by Sara Hess
“Anything?” I asked.
My stomach bottomed when she shook her head and wrung her hands, looking almost near to tears. Nic was hovering close in support, but I could see he was just as worried. It was nearing ten o’clock and Shaw had been missing for around five hours.
“You think Ford really might have done something to her?” Carrie wrapped her arms around her waist. Nic added his arms.
“Fuck, I don’t know.” Fear tightened my chest and I dragged my hands through my hair. “I shouldn’t have let her walk away from me at the courthouse by herself with that fucker there.” Clasping my fingers on top of my head I tried to calm my thoughts so I could think. “Can you think of anyone else she might be with, or a place she might go?”
Carrie shook her head. “I already called everyone I could, and the only place I could think she might go was the library, and she wasn’t there.”
I unclasped my hands and strode into the kitchen to get a drink. “The fact that David and Tim aren’t answering there phones or at home is making me optimistic. She has to be with them. Outside my raging imagination it’s the only thing that makes sense. They have to be together somewhere outside cell reception.” I gulped down my water before turning to face them. “That has to be it, right?”
I stared at the both of them asking them with my eyes what I should do, because I was a hair’s breath away from calling the police…or hunting down Ford.
Nic nodded. “That has to be what’s happening. If Shaw was upset it makes sense that she went searching for David.”
I blew out a breath that didn’t do anything for my knotted stomach and nodded unconsciously. “Yeah, that’s what’s happening. And I’m going to kick all their asses for not noticing that, and then I’m going to write a strongly worded letter to the cell phone company for their shitty service.”
Nic eyed me like I was losing my mind. “Yeah, you do that while we watch a movie, and then make sure you eat something so you have the energy for that ass-kicking.”
I flipped him off for mocking me.
I wasn’t sure if I had an appetite right now, my stomach was too coiled to recognize hunger, but time was all I had at the moment so I grabbed the leftover Mongolian Carrie mentioned. More hours passed with no word from Shaw or David and my anxiety reached epic proportions. I continued to text and call on the hour leaving short messages that might have gotten pretty damn terse, but they were just going to have to understand that I was fucking worried and the words that I wrote were involuntary.
I suddenly understood my mom’s mind-set those times she would throw a hissy fit when I took my time returning her calls, and the messages she would leave telling me the only reason I had for not calling her back better be because I was lying in a ditch somewhere.
The thought of Shaw hurt somewhere was like a vice around my heart. The thought of living without her in my life…Fuck, I didn’t even want to think about it.
At some point I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I knew I was waking up with gritty eyes and a crick in my neck, and light was beaming in through the living room windows. Recollection and dread flooded over me again and I scrambled for my phone. It had fallen in between my legs and I snatched it up to see if I’d missed any calls.
Nothing.
Without thought I punched in Shaw’s number taking note that the time was seven-twelve a.m.
No answer.
I clenched the phone forcing myself not to throw it. Where the hell was she?
David and Tim didn’t answer when I called them either.
Shooting up from the chair I strode down the hallway to her bedroom, but it was empty except for Rosie who meowed at me forlornly from the bed. Fisting each side of the doorframe I bent my head as waves of helplessness and other extreme emotions washed over me.
Rosie jumped off the bed and twined herself around my legs. I stared down at her blankly for a minute before bending down to pick her up. Carrying her into the kitchen I ser her down by her food dish and filled it up for her. She dug in without ceremony.
The next second I was striding out of the apartment, closing the door carefully behind me so I wouldn’t wake Nic and Carrie who’d fallen asleep on the couch. Like I was on autopilot I repeated my drive to David’s, and when I made certain no one was there by circling the house and peering in all the windows, I drove over to Tim’s. When that turned up nothing I slogged back to my car in stressed dejection.
I sat there for a moment and then slammed the palm of my hand violently against the wheel several times.
Where the fuck was she!?
I couldn’t sit around and wait, or drive around randomly any longer. I had to do something. And the only option that came to mind, besides calling the police, was to make a visit to Ford. Actually, both sounded good. I had Ford’s address from when the lawyers investigated him in my briefcase and after unearthing it I headed in that direction as I made a call to the police.
When the call connected I asked for one of the two officers that had arrested both Ford and I at the campus. I thought they would be more open-minded to my concerns.
“Officer DeLaney here.”
“Officer DeLaney, this is Evan Michaels. You arrested me and another guy a couple weeks ago for fighting on UVA’s campus. Do you remember that?”
I heard him huff through the phone. “Yeah, that arrest will live in my mind for awhile. The guy was an ass and you played him like a violin. Has he been bothering your girlfriend again?”
I sped through traffic as I began to relay all the facts to him. “I’m not sure. We had our court date yesterday and he was charged and given two years probation. Afterwards we split ways and she planned to take a cab home but she never made it, and now she’s been missing since four o’clock yesterday afternoon. She’s not answering any of my calls or her best friends’ calls.”
“How is she normally on returning calls?” He asked.
“She wouldn’t ignore her roommates’ calls.”
There was a slight pause. “What about yours?”
If I told him about the disagreement he was going to blow this off as a lover’s quarrel or some shit. “She did it once, before we were going out, but she was super pissed at me. She hasn’t done it since and she’s not super pissed at me.” Upset, but not pissed I was pretty certain.
“You’ve tried all her other friends?” He questioned.
“Yes. There’s only one person I haven’t been able to get a hold of, but I can’t wait any longer for him to return my calls. She’s been missing for almost seventeen hours after being in the vicinity of a guy who’d been harassing her for years. I don’t like the coincidence.”
I heard him draw in a deep breath and let it out. “You know all I can do is go over there and ask questions.”
He wasn’t going to like this. “Well, actually, I’m headed over there right now, and it would be great if you could be there to back me up.”
I hung up as the guy started vehemently protesting that idea. I was certain he wouldn’t waste any time getting over to Ford’s residence now though.
It was almost eight o’clock; the time I normally showed up for work, so I sent out a quick text to Dan telling him that something personal had come up and wouldn’t be able to make it to work, but that I would call him as soon as I could.
The neighborhood Ford lived in wasn’t as affluent as the area I grew up in, but it was definitely upper class, and I was just pulling up to his address when my phone chimed. It was Nic.
I answered it without delay. “Did she come home?”
“No, I was calling hoping you’d found her since you weren’t here.” He stated.
I smacked my dash and jerked open my door. “No. I left to drive over to David’s and Tim’s again.” I stormed up the walkway to the front door. “Nic, I’ve called the cops to report her missing, and I told them my concerns about Ford. I’m at his house right now and the cops on their way.”
“Shit, you wait for them, Evan. Don’t you
confront that asshole yourself. You’re only going to get yourself arrested again.” Nic shouted.
“The cops won’t get anything out of him” I bellowed. “All they’re going to ask is if he’s seen her. That’s a fucking useless line of questioning.”
“They will confirm what he did after leaving the courthouse, and track his time-line after that. If you were thinking clearly you would know that, Mr. Genius. Give them a chance. What use to Shaw are you in jail?”
I paced the walkway in extreme agitation. I knew Nic was right. It was a real possibility that I would go off on the asshole as soon as I saw his face.
“Fine, I’ll wait.” I gritted out.
“Thank fucking shit.” He grunted in relief. “What’s the address? I’ll head over to be there with you.”
“I need you there in case she shows up.” I ordered.
There was a small gap of silence before he spoke. “Carrie can stay here. You need someone with you right now.” I could hear the sacrifice in his tone at the thought of leaving his girlfriend alone when she was freaking out about Shaw as well.
Carrie’s voice carried from the background. “I’ll call Samantha. She’ll come over.”
“Give me the address.” Nic ordered.
I did and he told me he was on his way before hanging up.
I forced myself to back away from the house to pace the sidewalk. My thoughts flashed back and forth between Shaw safe and sound with David, and the horrendous notion that Ford really had done something to her. The only reason I wasn’t storming that house was the hope that she was with David. Ending up in jail for murder and then finding out Shaw was on a sabbatical with David would suck monkey ass.
The cops pulled up with a screech of their wheels and parked behind my car. Officer DeLaney stepped out looking all sorts of relieved that I was on the sidewalk and not burning down the house. His partner, Officer Case, climbed out of the driver’s side looking aggravated.
“Shit, you had me worried. I was expecting to drive up on a disturbance from hell.” Officer Delaney hitched his belt higher and ambled toward me.
“It’s been enormously difficult to not bring hell down on him.” I stepped in behind them as they strode directly toward the front door.
“I bet, but let us handle this.” Delaney rang the bell and then knocked decisively on the door. Ford’s father answered in khaki’s and polo shirt. He didn’t look pleased to see us. “Mr. Rainwright, I’m Officer DeLaney and this is Officer Case; we need to talk to your son, Ford Rainwright.”
He didn’t budge from the entryway. “What’s this about? We settled everything with the courts yesterday.” His gaze met mine and he glowered in recognition.
The man had been pretty silent during the proceedings yesterday, except for a lot of angry whispering in his son’s and lawyers ear. He either hadn’t cared that his son was a psychopath, or was in denial.
“We need to ask your son a few questions, Mr. Rainwright. Is he here?” Case repeated.
He gave us all one more glare before stepping back and yelling up the stairs. He then stood there in the entry way with his arms folded not appearing to want us further in his home. A long minute later Ford tripped down the steps and my muscles bunched in preparation.
At the sight of the cops Ford’s steps faltered and he looked apprehensive. When his gaze landed on me antagonism joined it. “What’s going on, dad? Why are the police here…with that asshole?”
“Let’s try to keep this discussion civil to avoid the possibility of escalation.” Delaney scowled. “Ford Rainwright, we need to ask you a few questions about your day yesterday.”
Ford sneered and waved his hand my way. “I was screwed in court by this dick and his dick swallowing girlfriend.”
I stiffened, wanting so badly to kill the mother-fucker. DeLaney and Case took up a more commanding stance; spreading their legs and setting their hands closer to their guns and tazer. I wasn’t certain if that was to caution me or Ford.
“Mr. Rainwright, we can do this here, or at the station if you continue with your belligerent speech. Which do you prefer?”
“Ford, watch your mouth and keep your answers short.” His dad barked.
Ford rolled his eyes and waited.
“What did you do directly after your court proceedings yesterday?” DeLaney asked.
“I came home.”
“Directly home?” He pressed.
“Yes, he came directly home.” His dad broke in irately. “I drove him to the courthouse and drove him straight home.”
“Did you speak to Miss. O’Conner at any time after the court proceedings?” DeLaney continued.
Ford’s eyes narrowed. “No I didn’t talk to that bitch. Is she accusing me of something else now? She’s a …”
DeLaney interrupted him. “Did you have any contact with her afterwards at all?”
“No!” Ford shouted, face red in fury. “I’m not going anywhere near that bitch ever again. I’m not going to jail because of some cheap ass trailer…”
Delaney broke in again. “Mr. Rainwright, can you confirm your son’s story that he never, at any point, had any contact with Ms. O’Conner yesterday?”
“Yes.” His dad gave an angry jerk of his head. “I was with him the entire time. We left the building together, walked to my car together, and drove away together. And at no point did we encounter…that girl.” His lip curled in antipathy.
Assholes, both of them. It explained where Ford got it.
“That’s all the questions we have. Thank you for your time.” The cops turned and tilted their heads at me in a manner that said ‘go’.
Again, I had to force my body to follow the rules. Spinning on my heel I strode out the door and spotted Nic’s truck; he was waiting on the grass watching us expectantly.
“Is that it?” I asked angrily as the door slammed behind us.
DeLaney gave me a sympathetic look. “That’s all we can do here at the moment, but the courthouse has cameras stationed around the building and we can go review them to confirm their story, and maybe we could also verify if she got into a cab.”
“Can I go with you?” I would go crazy just sitting around waiting.
The two cops shared a look. “Sure.” DeLaney relented with a nod. “Before we do that try calling her again and that friend of hers.”
I did as they directed, and got the same damn response…nothing.
Delaney and Case got back into their squad car and I pulled in behind them as they drove off down the road. Nic followed behind me. At the courthouse the both of us trailed the cops through the building to the security office where two security guards sat in front of a wall of monitors with views of the interior and exterior of the building.
In minutes they had images on the screen from yesterday around four o’clock.
“Right there.” I exclaimed loudly when I saw mom, Shaw and myself standing together just outside the building.
They set the picture to normal speed and we all watched as Shaw walked away out of the camera’s view. They pulled up a different cameras feed where she appear around the corner talking on the phone. She hung up and just stood there. My eyes were glued to the screen, drinking her in. Her features weren’t that cleat but I watched as her head turned in the direction she’d come from like she was hoping to see me come after her.
I rubbed my hand over my face in misery…I should have gone after her. Then I watched as she wiped at her eyes, like she was crying, and my heart constricted painfully in my chest. I knew she’d been upset.
“She appears upset, Evan. Did you guys have an argument you’re not telling us about?” DeLaney inquired with flatly.
“She was upset because the judge was making me pay Ford’s medical expenses. She thinks my assault charges are her fault. I don’t know why. I’m the one that hit the dipshit.” My eyes stayed on the screen and I watched as a cab pulled up. She slid in the back.
“What cab company is that?” I asked.
“We’r
e going all out, are we?” Case drawled.
“Do you have other plans? And there is the possibility she could be another one.” DeLaney mumbled.
What the hell did he mean by that?” Another one what?” I didn’t like the expression on either of their faces.
He exhaled a breath. “A few girls have gone missing in the last year; young and pretty. Shaw is a little older than the other victims though, by a couple years. The other girls were around seventeen and eighteen.” Case explained.
Fuckin-A! I remember hearing about that. The girls had been taken and never heard from again; not even a body. My legs shook. “You think he got Shaw?” I croaked.
Both of them shook their heads. “No, no, no. We don’t know anything yet. And like I said; she’s older than the other girls.” Case tried smiling reassuringly.
It didn’t help…not one ass bit. “Not by much.” I whispered.
Nic’s hand landed on my shoulder. “Come on. Let’s check with the cab company.”
Fifteen minutes later the four of us were at the cab company talking with the dispatcher; a short, skinny, nearly bald, cranky-ass male with a god complex.
“Omar said he dropped that girl off at UVA’s apartment complex on State Street at four-thirty yesterday. I then directed him to a pick up at Wilson Avenue, so if something happened to her it wasn’t my guy.” He glared pointedly at all of us.
“Mr. Gale, we’re not saying your guy did anything. We are just retracing her steps. Thanks for your time.” Delaney uttered as we walked out.
I scrubbed my trembling fingers through my hair in acute, mind-dumbing panic. “She was dropped off at the apartment building but she didn’t make it up to her apartment. Something happened to her. Someone’s got her. What in the hell are we going to do?”
Oh god, Red. Where are you? Please be okay.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
SHAW
I groaned and tried opening my eyes. Why did they feel so heavy and sluggish? And why was my throat so dry? And my stomach really, really hurt.
Squinting, I peered through my slit lids, and then frowned at the unfamiliar view came into view. It was a plain white cement wall. Who had white cement walls? And a cot? Because I was on my side lying on one.