Finally, the lid opened with a painful screech, illuminating a yellow light above her.
Asia blinked, absorbing the sight of the gorilla-masked man. He hovered, gun aimed at her.
“Ah, you’re awake. He’ll be glad to see that.”
He? Asia tried to swallow, choking again on the gag.
“This was avoidable. All you had to do was give me the card at the hospital. I would’ve protected you from him. Now you’ll face his wrath and likely die. Unless you cooperate. Then you might survive.”
She blinked, focused on his eyes. Dark brown, shadowed by the mask.
“I’m going to lift you. If you don’t fight me, I’ll set you down nice and gentle. Make me mad and I’ll drop you on your empty head. Got it?”
Asia nodded, her ear rubbing against the carpet.
True to his word, he reached in and grabbed her arm, hoisting her out of the vehicle.
She winced at the harsh treatment but remained compliant.
He set her gently upright on the snow-covered dirt road. The moon hung low in the sky, providing ample light, but the area was unfamiliar. Fear compressed the air from her chest like a boa constrictor was wrapped around it. She had no hope of rescue.
Asia squeezed her eyes shut. Lord, I’m trying to be brave but I’m terrified. Why didn’t I tell Slade I was leaving?
“You’re wise to follow instructions,” he commended.
As if she had any choice. Worry swarmed her, and not unwarranted. She’d made a huge mistake. It would appear making the wrong decision had become her natural talent.
Asia fought her anxiety by working to memorize every detail of her location. If she managed to escape, she’d have to find her way back to civilization. Focus.
Anxiety morphed into confusion, increasing to full-blown fear as he turned her toward an aged two-story farmhouse. Only the howling wind blew through the trees. No lights of neighboring homes glowed in the distance. There was no one to run to for help.
Asia shivered. Why did her captor remain disguised? Who was the other man he referred to? He’d keep her alive until he got what he wanted. You don’t negotiate with a dead person. She’d barter with him, convince him to take her back and promise to surrender the card. He didn’t know the whale was in her pocket.
Focus before your minuscule courage completely flees. She studied the home. Light glowed from the kitchen window, beckoning her forward.
“Walk or I’ll drag you by your hair.” He pressed the gun into the small of her back.
Was the man inept? How was she supposed to move with her ankle restraints? He must’ve sensed her hesitation because he ripped off the tape, taking the rag with it.
Asia coughed, inhaling the frigid air. “Why are you doing this?”
“Don’t play stupid. I’ll remove the tape on your ankles. Try to run away and I’ll shoot you.”
“Okay,” she choked out.
He seemed to consider her before placing the gun in his waistband. He removed a switchblade from his pocket and flicked it open, pausing, she guessed, to increase the terrifying effect. Finally, he knelt and sliced through the tape, freeing her to walk. He withdrew the weapon and poked her in the back. “Let’s go.”
She shuffled forward, studying the aged property in serious need of TLC. Her father called homes like this shotgun houses. Shoot through one end, and it went out through the other. She climbed the decrepit porch steps, wood creaking beneath her feet.
Her captor tugged open the windowed door, releasing a wave of musty air. The hazy glow from the back of the living area welcomed them.
“Move.” He shoved her from behind.
She stumbled into the kitchen, catching a glimpse of a butcher block with knives on the counter to the right. If only she could manage to free her hands, or at least get him to move them in front of her, she’d grab one.
“Sit down.” Her captor pulled out a chair at the table.
Asia dropped onto the seat and glared at him. Her head continued to throb, along with her shoulder in pulsating beats. “What did you inject me with?”
“Something to keep you compliant.”
“Scopolamine?” A fresh surge of fear smothered her with terrifying scenarios.
“Aren’t you the little pharmacist? No, that’s not my style.”
“Have you been sent to kill me?”
He snorted and leaned against the wall. “Killing you would defeat the purpose of getting the card, now wouldn’t it? Are you figuring out Zander had a lot of enemies? I’m not the only one who’s coming for you. It would be best to work with me.”
“If I tell you, will you let me go?”
He shrugged, and the action looked almost comical with his gorilla-masked face. “If the boss comes down here, you’re dead for sure. With me, you’ve got a chance of surviving.”
“Why?” Stupid question, but whatever kept him talking.
“Because you can’t identify me.”
The man was a liar. She was dead. Alarm gripped her heart.
“I’ve researched you, Mrs. Stratton. Widowed. No family. Best I can find, no real friends either. Would anyone notice if you were gone?”
Hurt tightened Asia’s stomach at the hateful yet accurate assumption.
“So why not tell me? Who would it affect? No one cares about you. Make this easy on yourself.”
“Slade does,” Asia uttered.
“Ah yes, Mr. Walking Policy-and-Procedure Manual. Kudos to his creativity though. We thought you’d be thrown into prison by now.”
Asia lifted her chin. “He’ll find me.”
“Really? And how will he do that? Is he aware you slipped out of your bedroom and tried to run away? You did make that too easy for me, by the way. Thanks.” The trilling of a phone broke their standoff. The man jerked, apparently startled. “Not a sound or I’ll silence you for good.”
He wouldn’t, at least not until she told him where to find the card. He’d have to remove the mask to answer. When he did, she’d tackle him. And how will you pull that off with your bound hands?
Her captor crossed the room and moved behind her, placing the gun to her head, conveniently against the stitches. “Move an inch and I’ll shoot you without question.”
She winced but remained motionless.
He paused, then said, “Yeah.”
Asia strained to hear the caller’s voice. The gorilla-masked man pressed the barrel harder against her healing wound. What did it matter? Even if she gave him the card, this goon had no inkling Slade had a copy.
She dropped her gaze to her hoodie. She didn’t feel the weight, but the figurine was little. Was the whale still in there? Shifting slightly, she crossed her legs, bumping the hoodie pocket. Empty. She’d lost it! Hope exploded. Slade would find it and realize she’d been kidnapped. Until he saw the opened window. Then what? Please, God, lead him to me and give me wisdom.
“Yep. Perfect,” the man said, still engaged in the phone conversation.
If she remained here, she was dead for sure. Slade wouldn’t discover this remote farm. She had to get back to civilization, get someone’s attention and escape.
Mask in place, the man moved around her, hovering. “So where is it?”
Maybe there was a way to bluff her way out of this mess. “Seems you and I were both placed in the middle of a tug-of-war over this card.”
He stepped to the side, crossing his arms.
What she’d give to see his face. Was she getting through? Asia continued, “I’d be willing to bargain with you.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Why not? I want to live. I never chose the responsibility of keeping that stupid card. Didn’t even know it existed until I was framed for Quenten’s murder. I want nothing more than to be rid of that albatross. But I need something in return.”
�
��Too bad.” He shook his head.
She pressed on. “Just think, if I gave you the card, and you agreed to let me go, you’d make your own demands. I haven’t seen your face, have no way of identifying you.”
“I don’t know...”
Asia shrugged, confidence building. “Or kill me and you get nothing.”
“How do I know you wouldn’t tell the police?”
She snorted. “You mean the police who believe I killed Quenten? They’re not going to help me, so why would I do that? Besides, if you have the card, I don’t have anything of value for your boss, right?”
He tilted his head, and Asia had to keep from grinning at the silliness of his posture with the gorilla mask. He didn’t ask about the video. Did he know what the card contained? Would his boss reveal those details? Or was this hired kidnapper nothing more than brawn?
“I’ll take you to where the card is, you can drop me off on the side of the road and we both get what we want.”
He lifted his phone.
No. He’d call his boss and she’d never escape. “Demand enough money to leave the country. Go somewhere tropical.”
He jerked up his head. “Okay, Mrs. Stratton, I’ll take you up on your offer. But if you’re lying or trying to trick me, not only will you die, but so will Slade and his brother Trey.”
TEN
The gorilla-masked man shoved Asia into the back seat of the older-model sedan. Arms still bound behind her, she landed on her side and had to wriggle to an upright position. Irritated, she glared at him and demanded, “What about my seat belt?” When he leaned in, she’d headbutt him.
“Shut up or I’ll gag you again. Try anything funny and I’ll toss you into the trunk.” He slammed the door then climbed into the driver’s seat. “Where am I going?”
Good question. She couldn’t return to the house where Slade and Trey were, so where should she have him drive? She needed to buy time and get to civilization. And at the moment, she had no idea where they were. How long had they driven when she’d been unconscious? “Newman Valley,” Asia blurted.
Was he the ruthless destroyer of her home? Or one of the men who’d shot at them from the YMCA?
“Where in Newman Valley?” Annoyance oozed through his mask, and he glared at her in the rearview mirror.
She contemplated, then squared her shoulders. “My apartment.”
“Nope. Already checked there.”
Indignation boiled her blood. “You demolished my home? Shredded my grandmother’s quilt?”
He started the engine and shifted gears, accelerating on the icy gravel road.
Asia averted her eyes, choosing to focus her anger at the mound of fast-food wrappers and soda cups scattered along the floorboard. The older vehicle’s lack of shock absorption had her bouncing on the torn seat cushion. The tires slammed into a series of potholes as they rumbled over the rough terrain.
The country roads were dark, and the dim headlights provided little help in assessing where they were. Asia tried to survey the archaic interior, but the lack of light made that difficult. Based on the red leather seats that suffered from multiple punctures, the vehicle was at least twenty years old and filthy.
Her gaze traveled across to the driver. Two chrome holes indicated the place where the headrest should’ve been. Her captor sat low, almost casual, as if he were cruising on a hot summer night. He still wore the gorilla mask, no doubt impairing his vision.
She leaned forward, peering over his shoulder. “Where are—”
“Sit back!” He backhanded her, then glared over his shoulder.
Asia’s forehead stung from the hit, fury warming her body.
The tires smashed into another hole and the car fishtailed, tossing her around in the seat. She sat crumpled, chin pressing against her chest, and an idea sprouted. Gymnastics had been a lifetime ago, but the training remained ingrained in her mind.
Ignoring the pain in her protesting shoulder, Asia spread her shoulders as wide as her restraints allowed, creating a large circle behind her back.
“What are you doing?” he growled, watching her in the rearview mirror.
She shrugged. “Just trying to stay in the seat like you said. The potholes are crazy around here.”
He grunted.
Asia kept her eye on the mirror, wriggling her rear through her hooped arms. She paused, then slid her bound wrists under her legs. Another pothole allowed her to lift her knees and pull them through the opening. At last, she maneuvered her hands onto her lap.
She righted herself, took a deep breath and lunged forward, throwing her arms over the man’s head and neck. With every ounce of strength, she leaned backward, using the duct tape restraints and her full body weight to choke the driver. He yelled and released the wheel, causing the car to skid on the icy road.
He grappled, fighting to regain control with one hand, clawing at her arms with the other. Her hoodie layered over the sweater protected her from injury.
She locked her feet in place on the floorboards and pulled back harder, even as the headlights of an approaching vehicle blinded her. Her captor let go of his hold on the steering wheel, focusing more on fighting for air. The car swerved into the oncoming lanes and the path of an advancing SUV.
Asia tried to grab the wheel, but her reaction time wasn’t fast enough, and they collided.
An explosion of crushing metal and shattering glass reverberated inside the vehicle. The impact thrust Asia forward, slamming her nose into the back of her captor’s skull.
Pain blasted over her face and stars danced before her eyes.
Then everything stilled, and only the ringing in her ears and the burning in her nose remained. Freeing her still-bound wrists from the man’s neck, she shifted among the shards of window glass and groped for the door handle.
She stumbled out of the car then leaned against the rear panel, pressing her arm against her bleeding nose.
An older woman rushed toward her, arms flailing wildly. “Are you crazy? You drove—” She stopped short, her gaze bouncing between Asia’s bound wrists and the gorilla-masked driver still unconscious in the crashed vehicle. She gasped, fingers pressed against her lips. “Sweet child. What happened to you?”
“Please. Help me.” Asia’s words came out thick over the iron taste in her mouth. “Call the police.”
* * *
“Now what?” Slade climbed out of the pickup, slamming the door. Hopelessness weighed on his shoulders.
After an hour of searching the town and surrounding roads, he and Trey returned to the house, having made no progress. If Quenten’s killer had abducted her, he’d... No, Slade wouldn’t go there.
Ever the optimist, Trey said, “We work the clues we have, starting with identifying the men in that video.”
His brother’s calm demeanor should’ve encouraged Slade, but each passing second hammered a new nail of worry into his heart.
Why hadn’t he stayed by her side? Why hadn’t he clued in on her uncharacteristically reserved manner tonight? Was it time to notify Sergeant Oliver?
The conflicting questions battled in an endless circular argument. If Asia had escaped by choice, she was a fugitive. However, if someone kidnapped her, activating a legion of law enforcement officers to search for her would be beneficial. Either way, she’d be arrested and safe. Unless Zander’s suspicions proved true. If there was a mole within the department, putting Asia in jail made her accessible and placed her in worse danger. Impossible decisions.
Slade followed behind Trey, each step heavier than the last. They paused on the front porch as Trey inserted the key. “That’s weird.”
Too tired and disheartened to focus, Slade muttered, “What?”
Trey removed his Glock and stepped to the side, lowering his voice. “Didn’t you lock up before we left?”
That got Slade’s attention. He w
ithdrew his service weapon. Trey pushed open the door and Magnum bolted through the entrance, nose to the ground. Within seconds, they’d cleared the home and reconvened in the kitchen. Slade’s gut said something was off, yet nothing appeared out of place.
“Maybe in our hurry—”
Slade’s gaze traveled across the small space and landed on the dining table. “My laptop’s gone!”
“Are you sure you didn’t stash it before we took off?”
Dread clung to Slade’s shoulders. He’d lost the video and failed Asia again. “No, that would’ve been the smart thing, which is the opposite of pretty much everything I’ve done today.” He slumped into a chair and slammed his hand down on the table, knocking over the salt and pepper shakers. “Why didn’t I grab my computer?”
“Hang on.” Trey ran out of the house and returned with his laptop bag, sporting a wide grin.
“What’re you smiling about?”
“Do you still have Asia’s whale?”
“Yes!” He’d forgotten about the figurine in his jacket pocket. Slade quickly pulled out the whale and withdrew the hidden SD card, passing it to his brother.
Trey inserted the card into his laptop, and his fingers flew across the keys. “Make coffee. This may take a while.”
Slade set the maker to Brew then paced between the living room and the kitchen. “How’s it going?”
“Go lie down. Your patrolling is distracting. I’ll holler as soon as I have something.”
Frustrated and too tired to argue, Slade moved to the couch and flopped onto the hard cushions. He leaned back and closed his eyes. “Fine, but I just need five minutes.”
The ringing of Slade’s phone jerked him awake. Oliver. “Sarge.”
“Asia’s at the hospital.”
Slade bolted upright. “What? Is she okay?”
“She escaped her kidnapper, but she’s pretty shook-up with minor injuries. Doc says she’ll be released within the hour.”
Slade swallowed. “Thank You, Lord.”
“Her captor’s unconscious, and I’ve assigned trooper security to him. She isn’t talkative, just keeps saying she wants to see you.”
Silent Night Suspect Page 16