He never had that many friends.”
“Well, it would be nicer if I could find him.”
She didn't seem overly concerned by his absence. Their relationship must really have broken down. Or...
“Is there anywhere else he might go. Maybe a favorite place he liked or somewhere he might want to go to get away from things for a little while.”
I looked on at her, my hope growing as she began nodding slowly, silently.
“My mothers old farm,” she said. “He used to love it there as a boy.”
I could feel an energy soar inside me, banishing my weariness.
“Your mothers house? Is it far?”
She shook her head now, her eyes growing deep with memory. I felt a pang of pity for this poor lady, living alone in this house, her only son abandoning her in his madness.
“Out near Drewville, the Old Manor Farm. It's where I grew up.”
An old farm, isolated and secluded. He must be there. It must have been where he'd taken her. Quite why it hadn't shown up during Brad's search I didn't know. It didn't matter now, though. No, I knew where that freak was hiding.
“Thanks Mrs Scott. I'm sure Brad's out there. I'll see to him, don't worry.”
A smile spread across my face. Yeah, I'd see to him all right. See him to a fucking jail cell.
Chapter 32 - Elle
Elle
I felt a hand on my leg, fingers squeezing lightly on my thigh. There was breathing, close to me, raising in intensity, lights groans of pleasure, of anticipation. My thoughts were hazy, my vision blurred as I began to stir and wake. Was I dreaming?
My dry eyes cracked open and I saw Brad sitting on the bed beside me, his hand resting on my leg. His eyes began growing in desire as his fingers slowly began to drag my skirt up, my underwear slowly coming into his view.
I clenched my legs tight and spoke lightly. “Brad, what are you doing?”
He turned to me suddenly, as if shocked out of a trance.
“Nothing,” he said, lifting his hand from my leg. His voice remained calm. “I was just....looking.”
The way he spoke made a chill run up my spine. I knew it wouldn't be long before he wanted to do more than look, before I woke up one day with him on top of me. He wasn't the same man I knew, that sweet and kind man who'd do anything for me. He'd changed over the last year, growing unhinged, reckless. There was no telling what he was capable of now.
“I've missed you a lot Elle,” he said to me, still a lust in his words. “I haven't been with anyone since you. I don't think I want to be with anyone ever again. Do you feel the same?” He looked at me with this detached look of hope.
I could only lie to him, tell him what he wanted to hear.
“Of co
urse Brad.”
“I'm glad,” he said. “I've been thinking of having you in bed with me again for a long time now. I'm so happy you're here with me.”
I shuddered inside as his eyes again washed over my body. His hand began rising towards my neck, stroking his fingers down under my chin and towards my chest.
I couldn't help but shake and grimace at his touch, turning my head away slightly and shutting my eyes.
“You don't enjoy my touch any more?” he asked, his voice oddly soft.
I was caught between telling him what he wanted to hear and agreeing to his advances and saying the opposite, not knowing what he'd do.
“I just haven't had anyone touch me in a long time. It still feels weird to me.”
“But it's me Elle. It's only me.”
His lips moved down towards me neck. I was frozen, not knowing what to say or do. I kept my eyes shut with my head turned to the side as his hand slid up my arm. His kisses were soft but began growing in intensity, his breathing beginning to increase as his hands started rubbing aggressively over my body.
I twisted my body away from him, turning my back up as high as I could. His busy hands stopped immediately, his lips cast away from my neck and cheek.
I could hear him standing up behind me, the room dropping into total silence.
“You will give me what I want Elle.” His words were now lost of their softness, any compassion or understanding gone. They were violent, menacing, full of repressed anger.
I stayed as closed up as I could, my body arched away from him and my eyes shut tight, just praying that he'd leave me alone.
But he didn't.
I heard him undo his zip, his hands fiddling at buttons, and the sound of pants dropping.
“I've wanted this for a year. I won't be denied it.”
I was frozen in a state as I felt his hand reach up my skirt and grip at my underwear, dragging them down. I tried to struggle, wanted to struggle, but couldn't move, my body locked in fear.
I felt his body press up against me, his mouth bearing down on my ear. “Relax Elle. You used to enjoy this. It will be just like before. I promise.”
I closed my eyes tight, trying to call out. But there was no point, no one was going to save me.
BANG BANG BANG.
My eyes opened suddenly as I heard a loud knock at the door downstairs.
I felt Brad's body stiffen at my back, his breathing suddenly going still. A silence lay upon the room, both of us holding our breaths.
The door knocked loudly again and I heard a voice shouting outside. It was a man, but I couldn't make it out.
“Is anyone in?” the voice boomed.
I thought about calling out, screaming at the top of my lungs to alert the guy to my presence. Maybe he'd call the police, maybe they'd come and save me.
I tried to shout but my voice was caught, my scream coming out like a whimper. I felt Brad's hand coming back down over my mouth as I struggled on the bed, my voice growing louder. I managed to rip my head from his grasp just long enough to release a piercing cry into the air, shrieking for help.
Brad's hand closed back over my mouth and I bit hard, feeling my teeth sink into his flesh. He stifled his own roar, his spare hand coming cracking down on my head, loosening my jaw.
The world began to go fuzzy around me, a haze filtering into my eyes. Another blow hit my head, and then blackness engulfed me.
Chapter 33 - Crash
Crash
I rolled gently up the dirt track in my hire car. I needed a vehicle to get out here and didn't want to take a cab. No, I didn't want anyone knowing where I was going.
I drove as slowly as possible, not wanting to make a sound, and parked some way up the drive. About a hundred yards ahead of me I could see an old farmhouse, a large barn off to the left, and wide open fields to the back.
It was truly isolated, not a building in sight in any direction. The track towards the farm was long, roughly half a mile from the nearest country road. It was a perfect place to bring a kidnap victim.
I crept forward, my eyes firmly on the house. It looked old and run down, like it hadn't been lived in in years. A warm breeze swept across me, the sunshine beating down on my face.
At any other time this place would look quaint, almost idyllic. But not now. Now it felt sinister, like the site of a horror movie, dark secrets lurking in the house ahead of me.
I continued pressing forward, turning my eyes towards the barn as I passed it. The large double doors at the front were open, revealing disused machinery and equipment inside, long sat gestating and gathering cobwebs.
I turned back to the house, continuing towards it. It stood alone, built from stone and wood, with a heavy wooden front door looking out up the track. There were a couple of broken windows, curtains flowing lightly inside them as the breeze passed them by. It all pointed to a place long abandoned.
I walked to the main door and steadied my breath. Please be here. Please.
I sent my closed fist flying at it, hitting it loudly three times. I waited, listening closely for movement inside. I could hear nothing but the buzzing of bees and chirping of birds in the trees around me.
I knocked again, once more waiting in silence. There didn't seem to be anyone in. I crept to the side of the house, peering in through a window. Inside was a large space, bereft of furniture. It looked to be deserted.
As I walked further round the house I heard something. I stopped in my tracks, my ears pricking up. A scream. The sound of a girl screaming. It gathered force and then, suddenly, was cut short.
“ELLE!”
My pulse began racing as I quickly ran back to the front of the house, steadying my aim on the door. I kicked at it hard, smashing my heavy boot at the lock. The door was strong, but old. It cracked and splintered as I brought my boot down upon it over and over.
Then, suddenly, the lock gave way, the door swinging open with a heavy thud. I walked in quickly, looking left and right. The scream had seemed to come from upstairs.
I walked forward, further into the old farmhouse, spiders and cobwebs everywhere, bits of debris littering the floor. The stairs creaked as I stepped up them, the banister wobbly and unstable.
I marched on, seeing several open rooms come into view on the landing at the top. But there was one that was shut, one that had something to hide.
I grabbed the handle with a hand shaking with fury and twisted, letting the door fall open. What I saw made my heart drop and my fury rise.
I changed straight in to see Elle lying tied to a bed, her arms and legs fastened to the corner posts with bits of old ripped sheet. Her head lay to one side, a gash staining her hair red with blood.
I inspected the cut. It was shallow and didn't look serious. A sense of relief ran quickly through my body as I looked down on her, her wrists and ankled red and bleeding, her face lost of it's color and light.
Her eyes began to flicker as I cradled her head in my hands, a terror inside them. She struggled immediately, pushing her hands at me and twisting and turning with all her strength.
“Elle, Elle it's me. It's OK, it's me, it's Crash,” I shouted.
Her movements began to relent as my voice filtered into her head. She turned her eyes on me quickly and blinked again, her face exploding with tears as she recognized me.
She began crying uncontrollably as I quickly untied her hands, her arms wrapping tight around me as soon as they were free. I could feel her entire body shaking, her eyes wetting my shoulder as she sobbed.
I leaned back, looking directly in her eyes. “It's OK Elle, you're safe now.”
Her eyes were wet and blinking, her breathing short. Then, suddenly, I saw them dart to the right over my shoulder as her face once again grew in fear.
“Look out,” she croaked as I felt a heavy weight come cracking down against my back.
I slumped forward onto her as she scrambled back, her legs still fastened to the bed. I saw her hands reach quickly for her bounds as I turne
d back towards the door.
Brad stood there, his eyes wild, a crowbar in his hand. He wasn't the cowering worm he was the last time I'd seen him. This time he stood tall, his breathing heavy and hand shaking in fury.
“I remember what you said before,” he said, his face completely manic. “I remember what you said you'd do if I went near her again.”
He lifted the crowbar up.
“Well, maybe it's you who shouldn't go near Elle. Maybe it's YOU who should be threatened.”
He lifted the crowbar up again and swung it down towards me. I rolled quickly to the side, my back aching badly, as it came cracking down on the bed.
I darted my eyes to Alice who'd released one leg and was working on the other. Her hands were working furiously as she looked on in fear at the scene playing out in front of her.
Brad swung the crowbar again, swiping across at me. I managed to lift my arms to defend my face and it clattered into the bone. I felt a crack, my forearm blazing in pain, and roared.
I launched myself at him before he could swing again, adrenaline now coursing through my body. I grabbed him by the neck, squeezing tight as he wriggled like a fish, his spare hand ripping at my face and trying to gouge my eyes.
I pulled my face back and threw him to the ground, sending my entire weight crashing on top of him. He swung wildly with the bar but got no momentum, tapping too lightly at me to have an impact.
He dropped the bar and sent both his hands flying at my face, twisting his body again and launching me off him. He managed to rush to his feet at the top of the landing outside the room, no weapon now protecting his miserable fucking self from my wrath.
He ducked down like an animal, his eyes searching for a weak-point, a time to strike. He'd probably never been in a fight before but was driven by instinct, launching himself at me aggressively.
He managed to catch me with a knee in the gut, exploding the breath out of my body, as he drove me up against the wall. His fists came flying, one clattering into the side of my face and sending my brain rolling in my head.
CRASH (A Logan Brothers Novel) Page 17