Caged

by E. M. Leya

  "We'll let the police handle this. For now, you can come with me to my house. If this is a medication issue, the police will sort it out." The man moved toward what must have been his house, but he never turned his back completely on Larry.

  "Let's not bother the police with this. I know what my son needs." Larry tried to convince the man.

  "I'm not his son. I'm Danny Gilbert. I was kidnapped over ten years ago. He's held me since then."

  Larry paled but continued to focus on the man who now gripped Danny's arm. "My son has issues. He makes up stories."

  "As I said, we'll call the police and let them sort this out." The man walked with Danny up the front steps to his door. He glanced at Danny. "Is that okay with you?"

  Danny nodded. "Yes, police, please." He shook so bad that it was impossible for the man not to notice. A small group of kids stood nearby, watching, and Danny wanted to tell them to run from Larry. "The other boys?"

  "Let's get inside and call the police." The man opened his door.

  Danny hesitated, for a second wondering if he was running from one evil to another. He didn't know this man. He had no idea if once he went into the house if he'd ever leave it.

  "It's okay. I won't hurt you. Let's get you safe." The man's voice softened as he spoke, but his attention was never far from Larry who was looking more aggravated.

  Deciding to take a risk, Danny stepped into the man's house and breathed a sigh as he released his arm and slammed the door in Larry's face.

  "Thank you." Danny fell to his knees, crying. "Help the other boys!"

  "Let me call the police." The man walked across the room to where his cell phone sat.

  "But the boys."

  "I can't go busting into his house." The man punched in a number and then spoke. "Yes, I have a man who ran to me for help. He says he was kidnapped ten years ago and just escaped. He also said there are two more boys in the home he ran from."

  Danny stayed kneeling on the floor, tears falling freely. Was this it? Had he done it? Would he be safe now? What about the boys? He had to help them. What if Larry killed them? "I have to help the boys." He stood on shaky legs.

  "Easy, the police are on the way. They'll be here in minutes." The man held the phone to his ear, still giving little bits of information to whoever was on the other line.

  Danny stared out the man's front window. "That's Larry! That's his car." He pointed to the blue Toyota that was backing from his driveway. He was relieved to see he was alone in the car, but that didn't mean he didn't hurt the boys before he got in the vehicle. Had he had the time? Everything was happening so quickly.

  The man hurried out of the house to his porch and rambled off Larry's license plate to whoever was on the phone. He then glanced back at Danny and spoke into the phone. "Thin, but I don't see any physical injuries. Maybe some light bruising."

  "The boys are hurt." Danny choked out. "He beat them last night. Raped them."

  The man's features tightened as he repeated the news to whoever was on the phone. He looked at Danny. "Only two boys?"

  Danny nodded. "In the basement. He keeps them there. The keys are hidden. I know where they are."

  "Okay, take a deep breath. The police are almost here. We'll let them know once they arrive." He took Danny's arm again. "Come sit down on the couch while we figure all of this out."

  He didn't want to move from the window, but he couldn't resist the man's hold on his arm as he led him to the couch.

  It seemed like as soon as they sat down, there was a police officer standing in the open doorway. The man went to him, discussing things in a soft voice Danny could hardly hear. A moment later, the police officer was standing beside Danny.

  "You're Danny Gilbert?"

  He nodded.

  "You say you've been held in that house for years?"

  "At least ten." Danny's voice was shaky as tears still fell. "The other boys are there. In the basement. The doors locked, but I know where the key is. I can help you—"

  "Easy. I'm going to ask you to stay right here. We'll take care of things over there. Do you know how bad they're injured?"

  Danny shook his head. "Larry wouldn't let me go to them. I wanted to help, but he said they needed to suffer."

  "Where's this key, Danny?" The officer asked.

  "Kitchen, top drawer by the fridge. Yellow keychain."

  "Is there anyone else in the house? Any dogs? Anything that might be a danger?" The officer asked.

  "No pets. No other people other than the boys. I can go get them now if you'll let me." Danny started to stand.

  "No, we'll do it. Officers are over there now. How about you get a glass of water and calm down so you can tell us everything once we make sure the boys are safe?" The officer glanced at the man who'd saved him.

  "Of course." The man quickly turned away and left the room.

  "Let us make sure the house is cleared and the boys safe, then we'll come back and talk to you. Are you injured? Do you need medical care?"

  Danny shook his head. "Just the boys. He raped them. Beat them last night."

  The officer frowned but nodded. "We'll take care of them. Will you two be okay until we get back?"

  Danny glanced up to see the man standing beside him again, a glass of water in his hand. "We'll be just fine." He set the water down on the coffee table.

  "I'll be right back." The officer hurried off.

  Through the doorway that was still wide open and the windows, Danny watched as the street filled up with police. "Did they get Larry?"

  The man who saved him took a seat at the other side of the large couch. "The man who was chasing you?"

  Danny nodded.

  "I don't know. They have his license number and the make and model of the car. I'm sure he couldn't get far." The man nodded to the glass. "Take a drink."

  "Thank you for not making me go back to him." Danny choked back another sob. "It was the first time he ever forgot to lock the door. I had to try to get away."

  "You did good, Danny. You're safe now." The man moved a little closer. "I'm Marshall."

  For the first time, Danny looked up and really looked at the man. He wasn't much older than he was. He looked worried, but he also looked in control, which was a comfort because Danny was anything but in control right now. "Thank you for believing me."

  "It was obvious you were upset, and Larry wasn't happy about you talking to me. That's the first clue something was wrong. How long did you say he'd held you there?"

  "I'm not really sure. I think ten years. I was eight or nine when he took me, I think. Then he took the other two boys about two years ago. It's hard to know for sure. I couldn't keep up with time." Listening to the news at night helped him keep track of days, but that hadn't started until Larry had taken the boys and moved Danny upstairs.

  "You're safe now. I'm sure a lot of people will be happy to know you're alive. That's a long time to be missing." Marshall's voice was so calming.

  "I don't know how to get hold of my mom."

  "The police will help with that. Let them figure all this out, then I'm sure it will be the first phone call they make for you."

  An ambulance pulled up outside, and Danny stood. "I have to see the boys."

  Marshall stood with him. "We can go out on the porch and watch, but let the police do their jobs, okay?"

  Danny nodded.

  Outside, there were a ton of people around, some watching, wondering what was going on, others were police, moving in and out of Larry's home. It was a relief to see the police in control of the house, but he worried about the boys. There were three ambulances there, and he prayed that the boys were alive and would be okay.

  "Come sit." Marshall nodded to the top porch step. "I'm worried you're going to fall."

  Danny glanced at him. "I'm not hurt."

  "No, but you're in shock. You can see everything from here." Marshall sat down and patted the spot beside him.

  Danny hesitated only a moment, but the truth was, his le
gs were shaky and he did feel weak. He sank down beside Marshall. "I can't thank you enough for helping me."

  Marshall smiled. "Anyone would have. I wished I'd known what was going on. I would have done something sooner."

  "No one ever knew." Danny folded his hands together, nervously. "He made sure no one knew."

  "Well, they know now and you're safe. No one will hurt you again." Marshall nodded. "The boys are coming out."

  Danny went to stand, but a firm hand on his arm stilled him. "They won't let you close right now. Let them get treated and then we'll see if you can see them."

  Each boy was on a gurney, oxygen masks over their face. Danny tried to see how serious the injuries were, but he couldn't tell from the distance they were at.

  "You're Danny Gilbert?" an officer asked as he approached the porch.

  Danny nodded.

  "I'm Officer Rice. I'd like to ask you a few questions if you're okay with that."

  "Sure." Danny still stared at the boys. "Are they okay?"

  "They will be. They're beat up and bruised, but I don't think there is anything life-threatening. Do you know their names?"

  Danny shook his head. "I wasn't allowed to ask and they weren't supposed to tell me, but I heard one of them call the other Reese."

  "How long ago were you taken, Danny?" The officer leaned against the porch railing.

  "I'm not sure. I think ten years. It was hard to tell time." They should have had records. Hadn't his mother reported him missing? "I was at the park with my mom. There was a guy with a puppy and I went with him to see the dog. He grabbed me and put me in the car and brought me here." Danny closed his eyes, remembering bits and pieces of his first few days with Larry. "He hurt me."

  Beside him, Marshall tensed, his fists tightening at his sides.

  Danny glanced at him.

  "It's okay. It just makes me mad when men hurt kids." Marshall used his soft, calm voice. "No one is mad at you or going to hurt you any longer."

  "Promise?" It was a promise no one could make, but Danny wanted to hear the words anyway.

  Marshall spoke with confidence. "I promise."

  "Do you know anything about the man who—" The officer started to ask but when a paramedic stepped forward, he paused. "Go ahead and check him over. The questions can wait."

  Danny shook his head. "I'm okay."

  "Let them check you over. You have bruises all over you. There could be issues you aren't aware of." Marshall touched Danny's shoulder softly.

  Danny frowned, his mind going to the rapes. "He didn't do that to me anymore. At least not since he brought the boys home. He said I was too old for him and only good to keep the house clean now."

  Marshall cursed softly. "Still, let them check you over and make sure everything is okay."

  "I'm just going to take your vital signs for now, then we're going to take you to the hospital so they can do a more thorough exam and make sure you haven't had any injuries in the past that need to be addressed." The paramedic started to pull stuff out of a bag he carried.

  "I don't need the hospital." He was terrified of doctors. He imagined them probing him in places he never wanted to be touched again. He thought of the cage and his eyes widened. He needed to find a way to get it off. He needed the key, but he had no idea where Larry would have kept it. He'd looked when he'd been able to, but he never found it.

  "What's wrong?" Marshall seemed to sense his worry.

  Fighting back shame, he shook his head. "Nothing. It's nothing."

  Marshall touched his arm softly again. "You need to let them take you to the hospital. They need to do an exam so they know everything they can charge Larry with. If he's broken your bones in the past, it will show. If you have scars, they can record them. Even if you think you're okay, let the police be sure. You want them to use every bit of evidence they can get to make sure Larry pays for what he did."

  "I can't." Danny closed his eyes.

  "You can. You're strong. You can do whatever it takes to make sure Larry never hurts anyone else again." Marshall's voice was firm as if he really believed it.

  "For now, let me get your blood pressure." The paramedic reached for his arm.

  Danny allowed him to get his vital signs, but it didn't calm him. He'd been locked up for so long that all this attention was overwhelming. He wanted to run back into Marshall's house and hide. He didn't want to be touched. Didn't want people looking at him. Didn't want them to know about the cage.

  "Blood pressure is a little high, but that's probably from the stress. What isn't normal is your temperature. It's a bit high. Do you have any infections, sores, have you been sick?" The paramedic put his gear away.

  "No." Danny couldn't think of anything.

  "Let them take you to the hospital. I'm sure they'll call your mom from there." Marshall met Danny's stare. "It's going to be okay. I promise."

  Danny shook his head. "I just want to go home."

  "And you will as soon as they make sure you're okay. I bet the boys are going to the same hospital too. Maybe you can check on them there?"

  "Will you come with?" Danny wasn't sure why he was asking Marshall to come with, but he felt secure with him. Maybe it was because he'd been the one to call the police, the one to stand up to Larry and save him.

  "I can do that." Marshall met the paramedic's gaze for a moment as if they were communicating silently.

  Danny didn't care what they were thinking. He just wanted this over so he could go home to his mom. He'd dreamed of this day since he'd been taken. "Okay."

  "Let's get you to the ambulance." The paramedic offered his hand.

  Marshall stood and turned to Danny. "Go with him. I'm going to lock my house, then I'll follow the ambulance there. I won't be far behind."

  "Promise?" Danny asked.

  "I promise. I'll be there as soon as I can. You'll get through this. The hardest part is over." Marshall smiled. "You're safe."

  He didn't feel safe, but he nodded anyway. He listened to Marshall get the hospital information, then followed the paramedic to the ambulance. As he walked past Larry's house, he wondered if the nightmare was really over. He'd hoped for it for so long that he didn't dare believe it. Part of him feared he'd wake up and find this had all been a dream.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Marshall wasn't sure why he was going to the hospital. He didn't know Danny. But there had been something in his eyes, in the way he asked that Marshall couldn't say no to. He hurt for the guy. He'd seen enough through his work to know what Danny must have gone through and to think he'd survived it for ten years. It was unthinkable.

  What he really wanted to do was get on a computer and dig into the past. He wanted to look at Danny's kidnapping and see what was said about it. He wanted to know how a child could go missing ten years ago and turn up now. It made no sense.

  Reaching over to the display on his dash, he quickly called Jeremy. He needed to let him know what was happening. While this had nothing to do with the team, any contact with the police was something that needed to be reported.

  "Hey, what's up? Thought you were enjoying a night off." Jeremy sounded happy.

  "That was the plan, but something came up." Marshall sighed as he stopped at a red light. "This shouldn't have any effect on the team, but I figured you and D should know. I'm sure you'll hear about it on the news tonight or tomorrow."

  "What happened?" The happy tone was gone from Jeremy's voice and he was suddenly very serious.

  "You won't believe it." He sure as hell didn't. "I was mowing my lawn when this guy runs out of the house next door screaming for help. Of course, I helped him. Got him safely into my house and called the police. Turns out, the guy was kidnapped around ten years ago and has been held hostage since then. Tonight was his first chance of escaping, and I happened to be directly in his path."

  "What the fuck?" Jeremy gasped, then yelled away from the phone. "Hey, D, you need to hear this." Then back into the phone, he said, "I have you on speaker."

>   "That's fine. I'm driving to the hospital now. This guy asked me to stick with him. I'm not sure why. Maybe some form of hero worship or some kind of imprinting to the first nice person he's seen in ten years." Marshall tried to focus on the road, but his mind was racing with the events that happened.

  "So this guy has lived there the whole time?" Jeremy asked after giving D a quick rundown of what was going on.

  "I guess. We didn't have a lot of time to discuss things, but there were two younger boys in the house too that he was concerned about. In fact, I'd say he was more worried about them than himself. The boys looked young. Ten or less. He didn't know their names but said they'd been held with him for about two years. The pervert kidnapped them after Danny got too old for him."

  "Yet the pedo didn't kill this guy?"

  "Nope. He said he used him as a servant. It sounds like he took care of the house. I'll find out more later. The guy's in shock and scared to death."

  "What did you say his name was?" D asked.

  "Danny Gilbert."

  He heard tapping on a keyboard, then Jeremy curse. "Fuck, he was taken when he was seven. He's been gone nearly twelve years."

  He swallowed hard.

  "Jesus. This guy is going to have a hard time," D said. "No wonder he's in shock."

  Marshall couldn't speak. Twelve years of abuse. Twelve years of being held inside that house. How did that shit happen? Had no one noticed? "He hasn't been outside in twelve years." His voice was hoarse with emotion. "You wouldn't have known it. He was scared, in shock, but mostly just worried about the kids that had been in the house with him."

  "That's one strong soul to survive something like this. You said you're headed to the hospital?"

  "Yeah, he didn't want to go. I think he asked me so he didn't have to face it alone. I'm not sure they'll even let me in once I get there. I don't know this guy. I'm not family. Still, I couldn't say no to him. Not after all this. Besides, I'd like to hear what happened to him. Cops started with questions, but they took him for medical care before they got too far into details. The pedo took off. I have no clue if the cops caught him."