She finally awoke seated on the basement floor with her back against one of the support beams. The lights were on this time, illuminating the drab basement.
Crusty blood hardened on her upper lip and down her chin. With every beat of her heart, her head throbbed. Her stomach ached in pain.
She screamed. “Help!” Her voice cracked. She cried out again, to the point where her whole body shook as she yelled.
“You can scream until the roof comes down. No one will hear you,” a voice said behind her.
Arden attempted to look over her shoulder but failed. She tried the other shoulder and failed there too.
The man circled around her and stopped in front. He rested his palm on the hilt of the baseball bat and used the bat as a cane. Head slightly cocked, he looked down at Arden.
She kept her mouth shut and glared back at the masked man. She couldn’t give in to fear.
“Go on,” the man said. “Keep screaming.”
Arden stayed silent.
The man seemed to enjoy Arden’s defiance.
“So,” he said. “This is how we’re going to do this. You answer my questions or I start breaking you. Simple enough?”
Arden felt disgusted just looking at him. “You’ve made a huge mistake. People are looking for me.”
The man looked up the ceiling and tilted his head to listen. After a moment, he turned his hollow gaze back to Arden. “I don’t hear anyone.”
Arden tried to fight against the zip ties keeping her to the post. Her attempt failed. She rubbed the zip ties against the square post, trying to wear them down to a point where they would break. She felt her chest tighten, partly out of pain and also out of dread. Her only hope was to keep the man talking, but she also couldn’t afford to take another hit. She assumed she was concussed, and her belly was probably painted with a long bruise. It would be hard to get a phone call or make a run for it after she escaped. Also, questions of Joe’s whereabouts raced through her mind. She had to assume he was captured or dead. There weren’t many other scenarios in between. In her thoughts, she kept a steady stream of prayers flowing.
“First question,” the man with the bunny mask asked. “Who am I?”
Arden’s teeth chattered. She grimaced in pain. “If I knew that, you’d be arrested.”
“How did you find me?”
Arden thought on her answer. The man picked up the bat and gently placed the point on Arden’s knee cap. “Answer.”
“My friend Joe contacted me,” Arden admitted. “He said he was following a hunch that led him to this house. I followed him.”
Lord, help me. Lord, keep me safe. It was at moments like these where she was truly tested in her faith. Part of her trusted that she’d be rescued, but with no way out, it didn’t seem likely. If she died here, at least she could rest from all this craziness. She convinced herself with that thought. She couldn’t give up now. She wouldn’t allow evil to win.
The man kept the bat lightly resting on her knee. “You’re an honest one.”
“I like my knee caps,” Arden replied, trying to keep her cool.
“What do you know about the Rabbit Initiative?”
“I don’t know anything,” Arden replied.
The man lifted the bat, preparing for a strike.
Arden quickly said, “There was an illegal prostitution ring I helped bring down in a spa called Serenity.”
The man chuckled. “You really don't want to get hurt, do you?”
“I’m a peacemaker,” Arden replied. “Whatever we can do to work this out like fellow human beings, I’m game.”
The man squatted in front of Arden. He put a hand under her chin and tilted it up to look him in the eye. Arden wanted to do everything in her power to kick him in the groin, but she didn’t see how that would help her situation.
The man spoke earnestly. “You’re a pretty girl.”
She could almost see his eyes behind the long-snouted mask.
“I was,” Arden remarked, constantly reminded of her busted nose. She didn’t react to his hand. She had no intention of seducing him or allowing him to make advances on her. She just didn’t have a plan to get out.
The man grabbed the small golden links of her necklace and brought it out. He held the golden cross in the palm of his hand. “You believe in God?”
Arden felt the words lodge in her throat. She fought past the feeling and said, “I do.”
“Then, where is He?”
Arden cracked a small smile. “Here. Watching all of this.”
“Seems like He doesn’t care too much,” the man replied.
“He does,” Arden replied. “Just wait. He’ll show up.”
The man squeezed the cross tightly. “No one is coming to save you.”
“We’ll see,” Arden replied.
The man yanked the cross off her neck and tossed it aside.
“Like that'll do anything,” Arden replied, feeling a fire burning inside. If today was the day she went to her heavenly home, so be it. She only prayed that Jessica and Joe would get out safely.
The man threatened, “You better shut up.”
Arden kept her mouth shut.
“Your God is dead,” the man mocked. “Look at the world around you. Where is He? Kids are killed. People steal. Lie. We evolved into better predators as the years go on. Some are born wolves and some are born sheep. Wolves aren’t evil. They’re instinctive. They look out for their own. They take what they want. If your God is real, He’s turned this world into a jungle and laughs along with the rest of the jackals.”
“He’s called us to be His good stewards,” Arden replied. “That means there is a willingness and a responsibility to make this world good. We’ve all failed, but it's not too late to make the right decision.”
“Are you trying to convert me?” The man chuckled and then slapped Arden across the face. “Huh? Come on. Answer the question.” He slapped her again.
The pain was hot and felt like spikes. Tears rolled down Arden’s face. She tried as hard as she could to stay strong, but the pain mixed with the throbbing from her broken nose was too intense. She forced herself to speak. “It’s God’s will that all men should be saved.”
“No one is saving you,” the man stood up. “And no one is saving me either.” He started to unzip his trousers.
Arden felt her heart drop.
THUNK. THUNK. THUNK.
There was a knock on the upstairs.
The man looked up.
There was another knock.
The man held out a finger. “Not a word.”
“Help! Down here--” Arden screamed.
The man let the bat fall from his grip as he grabbed her neck with both hands and squeezed. Arden kicked her legs. Her face turned red. She squirmed and saw stars. The pain across her body was merged with terror. She tried to remind herself of the Scriptures that set her free before, but they seemed so far away. What if she was wrong? What if she was living for nothing? She refused to give those thoughts cause.
She stopped resisting and let her head roll in the man’s hands.
A strange warmth flashed over her. Words passed through her mind. It’s going to be okay.
The man let go of her neck. He unbuckled his belt and put it in Arden’s mouth. He proceeded to tighten it around the beam to keep Arden from speaking, then drew out Arden’s pistol and started up the stairs.
Arden opened her eyes halfway, as that was all she could do. She glanced around the room. She rubbed her zip tie faster and faster against the corners of the square beam. Her entire face felt like it was on fire. Her torso was screaming. She couldn’t give up now. She had to keep trying. The beam’s corners rubbed against her wrists to the point that it broke the skin.
Arden didn’t relent.
The zip tie snapped, and she quickly pulled her hands from around the beam. She rubbed her sore wrists before undoing the belt.
She tossed it aside and tried to stand. The simple motion of moving her torso crip
pled her. She hugged the beam and used it to get back to her feet. She rested against it for a moment. “Thank you.”
She dragged her feet to the baseball bat and picked it up. She faced the stairs and the room where Jessica was kept. As much as she wanted to be a hero, she couldn’t rescue the girl without dealing with the man.
Resting the bat against her shoulder, she used the handrail to guide her up the stairs. Every step sent pain shooting through her body. The front of her face was already numb from the first hit, and the slap had made it start bleeding again. At least there would be DNA evidence all over the place if she didn’t make it out. At the end of the longest hike, she reached the door and nearly passed out.
As she breathed heavily with her head resting against the door, she listened.
Silence.
Arden tried the doorknob. It was unlocked. It made a long eeeeeeee sound as she opened it.
She looked out into the large living room and connected kitchen. She walked a few steps to the corner of the room and peered at the front door. The front door was open. The man in the polo had his back toward Arden and was talking to a veteran police officer. Derrick must’ve sent him from Dispatch. The abductor wasn’t wearing his mask. The back of his head had hair, but the top was bald. The pistol’s grip was sticking out of the back of his pants.
“We’re going to have to search the place,” the cop said. He couldn’t see Arden from his vantage point. She could barely make out his face.
She drew in a deep breath and yelled. “H-help me!”
As a reaction, the abductor quickly twisted back to Arden. His expression was utter horror. Arden recognized him. It was Alex Heedman, Lindsey’s father. Before Arden could properly process what was happening, Alex pulled the pistol out. The cop reached for his but wasn’t as quick. Alex shot four rounds into the cop’s lower torso, hitting one thigh, his groin, and the last two getting at the bottom of the Kevlar vest. As the cop collapsed, Alex twisted back and aimed Arden’s way.
She was already hobbling in the opposite direction. Getting caught in the basement wouldn’t end well. She got to the door at the end of the hall. To her surprise, the lock was on the outside. Arden quickly unlocked it and rushed inside just as Alex ran after her.
He cursed up a storm as Arden slammed the door shut behind her. She quickly scanned the room, locking eyes on a chair. She grabbed it and shoved the top below the doorknob. Alex banged on the door.
“Open the door! Open the door!”
The door thumped as Alex slammed his whole body against it. Arden noticed Joe was sitting there, tied to the metal leg of a twin-sized bed that was bolted to the floor. Joe’s mouth was gagged. His head was bloody, but his eyes were wide. Arden didn’t have time to guess how he got here. She crawled to him and quickly removed the gag.
“Arden, I--”
Arden shushed him and worked quickly to remove the zip ties binding him. She needed something sharp but only had the bat. Groaning, she bit into the zip ties.
Alex hit the door, almost knocking out the chair. He let out a groan in frustration.
Suddenly, his hasty footsteps led away from the door.
Arden snapped the zip tie.
Joe quickly got to his feet. “Bat.”
Arden tossed it to him as she collapsed. Her body couldn’t take much more.
Joe kicked out the chair from the doorknob and pushed open the door.
The tail end of Alex was just vanishing down the hall.
He twisted back to shoot Joe when the bat came twirling through the air and struck him center mass. He staggered and blew a hole through the floor. Joe ran him down like a bulldozer and slammed Alex against the hallway wall. Pinned, Alex went to shoot. Joe grabbed the hand holding the gun and snapped his wrist back. Alex cried out in pain. He threw the entirety of his body weight at Joe and sent them both plummeting through the open basement door. A series of loud thumps thundered down every step until…
Silence.
Whimpering, numb, and ready to pass out, Arden used the dresser to find her shaky balance.
“Joe?” She called out.
No reply.
Relying on the wall to hold her up, Arden forced herself out of the room and into the hallway. The pain was only getting worse. She tasted bile and had to stop midway through the hall to keep herself from blacking out.
She pulled herself to the threshold of the basement and looked down the rickety stairs.
Joe was straddling Alex and whaling on his face with his large fists.
Alex attempted to put up a fight, but his arms were like noodles.
Joe’s fists didn’t relent. Every hit was like a hammer to Alex’s jaw.
Arden lingered in the threshold at the top of the stairs.
“Joe… Joe!” She yelled.
He kept beating on the man. Alex’s arms fell out beside him like he’d been crucified.
Arden yelled again. “Joe! Enough!”
Joe raised his fist but hesitated.
He looked over his shoulder. Blood leaked down the side of his forehead. More stained his beard. He was seething with rage. He looked more beast than man.
Arden caught her breath. “It’s done. No more.”
Joe opened his mouth to argue.
“Please,” Arden said weakly. She slid down to her knees with her back resting against the right side of the threshold.
Darkness consumed the corners of her sight. She tried her best to stay awake, but there was no fight left in her…
9
Solace
Sirens.
The sound of boots running across wooden floor.
Shouting.
The feeling of flying.
Medical jargon.
Blackness.
Arden opened her eyes.
A bright light blinded her. Her mouth was dry like cotton. Slowly, the world came into focus. She was staring at a tile ceiling with rectangular tube lights overhead. The monotone beep of an EKG machine sounded somewhere out of sight. Arden noticed the white walls and smelled the sterile air.
She blinked a few times, taking in the hospital room.
A voice said, “About time.”
Arden looked over and saw Detective Dawkins slouched nearby. He munched on a tuna sandwich. “I thought I wasted another lunch break.”
Arden sat up. She didn’t feel any pain, but her body felt heavy.
Dawkins stared at her and chewed with his mouth open. “You know who I am, right?”
“Vice Detective Dawkins, Macon PD,” Arden replied.
“Thank the Lord,” Dawkins said. “Whatever drugs they have you on made you into a mumbling idiot these last few days.”
Arden rubbed her forehead. She felt the fabric of a bandage. “How long…”
“Four days,” Dawkins replied. “I’ve been stopping in to see if you were still alive. You are, so I can leave.”
“Joe?” Arden asked.
“With his daughter. They’re, uh, surviving, for the most part.”
“Is Jessica --”
Dawkins cut her off with a gesture. He shook his head. “Nope. I’m not talking about it.”
Arden leaned back into her pillow, feeling guilt come over her.
Dawkins tried to find hope. “She’ll make it through.”
“I’ll be praying she does,” Arden replied.
They marinated in silence for a moment.
“How about Alex?” Arden asked.
“Beat to a pulp, but breathing,” Dawkins replied. “We were half-tempted to let him die after what he did to Officer McCormick, but the law is the law. When he recovers, we’re going to interrogate him until he’s blue in the face. His wife came out, saying he abused her. His daughter admitted to setting up the whole abduction. She said that Alex would have hurt her otherwise.”
Arden gnashed her teeth. She felt disgusted, knowing that a father could do that to his own daughter. Whether Lindsey’s motivation was fear-based or she was an active participant, Arden would proba
bly never know. “And the raid at Orbit?”
Dawkins smiled proudly. “We took down the bastards. It got hairy. No casualties on us. Three on them. They were shipping girls through there. Real sick stuff. But that's done, Macon’s a better place for it. I gotta give credit where it’s due. Thank you.”
“Glad to be of service,” Arden replied with a weak smile. “I guess that means my consultation is finished.”
“For now,” Dawkins said. “Chief sent me down here to thank you on behalf of the department. You’re some kind of hero now.”
Arden pursed her lips. She wasn’t sure how to react to that.
The doctor entered. “Good afternoon, Ms. Briar. Mind if we run a few tests?”
Dawkins stood up. “See you around.”
“Likewise,” Arden replied.
Dawkins exited.
With her nose wrapped in bandages, she stayed on the strong meds the doctor had given her and hailed a cab home. Her car was parked outside. Confused, she approached it and read the note. “Courtesy of Macon PD.”
Arden grinned. It appeared they’d fixed the thing.
She passed by her office lobby, through the office, and into her small studio. Fruit flies gathered on the unwashed dishes in the sink. Unfolded clothes rested in a wrinkled pile by the dryer. Sighing, Arden took a seat at her desk. She leaned back and shut her eyes. “Thank you,” she mumbled.
Her office buzzer rang.
Arden got out of her seat and made her way through the lobby door. She peeked through the eyehole. Seeing who it was, she quickly unlocked the door.
Joe loomed over her, just like the way he had when they first met. His beard was slightly trimmed. He had a patch bandage on the right side of his creased forehead. “Mind if I come in?”
Arden took a step back and gestured him to enter.
Joe kept his hands buried in his army jacket. “How are you holding up?” he asked.
Arden shrugged. “I’ve had better days. Want something to drink?”
“Bourbon.”
“I only have water,” Arden replied. She walked through her office and poured him a glass.
When she came back, he was holding the rolled stack of bills. “I never paid you the full amount.”
Secrets Boxset: A Riveting Kidnapping Mystery Collection Page 9