“Bill hired me.”
“You do realize he’s rotting in jail?”
“For the time being. Nevertheless, he hired me. It seems that you’re not cooperating. I’m here to make sure you do.”
“By what? Killing me?”
“Something like that.” He smiled, giving me the impression that he’d done this before. I saw another sign indicating Ramona was to the left. He turned, following it.
“I escaped from Bill. I’ll get away from you too.” I had no idea where my strength was coming from. I was never this way with Bill. Maybe it was because I knew Justin was coming to save me.
“You can try.”
Justin—how long until we reach Ramona? I have a feeling he won’t waste any time. He’s going to kill me.
Justin replied, I’m already on my way. Keep him talking. Do whatever you have to—just keep that truck moving.
“Care to make a deal?” I asked.
His eyes sliced over to me. “It’s out of my hands.”
“Seems like you’re the one in control here.” His eyes went back to the road. I forged on, “Do you want to kill me? Enjoy that sort of thing? Or are you strictly acting on instructions? Did Bill already pay you for the job?”
“Bill wanted you to cooperate. You chose not to. The result—you disappear.”
“At your expense. You do know the police are involved. They know you’ve been following me. I told them about you. If I disappear, they’ll know you’re to blame.”
He slammed his hand against the steering wheel, a muscle in his face twitching.
He pulled off the road onto a dirt path. Driveway?
Justin—we turned right onto a dirt road. Thirteen minutes after we turned left toward Ramona. We were traveling at fifty miles per hour. Slower now.
“This will be the end of you,” I said, attempting a laugh.
The dirt path was uneven, and we bounced with each rock, crevice, or rut in the road. The jostling made my head pound even harder. Closing my eyes, I fought against a wave of dizziness.
Thoughts became more difficult. Keep it together. Fight. Justin was on his way, and I would be okay.
“Bill held me captive for two months. Whatever you have planned, I’ve already endured it. You can join Bill.” In jail and then in hell.
The road went down a small hill with trees lining a creek at the bottom.
“I was hired to intimidate you into cooperating.” The truck stopped before the creek, under the cover of trees.
Justin! We’ve stopped. Hurry. You only have minutes!
“Since you chose not to cooperate, my instructions are to assist you in committing suicide. So, you see, nothing dramatic like what Bill did. A simple suicide. And not too far of a stretch considering what you’ve been through. It’s believable.”
“Assist me?” He pulled out a bottle of pills from his pocket and shook them. “Over my dead body,” I said.
Laughing, he said, “That’s kind of the point.” He opened the bottle.
I’m heading down a dirt path. I have a police car a mile back. I’m feeding him directions.
I wasn’t too worried. What could he do? Even if he forced the pills down my throat, Justin was almost here. I would be fine.
With lightening speed, his hand reached out and grabbed my hair on the top of my head. He yanked my head back and I screamed.
He shoved a few pills into my mouth. I spit them out.
Pulling harder on my hair, he pushed my head down on the seat until I was looking up at him. His thighs squeezed my head, holding it in place. Although my hands were tied in front of me, I moved my arms up, trying to swat the pill bottle away from him. He brought his leg up, pinning my arms down.
Our eyes locked. A slow smile spread across his face.
Justin? Where the hell are you?
Audrey, I must have gone down the wrong dirt road. I see a house up ahead. Did you pass a house?
No we didn’t. We’re by a creek. He’s forcing—
My stalker tilted his head, assessing me. Then a hand came up and pinched my nose. His other hand held the bottle of pills.
“It’ll only take an hour or so. I’ll sit here with you until it’s over.”
I gasped for air. He shook out a handful of pills and shoved them in my mouth. Releasing my nose, he put one hand on top of my head and the other under my chin. Then he applied force, preventing my jaw from opening.
Using all of my strength, I tried to spit the pills out of my mouth.
He was too strong.
No matter what I did, I couldn’t get my jaw open. The pills began to dissolve. Even though my teeth were clenched, I parted my lips and used my tongue to shove whatever I could out as it melted.
My mind swam in panic. What should I do? A thousand different scenarios ran through my mind, but none of them would work. Especially if Justin weren’t coming.
I only have one hour, Justin. In case you don’t find me . . . tell everyone I love them.
I swallowed everything and purposely went slack. He shoved more pills in my mouth. Too many, they couldn’t be swallowed. As they dissolved, they slid down my throat.
After the entire bottle was empty, stalker guy lessened his grip.
“My stomach . . . can I curl up? It hurts so bad.”
He released my head, pushing me up. I slid to the other side of the truck and leaned against the window. It was cold and felt wonderful against my cheek.
Twenty minutes passed, and I began to feel sick.
Found it. I’m on my way. Are you still there, Audrey? There’s a police car following me.
Stalker guy was playing with the radio. I slowly lifted my hands and shoved two fingers down my throat.
I vomited all over the truck and then threw the door open. I stumbled out of the vehicle and started running. He was behind me. I heard his feet pounding on the dirt, getting closer.
Something hit my back and I was thrown forward. My body smashed into the ground. My bound hands slammed on a large rock. Seizing it, I rolled over. Stalker guy hovered above me. Without thinking, I threw the rock at his head. It hit with a hollow sound. His eyes widened. A stream of blood began to flow down his face. Keeping my eyes glued to his, I felt around. There was another rock, much larger than the first. Bigger than a baseball.
My eyes darted behind him, and I let out a sigh of relief. He turned to follow my gaze. The second his back was to me, I mustered up all of my strength and threw the rock at him. It gashed his forehead and he went down. Something shiny fell from his hand.
I didn’t want to get too close, and I had no idea how to figure out whether he was really unconscious or not. Standing, I kicked the shiny blade away from his hands. Finally hearing the sound of a police siren, I knew I would be safe.
Chapter 27
The following twenty-four hours were a whirlwind. An ambulance came and transported me to the hospital, apparently just in time, considering I’d been given a lethal overdose. After several tests and an evaluation, the doctors concluded that there would be no long-term side effects.
Kate was by my side the entire time. Justin was at home, waiting for things to calm down. He said he was keeping tabs. Every once in a while, he’d check in with me to make sure I was okay. This mind-communication thing was so convenient sometimes.
As soon as the tests were done and I was considered coherent, the police began questioning me. I had to give a step-by-step account of every incident involving stalker guy. Afterward, the police informed me that his name was Trent Williams. When they searched his hotel room, they discovered Trent was from Pittsburgh, and Pennsylvania police were sent to search his apartment. There, they tied Trent to Bill, the evidence suggesting that the two had known each other for years. They also found pornographic material on his computer, along with emails from Bill outlining what he wanted to happen if he was arrested. They also said something about finding money at Trent’s place, and that the amounts were similar to withdrawals made by Bill before he was ar
rested.
From there it became complicated, and the police weren’t releasing any more information since the investigation was still ongoing. Trent was in jail, charged with kidnapping and attempted murder. Bill was facing additional charges as well.
When Kate called and told my family what had happened, they wanted to catch the first flight to San Diego. However, Kate told them to stay put since I would be returning the day after I was released from the hospital.
All three of my brothers were flying to the San Diego airport to escort me back home. How boring for them. But honestly, it would be nice to have some time alone with them before being bombarded by my parents. I feared that any sense of freedom I had here in California would disappear the moment I returned home. I wondered who would be around to babysit me there. All of my brothers were in school, and there wouldn’t be any twin boys next door to come to my rescue.
I was released from the hospital the next day, and Kate drove me home to finish packing. I couldn’t believe I was leaving.
Justin waited for me in Kate’s driveway. He had on a dark blue shirt instead of his usual black one. Shocking. He asked if we could go for a drive, and Kate, bless her heart, said we could as long as I was home in time for dinner.
We drove to the beach. This, I would definitely miss—sitting on the sand and watching the waves.
“Thank you,” I said, scooting myself closer to Justin so that our legs were touching. I dug my feet deeper into the sand, trying to stay warm.
“For what?” he asked, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
I stared at the ocean. “For saving my life, understanding me, being there for me.” He cupped my cheek with his hand, gently turning me to face him. Our eyes locked, and I continued, “For having this amazing ability to read minds.”
Justin smiled. “You managed to save yourself all on your own. And that’s amazing. I’m proud of you.” Justin’s lips found mine. Warmth radiated throughout my body, and an unfamiliar need consumed me.
He whispered, “I want to apologize.”
“For what?” I asked, breathing hard. He kissed my neck and then took my hands in his, staring into my eyes.
“For having you talk to Bree. I really thought she would help give you perspective. I didn’t realize she would tell you everything.” Justin’s hands were sweaty, even though the air was cool. My hair kept blowing in my face, so I nuzzled against his shoulder.
“Would you prefer I didn’t know about all that?” The thought hurt my feelings. Why didn’t he want to share it with me?
“I’ve always wanted you to know,” Justin admitted. “It’s just that I regret the way you found out. I should’ve been the one to tell you.”
Yes, he should have. I understood his reasons for not telling me, but I wanted him to be able to confide in me. After all, he knew so much about me. I wanted to know everything there was to know about him.
Taking a deep breath, he began, “Caleb and I, we found out by accident. About our dad. We were thirteen.” His hands tightened on mine, and his voice was laced with pain.
I couldn’t imagine discovering something like that. Justin focused on the ocean now, unable to meet my eyes.
“Mom was just sixteen,” he continued. “She was walking home from a friend’s house, only two blocks away, when he grabbed her. He used a knife to get her to comply, and then he beat and raped her. When she realized she was pregnant, her parents wanted her to have an abortion, but she couldn’t do it. Said the babies were half her.”
I wondered what I would have done. Did the boys look like their dad? What did Sarah think when she saw those similarities? I shuddered.
“He was arrested and convicted. She had healthy twin boys. When I first found out, I didn’t understand why she kept us. Only, she didn’t see it that way. Mom loves us and has never made us feel anything but loved.” His eyes found mine, searching for something.
“That’s amazing.”
“It is. At first, I hated myself, but we worked through it with Mom. She taught us forgiveness. First, I had to learn to forgive myself. I wasn’t responsible for what had happened, and I needed to forgive him as well. It was hard. Forgiving isn’t easy, but it gives you an enormous sense of freedom and peace. I can say this now that I have some distance and perspective. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
I didn’t think I could ever forgive Bill for what he’d done to me.
“That’s when Caleb and I knew we had to do something to make the world a better place. Prove we should be here, that our lives have a purpose. We wanted to help other teen victims of sexual abuse and rape. Along with our mom, we started a support group. We work with the local high schools.”
Wow. I had no other words to describe how astonishing Justin was and how much I loved him.
But forgiveness was something I would have to think about more when I was alone. It was a lot to take in.
“Audrey,” Justin said, reclaiming my attention. His face seemed nervous or tense.
“What is it?”
“Promise me you’ll come back,” Justin’s voice was strained.
“Of course I’ll come back.”
“No, I mean, permanently. We can go to college together. UCSD or SDSU—I don’t care, just as long as we’re together.”
I saw my reflection in his dark, charcoal eyes, and in that instant, I understood we were connected. There was no way I could be without him. No one else would ever understand what I had been through like Justin did. And there was no one else I wanted to share my life with.
Justin cradled my face and looked deep into my eyes. “I want to spend my life with you too,” he declared.
I leaned forward and kissed him.
Chapter 28
That night, I dreamt I was on a Ferris wheel again. I sat alone in a cage, stuck on the ride with no way off. My heart pounded in my chest, and fear took hold of me. But the darkness receded as the sky lightened with the rising sun, everything turning a vibrant orange. When my cage neared the bottom, I gripped the bar in front of me, afraid of what I would see. But Bill was nowhere in sight. Off to the side, my family sat on a bench, smiling while they watched me. The sound of children laughing filled the air.
The wind tossed my hair around as I neared the top. Then I felt myself falling and closed my eyes, willing away the fear. This time when I looked, there was no Bill and no stalker. Justin now sat beside me, holding my hand. I smiled and woke up.
That was my last morning in San Diego. I zipped my suitcase and looked around the room.
Ready?” Kate asked, coming into the bedroom.
I was. I was finally ready to go home and face everyone.
“Thank you for everything,” I said. “You saved me.”
“You saved yourself. You’re the strongest person I know.”
Her eyes had tears. There was so much I wanted to say to Kate—like how she meant the world to me, and that I was here and alive because of her.
“Let’s get going,” Kate said. She turned away from me and wiped her cheek.
“Wait.” I didn’t know where to begin. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I know,” she smiled. “I’m going to miss you too.”
I ran and wrapped my arms around her, holding her tight. “I love you, Kate.”
“Love you too.” She kissed my forehead.
Saying good-bye to Kate was painful, and she was only the first. I still had to say good-bye to the boys.
Downstairs, I found Caleb and his mom waiting. Sarah embraced me and wished me luck.
Caleb grabbed me in a brotherly hug. “I’m gonna miss you.”
“Me too.” He put me down. “Promise you’ll call,” I said.
“Don’t worry, I will.”
“Maybe you can come to Pittsburgh to see me sometime.”
Caleb laughed. “I’d like that. Might be difficult to be so far from the ocean though.” I wacked his arm. “Just kidding!” He kissed my cheek. “Justin’s next door waiting for yo
u. He wants to say good-bye in private.” Caleb wiggled his eyebrows. I was really going to miss him.
Walking next door, I thought about my conversation with Justin the day before at the beach. Something he had said struck a chord—that he had to learn to forgive himself and understand he wasn’t responsible for what had happened. I tossed and turned all night thinking about it. Waking this morning, nightmare free, I was finally ready to accept the fact that it wasn’t my fault or my parents’ fault that I was kidnapped and raped. It took being at Kate’s for me to realize this. Releasing blame was like lifting a wall from my shoulders. And Justin, Kate, and Caleb each had a part in helping to tear down that wall.
The other thing I couldn’t stop thinking about was how Sarah forgave her attacker because she didn’t want to harbor hate. In theory, I understood that. In reality, I didn’t know if I could ever forgive Bill for what he’d done. I knew I didn’t want to carry that hate around in my heart and have it destroy my life, but that didn’t mean I had to forgive him. I certainly wasn’t ready to consider the possibility yet.
The last thing I couldn’t get out of my mind was Justin. I knew beyond a doubt that I wanted him in my life, that we were somehow intertwined. Just a few weeks ago, I didn’t think I had a future, and now, a whole new path was placed before me, with endless opportunities. We were going to stay connected with Justin’s telepathy, but he also planned on coming to Bethel Park over spring break to meet my family, and I intended to move to San Diego after graduation.
But first, I had to go home to testify and put Bill away for life. The thought of facing him still terrified me. Luckily, I would have my entire family there supporting me. I was finally at the point where that was okay; I wanted them to help me, and I would lean on them.
Justin opened the door, pulling me inside. Without saying a single word, his hands wrapped around my waist and his lips sought mine. I put my arms behind his neck, closing the distance between us. Whenever we kissed, I felt complete and whole again.
After several minutes, Justin whispered, “I have a gift for you.” Pulling something from his pocket, he opened his hand to reveal a delicate silver chain holding a small butterfly, its wings made of hundreds of tiny, colored crystals and ready to soar.
The Voice Page 18