“Thank you for telling me,” Penny said, her words slow but stutter free as she focused. “I actually didn’t remember all of that.”
“Give it time,” he said quickly. “It is up and down when they are playing with your mind.”
“I do remember that and I don’t like it.”
“I do not either but maybe we both just need to have a little more patience. We are together so when you have a bad day, I can make sure you feel safe.”
“You do help me even if I don’t act like myself. Thank you, Ivan.” Jack felt her lean her head against his shoulder and he gave her head a kiss.
“Maybe we should try to sleep. Tomorrow is day seven and hopefully William will be back.”
Chapter 17
Millie poured two mugs of coffee and dowsed them both with chocolate syrup and milk. It was a beautiful June day and the last quiet day she and Danny would have for a couple months. It was the last day of school and Danny would be rolling back in after dropping the kids off. Millie then poured a glass of milk and squeezed a hefty dose of chocolate syrup in it. After stirring it up, she stuck a straw in the glass and put it up to Little Sofie’s lips. Millie smiled as Little Sofie began to drink the milk.
“Good stuff, no?” she asked but received no response from Little Sofie. That was okay; the fact she started drinking on her own was good. The last two weeks had been scary as Little Sofie refused to eat even when the food was held to her mouth. She spent three days in the hospital receiving additional nutrition until she started eating again. Dr. Shelly finally diagnosed her with a stomach bug. Although she never threw up, Little Sofie dealt with the bug in her own way by not eating. Millie was just happy her little doppelganger was feeling better.
She sat down at the table with Little Sofie and opened Danny’s computer. For the last six weeks, they had documented Crystal and her lack of parenting. They even added stuff from when Jack and Penny were still around. The meeting with Barry had gone well. Millie was honest with him about her drug and alcohol use but he felt that although it would probably come up in court, her behavior since completing treatment was what spoke louder, especially when compared to Crystal and her seemingly lack of caring.
They weren’t ready yet to go to court. Since the big blowout with Natalya, things had been rather calm. The only time she showed up was when she needed to trot the kids out for an interview or photo shoot and then she came across as the loving mother in the face of a crisis. Once the photographer or interviewer left, so did Crystal. Barry was having them wait until Crystal blew up again and then the plan was to ask for a temporary restraining order and an emergency custody hearing. The lawyer felt until there was another serious incident, they really couldn’t do anything. Millie and Danny were willing to wait.
The garage door opened and Danny entered.
“I’m kind of bummed about it being the last day,” he said and picked up Little Sofie. “How are you, peanut?” he asked with a smile and nose boop. There was no reaction, of course, but her condition didn’t stop them from showing love.
“She drank nearly all this chocolate milk on her own,” Millie said.
“Wonderful, Little Sofie!” Danny exclaimed and lightly raspberried her cheek. He grabbed his mug of coffee and sat down. “What are you doing?”
“Just adding that the kids had invited Crystal to breakfast this morning to celebrate the last day of school and she didn’t show,” Millie explained. “Then I thought we could run to the store and get stuff for dinner tonight.”
“What did the kids decide on as their celebratory dinner?”
“Homemade pizzas,” she answered. “They want to make their own. I thought it would…” Millie stopped when she saw movement in the backyard. Sitting up she looked closer.
“What is it?” Danny asked, turning around.
“Fucking paparazzi again,” she said. Danny handed Little Sofie to Millie and went to the sliding door. He was about to slide the screen door open but she tried to stop him. “Danny don’t. Agent Reynolds said to call the guys in the van and not to engage them.”
“I’m getting so sick and tired of those fuckers,” he growled and slid the glass door shut. He used his cell to call out to the van in front of the house. Millie stood and walked to the door. There were three paparazzi with cameras around their necks and they were hiding behind the security fence that surrounded the pool. Despite living in a gated community, the assholes were still finding their way into the neighborhood and their yard. Before the kidnapping, Jack rarely had any interaction with the paparazzi but since the kidnapping, the paparazzi were eating the story up. With the warmer weather, the paparazzi incidents were becoming more numerous. It was annoying during the day when the kids, except for Little Sofie, were in school but when it happened at night or on the weekend, it bothered everyone. Danny was having anger issues with it and he nearly caught one upside the head two weeks earlier when the tabloid photographer had the gall to walk right up to the back door during dinner.
“We’ve got paparazzi in the backyard again,” Millie heard Danny say as she went to Penny’s kitchen desk and pull off a business card from the bulletin board. Using her cell phone, she called the number on the card.
“Tom Cooper,” the gruff voice said.
“Mr. Cooper, this is Millie Petrova. We are ready to proceed with the perimeter fence.” She spent twenty minutes on the phone with the man Carlos and Tracy referred to them. Jack never wanted such a fence on the property but with the kids being home more starting the next day, Millie had to try to stop the paparazzi otherwise Danny might end up doing something he regretted.
By the time she was done, the two FBI agents from the van were holding the three paparazzi at bay. Millie knew the routine. They would hold them, guns drawn, until the local police arrived. Danny would make the report, the police would do the arresting, and off the trespassers would go to be booked. Danny would then shoot the breeze with the agents – they knew them all well by now – and Millie would pull out some cookies and start a pot of coffee. That day, however, as Millie started scooping coffee into the coffee maker, her cell phone rang. It was Agent McLey and her heart raced as it always did when one of the lead agents called her.
“Hello?” she asked quickly.
“Hi, Millie. We just got word from Fox News that they received a video. We’re on our way to show you.”
. . .
Millie sat nervously on the deck chair with Little Sofie in her lap. Matty sat in the chair next to her and held her hand. Agents McLey and Reynolds arrived forty minutes earlier and Danny went straight to the studio’s conference room with them. The first time the video was released, all the kids were home so Sasha could hold Little Sofie but the second video, in March, came on a school day. They didn’t dare play the video with Little Sofie around; they weren’t willing to see what effect that had on her even in her current mental state. Danny decided he would watch first and then would take over with Little Sofie so Millie had her turn. They chose that same routine this time even though Matty was there. Over the course of the last few weeks, Little Sofie silently began trusting Matty and he could hold her without her screaming. Today, however, Matty was going to go in to the video viewing with Millie. She needed his strength.
Nearly seven months had passed since the kidnapping. It seemed to Millie like it happened yesterday but at the same time longer than seven months ago. The passage of time was just one of the things she struggled with in the situation. Time was moving forward but sometimes it felt like they were perpetually spinning their wheels as they waited for a break in the investigation that would lead to Jack and Penny’s rescue. And Penny. They still did not know her status.
Millie looked at the time on her cell phone. Now forty-five minutes had ticked by since
Danny went with the agents. What was taking so long? Was it a good or bad sign that he had not come out of the studio yet? Millie took several slow breaths to try to calm herself which was hard as the memory of the last video was fresh in her mind. Jack had looked so awful, greasy and dirty and unshaven. He had a little hair which was better than seeing him without but his voice was dull and weak. It was so apparent whoever had Jack was not taking good care of him and this only heightened their fear he would not survive the ordeal.
Danny emerged from the studio and jogged across the yard. His face was hard to read and that bothered Millie.
“Well?” she asked as she handed off Little Sofie.
“There are developments,” he replied in an even voice but she could see something in his eyes – it was fear. “I won’t think any less of you if you chose not to watch the video.” That was the last thing he should have said and she ran at a dead sprint to the studio with Matty on her heels. Agents Reynolds and McLey were settled at the small conference room, each with a laptop.
“Hello, Millie, Matty,” they both said and Agent Reynolds gave up her chair for her.
“What’s gone wrong? Danny said there were developments,” she said, out of breath.
“Yes,” Agent Reynolds replied. “Please, sit.” Millie humored her and sat in the leather chair. Matty stood behind her with his hands lightly on her shoulders. “Just to warn you, there is some violence on the tape. It’s a little different than the other two videos.” Agent Reynolds brought up the video player on the laptop. As always, Millie’s heart skipped a beat when she saw her brother. The agent had not yet hit play so it was a still picture. Jack looked both better and worse to Millie. He was clean shaven and nearly bald. It was hard to see him without hair but he looked better without the greasy beard yet without the beard shielding his face, she saw how gaunt he was. Jack was pale and his cheeks hollow. There was no light in his eyes.
He was shown from the chest up. The wall he was up against was different from the brick wall of the first two videos; it was white with peeling paint. Millie wondered if Jack had been moved to a new location and this dampened her hope a bit. Agent McLey hit play, animating Jack. Right away, Millie knew Jack was sick. He was shaking severely, almost like he had the chills from a high fever. The camera zoomed back a bit and she saw he was holding his left arm which was bandaged in gauze. It looked swollen.
“What did they do to him?” she asked with much worry.
“We don’t know,” Agent Reynolds said. “We do believe he is sick.”
“My name is Jack Petrov…,” he began, just as he had in the other two videos. His voice was barely audible and he struggled to speak. The words were the same as in the previous videos until he got to the part where he was allowed to address his family. Here, he struggled the most. “I hope you are all well. Danny, happy birthday and Anya… Annie, you are seven now and my malen’ka…” Jack stumbled on his Russian and a small sob came from his lips. “My Sofochka, you will be five in a couple months and I pray every day we will celebrate together.” Jack had difficulty getting these last words out and his weak voice broke as his emotions consumed him. He covered his face with his good hand and cried. It broke Millie’s heart to see her brother so upset. Jack’s crying calmed down and he dropped his hand. A terrible shiver ran through him and he drooped sharply to the right. The slight moan that came out of him caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand up. Matty’s hands tightened on her shoulders.
“Wrap this up,” a distorted voice ordered. “Sit up.” Jack tried to but failed and fell completely over. “Help him.” A figure was pushed into view. The person, so thin and also nearly bald, fell down easily but scrambled closer to Jack. Millie was shocked when the person spoke.
“Sit up or they will hurt you.”
It was Penny.
Millie couldn’t believe the emaciated and pale figure was Penny but just like the first time they saw Jack on video, the voice was the confirmation. It was definitely her even though her beautiful long hair was gone. She seemed to have problems with her arms as she tried to pull Jack up and Millie saw her wrists and ankles were bound. She managed to get him about halfway when all of a sudden, his eyes rolled back into his head. He was too heavy for her and Penny fell backwards.
“Son of a bitch,” the distorted voice said and two figures entered the frame. Both were dressed all in black and wore ski masks. One grabbed Jack roughly.
“Please don’t hurt him,” Penny begged. “He’s sick. He’s trying as hard as he can.” Penny grabbed at the person dragging Jack away but the second figure backhanded her hard and she fell out of frame. The screen went to black and the distorted voice spoke.
“You have two hours to show the following video. Link to the website in the email and you will know what will happen should the video not be broadcast.” Jack came back on screen. His eyes were droopy.
“We think they drugged him,” Agent McLey said. Jack repeated what he said in the beginning of the video but left out any family message. Not surprising since it was just a chore for him to slur his words. Penny was not shown in this video.
“What website?” Millie asked. There was no inflection in her voice; she was a little stunned. Agent McLey turned his laptop toward her. On the screen, she saw Penny. Her bottom lip was split and there was dried blood on her chin. Around her neck was a noose; it was already pretty tight. A message scrolled across the bottom – Penny will hang if the video is not shown. There was a countdown in the upper left corner. There were only thirty-six minutes left. “Oh my God!” Millie screamed and covered her mouth. Tears instantly dropped from her eyes.
“It will be okay,” Agent Reynolds said. “Fox will show the video; they just wanted you and Danny to view it before they went to air.”
“Tell them to broadcast it right away,” Millie said quickly as she watched Penny. She looked so frightened and with reason.
“We have a problem,” said Agent McLey. He had his cell phone to his ear. “Agent Thomas has not been able to get in contact with Crystal.”
“Screw Crystal! Tell them to show the damn video now,” Millie demanded. Crystal had made it known from the first video that she should see it before anyone and the FBI was obligated to do that because she was Jack’s wife. What she didn’t know was at the same time she was seeing the video, Danny and Millie were seeing it also.
The countdown was at thirty-four minutes.
“Please.” Millie was now begging. “If there’s some sort of delay in getting the video on the air, we just can’t wait for her. I don’t want them to kill Penny!” Reynolds nodded and got on her cell phone.
“Broadcast it,” she said to whoever was on the other line. Millie turned the television on in the conference room, found the right channel, and waited nervously. She knew there’d be hell to pay from Crystal but she didn’t care. She didn’t want Crystal’s odd behavior to be the cause of Penny’s death.
Millie kept moving her gaze from the TV to McLey’s laptop. Penny looked terrified and was shaking. Then she started talking, begging, and Millie couldn’t help but start crying even more.
“Please show the video,” she begged in a voice that reminded Millie of one of the young ones. “Please.”
Two minutes later, the video rolled on Fox. The noose was yanked off from around Penny’s neck and she collapsed to the ground, sobbing like a child.
. . .
Agents Reynolds and McLey stayed until it was time for Danny to pick up the kids. Millie was numb from both shock and worry. Jack was sick, very sick and Penny… Penny looked terrible and there was something about her that just wasn’t right. They threatened to kill her; they had a noose around her neck. Millie had to force that awful image out of her mind. Look at the big picture, she reminded
herself. Jack, although very sick, was still alive and they now knew Penny was alive as well. For six months, they hadn’t known if she was dead or alive. Neither of them agreed with Crystal that Penny was involved in Jack’s abduction. She was a victim and now they had proof.
As with the previous two videos, the FBI technicians worked furiously to try to figure out where the emails were being sent from but so far, they had not been able to track anything. Even the website the kidnappers used to show the live feed of Penny was untraceable. They had the technological knowhow to mask any signal which just further frustrated the spinning case. Millie wondered if they could at least reply to the email and ask the kidnappers to get medical help for Jack but just as happened before, the email bounced back. There was no two-way communication with the kidnappers.
“Matty,” she said, weeping. “He looked so sick. What if they don’t get him medical attention? What if he dies before coming back to us?” Millie broke down into a heavy crying fit in Matty’s arms. It had been a while since the last time she cried over the situation and she had a lot built up. After many minutes, she calmed down but when Matty tried to remove his arms, she held onto him. “He’s got to come back to us.”
“And we have never stopped believing that, Mill,” Matty said in a quiet voice. “This is just a small hiccup in the terrible situation and think of it this way. Jack was kidnapped because of who he was. If the kidnappers are smart, they are not going to let him die.” Millie looked at Matty’s face for a long time.
“You have to promise me that, Matty,” she said. Matty sighed slightly.
“That’s an unfair promise, honey,” he replied. “I would love to promise you that but it is unfair to do so considering the circumstances.”
Aftermath (The Deceptions Trilogy Book 2) Page 20