by Evelyn Dar
“Will you stay?” Avery asked. “Just for a little while?” She rolled on her side and held her arm out.
Laylah laid down, and Avery wrapped an arm around her and sighed contentedly.
Laylah chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Avery asked.
“Never thought I’d be the little spoon in this relationship.” Laylah smiled. “It feels nice to be protected.”
“Shh,” Avery said. “Go to sleep.”
****
As Avery watched the subtle rise and fall of Laylah’s chest, her unblinking eyes burned. She had spent the past hour studying Laylah; trying to commit to memory every detail about the woman slumbering in her arms.
She brushed a strand of hair from Laylah’s forehead and fought the urge to place a gentle kiss there. She wanted to scream in frustration and exhaustion; her debating conscience having kept her awake all night.
‘I can’t use the tracker. What about Laylah?’
‘Don’t be an idiot. This is your only chance.’
‘I think I’m in love with her.’
She drugged you. She set you up. She lied about it. Laylah Carter hates you.
The door opened, and Maddy poked her head in, rescuing Avery from her thoughts.
Maddy eyed them. “Looks like someone had a good night.”
Avery’s face burned as she unwrapped herself from Laylah.
Laylah murmured and rolled over.
“She, uh, fell asleep,” Avery said lamely.
“I can see that,” Maddy said.
Avery noted the dark circles beneath Maddy’s tired eyes, but said nothing. She didn’t know if Maddy played a part in drugging her, but if Laylah was in on the kidnapping, she was certain Maddy was too.
Maddy gently shook Laylah awake.
“What time is it?” Laylah asked, rubbing her eyes.
“A quarter to six, my love,” Maddy replied.
“Why so early?”
“You know what they say.” Maddy patted Laylah’s thigh. “No rest for the wicked. Also, Papa Teddy is holding a press conference at six-thirty.”
Avery snorted. “Teddy and the press. A better love story than Twilight.”
“Mademoiselle?” Maddy bowed to Laylah. “Our presence is requested at ze press conference.”
“By who?” Laylah asked.
“Who do you think?” Maddy rolled her eyes. “Our new daddy with the terrible face tattoo.”
“Why does Reggie want you to go to Teddy’s press conference?” Avery asked.
“God only knows,” Maddy said. “He mumbled something about knowing your enemy better than yourself. He’s also still drunk, so there’s that.”
“Great,” Laylah said and followed Maddy to the door.
Avery’s stomach churned as she watched Laylah leave. Was this it? Would the next time she saw Laylah be from the witness stand?
At the doorway, Laylah stopped, and Avery’s heart leapt. Without a word, Laylah crossed the room, grabbed Avery by the waist, and swept her up in a dizzying kiss.
When Laylah let her go, Avery’s knees nearly buckled. She had never in her life been kissed like that.
“I hope that was okay.” Laylah furrowed her brow. “I should have asked first. I’m sorry.”
Avery held a finger to Laylah’s lips. “If you ever want to kiss me, the answer will always be yes.”
Laylah grinned, and Avery grinned back.
Maddy cleared her throat loudly.
“I’ll be back,” Laylah said.
She hates you.
“I promise.”
She’s lying.
The moment the door shut; Avery’s grin fell along with a tear. She wiped away the tear, pulled out the GPS tracker and switched it on.
CHAPTER TEN
Teddy stepped up to the podium, a poster-sized photo of Avery mounted on the wall behind him. He tapped one of the five microphones.
“Thank you all for waking up so early this Saturday morning. You have no idea how much it means to me and Joanna.”
Joanna stood slightly to Teddy’s right; still in the frame, but not enough to steal the spotlight. She grasped the hand of the woman beside her, who Laylah recognized as the Kardashian clone from the party.
Joanna’s eyes were clear if not alert. No sunglasses required.
The packed police station was a flurry of activity and Laylah and Maddy found themselves shoulder to shoulder with detectives, reporters, and the odd private citizen with connections hefty enough to gain entry, which was why Maddy’s father – plastic surgeon to the rich, famous, and even richer – accompanied them.
It had only taken Maddy minutes to convince Dr. Gupta Avery was her third best friend, and it was vital she and Laylah attend the press conference.
Dr. Gupta checked his phone. “Maddy, darling I have to–”
“Bye Dad,” Maddy said without looking at him.
“I want you to know,” Dr. Gupta said. “I care deeply about your missing friend, but–”
Maddy waved him off. “It’s fine. Love you. Bye.”
Dr. Gupta gave Laylah a hug, kissed Maddy on the cheek, and maneuvered his way through the crowd.
Five minutes later, Laylah’s eyes had glossed over and she struggled to stay awake as Teddy thanked the efforts of the men and women in the service industry for their attempts to locate Avery. By name.
“Psst.” Maddy nudged her. “Check out Mommie Dearest.”
Instead of staring dolefully into the camera like the devastated mother the world expected to see, Joanna was squinting at her iPhone like she’d never seen it before. They watched as she handed the phone to the Kardashian.
“Ten bucks says they’re checking Instagram,” Maddy whispered.
Laylah chuckled as the women gawked at the phone. Teddy would flip if he knew what was going on in the background of his live press conference.
A few reporters began murmuring, and Teddy paused. He raised an eyebrow at the Kardashian, but it was his wife who stepped forward.
Although Joanna whispered, her hushed voice was no match for five microphones and the words “heart dog tracker” were broadcast throughout the room.
Laylah puzzled over the words as a flustered Teddy made a lame excuse before being whisked off the stage. The reporters buzzed loudly as everyone speculated about the mysterious clue.
“Heart dog tracker?” Laylah whispered to herself.
“What did she say?” Maddy asked.
Laylah opened her mouth to repeat the strange combination of words when a chill came over her. She looked at Maddy, but her vision had blurred and instead of Maddy she saw a small, rubber heart-shaped key chain.
The one she risked her life and freedom for. The one Avery couldn’t sleep without it. The one that was a ‘heart-shaped dog tracker.’
“What’s wrong?” Maddy asked. “And why do you look like you just saw your grandmother’s sex tape?”
Laylah pulled out her phone and began furiously texting.
Maddy peered over her shoulder and gasped. “Oh my God. Are you sure?”
“Hey!” A reporter yelled, “they’re leaving.”
Maddy and Laylah followed the racing throng of reporters outside as dozens of police cars took off with their sirens wailing.
The reporters and their crews clambered into their vehicles and gave chase.
“Holy shit,” Maddy said. “Do you think we should–”
Laylah sprinted to Maddy’s car.
“You know I hate cardio!” Maddy yelled after her.
Laylah had just buckled her seatbelt when a breathless Maddy climbed into the driver’s seat and started the car.
“For the record,” Maddy panted, “the airport is twenty minutes away.”
“Maddy.”
“I know, I know extradition treaty, blah, blah, blah.” Maddy pulled on the highway and floored it.
“I told her I’d come back,” Laylah said.
“What?” Maddy asked. “Maybe you weren’t paying atte
ntion, but your girlfriend just called the cops on us.”
“We kidnapped her,” Laylah pointed out.
“What do you think the opposite of Stockholm Syndrome is?”
“Maddy.”
“You know, where the kidnapper falls in love with the kidnappee?”
“Kidnappee isn’t a word.” Laylah’s heart thudded as Maddy turned on West Point Ave. “Can we discuss this later?”
“Um….” Maddy stopped in the middle of the street. “There might not be a later.”
The ex-charter school/kidnapping HQ was surrounded by police cars, camera crews and mobs of nosey neighbors. Maddy parked in someone’s driveway, and as they made their way through the chattering crowd, Laylah’s chest tightened.
This is it. The end.
“Excuse me, ma’am?” Maddy tapped the shoulder of an older woman standing in front of them. “Did they find her?”
“Hell no, they ain’t find her,” the woman said bitterly. “Just another excuse to run up in the projects with guns blazing, like they always do.”
Maddy and Laylah exchanged looks and stepped away from the crowd.
“What now?” Maddy whispered.
“I don’t know,” Laylah whispered back. “I guess just…wait?”
Maddy’s voice shook. “If they handcuff me first, try to get footage for the ‘gram. Brown people getting arrested, always trends.”
Laylah chuckled even though her insides felt like jelly. “That’s not funny.”
“Yes, it is.” Maddy looped her arm through Laylah’s. “It’s fucking hilarious.”
Ten minutes passed. Then twenty minutes. Then an hour.
Finally, two hours later, the police chief came out and addressed the crowd which had grown so large vehicles could no longer pass through.
He spoke through a megaphone. “Please return to your homes.”
“What about the girl?” someone yelled.
“Avery Bradley is not on the premises,” the police chief said.
“Why are the police still inside?” someone else asked.
“This is an active crime scene,” he replied. “I cannot comment further. Thank you.”
The crowd slowly dispersed, and Laylah eyed the officers standing outside. Why hadn’t they arrested her? What were they waiting for?
“Come on.” Maddy took her hand.
As they walked to the car, Laylah’s phone vibrated. She didn’t bother checking the caller-Id before answering. “Where is Avery?”
****
The smell of rancid grease overwhelmed Avery as she was marched inside either an apartment building or a grease trap. She was bound, gagged, and blindfolded, and two steps into the new locale, she tripped over her feet.
With her hands bound tightly behind her back with what felt like shoelaces, she mentally prepared for a painful face plant, but at the last moment, someone grabbed her from behind, stopping her terrifying free fall.
“Thank you,” she whispered to the person she assumed was Kendrick. She was certain Reggie and his goons wouldn’t have bothered.
“Damn, boy!” Reggie yelled from somewhere ahead. “Why is yo shit all over the goddamn floor?”
Avery heard a slap followed by the sound of a child crying. She froze, and a hand touched her shoulder, gently pushing her forward.
After a dozen more steps, the child’s cries faded, and the hand fell away.
“There’s a bed to your right.”
Stacy.
Avery listened for any indication she and Stacy weren’t alone. Breathing. Movement. Footsteps. But all was quiet. She cleared her throat and prayed Reggie wasn’t standing quietly in the corner.
Avery grunted.
Nothing.
She grunted again, waited five seconds, then another grunt.
Stacy sighed and peeled the duct tape off. “What?” he whispered.
“Is Laylah okay?”
From the moment she’d switched the tracker on, Avery had been sick to her stomach over Laylah’s fate.
“You wasn’t worried about her when you set off that GPS,” Stacy said.
Avery clenched her jaw. “Why do you think I did it after she left?”
“Whatever.”
“Stacy.” Avery’s voice broke. “Please.”
Stacy sighed. “She aight. Not that you deserve to know.”
Avery let out the breath she’d been holding. “Thank God. I–”
Without warning, Stacy slapped the duct tape over Avery’s mouth and moments later, an unknown voice spoke. “Reggie said he’s ready to film.”
“In here?” Stacy asked.
“Nah, in the bathroom.”
Stacy led Avery to what she assumed was the bathroom. She heard a toilet lid drop and was instructed to sit. A moment later, the blindfold was roughly pulled from her head and the duct tape ripped from her lips.
Two men in ski masks stood inside the tiny bathroom with her. One aimed a phone at her. The other, a gun.
The gunman stepped toward her, and she leaned back.
He laughed. “Guess you not as stupid as I thought.”
Reggie.
Reggie turned to the cameraman. “You filming, bro?”
Stacy.
Stacy pressed a button and nodded.
Reggie pulled out his trusty flip phone and voice changer. Teddy picked up on the first ring.
“Hello?”
“Go to the link,” Reggie said.
Two silent minutes went by, then Teddy whispered, “Dear God.”
“You can see her?” Reggie asked.
“Yes,” Teddy said.
Reggie cocked the gun and placed the barrel against Avery’s temple. Avery shook, and tears streamed down her face.
“I want my fucking money,” Reggie demanded. “Tonight.”
“But you said–”
“I know what the fuck I said. But your dumb ass daughter sicced the cops on us, so the deadline’s been moved up.”
Silence.
“Teddy?” Reggie said.
“Yes?”
“If you call the cops, I’m blowing her fucking brains out. And I’m going to film it so you can watch it over and over again.” He hung up, smirked into the camera and blew a kiss.
****
Laylah gripped the icy railing as she carefully climbed the steps.
“Jesus,” Maddy said, stepping over a step encased in ice. “I thought your apartment was crappy.”
“Thanks,” Laylah said, although she was thinking the same. Stacy and Reggie’s apartment building was only one mile from Laylah’s place, but whoever owned this building was unquestionably a slumlord.
Boarded-up windows. Person-sized holes in the walls. Exposed wiring. Overgrown vegetation the height of a small child.
When they entered the second-floor hallway, they immediately spotted Stacy sitting on the floor, his back against the wall. He stood as they approached, but kept his eyes down.
“Hey,” Maddy said.
No reply.
She stepped forward, her eyes examining him. “Are you okay? Did Reggie do something to you?”
Stacy looked at Laylah. “He’s waiting for you.”
“Stacy, what’s wrong?” Maddy demanded.
He wordlessly opened the door, and just stood there.
Laylah took Maddy’s hand. “Come on.”
As they passed through the doorway, Maddy tried to catch Stacy’s eye but he refused to look at her.
Reggie sat in the living room surrounded by a halo of weed smoke and a bevy of old and new goons alike.
“Bout time.” He stretched as he stood. “It’s payday, baby.”
“Where is she?” Laylah asked.
“Aye, that was some good looking out, Legs.” Reggie tsked. “I can’t believe she had that fucking dog toy with her the whole ass time.” He glared at Stacy. “Guess that’s what happens when you send a boy to do a man’s job.”
“Where is she?” Laylah demanded.
Reggie snorted. “Plea
se tell me you not still tryna hit.” He laughed. “Damn. Becky must got that good-good, y’all know what I’m saying?”
His goons cracked up and added their own lewd comments.
Laylah glared, and Reggie’s grin widened.
“Aw, come on, don’t look at me like that. I’m a nice guy, Legs. Shit, I’ll even let you kiss her goodbye, cause if her daddy don’t pay…” He raised his hand to his head in a gun gesture and made a popping sound.
“Wow,” Maddy said. “You don’t have a decent bone in your body, do you?”
“Maddy, don’t,” Laylah warned.
Reggie smirked. He looked Maddy up and down and whispered loudly in her ear, “I heard a secret about you today.”
Maddy’s eyes widened.
“And the thing is…my boys,” He gestured toward his motley crew. “Are very bad boys. And if they knew what I knew…” He whistled and made a cutting motion over his neck.
Reggie raised his hand to Maddy’s face, and she flinched. He lightly caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.
“Like I told Legs, I’m a nice guy. I don’t want to see you get hurt.” He licked his lips and ran his finger down Maddy’s throat. “You ever been to prison?”
Maddy shook her head.
“Maybe after all this is over, I can show you a few things I learned on the inside.” He gently brushed a strand of hair out of her face. “Shit, you might even like some of it.”
“Bro!”
Stacy stood in front of the door, his hand hovering near his waistband.
Reggie stepped away from Maddy and grinned. “Damn, must be something in the air. Bitches catching feelings left and right.” He slapped Stacy on the shoulder. “You ain’t gotta trip. bro. I don’t want that disgusting...woman.” He laughed and rejoined his crew in the living room.
“Avery’s in the last room on the right,” Stacy said, his eyes locked on Reggie, his hand still inches from his waistband.
Laylah took Maddy’s hand and led her down the hallway, but when they reached the last door, Maddy stopped.
“You know I hate third-wheeling,” Maddy said, her voice quivering.
“I’m not leaving you alone with them.”
“I’ll wait in the hallway.” Maddy made brief eye contact with Stacy. “And I don’t think I’m alone.”