There were a lot of daisies.
I had to turn away from the phone.
“I took a lot of pictures,” Julian murmured. “For evidence, if we need it.”
Marcus spoke. “The off-site building is basically empty except for what you saw. He has massive storage potential not being used, but I assumed the room I was in housed all he wanted there. I would love to get into those computers.” He shook his head. “Maybe once this is over. I have a feeling there are a lot of answers in those machines.”
“You think he’s done this before,” I stated.
“Yes. Maybe not to this extent, but once he’s taken care of, maybe a lot of other women’s fears could be put to rest.”
“Good idea.”
“I did spot a large fireproof cabinet, but it was padlocked and I didn’t want to draw attention to my presence by cutting it. Plus, no bolt cutters,” Marcus added. “I think that is where he stores all his documents and files.”
Julian nodded. “There was a smaller one in the apartment. I assume the ones he’s using right now are locked in there.”
I looked at Egan.
“I paused the cameras so they didn’t pick up on the drone. I got some footage of the house, the grounds, and the outlay. All the drapes and blinds were shut. I sent in a heat source detector, and something inside was giving off a signal.” He paused. “Not a strong one.”
“She’s cold,” I said, tightening my hands into fists.
“Like Missy,” Marcus added.
Egan nodded, remembering like me how we had found Marcus’s wife that day.
“I was in and out as fast as I could. I got blueprints from hacking into old records, so we know the layout. I can run a program that will override the system so nothing shows when we go in. It will play a loop, so if he looks at the screen, he sees nothing. There is a spot near the back that has little coverage we could access. You can go in while I monitor the system. I can guide you toward the heat source I locked on earlier, and away from him.”
“Can we distract him?” I asked. “Maybe get him with Deb. Get in and out while he’s gone?”
“We’d have to tell her. And have her covered while she’s with him,” Julian pointed out.
“Can she handle that?” Marcus asked. “She was already upset. If she knows the truth, can she remain calm and not tip him off?”
I sighed. “I don’t know. Raven always said Deb wore her heart on her sleeve. She might find it difficult.”
“Then we do it without a distraction.”
“I could call him. Ask to meet him then not show up,” I said. “As soon as he leaves the house, we move in. By the time he gets back, she’ll be safe.”
“That might work.”
“Then let’s make a plan.”
RAVEN
Brilliant light filled the room I was trapped in, and I kept my head down, opening my eyes slowly to adjust to the brightness.
Since I’d been trapped in this god-awful room, it had been the same. Total black or blinding light. Deadly silence or blaring, horrific music. Andy walking in, staring at me, walking out. A bottle of water put just beyond my reach so that I struggled and bruised my skin to get it, only to find it empty.
I had no idea how much time had passed. Minutes. Hours. Days, maybe. There was no way to track the minutes. Hours. I was thirsty. Hungry. My body ached. My neck was rubbed raw from the slightly too-tight metal wrapped around it. I was cold.
And angry.
Angry he got to me. Furious he thought he could treat me this way. Mad that he thought me so weak he believed darkness could break me. I refused to allow that to happen, and I wasn’t going to beg him for anything. He watched me constantly. He didn’t know I had seen the camera in the corner. The indicator light was covered, but a tiny pinprick of light shone through. I realized when I moved, it turned green, and he would be watching. Red was off. If I moved as slowly as possible, I could fool it. I stared in that direction in the dark, seething. My hatred for him built.
I blinked and opened my eyes, once again using the light to find any way of escaping. The room was about 10x10, and the only way in or out was the heavy steel door. My chain stopped me just short of reaching the door. And I knew it was locked. Still, I searched.
I heard the noise on the other side of the door and braced myself for Andy’s entrance. Sometimes he walked in, stared, muttered, and left. Sometimes he rambled, telling me things about his life. Other times, he taunted me. Or threatened. But he never came close enough for me to strike or him to touch. That at least gave me comfort.
The door opened, and I gaped.
“Stew?” I asked, scrambling to my feet, ignoring the pain in my legs and back from the cold ground. “Oh my God, how did you get here? You have to help me!”
He stared, then smiled widely. When he spoke, I was confused.
“Why would that be, princess?” he asked in Andy’s voice.
I blinked in confusion, shaking my head. But when I opened my eyes, it was still Stewart in front of me. “I-I don’t understand.”
“Of course you don’t. And thanks to a quick meeting with him, neither does that dolt of a boyfriend of yours. He’s lost. No idea where you went. No idea the man who had taken you was across the table.” He tilted his head. “You’re better off without him.”
He was Andy? Andy was Stew?
My anger peaked. “Better off with the likes of you, you mean? The man who would keep me locked and chained in a room?” I spat. “You call yourself a man. Obviously, you have no idea who you even are if you have to wear a mask.”
He shook his head. “Such spirit. Another few weeks in here will change your mind.”
My breath caught.
Weeks?
The thought of that made me shudder. My resolve not to beg weakened a little.
“It’s cold,” I said.
“We’re supposed to get rain. It’ll get damp too. Colder. Maybe you’ll warm up to me then.”
“Don’t do this,” I pleaded. “Let me go home.”
He narrowed his eyes, pulling the glasses off his face. “You are home. This is where you will be living. With me.”
“Andy or Stewart?” I asked, some of my ire returning.
“Maybe someone else.” He flashed an evil grin, making me shiver.
“Don’t hurt Deb,” I asked. “Please, she’s innocent in all this.”
“Other than being a fly-by-night slut, yes, she is.” He leaned on the doorframe. “I’ll use her until she no longer has any purpose. Then I’ll dump her.” He rolled his eyes. “She is so tiresome, but then again, how does anyone compare to you, Raven?”
“You don’t even know me.”
“We were meant to be. As soon as I saw your picture, I knew it. You’re even named after my favorite poem. ‘The Raven.’ Edgar Allan Poe. You must know it. It was a sign.”
“A sign?”
“That you were meant to be mine.”
“You’re insane.”
He only laughed, the sound slightly crazed.
I tried to hold down my building fear. His laughter, his words were signs that he himself was descending into madness like the man in the poem.