Thrills: Vol.2

by Jason A. Joseph

  “Are you alright?” He grabbed a blanket that he saw folded on the counter next to the butcher table and threw it over her while he busied himself with unbuckling the restraints. She was free in less than a minute, and she wrapped the blanket around herself as tightly as she could. She sat up, shaking. Isabelle was in shock, but she was handling it quite well, Elliot thought. She broke out in heart wrenching sobs. Tears were falling down her face to form little pools on the blanket that covered her knees.

  Elliot took her in his arms and rocked her like she was a small child, frightened of a nightmare. He made soothing noises, and eventually she started to breathe normally again. Poor thing. She was more scared than hurt, but she would be alright, now. She put on a tough face. She didn’t want the other guys from the department to see her bawling.

  “I’m fine. I need a rape kit done, but I’ll be alright. Thank you.” She looked up into his eyes as she spoke, and his heart melted. He’d kept his vow. She was alive. But he still felt guilty for not being there sooner. The medics came over and ushered her into the ambulance so they could get her to the hospital.

  “Hey, Elliot. He’s dead. That was a good shot.” An officer shouted.

  A weight lifted off his shoulders. The case was solved, there was no way that the bastard could ever do anything like that again, and he was able to save Isabelle. Next week he would transfer to the FBI. He couldn’t wait to get away from Homicide, it always tore his heart out when a case came in. The thought of having to leave Isabelle behind didn’t feel right at all. If only he had gotten there sooner.

  THE END

  Looking at the beauty of the Rocky Mountains, she couldn’t believe that what had happened to her could ever happen in this majestic place. The peaks were still covered with a white cap of snow, even though the temperatures were warm enough to put the winter clothing away. Spring time had arrived, but spring didn’t hold the same meaning that it did in years past. Nothing would ever be the same again.

  Martha shuddered despite the warmth and turned back toward the crowded restaurant in which she worked. The small town had its charms, but she wished that every person who walked into that door didn’t know about the pain that she carried in her heart or why it was there. Not only did she lose her daughter, the entire community lost its trust in others.

  The memories that flooded her mind made her weak in the knees. She decided to sit down at an empty table in the corner and let her mind wander. If only she would have been there that day…

  One Year Earlier

  “But I don’t want to go to bed Mommy!” Ashlyn cried as she sat on the edge of the bed with her arms folded over her chest. “Why can’t I stay up and watch television with you! I won’t be tired tomorrow, I promise!”

  “Sometimes we have to do things that we don’t want to do. Now, go brush your teeth,” Martha stated from the doorway.

  “I already did!” She smiled charmingly up at Martha.

  “Are you telling me the truth? If I checked your toothbrush, would it still be wet?” Martha knew her daughter well enough to know that she hated brushing her teeth and wouldn’t do it without a reminder.

  Ashlyn slipped off the bed and stomped out of her bedroom around her mother. Her pink pajama pants dragged on the floor as she exited the room. She knew when she was defeated. “I don’t like brushing my teeth!”

  “But your front teeth won’t grow back unless the tooth fairy sees that you’re taking very good care of the ones you still have!” Martha shouted as the bathroom door shut. She didn’t know how much longer she could use the tooth fairy gig.

  The teeth were already starting to grow in, and she knew that there would have to be another way to make her daughter brush her teeth after they had come in. However, that trick would have to wait for now. She would use the one that still worked for the time being.

  A few minutes later, seven year old Ashlyn pouted as she crawled into bed. She wasn’t a disobedient child; she just didn’t want to feel like she was being treated like a baby. Ever since they had moved here, she had been the smallest in her class, and the other children had let her know it over and over again.

  “Do you want to tell me your secrets before you go to sleep?” Martha asked as she knelt by the side of the bed.

  It was a tradition they had had for years now that they would share their secrets before they went to sleep. Some families did bedtime stories, but Martha wanted to do something else that would make Ashlyn’s childhood more memorable.

  “I found a button on the playground today. I think that it belongs to Jenny’s blouse, but I like it, so I kept it!” she said in a loud whisper. “What about yours?”

  “I had a really mean customer today, so I smiled at him when I was serving him, but I was thinking mean things after I walked away,” Martha whispered back.

  “I’m glad you didn’t call him names. That’s not nice.” Ashlyn looked serious as she stated it. She looked up to her mother and would be shocked if she had called anyone names.

  “Calling names isn’t nice. That’s why I just thought about it. I did feel bad about thinking mean thoughts about him later, but at least he didn’t have to feel bad with me. If you know it’s Jenny’s button, maybe you should give it back. How would you feel if you lost something and no one returned it?” Martha asked.

  “I would be sad. I’ll give it to her tomorrow.” Ashlyn laid her head back against the pillows.

  Martha smiled at her. The simplicity of a child’s mind made the world a much happier place. If only adults could think like that.

  “Good. I love you!” Martha grinned.

  “I love you more!” Ashlyn smiled.

  “I love you to the moon and back and even further!” Martha tugged at the little girl’s braid. Moments like these made everything she had to endure worth it.

  “I still love you more!” Ashlyn kissed her mother on the cheek.

  As Martha turned the lights out that night, she felt blessed to have the new beginning that she had made for her, her sister and daughter. Everything seemed to be looking up for them.

  ***The Man***

  In the last couple of months, he had been watching the new family in town. They didn’t seem to be making any friends, and the little girl was bullied frequently by her schoolmates. This family had no ties in the community, which made her his perfect target. She needed a good friend, and he wanted to make a collection of friends.

  He had made a habit of watching her house, her school, and even the afternoon outings her and her mother occasionally took. He told himself that he had to wait for just the right moment to make his move. It would be dangerous any other way.

  This was the first time he would attempt anything like this. He had dreamed about doing it for years, but something had always scared him into not doing anything.

  However, the feelings were becoming so intense that he needed to do something to relieve them. He had fantasized about abducting small children for years.

  Now was his time…

  ***

  The morning rush at the Anderson house was normal. Between trying to wake up her teenaged sister and get her young daughter dressed for school, she always felt like she was running slightly late for everything. As she yelled at Sarah to get up before she missed the bus and convinced Ashlyn that the pink tennis shoes did match her shirt, the morning news blared in the background. It was the same noise as it was every day. The weather, sports, and the unrest overseas. It was just a good source of noise to keep her awake as she started her day.

  Martha got Sarah out the door just in time. She sighed with relief because she hated being late to work when she had to drive Sarah to school. Sarah begged her for a car repeatedly, but Martha had to keep reminding her that they didn’t have the money to buy a car at that time. It always upset Sarah because all of her friends had cars.

  She poured herself one last cup of coffee and downed the cooling liquid as quickly as possible. The coffee would have to get her moving a little bit. She rushed
back to her room to grab a jacket. Even though it was spring, the mornings and evenings were still chilly.

  “Ashlyn, we need to leave now! Please finish your cereal and put on a jacket!” Martha shouted down the hallway from her bedroom. As she passed Ashlyn’s door, she realized what a mess her daughter had left her room in, but she didn’t have the time to straighten it up if she expected to make it to work on time.

  Ashlyn pouted in the back seat as Martha drove her the few blocks to school. She hated going to school. Martha knew that she was having some problems with a boy in her class, but she hadn’t had time to talk to her teacher yet. She reminded herself once again to get a hold of Mrs. Miller and schedule a conference.

  “Have good day at school, Sweetie! I’ll be here to pick you up after!” Martha shouted as Ashlyn rushed away from the car. She knew Ashlyn was having a hard time making friends. If only they could find her someone her own age she could spend some time with.

  Pulling away from the curb, she made her way to the restaurant where she worked as a waitress. The tips were pretty good, and it made it easier to support the girls while

  they went to school.

  The beautiful spring morning brightened her mood significantly. Just a few days ago, she had heard from a friend down in Arizona that Derek was looking for her again. He wanted to take Ashlyn away, and she would do anything to stop it. In a few days, she would mail him another letter letting him know that they were okay.

  The restaurant was quiet as she entered the front door. The breakfast crowd was heading out, and it was still a little early for the lunch hour. She put her purse and jacket by the office and donned the apron she was supposed to wear. Before she could punch the time clock, the manager was walking towards her. She knew what the question was going to be before he even asked it.

  “Hey, Martha, Amber called in today. Is there any chance that you can pull a double and close?” he asked. He knew that Martha was always a reliable employee and that she would do almost anything for him.

  “I’m supposed to pick up my daughter at school, but I can see if my sister can do it. Just let me give her a call and leave her a message,” Martha said.

  “Thank you so much, Martha. I don’t know what I would do without you. I’m so glad you moved here,” he said as he patted her on the shoulder and headed back towards the kitchen.

  She felt a little guilty about not being able to spend the afternoon with Ashlyn, but she knew that there would be plenty of other afternoons that they could spend together.

  After leaving a message for Sarah to pick up Ashlyn, she began her normal shift. She tried not to think about the fact that she would be working almost twelve hours. It was going to be a long day, but the smile on her daughter’s face made it all worth it.

  It was a bright and warm early spring afternoon. A brown-headed little girl pouted at the corner of the Wellington Elementary School. She wanted to go home because Bobby McGill was watching her from the other corner of the playground.

  He was the class bully and had made her first three months in Colorado a nightmare. She was small for her age, so he constantly taunted her for being a baby. Ashlyn knew that she wasn’t a baby. She was stronger than any old bully!

  “My mom still isn’t here! Mrs. Miller, I’m old enough to walk home! My Aunt Sarah is there, and it’s only a few blocks!” Ashlyn cried as she realized that she was the only student left waiting with her first grade teacher. If Bobby noticed that she was being watched like a baby, she would never hear the end of it.

  “Ashlyn, let’s give your mother a few more minutes. Maybe she had something to do at work and is running late. If she doesn’t come in five minutes, I will walk you home,” Mrs. Miller told the fidgety little girl at her side.

  “I’m a big girl! I don’t want Bobby to see me being walked home by my TEACHER!” Ashlyn was shocked at such a suggestion.

  “I just want to make sure that you’re safe, Ashlyn. That’s part of my job. Your mom also told me that she didn’t want you to be left by yourself. I have to do what she told me to,” Mrs. Miller calmly explained to her. Sometimes, children that age didn’t understand that bad things happened in the world.

  “I’m sorry. I just want to be a big girl.” Ashlyn remained silent as she continued to watch Bobby across the playground.

  Mrs. Miller continued to watch the young girl. She knew that Ashlyn was having trouble fitting in at her new school. Bobby, the class bully, made it difficult for her to feel like she belonged. However, she wouldn’t let a young child walk home by herself, no matter how badly she feared the bullies in school. It was a small town, but there were a lot of travelers who passed through, and she knew that children were all too trusting.

  Ashlyn continued to pout by the corner of the building. Her long brown hair hung in limp braids, and the jacket that she had worn that morning lay on the ground at her feet. She knew her mother would scold her for being so careless with her things, but she could only think about getting past the wrath of Bobby. He had made her cry multiple times that week already, and she didn’t want him to taunt her for being a baby.

  Another teacher walked up and she and Mrs. Miller began a conversation. Hearing tidbits of their conversation about teaching the children to read, Ashlyn became even more uncomfortable. Now she had TWO teachers with her!

  After a minute or so, Ashlyn realized that her teacher was distracted, so she tugged on her sleeve and pointed. It would be a good chance to trick her and get to walk home and look like a big girl.

  “Look, there’s my mom! I’m going to run over and meet her!” Ashlyn quickly picked up her belongings off the ground and ran around the corner of the school. Mrs. Miller saw the car and waved a friendly goodbye. She trusted that Ashlyn was being truthful about seeing her mother. She and the other teacher returned to the school building.

  Ashlyn was pleased that she had gotten away from her teacher. She would look more grown up now because she was going to walk home all by herself. Bobby wouldn’t have any reason to taunt her for being a baby again. Smiling to herself, she yanked the straps of her backpack over her shoulders and began to cross the street.

  She didn’t pay much attention to the car that she had said was her mother’s. It was just an excuse to get away from the ever-watchful eye of her teacher. As she walked past the car, the window slipped open, and a familiar voice called out to her. She was momentarily frightened, but looked over to see who was talking to her. “Hey, Ashlyn! How are you?” he asked.

  She politely answered his question and turned to continue her walk home.

  “Hey, Sweetie. I’m here to take you home. Your mom asked if I could pick you up. I saw her at the restaurant today and she said she was really busy. She’s a friend of mine. Get on in,” he said. After he explained a little more about why he was there, Ashlyn flashed her toothless grin at the driver and slipped into the car. He seemed safe enough. Besides, she didn’t want to disobey her mother.

  No one saw her enter or leave that car. As it pulled away from the curb, life in that small town took a dramatic change for the worst. The quiet trust of the town would be forever shattered by what would happen. Ashlyn never made it home from school that night.

  ***The Man***

  He watched as Ashlyn walked away from the school. It didn’t seem like there were other people around, and she was headed straight for his car. He knew that this was going to be his chance to make this happen. Suddenly, he felt giddy with excitement. He had waited for the perfect moment to arrive for a few weeks, and here it was being handed to him on a silver platter. As she walked past the passenger’s side of the car, he rolled down the window.

  “Hey, Ashlyn! How are you?” he asked. He waited for her to turn and recognize him. It only took a brief moment for her to realize who he was.

  She flashed him her toothless smile. “I’m good! I’m just walking home from school! My mom wants me to be a big girl, so I thought that I would try. Maybe she will let me walk home more after this!”
/>   “Hey, Sweetie. I’m here to take you home. Your mom asked if I could pick you up. I saw her at the restaurant today and she said she was really busy. She’s a friend of mine. Get on in,” he said as he motioned her towards the passenger’s seat.

  “I don’t live very far. And I only met you once. Are you sure it’s okay?” She looked a little hesitant, but she knew that he was in a position of trust in the community and that he wouldn’t hurt her. Besides, he said that her mother had asked him to pick her up and he told her that she was at the restaurant. He knew her.

  “Yes, sweetie. Get in.” He again motioned her to get into the car.

  All doubt seemed to melt away from Ashlyn as she opened the door and slipped inside. As he drove away from the curb, she looked around to make sure that Bobby wasn’t watching her.

  The warmth flowed through the car as they pulled onto the highway headed out of town. He rolled down his window and flipped on the radio. This was going to be the best ride of his life.

  “I thought that you were going to take me home?” she asked.

  “I have a little surprise for you. I hear your birthday is coming in a few weeks and I wanted to show you a special place.” He smiled at her as she looked at him with concern.

  “Are you sure that it’s okay with my mom? She told me that she was going to pick me up this afternoon. Usually she sends me a message if anyone else is supposed to pick me up.” Doubt seemed to fill her mind again. He didn’t know the way that she communicated with her family. So far, he was able to make himself sound believable. She was asking way too many questions.

  He decided to ask her some questions to get her mind off the fact that her mother hadn‘t told her to go with him, and she was very willing to answer. She smiled at him as he asked about her mom and aunt. He seemed to know her family well, and that put her at ease. He must be a friend if he knew so much about her.