“No, we’re in a tent.”
“Did you try to get out? And why is it so dark?”
“I couldn’t move the zipper on the doorway. It’s nighttime. You haven’t been awake for hours.”
Torie’s mouth was so dry it was hard to talk. “Is there any water?”
“The man left bottles of water and peanut butter sandwiches. I’ll get you some water.”
Hailey’s hand left Torie’s, and a few moments later, she felt the plastic of a warm bottle. “Thank you.” She uncapped it and swigged much of it down.
Torie flexed her legs. Maybe she could stand. “Can you help me stand? Maybe I can get us out of here.”
With the little girl’s assistance, she managed to get to her feet, but she swayed and her knees buckled. She reached out in the dark and grasped Hailey’s shoulder to steady herself.
Hailey turned her to the left. “The opening is that way. You can hang on to me.”
“Okay. Go slow.” Feeling her way with bare feet, she inched across the rough canvas until her outstretched hand touched the side of the tent. Her groping fingers felt the cold metal of the zipper, and she followed it to one end. No tab, so she moved to the other side. Still no tab.
“He’s done something to it so the tab is outside and not in here. It can’t be unzipped. When it was light, did you see anything I could use to cut the tent?”
“There’s only the water and sandwiches. Oh, and the potty pan. I didn’t see anything else.”
But maybe Hailey was too upset to notice something Torie could use. If only she had a flashlight or lantern. Hands in front of her, she began to map the room with her right hand and feet, but the only thing her stumbling feet found was the pile of water and sandwiches. Nothing else in the space at all.
Hurting all over, she made her way back to the walls of the tent and began to search for another way out. If there was even the slightest rip, she might be able to pull it apart. Her fingers found only smooth canvas that felt stiff and new. That was a clue by itself. Canvas tents cost more but were also more durable, usually lasting many years with good care. The person who’d brought them here had enough money to afford something like this and hadn’t opted for a cheap nylon one.
She guessed the size to be around ten by ten or maybe a bit bigger in one direction. It was hard to estimate while wandering in the dark. The man hadn’t harmed them. She touched the lump on her head—at least not since bringing them here. So what was the purpose? It had to be the same guy who’d been stalking her. His motive seemed to be to scare her off of investigating Lisbeth’s death, and so far, he hadn’t shot at her or tried to kill her.
What did that mean?
Her aching legs buckled again, and this time Hailey wasn’t nearby. She tumbled down, and her cheek hit the floor of the tent and her left arm screamed in pain. Clutching it to her chest, she lay curled up for a long moment inhaling the smell of the treated canvas before she pushed herself to a seated position.
“Torie, are you all right? Where are you?”
Torie turned toward the little girl’s quavering voice. “I’m right here, honey. I fell but I’m okay. Walk toward my voice.”
In a few moments Hailey was beside her and had climbed into her lap. Torie smoothed her hair and kissed her forehead. “Are you hungry? We could have a sandwich.”
“I want my daddy.”
“So do I, but I don’t think we can get out until the man comes back. This is a very expensive and sturdy tent.”
A roar came from outside the tent, and Hailey grabbed her tightly around the neck. “What was that?”
“An alligator. I don’t think he can get in here any easier than we can get out.”
And it told her they were probably near Horton Pond for alligators to be so near. Near enough to the nature trails?
“I’m going to call for help. You too. Help!” Torie yelled at the top of her lungs.
Hailey joined her in shouting for help, but no one came. Maybe it was too late for anyone to be out. She’d have to try again at daylight.
Chapter 36
Every muscle in her body ached.
Torie stifled a moan and rolled over on the hard tent floor. Hailey’s even in-and-out breaths beside her revealed deep, peaceful sleep. Good. As long as the little girl slept, she wouldn’t be fearful. Once the light of day came, they’d be faced with whatever fate the kidnapper had planned.
Torie couldn’t sit back and let anything happen to Hailey. Surely there would be an opportunity to arm herself, even if only with a tree branch or rock. She reached out, and her fingers grazed the case of water, partially gone now. Maybe she could use it as a bludgeon. The full bottles would be weighty.
It was something at least.
She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but her mind buzzed like a thousand flies. Every plan seemed impossible with them trapped inside this tent. In the blackness of the night, it all seemed hopeless, but she wasn’t the kind of person to give up. Not when Hailey’s life was on the line. There had to be something she could do.
It seemed an eternity before light began to creep into the tent. It never got as bright as outside, but at least she could see the parameters of the interior. She fumbled to her feet and walked around the space to find any kind of weapon. There was a metal potty chair in the corner, but it would be lightweight, and she doubted she was strong enough to do much damage with it. The case of water still seemed to be her best hope.
Hailey stirred and sat up. “Torie?”
The thread of panic in the little girl’s voice sent Torie hurrying to her side. “I’m right here, honey. How about a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast?”
“Okay. I’m thirsty.”
Torie fetched them both a sandwich and a bottle of water. “Here you go.”
They munched down their food in silence. Torie wanted Hailey settled and strong enough to help when the time came. “Better?”
“I want my daddy.” She began to weep, a hopeless sound that pierced Torie’s heart.
She pulled Hailey onto her lap. “I know, I know. But I have a plan.”
Hailey lifted her head. “A plan?”
“Yes, and I’ll need your help. The guy who put us here is bound to come back and make sure we haven’t escaped. I need you to distract him when he first comes in. I’m going to stand off to one side with the case of water, and I’ll crash it down on his head when he steps inside. If he’s focused on you, I’ll be able to take him by surprise.”
“Okay, I can do that. So I just talk to him or something like that?”
“Maybe yell for your dad. Cry and let him see how upset you are. Most people have at least a little sympathy for a kid.”
“I cried all the way here, and he kept telling me to shut up or he’d kill you. So I had to be quiet and sniffle into my arm.”
Poor kid. Torie hugged her. “Let me swing this case around in a trial run of our plan.”
Hailey scooted off her lap, and Torie rose to grab the plastic end of the case of water where several bottles had been removed. She hefted it up, and though the muscles in her arms protested, she managed to swing it around and pretend to hit someone with the heavy weight of it.