Hunted: A Suspense Collection

by J. L. Drake

  He stared at the large stack of case files sitting on his coffee table as he took a gulp of his drink. Tonight of all nights he didn’t want to deal with anything, but it was unavoidable. He knew his mother would be calling soon—she always called him the exact minute he’d been born. He knew what she’d ask and he knew what his reply would be—the same reply he’d given her last year. There was no news.

  Daniel’s picture lay on top of the stack of files—the angular face with a huge smile, sparkling gray eyes, and dark hair so much like his own stared back at him from the rectangle of glossy paper. While Daniel’s missing persons file wasn’t the oldest one in the stack, it was the one that had the most relevance to him. He suspected his twin brother had met the same fate as all the others in the pile, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell his mother. All of them had disappeared without a trace…and that usually meant death.

  He finished his drink in one large gulp, let his head fall back against the headrest of his chair, and tried to stop the guilt that burned in his soul.

  The “should haves” spun through his brain: I should have been on time. I should have been there to protect my brother. I should have tracked the bastards responsible down by now and made them pay. I should be able to give my mom closure.

  While he knew nothing was his fault and there was nothing he could have done to protect his brother, he still felt responsible. He was the one who had to answer to their mother. He was the one who was in law enforcement. He was the one who hadn’t come clean and told her that his brother was most likely dead. Hell, he couldn’t help but hope she was right and he was wrong, and that he would somehow find his brother alive.

  His cell phone rang. He opened his eyes and glared at it where it sat on the end table beside his chair. He knew who it was. The ring tone was the one he’d assigned for his mother—a series of rising and falling bells. He cleared his throat, sat up, picked up the phone, took a deep breath, and answered it in a forced cheerful tone.

  “Hi, Mom,” he said, standing and walking over to where his bottle of whiskey sat on the counter in his tiny kitchen.

  He closed his eyes tightly and held his breath, waiting for the moment he knew was coming…

  “Happy Birthday!” she said.

  “Thank you,” he said, and slowly let out the breath he was holding. He lifted the bottle of whiskey and poured himself a double.

  “Any news about Daniel?”

  “No, there’s no news,” he responded.

  “Oh, okay…”

  He could hear the disappointment in her voice. He could feel the emotional pressure through the phone. He wanted to comfort her, to give her any kind of news he could, but he had nothing to give. “I’ll go over the case again tonight—you know I always do.” He took a large swallow of his drink and laughed bitterly.

  “Yes, I know,” she said in a small voice. “I’ll let you go then. I love you.”

  “I love you too,” he sighed. “Thanks for calling.”

  He was relieved she wanted to end the call so soon. He figured maybe she could sense how stressed he was and didn’t have the emotional energy to deal with him, just like he didn’t have the emotional energy to deal with her.

  He hadn’t talked to his mother much since Daniel’s disappearance. And he spoke to her less and less as every year passed that Daniel wasn’t found. He felt bad about the distance that had crept into their relationship—they were both going through this alone. Daniel’s ghost was haunting them both, making them feel lost and worthless because they couldn’t do anything to fill the void in their lives.

  With another sigh, he grabbed the bottle and his glass and headed back into the living room to sit down and go through the stack of files sitting on his coffee table. He knew all of them by heart. He’d read them over and over again multiple times. And he felt helpless as the pile kept growing. The problem was, he kept finding old cases, not new ones. They were on people who’d been missing longer than his brother. What he needed—and he knew it—was a break with newer cases. Then he’d have a lead. Then he’d have a trail. Then he’d be able to find the assholes that took his brother and make them pay.

  He sat down, picked up Daniel’s picture, and pulled a gold chain with the Lady Justice pendant he always wore out from under his shirt. He rubbed the pendant between his thumb and first two fingers—it was something he often did when he thought of his brother. Daniel had wrapped the gift and stuck it in his wallet to give him for their birthday. There seemed to be something symbolic about the blindfolded woman holding a sword and scales…he’d received the ultimate symbol of justice the same night his brother had gone missing. It was as if Daniel were calling out to be found, possibly from beyond the grave.

  With a heavy sigh, he laid the picture aside, let go of the pendant, and opened Daniel’s file, praying his brother would speak to him and somehow tell him why he’d been missing for so long.

  Everything was the same as the last time he’d read it, but still he took the time to go over every word. As he read the file that night came back to him in vivid clarity.

  He remembered arriving and calling his brother, only to hear the phone ring in the parking lot.

  He remembered finding Daniel’s phone and wallet beside the parking space he’d pulled into.

  He remembered the sickening feeling that settled in his gut as he’d picked them up and looked for the vehicle that had to have been in the space.

  The phone calls were possibly the worst part for him. He’d called Hank to have him and Roy search for Daniel in the nightclub, just in case. Then he’d called the police; it had been hard to convince them his brother was indeed missing. They’d wanted to wait 24 hours, claiming he’d probably gone home with some woman and would turn up shortly. David’s law enforcement training and his intimate knowledge of his brother told him something was wrong. He’d insisted they look into the matter, which they reluctantly did with a single cruiser a half hour later. Immediately after getting off the phone with the police, he’d called their mother. Her panic and tears when he’d told her Daniel was missing still hung like weights on his soul.

  He’d felt responsible then, and he felt responsible now.

  After reading the entire file that revealed nothing new, he went on to the next, and the next, and the next. In each and every case the police had been notified that the person had gone missing in less than 24 hours. In each and every case it was against the missing person’s habits to be out of contact with their friends and family. He knew from experience that most people didn’t even realize their loved one was missing for a day or two, especially if they didn’t live with the person who’d gone missing. Spouses and children were usually reported missing the soonest.

  He reached the bottom of the stack of case files the same time he reached the bottom of the whiskey bottle. Neither gave him any peace.

  Chapter 2

  The atmosphere was what she wanted it to be: dark, hazy with cigarette smoke, and hot from all the warm bodies packed into the small, tight space. It reminded her of sex and betrayal, and that made her smile, knowing she’d get what she was looking for because the stage was already set for the tragedy.

  Sonya Garret wove through the press of bodies toward the bar, planning to get herself a drink and find…someone. There were plenty to choose from since it was Ladies’ Night at the East Corner Bar and the men had flocked in like sheep, looking for smashed women to take advantage of. The thought of their intentions infuriated her, but then she thought about her intentions and a broad smile spread across her face.

  Finally reaching the bar, she waited patiently for the attention of the bartender, who was completely swamped. She wasn’t in a hurry, so she spent the time surveying the patrons of the bar.

  Women of all ages and ethnic backgrounds were dressed from conservative-sexy to downright slutty. The men were just as varied, with some middle-aged guys wearing cheap suits standing next to others who looked as if they weren’t even old enough to drive; it was a
comical array.

  Everyone was spread out among the many small tables standing in two-thirds of the room. Women were clustered together as they surveyed the buffet of men in front of them, and the men did the same. Laughter, yelling, and the noise of a live band setting up on the stage against the far left wall permeated the air.

  “What can I get ya?” the young, blonde bartender asked. When Sonya didn’t answer instantly she got huffy. “I don’t have all night.”

  Blinking at the rudeness, Sonya ordered her drink. “Vodka and cranberry.”

  The young woman nodded and quickly made her requested beverage, sliding it to Sonya across the bar. “That’ll be four-fifty.”

  Sonya handed her a five-dollar bill as the band started playing and yelled, “Keep the change!”

  The bartender rolled her eyes and moved on to the next customer.

  Shrugging, Sonya sipped her drink and wandered off through the crowd, looking for the perfect man to take back to her motel room. She finally spotted him, standing alone in a dark corner, away from everyone else.

  Sauntering toward him, she noticed men checking her out with her peripheral vision; she knew exactly what they were seeing and sipped her drink to hide the smirk on her face. At five feet, eight inches tall, with long black hair, most men couldn’t resist her. Add a little red dress that barely covered her ass, fit snugly against her slender waist, squeezed her pert breasts almost completely out of the neckline, and some high heeled shoes, and she could render the strongest of men into drooling fools.

  Pretending like she didn’t know he was there, she moved a step past the man in the dark corner, looked up, and glanced around. She jumped and let her hand leap to her chest, where her fingers fluttered against the exposed skin of her breasts.

  “Oh,” she gasped, “I didn’t see you there.” She smiled and giggled. “What are you doing hiding in the dark like that, anyway? A handsome man like you…”

  The man blinked for a couple seconds while his gaze followed her fingertips as they slid over her skin before they traveled lower, taking in the full view of her standing there. He swallowed hard, took a long drink of his beer, and blushed crimson.

  “Sorry,” he muttered, and laughed nervously. “I didn’t mean to, um, startle you.”

  She pouted and blinked her dark brown eyes at him. “What are you going to do to make it up to me?” she teased, as she advanced toward him, stopping just short of touching him.

  “Uh,” he said, his eyes darting around like he’d been trapped and was looking for a way out. “I don’t know. Buy you a drink?”

  She laughed, shaking her head. “Have one,” she said, holding up her glass and taking a quick sip of its contents. “Is that the best you can do?”

  He laughed nervously again and gulped down more beer. “I don’t know…what would you like me to do to make it up to you?”

  With a saucy grin, she stepped forward and pressed herself against him from pelvis to chest; he moved his hands out of the way, trying not to touch or offend her, letting her get closer.

  He closed his eyes and gulped as she leaned forward to speak directly into his ear so she wouldn’t have to yell over the music throbbing around them.

  “I want you to take me back to my motel room, strip me naked, and show me what a big, strong man you are,” she whispered, nuzzling her nose against his ear lobe. “Think you can do that?”

  He was shaking as she stepped back. He quickly downed the rest of his beer, set his empty bottle aside on the nearby table, and held up his left hand, showing her a gold band on his ring finger. “I’m married.”

  She laughed, throwing her head back and letting her long, loose hair cascade down her back and over her right shoulder as she cocked her head to look at him.

  “I don’t care if you don’t, sexy,” she teased. “I just want to get to that man under those clothes. I don’t care what you’re wearing on your hand.”

  “Well, uh, I don’t know,” he muttered, shifting his weight nervously, swaying back and forth. “I should get home to my wife.”

  She pressed herself up against him again. “I’ll have to go back to my room all alone, with no big, strong man to hold me. Can’t you just come with me for a little while? I promise you won’t regret it.” She winked and playfully licked the tip of his nose.

  “O…Okay,” he said.

  You cheating bastard, she thought, smiling at him.

  Sonya glanced around them and noticed a couple of the men were watching them with disgusted, confused expressions. She knew what they were thinking, since they were all good looking. They were thinking, “What does she see in that old, fat guy?” and she didn’t blame them. She thought he was revolting too. The man she’d just picked up looked like he was close to fifty. He was going bald and was trying, in vain, to cover it up by combing his hair over the top of his head, which shone through regardless of his attempt. He was wearing an ugly, dark purple polyester suit that did nothing to hide his stomach—he looked five months pregnant.

  She turned back to the man she’d picked up—after setting her barely touched drink down on the table he’d set his beer bottle on—and asked sweetly, “So, what’s your name?”

  “Bill,” he grunted, taking her arm with his clammy hand. “What’s yours?”

  “Hillary,” she lied easily, and glanced down at the hand on her arm.

  They walked through the bar together and she felt like everyone was staring at them, knowing who she was and what she was doing. But she knew there was no way anyone here had any idea what was going on. It was a fresh city and the news hadn’t started reporting anything from last time…yet.

  They’d no more than cleared the doorway and stepped outside than Bill was on her, pinning her up against the brick wall, shoving his tongue down her throat.

  Trying not to gag and vomit on him, Sonya pretended she was into it and thrust her hands into what little hair there was on the back of his head, whimpering like she wanted more.

  “You really want me, don’t ya?” he panted, pulling back to grope her breasts with shaking hands.

  She bit her tongue so she wouldn’t yell at him and tell him to get his hands off her. Instead she licked her lips, blinked seductively, and moaned.

  “I can’t wait to have you,” she sighed, pressing her chest into his hands. “Let’s get out of here. My car’s right over there.” She nodded toward the more secluded side lot.

  “What about my car?” he asked. “Should I follow you?”

  “No,” she breathed, forcing herself to give him another kiss. “I’ll bring you back for it later.”

  He smiled and stepped back so she could stand up straight and walk over to her car.

  She hit the button on her keychain remote as she walked and a short, loud beep sounded from the vehicle while the lights flashed for a moment.

  He grabbed ahold of her hips and dragged her back against him, grinding his swollen crotch on her ass. “You wanna, um, have a quickie in the car?” he asked in a slightly unsure, lust-saturated voice, and licked her neck.

  She cringed, but hoped he interpreted it as a shiver of excitement. “No, babe,” she whispered. “I want to see all of you before I have you.” She turned slightly so she could look into his eyes. “I want you to see all of me.”

  He stared at her for a moment and then let go, laughing while his eyes darted around, making sure they weren’t being watched. “Okay, we’ll do it your way.”

  They climbed into the car and were off. The motel was only a few blocks away, so it didn’t take long to get there, which Sonya was glad for, as she was felt up by a clumsy Bill the entire ride.

  After getting out of the car, they made their way up the external metal and concrete stairway to her room. The room had been paid for in cash by one of her colleagues, Roger Dunn, so the sleazy motel worker wouldn’t have a description of her.

  As soon as the door was closed behind them, Bill was trying to bend Sonya over and push her skirt up, and would have accomplished
his goal if he hadn’t been so nervous and awkward.

  She quickly turned around to face him. “Slow down, babe,” she said, pushing him to sit down on the edge of the bed. “I have plans for you.”

  He didn’t argue.

  She walked over to a small cooler she had sitting on a table in the corner, and opened it. She pulled out a small bottle of liquor and pretended to have a very hard time opening it, and then poured the contents into a plastic cup she’d retrieved from the bathroom earlier for this purpose. She took the drink over to Bill and handed it to him.

  “You drink this while I undress for you,” she said. “I should be naked by the time you have it all gone.”

  He took a large gulp, drinking nearly half of the amber liquid in the cup.

  She turned away from him and reached behind herself to unzip the back of her dress. She did it slowly, taking her time, hoping he would finish the drink soon and the drug she’d put in it earlier would work its magic before he had a chance to touch her.

  She slipped the straps off her arms and slid the dress down while wiggling her hips; she heard his breath quicken in excitement. When she bent over and slid it down her legs, exposing the red, lace thong that matched her bra and dress, he muttered, “Hell yeah.”

  She quickly stepped away before he could touch her, kicking her discarded dress aside. She turned back to face him and was pleased to see his cup was empty and he was fighting to keep his eyes open.

  “Come ‘ere, ‘Illary,” he said in a slurred voice, motioning to her with floppy arms.

  She smiled and did so; by the time she took three steps and was standing beside the bed, he’d passed out and fallen to the floor.

  Laughing, she kicked him with the toe of her shoe. “Party’s over, cheating prick!” she announced cheerfully.