Girl in Trouble (An Alex Mercer Thriller Book 1)

by Stacy Claflin

  "Have a seat."

  Ariana sat in the one she had at breakfast. Lloyd dished them both food and poured her some milk. She ate so quickly, she could barely taste the food and she burned the roof of her mouth, but she didn't care. There was no telling when she would eat next and she was already so hungry.

  She ate two full plates of food.

  "Sorry about skipping lunch." Lloyd frowned. "Something came up, but I'll make sure that doesn't happen tomorrow." The look on his face seemed like he really was sorry.

  "It's okay." Ariana hoped that was what Jan would've said. That's what Ari would have said to a loved one who felt bad about something.

  He studied her. "You're upset about what I told you, aren't you? About Mom and Dad."

  Ariana nodded. Jan would have been, and also she herself was really upset over not being able to see her own parents.

  His expression darkened. "I shouldn't have said anything. Stupid!" He pounded his fist on the table.

  "You're not stupid."

  Lloyd smiled. "Thanks, Jan. I can always count on you to cheer me up. Can I make it up to you?"

  Her breath caught. This was her chance to ask about going outside. Ari's heart felt like it would explode out of her chest. "Can we play in the backyard?"

  Fenced

  Lloyd stared at Ariana, unblinking and with his eyebrow twitching.

  Maybe it had been too soon to ask about going outside.

  She tried to think of something to say to make everything better. What would he want to hear?

  "Well, we still have your favorite coat," he said. "I don't see how going out back for just a little bit will hurt anything. You're probably itching to run around, aren't you?"

  Ariana's eyes lit up. "Yeah. I'm getting sore."

  "That's my fault, too. We can't have you wasting away. Put the dishes away, and I'll find your jacket."

  She jumped out of her seat and carried her plate to the sink. When she turned around, Lloyd had left the room. Her pulse drummed in her ears. As tempting as it was to run, she didn't know the setup of the rest of the house. It was too big of a risk. He'd agreed to take her outside, anyway. She only needed to wait a few more minutes.

  There had to be a way out in the backyard. A loose fence board or maybe some way to get underneath. He hadn't been planning to take her out there, so maybe he didn't have it sealed tight.

  Her mind raced as she put everything away. This nightmare could be close to over. Even if the yard was sealed as well as everything else, she could find a way to start digging a little at a time.

  Noises sounded in the hallway, just outside of the kitchen. It sounded like things bumping into each other. Finally, Lloyd appeared, holding up an ugly brown and white striped jacket. At least it looked warm, and with the colors, it might help her hide as she searched for a way out.

  "Remember this one?" he asked.

  Jan probably did. Ariana nodded. "I can't believe you saved it."

  He beamed. "Try it on. See if it still fits."

  She set the bowl in her hands onto the counter, walked over, and slid into it. It was slightly snug, but would be fine. She sneezed.

  "Sorry, it's been in the closet so long."

  "It's okay. Can we go outside now?"

  "Yeah. I'll finish the dishes later. Still love hide and seek?"

  "Perfect." Things were really starting to go her way.

  "Let's go out the back way." He opened a little door next to the kitchen that Ariana had thought went into a cabinet, instead it was a little staircase. Lloyd took her hand and led her down the tight, winding staircase. "The house has undergone some remodeling over the years, but this was never touched. I made sure some things would remain exactly the same for your return."

  "Thanks."

  "Just like the backyard. Some have called the old play set creepy, but it's not."

  "I bet it's just like it was."

  "It is. I've kept it all up just for you."

  The stairs ended at a little entryway. The floor was tiled with white and gold flowered tiles. Pet dishes sat in a corner.

  "Is there a dog?"

  Lloyd squeezed her hand.

  "Do you want me to get another one for you? I'm sure you're crushed about Barky."

  Ari nodded. She'd begged for a puppy for years and years, but this wasn't how she wanted to get one.

  "We'll think about it." Lloyd released her hand, opened a panel, and typed in a code next to a red, blinking light. He pressed enter and it turned off. Then he unlocked a chain and two deadbolts.

  She swallowed. They were really locked in tight.

  He opened the door and chilly, fresh night air blew in along with a few soggy leaves. One stuck to her sock.

  "I don't have any shoes."

  "Did you forget?"

  She stared at him. "What?"

  He gestured behind her.

  Ari spun around. A shoe rack sat against the wall, holding a dozen pair of shoes. She grabbed a pair of sneakers that matched the coat.

  "How do they fit?"

  "Fine." They were slightly loose, so she tightened the laces.

  "Everything's going to be just like it was." His face lit up, but then soured. "Well, mostly. It's just the two of us now, but I kind of think that's for the better, don't you?"

  "It's nice." Please let me outside.

  "Let's get out back before the rain starts again."

  "Okay. You wanna be 'it'?" That would give her time to look around the yard.

  "Don't you want to see the yard first? It's been so long."

  "Sure. Then we'll play."

  He threw his head back and laughed. "You really haven't changed a bit, Jan. Maybe this time we'll get it right."

  "Huh?"

  Lloyd shook his head. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."

  Ariana had a feeling she really wanted to get out of there before she found out what he meant by getting it right.

  He opened the door wider and she went outside. The sweet autumn air had never smelled better. She glanced around the dark yard, not able to make much out.

  Several lights overhead on the house came on and Lloyd stepped outside. "What do you think?"

  It reminded her of a scary movie she and Emily had watched once when they were supposed to be sleeping. "Looks just the same."

  "Oh, good. I've even been painting the swing set to keep it from rusting. You wouldn't believe how hard that is. Want to try it?"

  "Then we'll play hide and seek?"

  "Sure thing."

  Ariana headed for the swings, forcing herself to put a bounce into her step. She had to stay in character.

  The chains holding up the swings seemed iffy at best. She picked the lowest one just in case it didn't hold her weight and climbed on, clinging to the cold metal. Lloyd went behind her, grabbed the chain below her hands, and gave a hefty push. The chain pinched her palms.

  "How's that?" he asked.

  "Good."

  "You're barely moving." He pushed again, harder this time.

  Ariana clutched the chain, afraid the swing would give out at any moment.

  "Pump your legs!"

  She did, but wished she could just explore the yard. Her feet pumped, he pushed, and she kept going higher, higher, higher. Hair flew into her face and then off again. She almost felt free, but knew better. There was no way she could forget spending the entire day locked in that room.

  Ariana wouldn't be free until she was home and in the arms of all four of her parents. She tried looking around the yard for a place to escape, but she was moving too fast to be able to concentrate.

  Finally, he stopped pushing. The swing slowed and Ariana dragged her toes along the grass to bring herself to a full stop. Pulse racing, she asked, "You going to count?"

  "What number do you want this time?"

  "A hundred." She may as well aim high. The worst he could do was to say no.

  "Why doesn't that surprise me?" He turned toward the fence. "I'm going to count fast, though."r />
  "Okay."

  He put his hands against a post and leaned his face against an arm. "One. Two…"

  She spun around and studied the yard. Nothing was against the fence for her to climb and there were no boards for her to step on. On this side of the yard, the fence only had vertical slats.

  Lloyd was already counting in the twenties. She ran near the house and walked along the fence line. There was no space underneath, either—not that she could see. She bent down and felt the ground, pushing on the bottom of the fencing. No space anywhere. Not even enough for a fingernail.

  "Fifty-three. Fifty-four…"

  She got up and jogged along the perimeter, studying the boards and the dirt underneath.

  "Eighty-nine. Ninety."

  Ariana had only made it about halfway around the yard, but she needed to find a place to hide so she appeared to be playing the game.

  Conference

  Zoey stared at the busy scene in front of her. The waiting room in the building behind the police station was filled with activity. Conversation out in the foyer grew louder by the moment as reporters waited, hoping they would get to sit in the theater for the press conference.

  Kellen sat at the other end of the room, still upset with her. Macy and her parents sat, talking with Zoey's parents. Even Ariana's teacher and coach were there to speak.

  Of course, Alex wasn't there. He, more than anyone should have been since he'd been the person who'd put everyone in this position to begin with. What a coward.

  Captain Fleshman came over and sat next to her. "You know what you're going to say?"

  "I'm going to tell everyone how much I miss her and how much she needs to be home with her family."

  "You're going to tell the abductor those things."

  "Right."

  He held her gaze. "No, this is important. You're speaking to the kidnapper. We need to convince him to let her go."

  "You really think that's going to happen?"

  "He's human. We have to play on his emotions. Otherwise, what's the point of all this?"

  "I thought it was to get the word out about her disappearance."

  "Practically everyone in the country knows about this case. People like this tend to be full of themselves. The abductor is going to want to hear what everyone is saying about what he did. If you post something on social media, he probably won't see it. But if you speak to him here, I can almost guarantee he'll hear you."

  "Okay. I'll plead my case to the lowlife."

  "Just make it about how much she needs her family. Not the other way around."

  "Got it."

  "Sure?"

  "Yes," she snapped.

  He rose. "If you have any questions, just let me know. I'll start everything since I'm the head of the case. Then the teachers will share, Macy will speak, followed by you, and then finally, your parents."

  She rubbed her temples. "Understood."

  Fleshman went over and spoke with Macy.

  Zoey glanced over at Kellen. He was speaking with another cop.

  Why did they have to be fighting, now of all times? She needed his support. He was the one who always told her things were going to be okay when she was stressed out. He was still mad about being interrogated, but it wasn't like they'd taken him into custody.

  She took a deep breath and glanced at her notes. She wouldn't use them when it was her turn to speak, but they had helped her get her jumbled thoughts organized. With any luck, she would remember most of what she'd written down.

  Someone clapped in the middle of the room. It was Fleshman. "Are you all ready?"

  A solemn chorus of yeses went around the room. Zoey tried to make eye contact with Kellen, but he didn't look her way. They all lined up and followed the captain and a couple other officers down a narrow, dark hallway that led to the backstage of the theater.

  Macy took Zoey's hand and squeezed. She gave her a sad smile. "How are you holding up?"

  A mixture of relief and overwhelming sadness rushed through Zoey. She'd really missed her childhood best friend. "Not well. It's like reliving what happened to you, only…" She struggled to find the right word.

  "Worse?" Macy offered.

  "Different. I was equally scared, but it's…" Worse. It was infinitely worse having her daughter missing. But she couldn't say that to Macy.

  "I get it." She squeezed Zoey's hand again.

  An officer with a tight bun lined everyone up in the order they were to speak. "Just wait quietly until I call you forward."

  Kellen stood behind Zoey, but kept his distance.

  Fleshman and Anderson went around the curtain, and a moment later, the noise from the audience quieted to a hush. The captain thanked everyone for being there and introduced himself and Anderson before going over some of the more important details of the case. He spoke of his own children, and said he couldn't bear to think of what the family was enduring. Anderson spoke about what the viewers could to do to help and then shared a little more about the case, particularly about the importance of the next day—the last half of the first forty-eight hours.

  The lady cop directed Ari's teacher and coach onto the stage, where they shared about her being an excellent student and team player who always encouraged the other kids when they were down. They both broke down while speaking, which nearly sent Zoey over the edge.

  Kellen stepped a little closer and put a hand on her shoulder. Macy went onto the stage as the teacher and coach returned.

  Pushing back tears, Zoey inched closer to the curtain. Through a small crack next to the wall, she could see Macy standing at a podium in front of a packed crowd. She leaned closer to the mic and it squealed, sending a high pitched noise into the air. Gasps ran through the crowd.

  Macy backed away from the mic a little. "Sorry. My nerves have gotten the best of me. The kidnapping of my niece brings back a lot of memories, as you can imagine." She cleared her throat. "Not only am I worried for her safety, but a lot of long-forgotten memories have been surfacing in the last twenty-four hours. Though I've healed, I'll never forget the fear I endured every day of my ordeal, wondering what that man would do to me—if that day would be my last." Her voice trembled. "Many times, I really thought it would be."

  Zoey's heart shattered. Not only for what Macy went through, but for what Ariana must be going through right now.

  "I'd like to take a moment to speak to the abductor," Macy continued. "You don't have to keep holding Ariana. Please do the right thing and return her to her family. Even if she isn't acting like it, that little girl is terrified out of her mind. She just wants to be home with her family—where she should be. Look deep within yourself and find another way to fill the hole in your life. This isn't it. Make a change in your life now. Start by releasing that sweet girl. Thank you."

  As Macy walked away from the podium, reporters shouted questions from their seats. If she heard them, she didn't act like it.

  The female officer turned to Zoey. "You're up."

  Her throat closed up. Terror struck her. What was she supposed to say? Wasn't there something she wasn't supposed to say? What if she accidentally said that?

  Kellen placed both hands on her shoulders and squeezed. "Come on. You've got this."

  She struggled to breathe. He wrapped one arm around her back and guided her around the curtain as Macy came through. Her friend smiled at her through tears. Zoey couldn't even nod in response. She was going to suffocate right there on stage.

  Reporters shouted louder questions as she and Kellen made their way to the podium. Bright lights from cameras flashed from every part of the auditorium. Her heart thundered in her chest, feeling like it would explode and kill her right there. She fought to breathe.

  Kellen continued guiding her to the podium, leaving his arm around her. He kissed her cheek and whispered, "We'll get through this together. You're going to do great."

  She shook her head. "I think I'm having a panic attack."

  He swore and then pulled the mic closer t
o him. "I'm Kellen McKay, Zoey's fiancé. She's so distraught over Ariana's disappearance, she can't talk at the moment. I speak for the both of us when I tell you how worried we are for Ari's safety. We've hardly gotten any rest, nor will we until she's back home, safe and sound…"

  Zoey finally managed a few shallow breaths as Kellen spoke about Ari's love for Halloween, telling them about the party she'd put on the other night. She still felt like her heart would kill her, but at least she was able to breathe. She managed a few normal breaths.

  Kellen turned to her. "Are you ready to speak?"

  She would regret it for life if she didn't. Zoey nodded and reached for the mic. Kellen brought it in front of her. She finally managed a full, deep breath and glanced across the crowd. Her heart rate returned to normal.

  "Many of you have asked why I gave up Ariana for adoption, and I want to address that first. At no point have I ever given up on her, nor will I ever. I was young when she was born, and it only seemed fair for her to be raised by my parents who were at a more stable point in their lives and could offer her many things I couldn't." She took a deep breath. "While I finished high school, I lived one bedroom away from her and I was always very involved in her life. I never stopped, even after going to college and starting my own career. I hope that satisfies your curiosity."

  Kellen whispered in her ear. "Don't forget to speak to the abductor."

  Right. Her notes. What had she written?

  She took another deep breath and focused on the crowd and the many cameras. Which one would send the video that Ariana's kidnapper would watch? She thought about him watching. Hopefully, he was choking as he waited.

  "I'd like to take a moment to address the person who took Ariana. I can't even begin to imagine why you did this, but think about Ariana. This isn't fair to her. She doesn't want to be with you. She loves her family and she deserves to be with us. We all miss her as much a she misses us. You're tearing us apart." Tears blurred her vision and her voice wavered. "We're not going to be able to rest until she's back with us, where she belongs. She has not two but four parents who want her back. Friends that are worried about her. Think about what you're doing to them. You aren't just hurting her and us, it's the other kids, too. You can do something right—you can return her. Please."