“What? What is going on?”
“It’s Kevin!” she yanks her purse from the desk drawer, breaking the strap. “He tried to pick up Camilla from school,” her voice shakes, “thank god they called me!” she sprints past me. “He knows where we are! Sweet Jesus, he knows where we are, I gotta go!”
I rush after her. “What can I do?” I reach out, catching the door before it slams into me.
“Nothing, I’ll-I’ll call you when I have her safe,” she hits the key fob so many times the alarm goes off, fumbling to open the door. She barely gets the car started before backing up and squealing out of the parking lot.
Please let Camilla be okay.
What if Kevin is still there? Could he be waiting for her? What if he follows her home?
Shit!
I rush back to my desk and send her a text.
Me: Don’t come back here or go home. Drive to a public place. I’ll meet you there when you call me.
Twenty minutes go by and I haven’t heard back from her. I try to text Ascot but he’s not answering either, he’s probably in surgery. So, I wait, watching the clock slowly tick by. Another ten minutes later my phone dings.
Ascot: What’s up?
Me: Tammy’s ex tried to kidnap her daughter from school. Thankfully, they called her to verify.
Ascot: Where is she now?
Me: She left 30 min ago to pick Camilla up. I told her not to come here or drive home.
Ascot: Smart.
Another text comes in.
It’s Tammy, thank God.
Tammy: I have her.
Me: Tammy just texted me. Where should we meet?
Ascot: Tell her to drive to the apartment building. I’ll handle it from there. Leaving now.
Me: OK thank u, babe.
Did I just call him “babe?”
I shake my head and text Tammy back with the instructions and then send another one, this time to Adam.
Me: Tammy had an emergency and needs my help. I’m locking up.
I toss the phone in my purse and walk out the door. I don’t care if it pisses him off or if he threatens to fire me, this is more important. Besides, I have no idea what Ascot is planning and never had a chance to talk to Tammy about anything. I need to be there.
***
The late morning sun blinds me as I turn into the apartment parking lot, then suddenly fades behind the roof and I see Tammy’s white, two-door. She’s parked next to Ascot’s black sedan so I pull in beside it, scanning the area.
No one’s around, they must be inside.
I rush to the front entrance as murmuring voices become louder and jerk the door open. Marcus Logan whips his head in my direction, a gray hoodie covering half his forehead, his blue eyes glassy and bloodshot.
Is he already stoned?
Ascot is standing next to him and turns around, giving me a half smile, calm and collected. He tilts his head slightly and I look to the right. Tammy is standing in the corner with Camilla, arms wrapped around her daughter protectively.
“Hi,” I whisper, my eyes shifting from Tammy to Ascot. “What’s going on?”
“Have you met Mr. Logan?” Ascot asks, slipping his arm around me.
I shake my head and move closer. “Not formally, no,” I reach out and Marcus reluctantly takes my hand, his flimsy grip clammy and cool. “I’m Elise,” I smile.
“I know,” Marcus nods with a deadpan look on his thin, strung out face. “I’ve seen you around.”
Ascot tightens his arm around my back, guiding me as I turn around. “And this is Kevin Kramer,” he says, his tone low and cautious. “Tammy’s ex-husband.”
Holy
Shit.
I swallow and nod in Kevin’s direction, all six feet plus of him. He’s the same height as Ascot but not in good shape. He’s chunky with bulging brown eyes, and his face is bloated, surrounded by stringy, thinning hair. I can smell the alcohol on his breath from here as he glares at me with hate, shifting his eyes to Tammy and Camilla, his expression serious and angry.
“Okay, enough of the bullshit,” Kevin glares down at Tammy. “C’mon, Camilla, let’s go,” he grabs her arm and she yelps in pain.
Get away from her, you monster!” Tammy screams, pulling Camilla away. “Leave her alone!”
Kevin shoves his daughter aside and she hits the wall. I rush over to her as Ascot immediately goes into action, yanking Kevin’s fist away before it hits Tammy square in the jaw.
“I think you need a lesson on how to treat women,” Ascot growls with authority.
Without warning, Kevin throws a punch at Ascot’s face but misses, his actions sloppy and not as quick as someone sober.
“Marcus, a little help here?” he shouts, backing up to the wall as Ascot easily secures his wrists behind his back.
“Wait, you two know each other?” I ask and Marcus shoots me a surprised glance. “Jesus, are you his drug dealer, too?”
“Fuck you!” Marcus shouts, slithering back into his apartment.
“Start climbing, asshole,” Ascot pushes Kevin toward the stairs but he doesn’t budge. “Don’t make this harder on yourself,” Ascot’s face twists as he tightens his grip. Kevin lets out a grunt. “You’re gonna pay for this, you motherfucker.”
Ascot doesn’t respond, only clenching Kevin’s arms higher and harder. He groans in pain.
I reach out, taking Tammy’s shaking hand, Camilla clutching her other side as we follow the men up to the third floor. Kevin moaning and stumbling the whole way up.
Ascot tosses me his keys and I unlock the door, motioning for Tammy to go inside. She nods with tears in her eyes, trying to smile as I follow them in. Pausing, she waits for me and I lean close, whispering for her to take Camilla to the guest bedroom and stay with her until I come back. Tammy nods again, the look of worry shadowing her features as she and her daughter silently make their way down the hallway and disappear.
When I look back Ascot already has bound Kevin’s hands behind his back with something like rope or string, I’m not sure.
“Sit,” he bites out at Kevin, his harsh tone unlike I’ve ever heard before.
Kevin finally does as he’s told, awkwardly sitting on the edge of the sofa with another heavy grunt.
He’s definitely on something.
“Look man, I don’t have a beef with you,” Kevin’s words slur together.
Ascot steps closer and leans down, eyes narrowing as he comes face to face with him. “You violently mishandle a child and attempt to strike her mother, you do now.”
Kevin shrugs unapologetically, immediately wincing in pain. “Fuck!” he bites out, can’t you loosen me?”
“Not even a little bit,” Ascot answers through clenched teeth, bending down to tie Kevin’s feet together. A few seconds later, he gets up and walks toward the kitchen, eyeing me to follow him.
The bitch stole my kid, man!” Kevin calls out to us. “Her ass’ll be in jail as soon as I tell the police where she is.”
Ascot turns to me, ignoring him. “I’ve got Medusa’s blood right here,” he whispers, taking out one of many vials from a hidden compartment in the fridge.
My mouth drops open, staring down at the deep red, slightly iridescent liquid. “Now? You want to do this now?”