by Sally Mason
While the ambulance rolls through the night with roaring sirens, I answer basic questions about my age and medical health. As I list the names of all the medications I am on, fear crunches my chest. I was strong these last few days because of Hallie, but will I be able to continue on my own? What if the cops don’t find her, or worse, they find her broken body? I won’t be able to cope and there is a strong possibility that the urge to cut myself will once again take over my life.
A cold gust greets me when I arrive at the hospital. The storm is still not done with us, freezing rain hitting my face as they wheel me inside. The lobby is filled with cops who huddle around another patient. When I catch a glimpse at her, my heart skips three beats.
“Hallie!” I wipe my eyes, making sure she isn’t a hallucination.
She squeals. “Oh my god, Kelsey. They told me you were okay, but still . . .”
When our eyes interlock, a heavy burden lifts off my chest. I exhale, letting all my worries escape together with the air that is pushed through my nostrils.
The nurse stops my trolley right next to her wheelchair and my hand reaches over to touch her, ensuring she is real. “How did you get here?”
She points to a guy who is talking to a few cops with his back turned to us. “He’s the owner of the cabin and returned after you were gone. He had forgotten his phone at home, so we couldn’t call the cops, but he had a car out back and brought me here.”
When he turns around, my eyes narrow. “That’s Jackson, my brother’s cousin. What was he doing out by the lake?”
Hallie shrugs. “He said he had a fight with his parents and wanted to be alone. When the power cut off, he went out and was working on the generator in the shed, so he didn’t hear us when we broke in. You should have seen his face when he first saw me.” She giggles. “He thought I was a ghost.”
My gaze stays on him as the prickling sensation in my neck returns. All this is way too convenient. I will ask Larouge to check him out.
“Has Jed been arrested?”
Hallie’s question tears me away from my conspiracy theory. “No, he’s dead.”
She gasps. “How? Did you—”
My lips twist in pain when I imagine his grip on my throat and my fingers instinctively run over the sore spots on my neck. “My brother shot him as he was strangling me.”
Her gaze is intense. “Did he tell you Napoleon’s identity before he died?”
I hesitate before answering her. “No, he didn’t.”
We stare at each other, her eye twitching. I’m sure she’s thinking the same thing as I am—as long as Napoleon is still out there, we will never be free.
CHAPTER 25
“Kelsey, your friend is here!” my mom shouts from downstairs.
I poke my head around my bedroom door. “I’ll be right there, Mom.”
She mumbles something to Marcel and gets a pleasant “yes, ma’am” in return. I chuckle. My mom loves him and both Roy and I have neglected to tell her that he is a gangbanger.
As soon as my bullshit letter had been discovered by Luke, Finn got a rather unpleasant visit from my brother, who accused him of making me run away from home. After that, Marcel and Finn took charge of the rescue operation, and apparently, every criminal in Maine was looking for me on top of the police. For Mom, Marcel is my knight in shining armor.
I slump back into the chair and grin at Hallie’s face on the Skype chat. “Okay, I’m ready to go. I’ll see you in about an hour.”
Excitement glistens in her eyes. “I can’t wait.” Since our rescue a week ago, she has been tied to the house. Her ankle was broken and her sister insisted on her taking it easy. The storm knocked the power out in the entire state for two days and with New Year’s and the aftermath of our kidnapping, we only got to chat on Skype. I asked her a few times whether she has been cutting and she reassured me she wasn’t, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that she might be lying. I want to see her arms with my own eyes to make sure.
I logoff the computer and snap my fingers at Maisie, which only gets me a lazy yawn.
“Come on, girl,” I coo. “Time to get out of the house.”
Her tail wags hesitantly when her eyes wander to the window. It’s like she is debating whether she really wants to venture outside in the freezing cold.
I click my tongue. “Treaty.”
That gets her attention and she jumps off the bed, her tongue sticking out with a little drool as she looks up at me.
I roll my eyes. “You are the greediest dog in the entire state.” I grab the box with the little housetrain treats and offer her one, which she gulps down without one chew. At least she is alert now and trots behind me after I grab my coat and purse and head downstairs.
Marcel is chatting with my mom, his fingers clutched tightly around a coffee cup. The truth is he’s just listening—her words pelt down on him without mercy. When she is in the mood, she manages to talk up a storm without taking even one unnecessary breath or giving her dialogue partner a chance to reply. The topic they are discussing really has her going, her face twisted in a big frown. She’s probably telling him about the injustices that Luke is suffering.
He tosses me a desperate eye and I decide to rescue him. “We gotta go now, Mom. Hallie is waiting.”
She looks torn. If it was up to her, I wouldn’t be leaving the house anymore until I’m past my retirement age. “When will you be back?”
I plan to spend the entire day with Hallie. “Not till tonight.”
Marcel flings his arm around my shoulders. “I’ll take good care of her, Mrs. Franklin. No need to worry.”
That gets me off the hook and she grudgingly agrees to let me go without further hassle. Marcel brought the big SUV and slides behind the wheel. I hop into the passenger seat after luring Maisie into the back. He seems preoccupied, his eyebrows knotted together when he starts the car.
“Thanks again for playing chauffeur for the day. You don’t know how much I appreciate it.”
“Don’t mention it.” A beaming smile appears on his lips. “Like I told you on the phone, I had some business in Lewiston, and Stonehenge is just a couple of miles out of the way.”
“Yeah, but you have to make the extra trip tonight.”
“It’s really not a big deal. Driving relaxes me.” With his thumb, he switches on his navi. “Where to?”
I give him Hallie’s address and he enters it on the screen.
“What ’bout Finn?” he asks. “Is he coming, too?”
I purse my lips, though I anticipated his question. “Not today.”
He glances over his shoulder before pulling out of the parking bay. “Any particular reason?”
I don’t want to tell him that his friend is one of my Napoleon suspects. “I’ll tell you later.”
“Okey dokey.”
My thoughts drift to Finn and a dull ache spreads in my chest. For the thousandth time, I question why I’m even accusing him, but no matter how hard I try, Jed’s snide remark that he and Finn used to work on cars together always eats at me. My gut instinct insists that he was just trying to upset me, but my rational mind reminds me that I can’t exclude him. After all, why did Finn never mention that he knew Jed when we had talked about my abduction? His love for history is another strike against him.
Marcel breaks the silence when he merges with the traffic on the highway. “So your mom tells me that they charged your brother with murder.”
I cringe when I picture Luke in a cell at the county jail. “Yeah. My stepdad thinks it’s not going to stick when it gets to the grand jury, but I’m really worried.”
“It totally sucks. Have you spoken to him?”
“There’s a waiting period before friends and family can visit. I’m planning on seeing him tomorrow.”
The highway has been cleared from the snow and the car picks up speed when we head toward Portland. It’s one of those crisp winter days with a bright blue sky and frosty winds, but the warm sun shining through the window onto my face is very pleasa
nt. I almost doze off when he breaks the silence again.
“They will subpoena us to testify in front of the grand jury, and I’m telling you now that Tyrone will have a real problem with that. He doesn’t want me involved anymore.”
“But you still picked me up today.”
“Yeah, but that’s on my own time.”
We continue our journey in more silence, my eyes fixed on the trees rushing by. The car seems to be flying and I just hope we won’t hit a patch of ice. Marcel stares straight ahead, chewing on his lip, his mind lost in another world. I wonder what drug dealers like him think about.
When we pass the Gray exit, I take another stab at a conversation. “Can I ask you a question?”
He grumbles something which I take as a yes.
“Why didn’t you shoot Jed?”
“Your brother beat me to it, plus I probably wouldn’t have smoked him anyhow. Prison would’ve been so much worse for him.”
I don’t like his answer. Jed damn near killed me and the thought that Luke might have acted hastily doesn’t sit well with me. I nevertheless decide to probe further. “So you think there were other options?”
He doesn’t respond right away, his attention focused on a car he is passing.
“Jed didn’t have a weapon,” he finally says. “I was just going to pull him off you and beat the crap out of him.” His fingers brush over my arm when I tense. “Don’t get me wrong. I think Luke did what he thought he had to do. In those types of situations, the majority of folks act out of instinct, and I sure won’t complain. That bastard deserved it.”
I continue to stare out of the window, my mind drifting in all kinds of directions. I can see his point, but I’m still not willing to criticize my savior. Luke killed Jed for me and I will owe him for the rest of my life.
Hallie’s house is in a little side street close to downtown. A few elementary-school-aged children play in front of the gates when Marcel and I pull up. They eye him with suspicion as he gets out of the car before moving their game three doors down. Their small faces are twisted in anguish—they seem afraid of him.
Marcel pulls a packet of cigarettes from his pocket. “What time should I pick you up?”
I frown. That isn’t part of my plan. If Hallie and I want to successfully track down Napoleon, we need his help. “Aren’t you coming inside?”
He considers me with calm eyes. “I work for Tyrone and you really shouldn’t hang out with people like me.”
I twirl a strand of my hair around my finger. It’s time to fess up. “You’re the only one I trust at the moment, Marcel, and I really need your help. My other abductor is still out there and Hallie and I want to find him.”
“And y’all thought I could help you?” His eyes sparkle with amusement. “I’m a criminal, not a detective.”
“Well”—I give him my best puppy dog eyes—“technically, you’re a private investigator and you managed to track my cell phone. I’m sure you can give us some pointers.”
“It’s not gonna work. Business will pick up again and I already got a job.”
I pout. “Come on, Marcel, just for a few days. If it’s money you’re worried about, I’ll pay you.”
He laughs. “I doubt you can afford me.” He lights a cigarette and takes a deep drag, letting the smoke escape through his mouth and nose while studying me intently. “Sorry, kiddo, but you guys are on your own here.”
In that moment, the front door opens and a young woman steps outside, huddled into a warm winter coat. Her face looks just like an older version of Hallie. That must be her sister.
She walks over to us with a small smile, her eyes glued on the cigarette in Marcel’s hand.
“Are you Kelsey?”
“Yes. You must be Donna.”
“I am.” She tears her gaze off the cigarette. “It’s really nice to meet you. Hallie told me what you did for her and I can’t tell you how grateful I am. She’d probably be dead if it wasn’t for you.”
My cheeks burn; I don’t deserve her gratitude. If it wasn’t for me, Hallie would likely not even have been abducted. “We helped each other. I’m just glad we got out.” I nudge Marcel’s shoulder. “And he deserves all the credit since he was the one tracking us down.”
Donna gives him a good once-over before her focus returns to me. “Well, Hallie’s waiting for you. I have to quickly run to the store to get some milk.” Her eyes wander back to Marcel. “And smoking is not allowed inside the house.”
He flicks his cigarette away. “Don’t worry, I’m not going in.”
“Okay then.” There is relief on Donna’s face.
The awkward silence that follows is interrupted by Maisie’s howl from the car. She probably feels neglected or has to use the bathroom. As soon as Marcel opens the back, she dashes out, shaking herself before jumping up on my legs, her tail wagging at a hundred miles per hour.
Donna crouches down and rubs her behind her ears. “And you must be Maisie.” Her words are soft and Maisie eagerly licks her hand. “Yeah, you’re a good girl.”
Marcel clears his throat. “You wanna ride to the store? The sidewalks are still really slippery.”
She regards him through narrow eyes, but when a cold gust of wind hits her and almost knocks her over, she gives in. “Sure, I’d appreciate that.”
With his best gentleman manners, he opens the passenger door for her. “Here we go.” He gives me a wide grin, motioning with his head toward the house. “Get inside and out of the cold, girl, before you get sick.”
I quirk an eyebrow. What’s his game all of a sudden? “Sure thing. Pick me up at five.” That will give Hallie and me enough time to make a suspect list and maybe I can change his mind about helping us when we drive back to Stonehenge.
Hallie’s house is small but cozy, her room not much larger than our family bathroom. Movie posters are pinned to the wall—Hunger Games, Divergent, The Maze Runner. She must really like dystopian. Other than her single bed, there is only a small desk and a chair, which becomes my home for the next few hours.
Hallie is stretched out on the bed with her laptop, her cast elevated and Maisie curled up next to her. She is one content puppy; it only took a good poop and half the treat box to bribe her inside the house. Two large glasses of soda are on the nightstand next to a bag of gummy bears.
“Before we start, show me your arms?”
Without hesitation, she pushes up the sleeves of her sweater. Other than some fading scars, there is no sign of cutting.
“Now you.”
It’s an amazing feeling that I can show her my arms without any fresh cuts. Our eyes interlock; we’re both on the right track.
With that out of the way, we are ready to start with our suspect list.
“Okay, who do we got?” Hallie asks after opening a new document.
I lean back in the chair. “So there’s Drake, since the police always suspected him, and he’s at least worth checking out. Justin is a definite—and Finn.” The last name barely rolls off my lips. “I know you think Jackson is a real straight-up guy, but it’s odd that he was at the lake the day after Christmas.”
I remember the few Franklin family get-togethers I attended with Roy and Luke. That family takes clingy to a new level. “Luke’s family is close knit and I just can’t see Jackson leaving, even if he had a fight with his parents.”
She pecks away at the keyboard. “What about Jed’s family? I read that family members often conspire in crimes like kidnapping.”
I didn’t think of that. “As far as I know, the only one left is his sister who lives out of state. His parents are dead.”
“Okay, so that’s a cold trail. Who else?”
I chew the inside of my cheek, afraid to tear open fresh wounds, but our mission is too important. “I know it’s hard, but do you remember anything about Napoleon when he was with you?”
She nods eagerly. “Yeah, I already told the police. He smelled like Irish Spring. I only noticed it because it was my dad’s favor
ite and he used it all the time.” Tears rise and she quickly wipes her eyes. “He reminded me of my dad, which made it worse.”
I cannot hold her gaze, the horror of her words settling in. It will make it even harder to forget. “Come to think of it, Roy uses Irish Spring shower gel.”
She squints at me, the tears forgotten. “Your stepdad?”
“Yeah.” I never thought of Napoleon as an older guy, but I sure wouldn’t bet my life on it. “I think we should consider every possibility.”
The front door opens and Donna’s laugh drifts upstairs. “You want another coffee?” she asks.
“Sure thing.” A nervous chuckle follows Marcel’s words.
Their voices are muffled when they move their conversation into the kitchen.
Hallie stares at me. “What’s that all about? I thought you said she didn’t like him.”
“That was my first impression. Maybe she warmed up to him when he gave her a ride to the store.”
“I doubt it. She’s probably just trying to be polite. She hates drugs and gangs.”
Who doesn’t? For the first time, I realize that just a few months ago, I wouldn’t have given Marcel the time of day. If I hadn’t seen this different side of him, when he helped me without hesitation, he would just be a lowlife criminal to me.
A few hours later, we have located Drake’s whereabouts through the Internet and decide to focus on him and Justin first. The topic of how to best approach them, and even more so, how we’re going to exclude them, is ignored for now. Ultimately, the only way to be positive is for them to drop their pants—something I don’t even want to imagine—so I’m relieved when any further decisions are postponed to another day. Hallie looks exhausted and I feel a slight headache coming on. With nightfall approaching, I should be getting home or my mom will freak out.
Trampling steps echo through the house when someone runs up the stairs. Marcel pokes his head into the room.
“Ready to go?”
I stretch my stiff limbs. “Yep. Just finishing up.”
Without an invitation, he steps inside, closing the door behind him. “And what have y’all been up to?”