by Blythe, Jane
Jack’s honesty seemed to do the trick. Paige rolled her eyes but nodded. “Fine, I’ll stay away from him. Ryan and I will go and try to ID Malachi.” Paige stood and strode for the door. “I'm going to the bathroom. Don’t worry, Jack, if I see Malachi I’ll run in the other direction and hide.”
“I think she’s mad at me,” Jack said dryly when the door swung closed behind Paige.
“She’ll get over it,” Ryan said. Then shot his brother a look before Jack could say more. “Yes, Jack, I’ll go follow her, and I won't let her out of my sight.”
“Think Malachi will run?” Xavier asked Jack once they were alone.
“Maybe. The only time he really lost his control was when I told him he couldn’t see or speak with Maegan. He didn’t like that. Told me I couldn’t stop him from talking to his own daughter. I told him that since we’re investigating whether she’s a kidnap victim, he can't for the time being. If he feels backed into a corner, then yes, I think he might try to disappear. I asked hospital security to keep an eye on him and let me know if he makes a move.”
“Let’s hope Maegan decides to be a little more forthcoming with information so we can actually do something to sort this mess out.”
* * * * *
11:48 P.M.
Maegan was fretting.
She was so scared that she was making a mistake.
If this didn’t work out, if the police couldn’t help her and her sisters and Malachi took them back home with him, then Maegan knew without a hint of a doubt that the consequences would be severe.
Malachi would be furious.
And he would take those frustrations out on her and the others.
Mostly her.
She was okay with that, especially if it kept him away from Angela and Abby for a while longer.
She hadn’t seen any of the cops in a while.
Where were they?
Why weren’t they doing something?
She’d done as they asked and remained in this office, anxiously pacing up and down, getting more and more worked up as each second ticked by.
But they hadn’t come back.
Had they given up on her already?
Then the door opened and she spun toward it, trying to gauge from the looks on their faces what was going on.
“Maegan, let’s take a seat. We need to ask you some more questions,” Jack announced as he entered the room, his partner behind him.
“More questions?” she demanded incredulously. “Why aren’t you helping me? Why won't you do something?”
“We’re trying, honey.” Jack took her elbow and eased her down into a chair. “But you're not giving us much to work with.”
She fought down her frustrations. What Jack had said was true. She hadn’t given them much to work with, but she needed them to take it and do something.
“We’ve been working on trying to identify Malachi; hopefully, that will help,” Xavier told her.
She studied the man. He had doubts about her, Maegan could tell. It was in his eyes—they didn’t trust her. Why he didn't, she didn’t have a clue. While she wanted him to believe her, she didn’t really care. Jack believed her because of Laura, and for now, that was enough to make sure someone did something to help her.
“Are you sure you don’t have any idea what Malachi’s surname could be?” Xavier asked her.
“I already told you I don’t,” Maegan snapped. If this man thought she was lying, then why was he here?
“Maegan.” Jack’s voice was calm and soothing and diverted her attention away from Xavier. “I talked to Malachi.”
For a moment, everything seemed to freeze. Her heart, her lungs, her body, her mind—nothing seemed to work. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. The two men in the room seemed to freeze right along with her.
Maegan had known, of course, that Jack was going to talk to Malachi.
It was inevitable.
But knowing that he had made all of this feel so real.
Malachi would lie. She knew he would.
So it would come down to either him or her. Jack and his friends couldn’t believe them both.
Who would it be?
Malachi or her?
“Maegan?” Jack’s hand rested on her shoulder. The touch brought her snapping back into the moment. “Are you all right?”
She jerked a nod. “What did he say?” she asked breathlessly.
“Exactly what you said he’d say,” Jack replied gently.
“He said I was crazy.” Maegan had known he would and yet hearing it confirmed still made her heart thump painfully in her chest. If Jack and the others believed him, then she’d risked everything for nothing.
“Yes, he did,” Jack confirmed. “He said that you're delusional and that you're under the care of a psychiatrist. He says that you really are his daughter, and that he only has two daughters. He denied that the younger girls even exist.”
Her fear changed into frustration. Hadn’t Malachi ruined her life enough already, without painting her as crazy? And, if the cops were asking her more questions, then they must have decided to side with Malachi. “You believe him?” she demanded.
“No, Maegan.” Jack eyes met hers directly, not breaking contact to emphasize his words.
“Why?”
“Because when I look in your eyes, I see true fear.”
“Maybe I'm just crazy and my fears are unfounded.” She raised a challenging brow.
“Maybe,” Jack agreed, “but I don’t think so. Now Malachi said that you're on medication, and we can do a blood test to prove that you aren’t on anything.”
“What’s the point? Malachi will come up with a reason why my blood tests turn up negative.” Maegan shrugged restlessly; she was feeling hopeless. Why was she even bothering to do this? It was never going to work.
Jack leaned in closer until she had no choice but to meet his gaze. “Don’t give up, Maegan,” he told her.
She fought against the urge to give in and accept her fate. “Okay.”
“Good girl. Now, Malachi also said that the younger girls don’t exist. Why would he say that?”
“So you're not looking for them. He probably thinks Ariyel and I are a lost cause, but if you don’t have the little girls, then he can find them first and he doesn’t lose all of us.”
Maegan was sure that Jack was going to begin pressuring her again to give the girls up. If he did, she may even give in and give up where she’d stashed them. She couldn’t keep them safe. She was finally coming to realize that.
Instead of mentioning the children, Jack said, “Ariyel suffered a drug overdose. Do you know anything about that?”
Pure outrage shot through her, as sharp and fast as an arrow. She jumped to her feet. “You think I drugged her?”
“I didn’t say that, Maegan,” Jack said in an overly patient tone.
“But you thought it,” she growled.
“I didn’t say that, either.” Jack looked like he was starting to get frustrated with her. Well, that was just too darn bad because she was pretty frustrated herself.
“Even if you didn’t think it, he certainly did.” She threw a glare in Xavier’s direction. “You think I'm a liar. You don’t believe anything I've told you.”
“I have some doubts,” Xavier acknowledged calmly.
His admission took some of the wind out of her sails, and she sagged back down into her chair. Tears were brimming in her eyes now, and she angrily brushed them away. “Why don’t you believe me?”
“I guess I just don’t get why you won't tell us everything,” Xavier replied. “If you were a real victim needing help, I'd imagine that you'd be wanting to give us all the information you can, so we can help you.”
Maegan wished she had a clever comeback for that, but she didn’t. Bottom line—she wasn't trying to be difficult; she was just scared. Despite her best efforts, her tears began to spill out, trickling down her cheeks leaving wet trails in their wake. “I do
need help, I'm just afraid,” she cried. “You don’t know what my life has been like the last five years. I've prayed every day for a chance to get away from Malachi, and now I have one, and I'm scared I'm going to mess it up. Malachi’s already saying things that have you doubting me. If this doesn’t work and I go back to that house with him, he’s going to be angry. Really angry. And he’s going to take it out on me and the others. I promise you that everything I've told you is true. Malachi did kidnap me. And I would never do anything to hurt Ariyel.”
“Do you think it’s possible that Ariyel would intentionally give herself a drug overdose?” Xavier asked, some of the doubt erased from his eyes.
“Yes,” Maegan answered without hesitation. “I don’t know if she did or not, but she’s tried it before. Not with drugs. But a few years ago, she tried to force Malachi to take us to the hospital by jumping out of a third-story window. She was badly hurt, but he wouldn’t bring her here. He treated her at the house.”
Seeing Ariyel’s broken and bloody body had been terrifying. Not only because she had been afraid that Ariyel might die but because she had finally realized that Malachi intended to never let them go.
Jack passed her a tissue. “Ariyel loves you,” Jack stated the obvious. “She’d do anything to help you, no matter the cost to herself. Maegan,” his blue eyes met hers and held her gaze, “you opened up to Laura, told her your story, because you wanted to do the same for her. I know you're scared. I've talked to Malachi, and I get where you're coming from, but you started this, and we want to help you finish it, so please, give us the information we need to end this for all of you.”
She wavered. She was tired, physically and emotionally. The last five years had aged her and the last few hours had drained her. Maybe she should just do it. Tell them everything. Let them deal with it all. And she really did want to see her parents. When this was over, she could finally go home.
Home.
The word sounded almost magical to her.
The thought of being wrapped up in her mother’s arms again after all these years was almost too good to be true.
As if reading her mind, Jack spoke again. “Once we know who you are, Maegan, you can go home. And we can find out who the other girls are, find their families. You can all go home.”
She wanted to tell him, she really did. And still, she hesitated.
“What’s Ariyel’s real name?” he pressed.
Taking a deep breath, it was now or never. “Eliza,” she replied in a small voice.
“How did Malachi get his hands on her?” Jack asked gently.
“She was walking home from college. He pretended his car had broken down and asked to borrow her cell phone. He had the two little girls in the car and that made Eliza feel safe, so she gave him her phone, and then when her back was turned, he grabbed her. He knocked her out with something. Eliza thought it was chloroform.” The words came tumbling out in a rush.
“Was this before or after he took you?”
“Before. Eliza said she woke up in the car and they were driving around. After a while, he went to the gas station and grabbed me while my mom went to pay. I … I was angry with her. My mom. I was complaining that she hadn’t filled the car up before she picked me up from school because I was going to a sleepover at a friend’s house.” Tears ran anew down her still wet cheeks.
“It’s okay, honey,” Jack soothed. “Parents are used to their kids complaining. Your mom knows you love her.”
Maegan nodded distractedly. She wished she believed that. But she didn’t.
“Okay, honey, now tell us the names of the other girls,” Jack continued.
“Detectives?” The door swung open before Maegan could speak. The doctor she had seen with Eliza earlier was standing there. “You wanted to know as soon as Ariyel was awake.”
“Thanks, Dr. Roma.” Xavier nodded at the woman who nodded back and disappeared. “Well, hopefully we’ll get this all cleared up right now,” Xavier addressed her. “Ariyel or Eliza—whatever her name really is—will either confirm your story or Malachi’s.”
That could be a nightmare, Maegan thought to herself. Malachi had messed with Eliza’s head. There were no guarantees that her sister would back her up. “She may tell you that she really is Malachi’s daughter, Ariyel,” Maegan warned. “He’s brainwashed her. Sometimes she doesn’t know who she really is.”
Xavier arched a brow. “Isn’t that a little convenient?” he demanded.
She growled in frustration. She had thought she was making progress with the cops, but now it seemed like she was back where she started. “I told Laura that from the beginning,” she snapped. “I can get through to her.” Maegan strode toward the door.
Jack moved to block her path. “You can't talk to Eliza right now.”
“What do you mean?” she demanded.
“We need to talk to her alone first. I told Malachi he wasn't to speak with her, either. Once Xavier and I have taken her statement, then you can see her,” Jack explained.
“You're treating me the same as you're treating Malachi? As a suspect?” She was incredulous. “You really do think I might have hurt her.”
“No, I don’t,” Jack rebuked firmly. “But we need to talk to her without anyone in the room to bias what she tells us.”
She sighed. There was obviously nothing she could say to change his mind, so there didn't seem much point in arguing. “Can I go and see Laura?”
“Not right now,” Jack replied.
“What? Why not?” This was unbelievable. They weren’t letting her do anything. They thought she was crazy, that she was a risk to those around her, that she was dangerous. “I'm not going to hurt her,” she protested, offended. She’d thought Jack believed her, but she’d obviously been wrong. Now he didn’t want her near his wife. His betrayal stung more than she’d have thought.
“Calm down,” Jack grabbed hold of her arm. “I don’t think you're going to hurt her. Laura’s asleep. She had a panic attack earlier and she’s resting right now.”
Some of her anger melted away. The concern in Jack’s eyes when he spoke about his wife was genuine and convinced her he was telling the truth. “Because of her agoraphobia?”
“Yes. When she’s feeling up to it, you can go and visit her in her room,” he promised.
“All right,” she agreed since it seemed she had no choice in the matter.
“Okay, stay put, we’ll be back soon,” Jack informed her.
“What if Malachi tries to come and talk to me?” She couldn’t stop fear from inching into her voice.
“Security is watching him, and if you stay in here, he won't know where you are,” he reassured her.
Once alone, she began to pace.
Maybe it had been a mistake to tell Jack and Xavier so much.
Jack was good. Really good. His voice was so calm, so soothing, virtually hypnotic, and he was so sincere. When he spoke to her, he had her believing that in that instant she was the most important person on the planet. He’d made her feel safe, so she’d given up more information than she’d intended. If that doctor hadn’t come in when she had, then Maegan probably would have given up her little sisters, too.
It hurt that they thought she might be insane.
She just wanted this to be over. And she prayed that, by the end of the night, it would be.
Exhausted, angry, scared, Maegan dropped down to the floor, hugged her knees to her chest, and cried.
* * * * *
11:57 P.M.
The young woman in the bed looked frail. That was the only word Jack could think of to describe her. Eliza, for Jack was positive that Maegan had told them the truth, had skin so pale it was basically colorless. There wasn't an ounce of flesh on her face. Her eyes appeared sunken and were underscored by black circles which made it look like she’d been beaten. The hands that rested on top of the covers were as thin as a newborn’s.
Jack was pleased that Maegan had caved and given them some information on Eliza’
s abduction. Now she just needed to give up the younger girls so they could reunite the children with their families and arrest Malachi.
Right now, Maegan was angry with them, mainly because she knew Xavier had doubts about her. But she was going to have to get over that if they were going to help her. Hopefully, she could set her frustrations aside and do what needed to be done.
With Maegan tucked safely away, Laura resting, and Ryan keeping an eye on Paige, Jack was finding it easier to focus. And he had the feeling he was going to need to in order to interview Eliza.
So as not to spook the girl, while Jack approached the bed, Xavier hung back. There were an awful lot of unknowns about her: she may or may not be a kidnap victim; she may or may not have attempted suicide; someone may or may not have tried to kill her; she may or may not have been brainwashed. They had decided not to double team her.
Jack was right beside her before she realized he was there. Her eyes fluttered open, dazed and disoriented at first, then they flashed with fear when they settled on him.
“It’s okay, honey,” he soothed, sitting beside the bed.
“Who are you?” her voice was faint, and she shrunk back into the bed, moving as far away from him as physically possible.
“My name is Jack. I'm a police officer,” he told her.
If it was possible, she seemed to shrink even farther away.
“Everything’s all right. We just need to ask you some questions about you and your sister,” he said gently. Her scared eyes just stared back at him. “Maegan came to us looking for help.” He studied Eliza’s face for any reactions to what he was saying.
“Maegan?” Eliza repeated, her pale face confused.
“Alice said her real name is Maegan. She also said that the man who brought you here isn’t really your father, but his name is Malachi and that he kidnapped her. She said he kidnapped you, too.”
Eliza didn’t say anything, but her large blue eyes were haunted.
“Maegan says that Malachi calls you Ariyel, but that your real name is Eliza.”
Eliza’s terrified eyes darted around the room, settling on Xavier for the first time. At once, some of the tension in her face eased and a little of the fear trickled out of her eyes.