Whispering Souls

by Jackie M. Smith

  His chest tightened with the thought of losing Julia. He needed her like the air filling his lungs. He could no longer imagine his life without her in it. How could he get her back? He had no idea where to start looking for her.

  When he stopped his car in front of his house, he inhaled a deep breath. Stepping outside, he glanced around the yard. Part of him hoped Julia had returned to him. After a long moment, his hope vanished. A chill passed through him.

  Once inside his home, he removed his boots and coat. With a heavy step, he walked through the house he had built a lifetime ago. For the first time, it felt empty and lonely. A chill ran through him. No amount of logs burning in the hearth could warm him. Only his darling could ever bring him comfort again.

  As he sat on the sofa, he noticed something beige peeking from between the cushions. Curious, he pulled it out. Julia’s scarf. Unshed tears stung his eyes. He pressed the soft knit to his nose. Rosewater. Memories of Julia washed over him.

  “Where are you, sweetheart?” he whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek.

  Knock. Knock. Knock.

  He stood and went to open the door.

  “Your message sounded urgent. Any news about my sister?” Colin walked past him.

  “Nothing yet. How about you?” Ragnvald closed the door.

  Colin shook his head.

  “I think Nigel did take her,” Ragnvald said.

  For a moment, Colin remained silent. “I think you’re right. It’s the only reasonable explanation as to why Julia hasn’t contacted us in days. It’s unlike her.”

  “Exactly.”

  Colin sat in the chair beside the hearth and rubbed his hands over his face. Ragnvald felt the man’s anguish. Both wanted to do everything in their power to find Julia. And he was grateful for Colin’s help.

  “Care for some coffee?”

  Colin nodded.

  While Ragnvald prepared the water and put some coffee grounds in the percolator, he glanced at Julia’s brother. His face held worry and anger. They needed to find Julia soon. Her brother missed her, and so did he. By Odin, he missed her. His arms ached to hold her. Sleep evaded him. Hunger escaped him. He felt empty without her. He needed to find her before Nigel caused her more harm.

  “Thank you,” Colin said, taking the steaming cup of coffee from his hand. “When you called I was at the police station filing a missing person report. But I think we should look for her ourselves. I’ll send Fiona and the children back to London. I’ll stay here and help with the search.”

  Ragnvald sat on the sofa and took a sip out of his own cup. “Do you have any idea where Nigel might have taken Julia?”

  Colin regarded him and shook his head. “This is crazy. I can’t believe he would resort to something illegal like kidnapping my sister. But my gut, too, tells me she’s in danger.”

  “If that man has Julia, I will make him pay for hurting her.” Ragnvald balled his fist. He hoped he was wrong. “Are you certain that you can’t think of any place where he might have taken her?”

  Colin shook his head. “I’m sorry. I can’t think of one single place around here. There is our ancestral home in Scotland. But Nigel doesn’t know about it, and I can’t imagine he would’ve taken my sister that far.”

  Ragnvald stood. “We will find her.” He laid a hand on Colin’s shoulder.

  “Hold on a minute. It’s a long shot, but I think I might know where Nigel could be hiding her.” Colin’s eyes filled with hope. “He’s visited the area several times and he always rents the same cabin.” Then the hope disappeared from his eyes. “Unfortunately, I don’t know where it is. I just know it’s in a nearby town.”

  “No worries. We will find her.”

  * * * *

  The morning sun pierced through the window. Julia sipped her cup of tea and forgot her surroundings for a moment. Her thoughts and prayers went to another place. She closed her eyes, fighting the stinging tears. She couldn’t let Nigel see her weakness.

  Days had passed since her ex-fiancé had drugged her and taken her away from her family and Ragnvald. Was anyone searching for her? Did Ragnvald know she was missing? Julia took a deep breath and prayed Nigel would let her return home soon. But part of her knew he wouldn’t give her up without a fight.

  “Why am I here, Nigel? What do you want from me?” she dared ask from where she sat, keeping her voice calm.

  Nigel regarded her with anger in his eyes and didn’t answer. It scared her, and she froze. He put on his coat and walked outside. Julia let out a groan of frustration. She got up and ran to the door. When she found it locked, she punched the door.

  “Damn you, Nigel! Damn you!”

  Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sank to the floor. Julia buried her face in her palms and let out every tear she’d held back for days. What if no one found her? Julia stood and turned the doorknob, hoping it would somehow open. She pulled on the door, but her efforts proved worthless. She punched the door once more.

  “Let me out, Nigel,” she yelled.

  Desperation filled her. Searching for any hard object to use as a weapon, Julia found a hammer in a wooden box. Satisfied, she sat beside the door and waited for Nigel’s return. Her heart raced in her chest. Had she finally found a way to escape her captor? For the first time in a while, hope had returned.

  Footsteps crushing in the snow told her someone approached. She stood and held her breath. Her fingers tightened around the hammer’s handle. She was ready. You can do this.

  When the door opened, she waited for Nigel to cross the doorway. But he didn’t enter. Where had he gone? With great care, she took a step outside, holding the hammer tight in her shaky hands. She glanced to the left and then the right but didn’t see Nigel. Her gut told her not to go any further. But she took another step, pushing her luck. Before she realized what was happening, strong arms hauled her up. A large hand stifled her cries. No! She writhed and tried to pull away, but Nigel was too strong.

  “Stupid girl.” Nigel grabbed the hammer from her hand and whispered against her ear. “You weren’t very good at planning your attack. I saw you through the window. Where did you think you’d go?”

  His voice felt like needles. She closed her eyes and willed more strength into her body. But Nigel’s beat hers. Before she could stomp on his foot, he lifted her up and threw her onto the floor.

  “How dare you treat me like this!” Julia looked at him. “My father will have your head for this.”

  “Oh, your father will pay me.”

  Julia didn’t understand. She worried he would hurt her family. “What do you mean?”

  “Since you won’t take me back, I sent word to your father,” Nigel replied, sitting on a stool beside the door.

  “What have you told him?” she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed, no longer feeling her legs.

  “You are worth a great sum of money, and it shall be my compensation for the emotional damages incurred to me.” He rose. “And no one will stop me.”

  “My father will never pay you!”

  “Then you stay with me.”

  “Never!” She stood in defiance. “I belong to no man.”

  Nigel stood in front of her and grabbed her wrists. “You will be mine or pay the consequences.”

  His harsh tone sent fear through her. Instead of cowering, Julia raised her chin and straightened her shoulders. “Never! When my family and Ragnvald find you, dear Nigel, you will pay for kidnapping me.”

  “Ha! They would have to find you first.”

  What if they never find me? The scary thought crossed her mind and settled in her gut. She shook her head. Deep within her spirit, Julia conjured courage. She stared Nigel in the eyes, hoping to see a glimpse of humanity or regret. Instead, she found emptiness.

  “Let me go! You’re hurting me.” She wiggled her arms, but Nigel kept a tight grip on her wrists.

  “Not until you tell me you love me and want me back.”

  “Never! You’re a monster. Why do you think I w
ould take you back after all the terrible things you did to me?” Tears stung her eyes. “I know I’m not perfect, but I tried loving you, Nigel. But you treated me with such cruelty.” She swallowed hard against the bile rising in her throat. “Despite everything, I thought you were a good man deep down. You made a mistake, but...” Sadness filled her.

  Nigel’s eyes watered. His grip loosened until he let go and stepped back. Had she finally reached the man she once loved?

  * * * *

  “Dammit!” Colin said, entering the cabin. “There are no signs outside of my sister, or anyone, being here. The snow from last night covered any traces of a vehicle. Did you find anything in here?” he asked Ragnvald.

  He looked at Julia’s brother and blew out a breath of frustration. “I know they were here.”

  “How do you know?” Colin asked.

  Ragnvald held out Julia’s silver charm bracelet.

  “That’s my sister’s bracelet,” Colin said.

  Ragnvald nodded. He’d recognized it because of the Viking animal charms, like the wolf and the dragon. He held the cold piece of jewelry in his palm and squeezed his eyes shut. “Where are you, Julia?” he whispered. He’d been hopeful when they managed to track down the cabin Nigel had rented, but it had been a dead end.

  Colin laid a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll find her.”

  Ragnvald opened his eyes and reluctantly nodded. “Do you have any idea where else Nigel might have taken her?”

  Colin shook his head. “I don’t know about his personal life. The man never talked about much besides his luxurious lifestyle.”

  “We must find Julia before we never see her again.”

  “I agree.” Colin headed to the door. “I’m going to the police to let them know what we found.”

  “I’ll stay here and search for more clues,” Ragnvald said.

  Colin nodded. “I’ll meet you back at your house.”

  He watched Julia’s brother drive away. He didn’t want to speak with the police inspector. He already had their accusations weighing on him. And the last thing he wanted was for the police to add kidnapping charges, even though Ragnvald had nothing to do with that.

  He ran a hand through his hair and returned to the abandoned cabin. A hint of Julia’s perfume teased his nose. She had spent some time there. And they had left not too long ago. A day at the most. Fordømt! If only he had arrived sooner. Where had Nigel taken her next?

  He searched every corner of the one-room cabin for some clue. Bread crumbs and an empty cup of tea sat on the small table beside the window. He glided his fingers along the back of the chair, imagining Julia sitting there and staring out the window. Had she thought of him? Had she prayed for him to find her?

  His heart tore into pieces. Regret made his stomach tight. He was angry at himself for letting her go. The pain he’d seen in her eyes the last time they had been together pierced him. How could I have let her go so easily?

  Unshed tears stung his eyes. Hot bile rose up his throat. He hated himself for believing Nigel’s lies and especially for not trusting the only person since Arnora who ever cared for him. He prayed it wasn’t too late for him and Julia.

  Feeling weak in the knees, he sat in the chair and held out Julia’s bracelet. The silver chain link held four silver charms: a wolf head, a dragon head, a Viking sword, and two hearts intertwined. With her bracelet, Julia told him a story about her. He wanted to know more.

  He loved her.

  Was Julia the one he had searched for all his life? Had his beloved’s soul finally found his? He knew it was possible. The village seer had told him one day he would reunite with his true love. He hadn’t believed her at the time. But now, he wondered if it was true. If he had finally found his beloved’s soul within Julia. It would explain their immediate and unexplainable attraction. Until now he couldn’t explain his feeling of ease with Julia. And it was beyond physical. His heart and soul cried out for her. He closed his eyes and calmed himself. Taking a deep breath and another, he relaxed as much as possible.

  “Ragnvald. Come find me.”

  “Julia!” He stood up, swearing he’d heard his beloved’s voice. Was he dreaming? He opened the cabin door and rushed outside. He saw no one. Fordømt! How could he have heard Julia so clearly? His mind played tricks on him, and he didn’t like it one bit.

  He cursed in the wind. “I will find you, my love. I swear on my life, I will find you.”

  * * * *

  A breath stuck in Julia’s throat. She opened her eyes and realized she had fallen asleep. After a moment of confusion, she realized they were on an airplane. She stared out the window and wondered where they were headed. England, she guessed by the airplane monitors and the British newspaper a nearby passenger was reading. Soon she would find out for sure.

  How did Nigel get her on the plane? She couldn’t recall anything. Had he drugged her again? Nigel must have done some fast talking to get an unconscious woman on an airplane without raising suspicion. She imagined he told the flight attendants there was a medical reason for her condition.

  Anger boiled within her gut. She glanced at Nigel. Her fists itched to punch him. How could she escape him? Would any passengers help her? Damn Nigel for kidnapping her and for threatening her family! She couldn’t ask for any help no matter how much she wanted to scream for it, because her family’s lives depended on her silence.

  Julia closed her eyes again and rested her aching head. She prayed Colin had found the cabin where she’d been held captive and had found the bracelet. Did Ragnvald care enough to look for her too? Was it too late? What if no one found her? Her head hurt too much to think about that.

  Julia opened her eyes.

  “Hello, darling. Have a nice nap?”

  Nigel smiled at her. His grin unsettled her. He returned his attention to his newspaper. She sat up in her seat and waved at the passing flight attendant.

  “What are you doing?” Nigel grabbed her wrist.

  She pulled her arm away. “I’m thirsty.”

  He squeezed her hand. “Next time, ask me first,” he murmured through gritted teeth.

  Julia saw the anger in his eyes. He frightened her. How can I get away from him? She willed her brain to conjure a plan once they landed. “Let go of my arm,” she demanded.

  Nigel did so when the flight attendant stopped beside them. “Do you need anything, miss?”

  “Yes, please. Some water.”

  “Of course.” The flight attendant smiled at her.

  Julia hoped the friendly woman saw her distress, but she wasn’t sure.

  When the woman returned with a water bottle, she asked, “Anything else you need?”

  “No, thank you,” Nigel replied in the most charming manner. “You’ve been very helpful.”

  “My pleasure,” the flight attendant said before walking away.

  Christ! What to do now? Julia had no idea, but she prayed for help or at least a plan. There had to be a way to escape Nigel. But how?

  “We will arrive at London’s Heathrow Airport in approximately ten minutes. The sky is clear with a comfortable fifteen degrees Celsius. We hope you enjoyed your flight with us today,” the captain announced over the intercom.

  Julia’s heart pounded hard. Part of her hoped Nigel would take her to her parents. She missed them with all her heart. But she knew deep down that Nigel had other plans for her. As the plane started its descent, Julia’s heart thumped faster. She closed her eyes. She needed an escape plan and fast! She could get to the police before Nigel had a chance to hurt her family.

  Within minutes, the airplane touched ground with a skip on the runway and then another and another. Finally, they taxied toward the airport. Julia stared out the window as the passengers slowly emptied overhead compartments and stepped out of the cabin.

  When the last passenger had left, Nigel turned to her and whispered, “Now, darling, you listen to me. You are to stay close to me, and don’t you dare think of escaping.”

  “Or w
hat?” she dared ask him.

  “You will never see your family or your precious Viking again.”

  She swallowed hard against the rage boiling inside her stomach. She didn’t like threats, especially against the man she loved or her family. As she listened to him, Julia knew exactly what to do. In silence, she followed Nigel out of the airplane. She kept her head down as she passed the flight attendant.

  “Take care,” the woman said.

  Nigel grabbed Julia’s arm as they walked toward the airport. “Don’t try escaping.”

  “I wouldn’t dare.”

  When they entered the busy luggage pickup area, Julia yanked away from Nigel’s tight grip and ran. As she pushed through the crowd, Julia made her way toward the exit. She didn’t look back until she reached the front entrance and jumped into a waiting cab.

  “St. James Park, please. Hurry!”

  The driver nodded and pulled away. As they drove through the busy streets, Julia prayed her parents hadn’t left for their trip to Denmark. Her heart pounded in her chest as they approached her family home. The Victorian era house stood with grace in the afternoon sun. She smiled as happy memories rushed forward.

  “Here we are,” the cabbie announced.

  Julia looked at the house. “Could you please wait for me a moment? I’ll get you the money I owe you.”

  “Of course.”

  “Thank you.” Julia stepped out and opened the street gate. Then she climbed the steps to the house and turned the front doorknob, but it was locked. Christ! Recalling the fake stone in the backyard, Julia rushed behind the house. When she found the spare key, she unlocked the back door leading to the kitchen.

  “Mum! Dad! Are you here?” she called out as she walked inside.

  A hint of lavender reached her nose. She smiled as tears of joy filled her eyes at the thought of her parents.