by Ruff, K. S.
Matt pulled the pizza from the microwave. He grabbed a piece, then shoved the box across the counter toward Kadyn. “Yes. The Cessna flew in from Helena, Montana two nights ago. The plane was parked at the airport until it departed this morning,” he mumbled around a mouthful of pizza.
Kadyn grabbed a piece of pizza. “Any idea who owns the plane?”
Matt nodded. “Some exclusive outfitting business outside of Helena. They fly VIPs in and out of Montana for big game hunting. Phil’s trying to track down the business owners so he can determine whether any of their pilots are listed on the flight plan or if someone else leased the plane.”
Kadyn texted Dan with the additional information before surveying his friends. “Can you secure leave, or do you have to report to work today?”
“I can take leave,” Cenia responded.
“Me, too,” Roger and Mason replied at the same time.
“My schedule is flexible,” Matt confirmed.
“Good,” Kadyn murmured. He glanced at an incoming text from Dan. “Looks like one of the suspects out of Montana has a pilot’s license.”
Everyone gathered around Kadyn.
“Who?” Mason asked.
“The coworker, Justin Morris,” Kadyn responded. He scrolled through the list of contacts on his cell phone.
Phil picked up on the first ring. “Talk to me.”
“Anything on the Cessna 510?” Kadyn asked.
“Nothing yet. There are a lot of flights in and out of Minneapolis, and a number of them are Cessna 510’s,” Phil explained apologetically. “Don’t worry, I’ll find it.”
“Any idea who the pilot was on the flight out of Leesburg?”
“Not yet. I’m still waiting for the airport to e-mail me the flight plan. Any name in particular that we’re looking for?”
“Either Justin Morris or Michael Garcia,” Kadyn responded.
“Okay. I’m on it.”
“Thanks, Phil. I’ll let you know if I learn anything new,” Kadyn replied before ending the call. He sighed heavily as he turned toward his friends. “I really appreciate everything you’ve done to help this morning, but you might as well go to work. This could take a while, and we shouldn’t be burning leave time we may need later. Why don’t we meet back here tonight after work? I’ll text you if anything comes up before then.”
Everyone reluctantly agreed before trickling out of the apartment.
Kadyn collapsed on the couch. He retraced every step as he tried to identify new strategies for finding Kri. Exhaustion stole over him as he sat there. He closed his eyes. Just a few minutes of sleep. That’s all I need.
* * * * * *
I hadn’t a clue how long I’d slept. One minute I was sitting in the dark thinking about how to get my arm loose, and the next minute I was waking up in a sun drenched room. I breathed a sigh of relief when I discovered I was alone. My eyes locked on the window, which framed pine trees heavily blanketed in snow.
A loud crash drew my attention away from the window. Something… no someone… was banging around in another room. Heavy footsteps echoed down the hall before his large frame filled the doorway to my room.
“Hungry?” he asked.
“Yes,” I admitted grudgingly. I was hungry, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to eat anything he prepared. I was worried he might try to drug me again. My stomach growled, urging me to throw caution to the wind.
The doorway was empty once again. I glanced around in confusion. Now where did he go?
He suddenly reappeared, this time with a tray of food. Tendrils of steam rose from the bowl on the tray.
I scooted back against the pillows as I sat up in bed. My right arm was still sore where it had been injured earlier.
He strode toward the bed, then stopped abruptly. He narrowed his eyes at me as he pulled the tray against his chest. “Don’t try anything funny.” Shockingly, he didn’t trust me.
I pasted a sincere look onto my face. “I won’t. I’m hungry. I just want to eat.” That wasn’t entirely true, but I wasn’t an idiot. I knew it was what he wanted to hear. I glanced down at my clothes and my stocking feet as I contemplated my options. No shoes. I shivered, recalling the snow I’d seen outside the window.
He closed the distance between us and set the tray on my lap. He backed up two steps, shoved his hands in his pockets, and stared at me.
I raised one eyebrow and my right arm, sliding the handcuff up the spindle as high as it would go. “I can’t eat with my left hand.”
“Sure you can,” he responded smugly. He turned and walked out of the room.
I studied the steaming bowl of oatmeal. I would have thrown it in his face, had he released my hand. The rational side of me knew that pissing him off and trying to run away barefoot in the snow was a ridiculous plan; but deep inside I knew that the dangers I’d face outside were nothing compared to what lie ahead with this delusional man. He was being nice now, but how long would that last?
My stomach rumbled. I sniffed the oatmeal, took a bite, and prayed it wasn’t drugged. The oatmeal tasted like cinnamon and brown sugar. Nothing tasted out of place, so I ate a few more bites. I took a sip of orange juice and winced as my stomach turned. I shoved the tray aside.
I fell back against the pillows as I pondered my predicament. How much time had passed? Had Kadyn discovered that I was gone? Who was taking care of Cade? How was I going to get away when I didn’t even know where I was? The questions and concerns circled around me like vultures slowly picking apart my brain. I needed answers, and I wasn’t likely to get them if I was lying around in bed. I sat up and stared at the doorway. “Hey! Are you out there? I need to use the bathroom!”
He approached the doorway, folded his arms across his chest, and studied me.
I steeled myself for an argument. “Look. This isn’t going to work. You can’t keep me chained up all day and night. I need to use the bathroom. I need to move around at least a little bit, and I really need a shower.”
He muttered something unintelligible as he approached the bed. He unlocked the handcuff, grabbed my wrist, and yanked me out of bed, once again wrenching my arm.
The pain brought tears to my eyes. Still, I refused to cower. I stared at him defiantly as I rose to my full height.
“You’ve got fifteen minutes to use the bathroom and the shower. If you aren’t done in fifteen minutes, then I'm coming in.” He shoved me toward the bedroom door.
I stumbled toward the bathroom. I went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, and showered in record time. Sadly, the bathroom didn’t have any windows.
I was wrapping a thick white towel around me when the bathroom door swung opened. His large frame quickly filled the small space.
I pulled the towel tight. I was painfully aware of the fact that the towel was the only thing standing between me and the man who wanted me desperately enough to kidnap Diwa.
His eyes raked over my half-naked body. He shoved a small bundle of clothes at me. “I brought you clean clothes.”
I reached for the clothes while clutching the towel against my chest. As the bundle unraveled, I examined it in shock. “A sun dress? There’s snow outside.”
He crossed his arms stubbornly. “So?”
I gave him a look that ensured he knew that I knew he was bat shit crazy. “So… I guess I’m wearing a sun dress. There are no panties?”
He smiled maliciously as he snatched up my dirty clothes. “Your powers of observation never cease to amaze me.” And, with that snide comment, he turned and walked out the door.
I had no choice but to wear a sun dress with no bra and no underwear. “This sucks,” I complained miserably. I slipped the soft yellow dress over my head and stepped tentatively from the bathroom. I was barefoot and still finger-combing my hair.
He grabbed my shoulders and pinned me against the wall. “You make one wrong move and I’ll handcuff you naked to that bed.” He pressed his body against mine, proving just how unpleasant that would be. Suddenly, his eyes softened.
He looked like he was about to kiss me, so I turned my head away.
He grabbed my jaw and forced me to look up at him. “I’d love an excuse to do just that,” he stated gruffly. The silence spanned between us as his eyes burned into mine.
Slowly, he released my jaw. He reached for my left arm and dragged me into the middle of a large living room. The furniture had been carved from logs, just like the bed. Massive windows ran along an entire wall from the ceiling to the floor, peaking in the center.
I took a step toward the windows. I couldn’t resist the breathtaking view.
He stared at me. Then he gradually released my arm.
I walked to the windows and pressed my hand against the cold glass. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue, and there was nothing but snowcapped trees as far as the eye could see.
“There is no place for you to run,” he warned dryly. “You leave this house and you will die.”
I turned away from the window and studied him solemnly. “Why?”
He shrugged. “Because I could.” He turned and walked toward the kitchen. “And because you refused to give me a chance.”
I sank into a thickly cushioned chair, feeling utterly defeated. I examined my surroundings. I couldn’t tell whether we were in a house or a luxury cabin. The two story living room was quite large, and there were no walls separating it from the kitchen or the dining area. I wouldn’t be able to make a move without being seen.
He returned with a cup of coffee and some toast. “You barely touched the oatmeal. You should eat.” He set the coffee on the coffee table and handed me the toast before sitting on the couch. He rested his elbows against his knees and silently studied me.
My stomach warred against my brain as I picked at the toast. I couldn’t even feign interest in the coffee. I seemed hardwired to resist everything this man was offering me. “What are you going to do to me?” I whispered as I stared down at the toast.
“Everything,” he replied in a very dark tone.
“Everything,” I repeated hoarsely. My eyes flitted to his as I tried to choke down a piece of toast. “Are you going to kill me?”
“It depends,” he responded indifferently.
“On what?” I asked, suddenly alarmed. I hadn’t thought he wanted me dead. Why would he go through the trouble of kidnapping me if he wanted me dead?
He walked back to the kitchen and poured another cup of coffee. “On how hard you fight me.”
I refused to acknowledge his response. I fixed my eyes on the view outside the window, instead.
I studied the silent, snow-packed mountain and shook my head in disbelief. I couldn’t believe my life had spiraled back to this. I gazed out over the evergreen trees, and I knew... no one would hear me scream.
Chapter 11 – What doesn’t kill you
Kadyn gazed unseeingly at the magnolia trees outside his living room window. He sighed. The heavy breath was steeped in frustration. It was getting dark, and he was no closer to finding Kri. He turned away from the window when Mason’s keys rattled against the door.
Mason walked in, followed by Cenia, Roger, and Matt. Cenia and Roger were carrying white paper bags, presumably filled with food. Matt had a bottle of wine, and Mason was carrying a two liter bottle of Sprite.
“Chinese takeout,” Cenia explained with a soft smile. “We figured you hadn’t eaten.”
“Thanks,” Kadyn responded as he followed them into the kitchen. He pulled some paper plates and napkins from the cupboard and set them on the counter.
Cenia and Roger began unpacking the food. “Anything new?” Roger asked as he popped the lid off a plastic container.
Kadyn pulled some large serving spoons out of a drawer and handed them to Roger. “Phil has identified Justin Morris as the pilot on the flight out of Leesburg. He's still trying to track down where the plane went when it departed Minneapolis. The Flight Service Station is having some difficulty tracking down the flight plan.”
Mason filled a drinking glass with Sprite and handed it to Kadyn. He gathered a number of mix-matched wine glasses from the cupboard and set them on the counter next to Matt.
Matt pulled the cork from the bottle of wine. “Well, it should prove easier to find her now that we know who’s involved.”
“We need to know where that plane went,” Kadyn growled. He accepted a plate of food from Cenia. “Thanks, Cenia.” He offered up a half-smile when he saw the shrimp fried rice.
Kadyn’s phone rang. He immediately switched over to speaker phone. “Hey, Phil, any luck tracking down that plane?”
“The Cessna is currently parked at Sea-Tac Airport in Washington State,” Phil responded solemnly.
Mason released a rather impressive stream of expletives under his breath.
Roger shook his head. “That’s not good.”
Kadyn’s eyes locked on Roger’s. “She could be anywhere.”
Matt raked his hand through his hair. “He could have caught an international flight out of Seattle.”
“Or… he could have driven her over the border into Canada,” Cenia suggested.
Phil cleared his throat. “I doubt he’d get away with taking a hostage over the border, but I’ll run both names by border security. I can pull some people in to see if either name pops up on the international flights that departed Sea-Tac today, but this is going to take some serious manpower.”
“What if she’s in Seattle?” Kadyn asked. “What about checking cab companies, rental car companies, and hotels?”
Phil groaned. “There are thousands of possibilities, Kadyn. I think it’s time to pull in the authorities.”
“I agree,” Cenia responded. “We're going to need some help with this.”
Kadyn exhaled loudly. “Fine. I’ll call the Seattle police.” He hated turning control of the search over to the police, and he wasn’t feeling optimistic about the amount of time they’d devote to finding her, but he could no longer deny they needed help.
“I’ll still reach out to border security and get some people on the passenger lists for those international flights,” Phil offered sympathetically.
“Thanks. Let me know what you find,” Kadyn replied.
“Of course,” Phil responded before ending the call.
Kadyn called the Seattle Police Department, but they refused to help. He was informed he had to file a missing person’s report with the DC police before the Seattle police could get involved. So Kadyn called the DC police. A detective took his statement over the phone. Kadyn e-mailed the detective a couple pictures of Kri and agreed to stop by the police department the next morning to finish filing the report in person.
The friends ate in silence while Kadyn was on the phone. They cleaned up the kitchen and offered a few words of encouragement before returning home.
Kadyn walked over to Kri’s apartment, gathered up Cade’s things, and walked him back to his apartment so he wouldn’t have to spend the night alone. He and Mason sorted through additional strategies for locating Kri until exhaustion drove them both to bed. Kadyn tucked Cade next to his chest as he settled into bed.
Cade whimpered softly.
Kadyn ran his hand through Cade’s fur. “I know, little guy,” he whispered brokenly. “I’m worried too.”
* * * * * *
The longer I sat staring out the window, the angrier I grew. I’d spent the last nine years of my life being manipulated, controlled, and beaten down by another man. And, now? Here I was being held prisoner in another man’s home, robbed of what little control I’d gained over my life since my divorce.
I’d finally found someone who respected me… a man who actually cared about me… who wanted nothing more than my happiness… and now he was gone. He was yanked from my grasp, as if some unattainable dream, and replaced with an unfathomable nightmare. I turned and glared at Justin.
He was watching me with cold, calculating eyes.
I rose from the chair with fists clenched. “How dare you,” I hissed.
His eyes turned seething as he shot to his feet. “How dare I? How dare I? How dare you! You’re the one who blew me off! You wouldn’t give me a chance. You made me beg. You rejected me. You made me feel like I was some worthless piece of shit. I’m not worthless, you stupid fucking bitch.” His hands clenched as he spit out the last four words.
I was immediately thrown into another place and time, when another man screamed those same exact words as he pummeled me with his fists. “I hate you! I hate you! I. HATE. YOU!” I screamed with the full force of my lungs.
I didn’t see him lunge for me. His face burned red as his fingers dug into my arms. He shook me violently. “Shut up,” he rasped.
I fought to ignore the pain as his fingers pressed into my bones. “I hope you die,” I spit back.
He backhanded me with an incomprehensible amount of force.
The log chair bit into my ribs as I fell. My entire body slammed against the floor. I grasped my side as I forced myself onto my knees. The blood from my cheek splattered against the hardwood floor. My hand shook as I brushed my fingers against my cheek. I gazed down at the blood that now stained my hand. My ribs screamed in protest with each heaving breath I took.
His fingers wound through my hair until they were just inches from my scalp. He yanked me off the floor and held me by the hair as he turned me around to face him. His eyes darted to my cheek. “This is all your fault. You couldn’t be nice to me for two seconds, could you?”
I smeared blood on his shirt as I tried to push him away.
He dragged me back into the bedroom, grabbed the handcuff, and forced me into the bathroom. He handcuffed my arm to a thick pipe under the sink. “You can rot in here for all I care,” he snarled as he slammed the door.
I looked around the small bathroom. It wouldn’t be the first, the second, or even the third time I had to sleep on a bathroom floor. I leaned against the base of the toilet, pulled my legs to my chest, and buried my face in my knees. My tears hung suspended as Charlie’s voice washed over me. I want you to remember one thing. You are not alone. You are never alone. I began sobbing, even as I prayed. “Please, God, please be here with me. Please don’t let me die alone.”