Dead Ringers

by Camilla Chafer

  "Quick, Daisy, use the keys!" I hissed, knowing he would hear me. Daisy's head shot up. On cue, Hayden whipped around, his right hand going for his jeans pocket.

  "You don't have the keys," he snorted as he turned away again, reaching for something on the workbench.

  I had one opportunity and I had to take it now. If I were wrong about my lack of injury, I would be dead soon. I had no hope Hayden would stuff me in the cage with Daisy. It wasn't big enough and besides, he already made it crystal clear he didn't want me. I leaned over and grabbed the plastic case from under the shelf. It was heavier than I anticipated and I grunted as I got to my feet, swinging upwards with both hands like it was shotput when Hayden turned around. The case caught him flat in the face, the corner striking his eye and he screamed. I hit him again as he staggered; then I dropped it and dived for him, knocking him to the ground. Clutching his eye with both hands, he allowed me to grapple for his pocket. I tugged out the keys and tossed them to Daisy where they fell short a few inches from the cage.

  Hayden's bloodied hands came away from his face, wildly striking towards me. Blows rained down on me as I wheeled away. I grabbed the nearest thing my hands connected with on the workbench, a saw or something that glinted silver, and punched him with it as he threw himself at me. With a grunt, he slowed and staggered backwards, leaving me with my elbows pressed to my sides, both hands clasping a knife.

  With one hand on the workbench holding him upright, his knees buckling, he smacked his other hand on his hip, then stopped, apparently finding what he was looking for. He smiled, raised his hand and pointed a gun at me. "You little bitch," he grunted, blood streaming from his eye.

  Then a gunshot echoed through the tiny space.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  "Actress Escapes Serial Killer. How do you like that for a headline?" asked Mike. He turned the page and pulled a sad face. "It doesn't even mention that I rescued you!"

  "You didn't rescue us!" I said, glancing over at Daisy who rolled her eyes. We shared a twin room with matching hospital beds and equipment, and a corps of nurses and friends to fuss over us. Daisy didn't have any injuries except for her sore wrists from being bound and burn marks where Hayden used a stun gun on her. I fared less well with a bruised, puffy, swollen face, two broken ribs and a series of dinner plate-sized bruises all over my back. Psychologically, Daisy suffered much more. She witnessed her bodyguard getting shot and her doorman being assaulted, then she got kidnapped and stunned with a taser before being bound and imprisoned in a cage underground. All of the story spilled out minutes after I pulled her from the cage before she broke down into heaving sobs.

  Mike folded the newspaper and placed it on the table at the foot of my bed. "I almost made it," he said. "It's not my fault Ashleigh got there first."

  Ben coughed politely.

  "I was ahead of you too by a clear yard," said Mike.

  "I still rescued everyone," said Ashleigh. "I win."

  "She's right," agreed Daisy. "Ashleigh wins. Also, she shot Hayden."

  We agreed noisily and all at once that shooting the bad guy definitely made Ashleigh the official heroine, not that there was any doubt.

  When the gun went off, I was sure Hayden shot me and in the blurred seconds that followed, I couldn't work out why I didn't feel any more pain beyond what he already inflicted. Then, his eyes locked onto mine, he dropped to his knees and slumped to the floor. I still wasn't sure I hadn't been shot until Ashleigh ran past me, kicking the gun out of Hayden’s hand and handcuffing him face down on the concrete floor. By then, I snapped out of my shocked stupor and slid the key into the cage's lock.

  "You never told us how you all got there at the same time," said Daisy. "I don't understand."

  Ben rose and passed me a cup, holding the straw for me to sip the juice so I didn't have to do anything strenuous like lifting my head from the pillow. "It was easy for me," he said. "Shayne and I were talking on the phone and she never switched it off. I knew she was at Hayden's studio so I got the address from my editor's assistant. I heard everything. I contacted Ashleigh and told her what was happening and where Shayne was."

  "Not that I hadn't already figured it out," said Ashleigh. She was perched on the end of Daisy's bed, one foot on the ground, one tucked under her leg. Her jacket was folded over the edge. She'd changed from the last time I saw her. Yesterday, at the scene, she got spattered by an assortment of blood. Mine and Hayden's. I remembered her panic when she saw me lying on the ground in Hayden's garden, moments after Daisy and I helped each other out. With Tomas's blood on my jeans along with mine on my top, I was sure I'd looked in a terrible state.

  Ashleigh continued, "We had everyone checking the license plates of every vehicle in the area where Daisy's car was abandoned. I recognized Hayden's name when it came up as one of the registered owners. Plus, we had footage from a camera near where Sammy was discovered and his plates matched one from the list we had there too. His connection to Shayne seemed too enormous a coincidence for him to be in that area at exactly that time. A quick search of his name brought the photo he took of Daisy, Shayne and Jenna at brunch and I thought it was weird Shayne didn't mention that. He must have avoided using his own car near Daisy's apartment for the abduction and left it nearby to switch to, knowing we would track hers. I'm guessing he left her keys in her ignition, hoping someone would steal it and take us on a wild chase across the city. Then Ben called and told me where Shayne was. What I don't know is how the hell he got to you, Daisy?"

  "Hayden had everything planned out," said Daisy, picking up the story. "He told me everything. He just walked though the front doors of my building and told the doorman Carlos was expecting him. He still had business cards from when he worked with Carlos apparently with a note to come by his place. It was just dumb luck. He took the service stairs to my apartment, avoiding the cameras, picked the lock and waited inside. He knew the layout from breaking in the first time and knew I would be back soon since he’d faked a call from the building manager. He was waiting in my closet. I'll never forget looking in the mirror and seeing him behind me in my bedroom, holding the gun. I was too scared to even scream. He bound me and made me walk into the entry hall and call Tomas. Then he shot him without any warning. Tomas didn't even see it coming. I thought he killed him."

  "I stopped in to see Tomas on the way over here. He's going to make a full recovery," said Ashleigh. "He was worried about you. He feels he let you down."

  "I'm so relieved," said Daisy. "And he didn’t."

  "What happened next?" asked Ben.

  "Hayden made us go down the stairs into the parking lot. The doorman saw us and must have realized something was wrong. He shouted and came after us so Hayden pistol-whipped him. I thought I could get away but I didn't go two feet before he tasered me and shoved me into my own car. We swapped cars just like Ashleigh said and he drove us directly to his studio. When I saw the trapdoor, then the cage, I thought I would die down there, just like those poor girls did." She gulped and turned away. I knew she was trying not to cry in front of us, but I heard her sobbing in the night. Daisy felt guilty although none of this was her fault. She was as much a victim as the rest.

  "Sammy didn't die," I reminded her; at least there was some good news.

  "You know what's funny?" asked Daisy. I shook my head and she sniffed a tearful laugh. "I don't even remember Hayden from that shoot with Carlos. I could have walked past him in the street and never known who he was. Yet all this time, he thought I was sending him messages."

  "He was crazy," said Mike. "You should remember that.

  "Sammy woke up this morning," smiled Ashleigh. "She's deeply traumatized, obviously, and she’s got a long recovery ahead of her but her family and friends are around her, ready to support her in any way. She did identify Hayden as the man who took her when I showed her photos. She couldn't remember his name only that he worked for Carlos, which was why she said that name. Her story mostly matches yours, the ending anyway. Sammy knew h
im from seeing him around and speaking to him on shoots and the occasional party so when her car appeared to break down and he offered her a ride, she didn't hesitate. He used a stun-gun to incapacitate her and she woke up in the cage with April."

  "That's horrific," said Daisy. She rested her head on the pillow, staring up at the ceiling. "Those poor girls. All because he wanted to practice torturing and killing before he got me."

  "He met most of the women through photoshoots. It was easy for him to target them. They went willingly to his studio for headshots or he created a way for him to appear to help them out, like disabling Sammy’s car," explained Ashleigh. “He was handsome and charming. They trusted him."

  "Does she know what happened to April?" I asked.

  Ashleigh nodded. "I’ll need to interview her again when she’s stronger but I think she saw everything."

  Daisy wiped away a tear.

  "You can't blame yourself. Hayden was delusional," I said, but I knew it wouldn't help. We all agreed not a single one of Hayden's actions was Daisy's fault but she knew his sick fascination with her was the reason for all of this. As for me? I could kick myself for not suspecting him sooner.

  "He'll go to jail for the rest of his life," said Ashleigh. "He'll never be able to do this again."

  "Good," said Mike. He leaned against the wall, looking calm, but I knew he felt anything but. His relentless texting and helpful manner confirmed that. “I never liked that guy.”

  "Mike, you never said how you came to be there," said Daisy.

  "Ben texted me because I was at home and closer than he was at the Chronicle," said Mike with a shrug. "As soon as he said why, I cruised over there. I would have raced but I figured Shayne already had it covered."

  Ashleigh laughed. "I promise you I'll get that speeding ticket overturned," she said.

  "I'd appreciate that," said Mike. "It's absolutely the traffic cop's fault I got there at the same time as Ben."

  The door opened and we stopped talking and turned to look. Instead of a nurse coming to poke and prod us, Jenna entered with a heap of newspapers and paperwork in her arms. She dumped everything on the table and rushed to hug us both, reducing her enthusiasm as I winced. "It's bedlam outside," she told us. "There’s a camp of paparazzi staking out the front doors as well as TV news reporters and a crowd of Daisy's fans. I almost got through when someone recognized me and I had to fight my way to the doors yelling 'no comment!' We will have to take you two out the back way whenever you get released. Does anyone know when that will be?"

  "Tomorrow, according to the doctor who came by an hour ago," I said, trying but failing to smile. My face hurt too much. There wasn't anything anyone could give me for my recovery beyond painkillers and bed rest. I figured I could work from bed since driving to the Chronicle would be sheer torture. Ben offered to take me every day when I felt better. I reached for his hand and squeezed it and he smiled down at me.

  "Good. I'll arrange everything."

  "I don't know where to go," said Daisy softly.

  "You're coming home with me," said Jenna, moving over to Daisy's bed. "I've made up a room for you already."

  "Thank you," said Daisy as she began to cry.

  Jenna nudged Daisy over to the other side of the bed and put her arms around her. We heard Daisy say, "I don't think I can ever go back to my apartment."

  "You don't have to. If you want a house, my brother's house is available. You could stay there. I know Chucky would want to help you even though he's gone."

  "I don't know if that's any better," Daisy hiccupped.

  I winced and grimaced. Of course it wasn't. Jenna's brother, Chucky got killed there and Daisy was very much in love with him. As much as Daisy's life seemed gilded, she endured an unmerited amount of unfairness.

  "Then you'll stay with me for as long as you like," said Jenna. "We'll work everything else out another time."

  "You are on every cover, Daisy," said Ben. He stopped rifling through the newspapers Jenna brought and glanced at me. "Every single one quotes your article, Shayne."

  I dictated my article to Ben the night Daisy and I were admitted to the hospital and Bob held back the printing so it could make the cover. When the Chronicle hit the newsstands, it caused a frenzy. First, the local, then the national newspapers picked it up. Even the TV news anchors quoted me. It had everything to make the perfect story: a gorgeous star kidnapped, a crazy serial killer who stalked and kidnapped women, a shoot out with the police. Yet, I wasn’t happy about breaking the story. Women lost their lives. Men were injured. Daisy was terrified. I almost got killed.

  "You have officially become the go-to source on Hayden Roth for the entire nation," said Mike. "You should be proud of your investigation."

  "My phone has been ringing non-stop for quotes," said Jenna. "Somehow, word got around that I'm your manager. I hope you don't mind, but I just went with it."

  "Bob said the same at the office. He's got all the junior reporters working on follow-ups, doing profiles of all the missing women, and he wants to do more in-depth articles with Daisy and Sammy. He's even talking about a special edition," added Ben. "He's planning to talk to you about a promotion too, Shayne. No more celebrity juice and obituaries if you don't want them. You could even take a sabbatical."

  "Who's he planning to hire in my place?" I asked, deflecting.

  "I'm sure he'll find someone." Ben smiled and I knew he didn't mean Gabi. We had a long talk earlier, when Daisy politely excused herself for a coffee with Mike. Ben perched on my bed, holding my hands as he explained how he assumed Gabi just wanted to be friendly but gradually realized she was the same self-centered woman he broke up with. She had no interest in how his life was going; she only intended to exploit him, starting by encouraging Bob to commission several features. Apparently, she was fired from her job shortly after returning from maternity leave and the freelance work was drying up too. Her marriage even appeared to be on the rocks. It was purely out of self-interest that she got in touch with Ben. He had quickly seen through her fake friendliness, especially after she had been so condescending to me.

  To make matters worse, Hayden quickly spread his own false rumors by telling Ben to back off and give me more space. He implied I was considering breaking up with Ben. I suppose Hayden’s intention was to create a rift between Ben and me, giving me more time to spend with him as he worked out how to gain access to Daisy. It was a lot to understand, so it gave me a headache. Ben also told me he thought I was both avoiding and ignoring him. Then he told me he was crazy about me. Finally, we both resolved to communicate better.

  "You have other options too," interjected Jenna. "Since I seem to have become your unofficial agent, Shayne, offers have been rolling in. ENews want you to do a segment. I've had four offers for books about the kidnappings and killings, and a biography on Daisy, and I know the newspapers will syndicate excerpts. There will be a talk show tour if you choose to publish a book. Guest lecturing. Keynote speeches further down the line. You can pick whatever you want. Maybe even doing a script for the movie!"

  I looked over at Daisy. These were the offers journalists dreamed of. They were the offers I dreamed of. But at what expense? My friendship? "What do you think we should do?" I asked. "You're not just a story, Daisy. You're my friend first and foremost."

  "You're the only one who's going to tell the story properly," said Daisy. "No matter what I say, it's a story that must be told. You should do it. I want you to do it. I trust you."

  "I'm glad you said that," said Jenna. "Because I agree. Daisy is right. There will be all kinds of people writing about this, but you were there! You're part of the story."

  "I'm not sure I want any of it," I said as I waved to Ben for the juice again. He obliged by holding the cup and straw for me. I have to admit I could definitely get used to Ben pampering me.

  "You should take it all," said Daisy. "This will change your life. That's why you moved to LA."

  "Won't it be profiteering from all the terribl
e things Hayden did to those women?" I asked.

  "No," said everyone in unison.

  "Should I use the photo he took of me? He said I could use it for a book jacket one day." I held back a smile at the appalling thought.

  "No!" yelled everyone.

  I winced. "It was a joke! "

  "It'll be telling the truth without sensationalizing it," said Daisy. "And if anyone deserves to make money from this, it’s you. You can keep it, donate it, do whatever you want, but you should take the offer and write the story the way it happened."

  "She's right," agreed Jenna. "Plenty of authors will pitch these publishers but they want you. If you decline, they'll find the next best thing and that writer will just piece together everything you've already written. They might even focus on Hayden instead of the victims. You started the investigation. You realized they were all dead ringers for Daisy."

  "I don't want him to become famous," said Daisy.

  "Me neither," I agreed.

  "His name should be forgotten while he rots away in whatever hellhole prison he gets sent to," added Mike. He folded his arms, his face dark. "I really feared I wouldn't be able to torment you anymore."

  "I'm injured. You can't now," I told him.

  Mike's lips twitched. "Sure," he said.

  "Plus, if it makes you feel better while you consider the offers," continued Jenna, "I have a heap of major film roles for Daisy to choose from, now she’s also my client, and a docudrama, and a book deal for Sammy. I saw her on the way in and took her flowers from all of us. I'm talking to her about signing her on as my client when she recovers. Actually, since Ashleigh is also looking into the Sirens Talent Agency's suspicious business side, I think I'll be signing on a lot of new talent. I didn't plan on that but I think I can look after those women and men a lot better than they have been. I think I’ve finally found what I want to do."