Vengeance (Oak Grove Suspense Book 1) (22 page)

“Do you know when Trevor will be back?” I ask. I don’t care about him but I want to know how long I have because this IV needs to come out.

“Not until tonight. He was late this morning, because he was checking on you. He's very worried about you. He's called me four times already, and he's only been gone a few hours.”

“His love for me is misguided. I need to take this out. Do you know if there is any gauze or band-aides?”

“Yep, he left it on the nightstand. He said if you weren't awake in an hour to call him, but if you were, you could do this yourself.”

I nod and set to work. It only takes a couple of minutes to take it out and clean up. Once I'm done, I turn back to Mathis. “Do you mind if I have some time alone?”

“Sure thing, just knock on the door when you're finished. You can help yourself to the kitchen. You haven't eaten since you got here, you must be hungry.”

“I am. Do you know where my clothes are?” I ask, hopeful. I really do not want to wear the June Cleaver garb.

“He threw them out. You're stuck playing his little fantasy.” He laughs as he shuts and locks the door to the bedroom.

I'm still a little shaky on my feet, but I manage to check each window.  They are all locked with thick black bars on the outside. I won't be getting out that way. Hopefully, if I can do as he wants today, I'll be able to find a way out. I need a plan and a shower. Yes, definitely a shower.

Ryan

“Shay!” I yell as I hear an angry voice shouting at her. The call is disconnected so abruptly, all I can do for several long moments is sit and stare at my phone. What’s that psycho doing to her?

“Dad?” I look up into my son’s worried eyes. “Is Mom okay?”

“She’s alive, but she won’t be okay until she’s back here with us.” I turn to my guys. “She said Mathis has her. There’s someone else too. She didn’t get to say the name before someone grabbed the phone.”

“I’ll run a search on anyone he could possibly know in this area. The map is complete so we can start searching. Unfortunately, you weren’t on the phone long enough for me to trace the call,” Riley explains. “We’ll find her, Ryan.” 

I turn to Marsh. “Have we gotten the hair samples we sent off back yet?”

“Yeah, I just got off the phone with a lab. The sample I sent matches.”

I close my eyes, trying to rein in my temper. He’s been after her the whole time. How did he even know who she was? We weren’t dating when that hair was found. How did he even get it? I breathe out slowly. It doesn’t matter now. He has her, and I have to get her back. I slip into commander mode. I can’t deal with my feelings right now. I won’t survive if I think about what could happen to her in the clutches of that psycho.

“Marsh, plan out the search routes. Riley, keep searching for a link with Mathis. Jon, are you fit for duty?” He nods. “Good. I want you on Dylan. He doesn’t leave your sight. Paul, weapons. I want everything we have in our arsenal locked and loaded. I’m not messing around with this guy. I want him dead.”

The men disperse to their areas immediately, jumping to their tasks. We work for hours. Planning areas to search, gathering extra bodies to help, and coming up with backup plans. We have everything covered several times over by the time we break to get some much-needed rest. I pour a glass of water for myself as Dylan and Jonathan enter into the kitchen from my side door.

“Hey, Dad. Uh, is it okay if I go to school? Coach really wants me to start at the game tonight.”

I set my glass in the sink and then run both my hands through my hair. I look up at the ceiling, letting out a long breath. I haven’t thought about my son once while I’ve been working. I put Jon on him and didn’t give it a second thought. What kind of father am I? A lousy one, that’s for sure.

“Dad?”

“I don’t know, bud. I know I told you I wanted you to go to school, but things are so …”

“I know. I know she’s gone, but there’s nothing I can do to help. I tried to follow what you guys were talking about last night, but I was lost. I can’t read a map, or fire a gun, but I can play football. I need to do this. I can’t sit around here all day wondering if they’re hurting her, or if she’s …”

He can’t finish his sentence as his voice becomes shaky, overcome with emotion. I pull him against my chest and hold him tightly. He doesn’t cry, but he does hug be back for a long time.

“Okay. You can go, but Jon stays with you.” I look over Dylan’s head to Jonathan. “Eyes on him at all times. I don’t care what you have to do to get in that school. I won’t leave him unprotected.”

“Yes, sir,” Jon mutters.

The two of them leave and I head upstairs for a shower and a few hours of sleep. We’re meeting at ten with some of the local cops and other agents Marsh called. As I lie in my bed staring at the ceiling, I do something I haven’t done since I first left for the service, I pray. Coincidentally, back then it was for Shayla as well.

“God … Heavenly Father, I know I don’t call on you much, but I haven’t forgotten about you. I know even though I’m going through this tough time right now; that you haven’t forgotten about me either. Please take care of my family. Watch over Shay. She’s with a mad man and he won’t think twice about hurting her. I need her safe. I can’t live without her. She’s given up so much in her life because of me, please don’t let her lose her life because of me too. Keep Dylan safe today. He’s such a good kid. Thank you for that. He’s one of the best things to happen to me in a long time. I regret not getting to see him grow up, but God, please keep him safe so I can continue to see the man he’s becoming.” Tears roll down my face as I’m too overcome to continue. I don’t know how long I lie there and cry, but I finish my prayer, though shakily. “Help me find her. Please help me find her. Thank you for loving me, for sending your son to die for me. Please, just please bring my Shay back to me. Amen.”

~~*~~

The first wave of men arrives at ten as expected. They’re a mix of veterans, cops, and FBI agents of various ages and skills, but the one thing they have in common with us, is they are willing to give their lives to catch the bad guy. Some have been through similar experiences as I’m going through right now. Frank “Linc” Lincoln’s wife was abducted six years ago by a man he had tried, but failed, to catch. His wife was eventually rescued, but had gone through so much violence she took her own life six months later. He retired from the force and has been a hostage negotiator for the FBI since. He’s saved over twenty victims to date.

Linc shakes my hand. “We’ll find her, Ryan. I’ve brought my two best men with me. This is Howard and Smith.” He points to the two men with him.

Howard looks like your stereotypical nerd, pocket protector and all. Smith is clearly the muscle in the group. He’s about my height and looks like he stays in the gym more than necessary.

“Good to meet you all. Thanks for coming.”

I shake everyone’s hand, then stand before the six newcomers. The other two men and one woman are from local police stations who happen to be on their vacations. I feel honored they’re using their time off to help us out.

“I’m going to let Marsh take things from here. I have some other matters to tend to.”

I bow out. It’s not that I really want to, but I can’t talk about this anymore. I feel like every time I mention Shayla that my heart will explode. I grab my coat as I head to the door.

“Ryan?” I turn around to see Riley coming through the kitchen. “Where are you going?”

“I need to clear my head. If I hear this again or look at another map, or rescue scenario, I’ll lose it. I need a breather.”

“Got ya. I’ll call you if we need you. We’ll probably send out the first round of searchers in about thirty minutes. We don’t want to wait too long. We’re losing light.”

I just nod my head. I need to get my act together. The love of my life is depending on me to save her and, as of right now, I don’t think I can even say her name without breaking down or breaking something. I head straight through the backyard and past the tree house where I spent a good part of my childhood, along the creek that is almost frozen solid, and I keep walking until I come to a small clearing about half a mile at the top of a fairly steep hill. I haven’t been to this spot much, but I remember once finding Shayla here, crying because a boy in her sixth grade class had made fun of her for having braces. She’d scared her parents to death that day, and me too. I looked for hours to find her.

I don't know what compels me to do it, but I dial her number. Just hearing her voice on the answering machine will have to be enough for now. It rings twice and someone answers. My heart starts racing, then I curse myself for not being home for the guys to trace the call.

“Ryan, what a nice surprise,” Mathis answers joyfully.

“Where’s Shayla?”

He chuckles. “You know, everyone always wants to know where she is, or how she’s doing. I feel left out. I have feelings too, you know.”

“Yeah, well I don’t care what you feel, unless it’s my Glock aimed at your forehead,” I spit.

He tsks. “Now, Ryan, is that anyway to talk to the man who literally has your girl in his hands?” Bile rises up my throat.

“You better keep your hands off her.”

“Ryan. Is that Ryan? Please let me talk to him, Jason. Please. I swear I won’t say anything,” Shayla begs. I close my eyes, trying hard to keep my emotions in check. The sound of her begging him for anything makes me sick.

“If you say anything, I’ll get the belt.” The belt? I’m going to kill every last one of these sickos.

“Ryan?” Her sweet, sweet voice sobs into the phone.

“I’m here. Are you okay?”

She sighs. “Yeah, I’m okay. Jason is keeping me company. I can see why you liked him so much.”

My brows scrunch in confusion. I’ve never liked him, I barely tolerated him for my assignments. “Liked him? What are you talking about?”

“He’s funny. He talks a lot about how I remind him of his wife.” My stomach drops to my feet. He’s telling her about my time with him. She may never forgive me. “He has a lot of things to say about his family. They’re important to him, doesn’t matter if its brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, even cousins are important. He’s not so bad, Ry. He’s protecting me.”

I run my hand through my hair. I really hope she’s trying to tell me something that I’m just not getting at the moment. It would really suck if she has Stockholm syndrome already.

“Baby, how is Mathis protecting you? He kidnapped you to kill you.”

“No, he didn’t do that.”

“He didn’t?”

“No. He reads to me. That’s weird, right?” She giggles. My eyes burn hot.
Oh, Shay.

“Baby, I’m going to find you. Can you tell me where you are? Anything at all?” I wipe at my eyes roughly.

“Uh, no, I don’t know.” I hear movement and then she says. “It’s far away.”

“Shayla, that’s long enough,” I hear Mathis tell her.

“One more minute, please. He’ll be back soon.”

Come on, baby, tell me who
he
is.

“I know. Let me talk to Ryan.”

She sighs. “I have to go. I love you so much.”

“I love you too. Sit tight. I’ll find you.”

“I know. Can you do me a favor when you do?” she asks. I almost fear what she’ll say. “Don’t kill Jason.”

I groan. “Shayla …”

Mathis’ wicked chuckle comes through the line. “She’s good. I’ll tell you that. She just told you everything you need to know to find her. And you know what? Come on. I’m done messing around.”

“Look, I’ll let you live if you just give her back to me unharmed and alive.”

“It’s not me you have to worry about, Ryan. She really does remind me of my wife. I understand now why you were so drawn to her. It’s a real shame I had to put a bullet between those lovely hazel eyes. It’ll be an even greater shame if I’m forced to do it again.”

“Mathis, I swear …”

“Oh, calm down. I’m not hurting her. She’s fine.”

He hangs up. I throw my head back and scream, punching the closest tree. The pain brings me back to reality. I take off running back to my house. I’m going to find him and kill him. I don’t care what Shayla wants; the man deserves to die! I barge into the house, startling my men, who promptly aim their guns my way, but holster them as soon as they realize it’s me.

“Are you okay?” Marsh asks as he walks around me, inspecting outside before shutting the door. “What’s going on?”

Panting, I answer, “I talked to Shayla. Her phone was on. Run a constant check on it, Riley.” Tom hands me a bottle of water and I down it before continuing. “She’s okay.” I pause, shaking my head at our strange conversation. “I think she may have been trying to tell me something, but I’m not sure.” I fill them in on the conversation and how she was acting.

“That’s definitely out of character for Mathis. He would torment you. This other person has to be family,” Marsh says.

“Okay, but why would his relative want Shayla?” Paul asks.

I shrug. That has me baffled as well. “Let’s just look for anyone he could be related to. I don’t care how distantly related they are. I still want the surrounding areas searched, but I’m pretty sure she’s at least a couple hours away. She said she was far.”

“Are you sure you can trust anything she said? I mean, you said she sounded off. Maybe she’s being drugged,” Marsh offers.

I run my hand through my hair in frustration. “I don’t know. All I know is this has to end. We have to find her soon. Mathis could very well be messing with me. He says she’s fine, but he knows I don’t believe him. They don’t call him The Fox for nothing. He’s sneaky, he keeps you guessing. No crime was ever the same, other than the origami and they were all women. Each time the scene was different.”

“Let’s just concentrate on finding her. We’ll broaden our search. We’ll worry about everything else later. Okay?” I nod to Marsh, but offer nothing more on the subject.

I’m leaning over my dining room table, looking at the map and searching the areas within a 200-mile radius, when my son barges into my house. He throws his bag roughly across the room and plops down on my sofa with his arms crossed over his chest and a deep scowl on his face.

“What’s going on?” I ask as Jon shuts the front door.

“I got escorted off the school property by a cop,” Dylan answers.

Jon clears his throat. “If I may?” Dylan shrugs and I motion with my hand for him to tell me already. “The school was not happy with my presence. They let me follow Dylan around for a couple of periods, then the principal asked me to just wait in my car. I refused, as per your order, and offered to stand outside the classroom door, but that wasn’t amenable for her. She asked us to leave.”