by London Casey
He opened the door into a bedroom. It contained two twin size beds. Each bed had a man and woman on them, engaging in various sex acts.
Selene stood, feeling surprised for a moment, then quickly followed the guard out of the room.
As they left, one of the men flipped the girl he was fucking on her back, then turned and winked at Selene. She moved quickly, suddenly eager to keep pace with her guard.
The hallway was full of half dressed people drinking and laughing, some were having sex right in the open, oblivious to those around them. No one spoke to her or even looked at her, if they had she wasn’t sure what she would have said. Selene wasn’t a prude, but she found it all more than a bit unsettling, especially considering what she and Ethan had just gone through in the basement.
The guard led her on into a large foyer. Selene stopped in her tracks. It hit her all at once, she knew where she was: Ethan’s Victorian mansion. Who were all these people and why were they in Ethan’s house? A woman crashed into Selene.
“I’m sorry,” she said. Selene thought she looked angry and distracted. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.” The woman sighed and eyed Selene and her pregnant belly. “Are you okay? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around here.”
“We’re just leaving,” Selene’s guard informed the woman.
The woman watched Selene closely. “If you need help,” she paused and looked at the man significantly, “with anything, call me. My name’s Bree, Alex’s fiancée. He knows the man who owns the house I’m sure they’d be happy to help.”
With that the woman slipped away as Selene was dragged out of the house into the cold night. Before being shoved into the car the last thought on her mind was: Bree.
Chapter Seven
Selene paced the room like a caged animal. They were listening on the phones and watching the house. They said she could leave as soon as the baby was born and they had the money, but Selene had no reason to trust them.
Could they see her now? She felt paranoid. She knew she had to calm down.
Last night, she’d woken up to sharp pains in her stomach. Selene still had a couple of months left in her pregnancy and she was terrified that she was suffering contractions already.
She picked up the phone to call 911 and before she could dial a voice snidely asked if they could get her anything. She slammed the phone down; she didn’t want to ask her captors for help.
The pains subsided after half an hour, but she still spent all night praying she wasn’t going into labor.
She’d finally fallen back asleep around dawn after feeling the baby kick. The moment broke her. All of the stress of being kidnapped; having to leave Ethan behind; the fear for her and her babies’ future; it all spilled out of her.
Selene buried her face in her pillow, she wasn’t sure if her house was bugged, but she didn’t want them to hear. She cried until she felt completely drained.
When she woke up she felt renewed. The fear and sadness were gone. Now, she needed a plan. As she paced the room she ran through her options. She could make a break for it, but she knew that in her condition she couldn’t get very far.
They listened in on the calls, but maybe she could get through to the police, she thought, then, immediately dismissed the idea. Selene had the impression they were doing more than just monitoring her phone; she was willing to bet they could cut the line, or put a stop to any call that could endanger their operation.
A van was parked across the street, where they sat all day conducting surveillance. Whoever they were they had money and manpower.
Selene laid down on the bed and watched the fan spin slowly. It casts long shadows over the wall. She found it oddly soothing. She imagined she was back in Ethan’s house on the morning they’d been taken. They were lying in bed making love.
She imagined Ethan, shirtless laying in bed next to her. Small droplets of sweat covered his chest and biceps. He smiled at her and lifted up her nightgown.
She put her hand between her legs. Her fingers passed over her underwear and began to massage her vagina.
She imagined Ethan’s finger tips gently running over her naked body.
A warm tingling stirred inside her. She began to move her fingers faster.
Ethan’s lips were on hers; his hands kneaded her full breasts. Then, in a flash, he was on top of her; his body, heavy and comforting rested on hers as they made love.
He stared into her eyes as he entered her. His cock was hard and filled her completely. Slowly, he moved in and out of her.
Selene turned on her side as she masturbated to Ethan. She buried her face in a pillow to muffle her moans. She could almost feel him inside her; his lips on her face; his breath on her neck. He was inside her. They were both crying out and then…
Selene felt her throat close; tears welled in her eyes. She shut them tightly then took a breath. Ethan was gone. She was alone and pregnant. Swallowing hard, she fought back her grief. No more tears. She would cry when she got Ethan back. But how? The answer presented itself to her.
There was a knock at the door. Selene rose from the bed and approached cautiously. Looking through the peephole, she saw a woman. The woman had light red hair and wore huge dark sunglasses. Curious, Selene opened the door.
“Sis!” the woman screamed and through her arms around Selene.
Selene was puzzled; she didn’t have a sister. The woman pulled away and tipped her sunglasses. Selene recognized her at once. It was Bree in disguise. She looked completely different than she had that night at the Victorian mansion. Bree winked, then quickly pushed the sunglasses back over her eyes.
“I thought I’d take you shopping for the baby,” Bree said.
Selene looked across the street at the white van. A man was standing on the sidewalk, his arms crossed in front of him. They’d told her to continue to live her life normally, so as not to arouse suspicion, but she was nervous. She knew they would follow her everywhere she went.
“Sis?” Bree asked.
“Yeah, let me get my purse.”
Selene checked the mirrors as they turned the corner, exiting her neighborhood: the van was right on their tail. They were driving in Bree’s car. Selene took a chance that it was safe to speak freely.
“How did you find me?”
“It wasn’t that hard. My husband, Alex, asked around. You’re more popular than you realize.” Bree smiled weakly. It did nothing to cheer Selene up.
“Who are these people?”
“You don’t know?”
“No. Do you?”
“No,” Bree shook her head. “What I know is that Ethan is involved in money laundering and that he supplies prostitutes to the Club.”
“What club?”
Bree always felt slightly embarrassed when explaining the Club to people. “It’s a group of billionaires. They meet every couple of weeks and have… well, sex parties. You were at the house though, you had to know that.”
Bree examined Selene’s face closely; she looked more confused than ever. “What were you doing at the house? It belongs to Ethan right?”
Selene didn’t think it was safe to give Bree all of the details. It could mean putting her life in danger and she didn’t want any more innocent people to get hurt.
“Yes. It belongs to Ethan.” She was silent for a while as she considered how much was too much to tell Bree.
“Where is Ethan? Why are these people following you?”
“Money, that’s what it usually comes down to, doesn’t it?” Selene ignored Bree’s questions. “I need you take me to Ethan’s place. Not the Victorian house, but the mansion in the hills.”
“They’re following us. How – Hold on, I have an idea.” Bree pulled out her cell phone and called someone. She asked them to meet her at the back of Woodland shopping center. She snapped the cell phone shut and looked at Selene. “We’ll give them the slip at the mall. It’s full of people. It won’t be that hard.”
Famous last words, Selene thought as they p
ulled into the mall parking lot.
Inside was hectic. It was the holiday season and people rushed past frantically. In spite of the crowd their tail stayed on them the entire time.
There were two of them, a man and a woman. The woman had dark hair she wore pulled back in a pony tail. Her lips were a thin line accenting her severe face. Overall, she gave the impression of a cold calculating person.
The man had the same non-descript look all of her captors had: crew cut, black shirt, jeans. They looked interchangeable.
Bree grabbed Selene’s hand, zigzagged through the crowd, ducked behind a water fountain and made a u-turn back in the direction they had come. Selene glanced over her shoulder, but their pursuers were still there.
“They’re good,” said Bree.
“What do we do?”
“What are your thoughts on shoplifting?”
Selene looked at her puzzled. Bree grabbed her arm and pulled her into an especially busy store. She quickly grabbed a few items off the racks and headed to the dressing room.
They shared a small room together. There was barely enough room to navigate around Selene’s pregnant belly. Bree took off her red wig.
“Here,” she said, “put it on.” Bree handed Selene the wig and her sunglasses.
“What about this?” Selene said pointing down at her belly.
“Give me your clothes. I’ll stuff the dress with a shirt, make it look like I’m pregnant. Then, I’ll run through the crowd and out the front of the store. They’re only concerned with you, so if I can confuse them – make them think I’m you – they’ll follow me out. Meanwhile, you dress in my wig and put on this baggy clothes and head to the back of the store. The car is supposed to pick us up there. You’ll have to steal your outfit. Hope you’re okay with that?”
Selene started laughing. “It’s the least of my concerns at this point.”
“Good. Oh, and if the alarms go off when you try to exit the store – run.”
Selene laughed again. The whole plan was absurd, but they were out of options.
Selene examined Bree closely. They did have a similar hair style, at a distance you might mistake them for each other. If Bree could keep her head down long enough, use the crowd as a shield, they might be able to pull it off.
They exchanged clothes quickly. The outfit Selene wore was like a tent, it didn’t flatter her at all, but it almost completely concealed her baby bump. Bree’s fake bump looked surprisingly realistic.
“Done this before?” Selene joked.
Bree raised her eyebrow and smiled coyly. “Here.” She helped Selene fix the wig on her head and handed her the glasses.
“Okay, ready?” Bree asked.
Selene nodded.
“Good. Remember, wait for them to follow me out. I’ll try to make it out of the store – trip the alarms. That’ll draw a lot of attention. Don’t wait for the alarms though, make a beeline for the back of the store. The car is a black Mercedes. Tell the driver you’re a friend of mine. He’ll take you wherever you want. Okay, all set?”
“No, wait.” Selene grabbed Bree and hugged her. “I don’t even know you. I just-” She sighed. “Thank you.”
Bree squeezed her tight. “You’re going to be fine. Good luck.”
Bree turned and headed out of the dressing room. Selene peaked out and caught a glimpse of her ducking into the crowd and disappearing. She decided it was best not to wait. The small room made her feel claustrophobic.
As she walked out of the dressing room the alarm went off. Everyone looked to the right. Selene turned to left and kept walking. A quick look over her shoulder verified that her captors were nowhere in sight.
When she made it to the far side of the makeup counter, an impulse to run overtook her. She tried to stay calm, but when she saw the exit she ran.
As she went through the doors the alarm sounded. She looked over her shoulder but no one was coming.
Selene had a moment of panic: what if the car wasn’t there? But for once, things were going to plan. The black Mercedes idled in front of the store. Selene jumped in and slammed the car door just as her female pursuer was coming out of the store.
Selene ducked down in the seat. The woman looked down the sidewalk and took off into the parking lot.
“I’m friends with Bree,” Selene whispered.
“So I had guessed,” the driver replied with a slight smile on his face.
“Drive away slowly.” Selene slid down onto the floor board. It was a tight fit, but if anyone looked in through the windows they wouldn’t be able to see her.
They left the mall and drove onto the freeway. “I think you can sit up now.” The driver said, peering at her in the mirror. “We’re not being followed.”
Selene cautiously rose. She looked out the back: the white van was gone. She wasn’t sure if they had other cars, but she felt as if they’d evaded her captors, for now.
“Where’s Ms. Bree?” the driver asked.
“Under arrest, I imagine.” He looked at her seriously. “Shoplifting,” Selene said and began to laugh.
“Are you okay Miss?”
“Swell,” Selene said sarcastically. “I need you to take me to a house.”
When Selene stepped out of the car in front of the mansion she shared with Ethan, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. It was the same sensation she always had when confronted with the house. There was something about it she found profoundly spooky.
As she looked up to the attic, the curtains swayed slightly. Selene watched them swing as if moved by the wind and thought: and there’s the phantom.
It was Ethan’s wife. She lived in the attic and kept to herself. Selene had only seen glimpses of her. Now, she was convinced that she was the key to saving Ethan. Selene suspected what she knew might have been a contributing factor to her break down.
It made her extremely nervous to think she could end up in a similar position. What would happen to the baby, she thought. She shook the idea out of her head and marched into the house, resolved to speak with Ethan’s wife.
Selene turned the door to the attic slowly. The door creaked loudly as it slid open. The room was empty except for a neatly made bed, a few books, and crates. She walked inside cautiously.
“Hello? Is it okay if I come into your room? I need to talk to you it’s important.” Selene was worried she’d scare her away, or worse provoke a confrontation. She had no idea what her mental state was. She might become violent, if she felt her personal space was being violated.
Selene took another step. She squinted into the poorly lit room; nothing stirred. “Hello?” she called again. “My name is Selene. I’m here because of Ethan. He’s in trouble.”
“Trouble?” Suddenly, the woman was in front of her. Selene jumped. She had no idea where she had been hiding, or how she moved so quickly.
Her hair was wild and tangled, but otherwise she didn’t look too bad. She was tiny, barely over five feet. Selene didn’t think she looked aggressive, just scared and confused.
“Where’s Ethan? Trouble, trouble…” Her eyes went blank and wide like saucers. Then, she ran across the room to a chest of drawers. She rifled through it and shouted, “Here!”
The woman ran across the room and grabbed Selene by the hand. She led her to the chest and reached inside. The woman pulled out a dirty stuffed animal. “For the baby,” she said a wide smile on her face.
Selene felt her eyes well up with tears. This phantom, she had feared and even felt jealousy over, was harmless. She felt ashamed of herself. Selene took the stuffed animal and held it to her chest. “Thank you. What should I call you?”
“Kat,” her eyes had a faraway look, like she was remembering something from long ago.
Kat nodded, shaking away some memory. Her eyes came into focus. “Max took Ethan.” It wasn’t a question. She stated it casually as if everyone knew.
“Who’s Max?”
“Who’s Max?” she said mocking Selene. She rolled her eyes. “Max wa
s Ethan’s best friend. They were in the Marines together. Inseparable, always together; trouble, trouble…”
Ethan had never said anything to Selene about being in the Marines.
The bizarre geometric tattoo flashed through her mind. Could it be connected? There was something about the tattoo that reminded Selene of a brand. She was willing to bet that Max had one to match Ethan’s.
“I was one of Max’s girls,” Kat said proudly. “I would escort men to the parties. Do you know about the parties?”
Selene had caught a glimpse of one. They creeped her out, but Bree seemed to enjoy them.
“The parties were amazing: beautiful dresses, performances, naked men running through the halls: the money.” She raised her eyebrows coyly. “I’d slip away with my date; find some place quiet and undress slowly for him. Then, I’d undress him. I would kiss every inch of his body, and then… Ethan liked that.” She said confidentially.
Selene smiled weakly. It made her uncomfortable to hear this, but she didn’t think Kat was trying to offend her.
“Ethan was different,” she continued. “He thought that life was bad. He thought Max was bad,” she whispered. “Max stole money from a lot of people, but they were too scared of him to do anything about it. Then Ethan married me. I wore a Victorian style dress to match the house. Ethan said the house was all mine. I could do what I wanted with it and I did. I was like a little girl with a life size dollhouse.”
They were getting off track. Selene interrupted her: “Why were people afraid of Max?”
“Max has dirt on everyone. He uses the girls to gather information on the wealthy clients. Then, he blackmails them, or frames them, holds their companies or families hostage for ransom.”
Their families, Selene thought. It started to make sense. Max just wanted the money, or did he? Selene thought he would leave her and the baby alone, but what about Ethan. Was he just a hostage? The man that interrogated her, whom she assumed was Max, said he had business to work out with Ethan.