Eyes open wide, he planted his hands on her neck and began to choke her.
Gasping for air, Marcy poked her nails into his eyeballs.
He released her and covered his eyes. "You bitch! I swear, I will kill you next time." He slammed the door and turned the lock.
Marcy examined her neck in the mirror. Red marks marred her skin. I will be the one to kill them.
***
Stacy Kestav awoke, her head throbbing. Where am I? Darkness enveloped her, but still she could spot steel bars. "Help, somebody help me."
"They can't hear you," a young female voice laced with an accent hushed.
Blinking her eyes, she caught a glimpse of a teenage girl with a square jaw and prominent features who seemed younger than Stacy outside her cell. "Where are we?"
"We're underground. There are a lot of us down here," the girl said. "We were brought here from Russia."
Stacy's heart sank like a flat tire. How can I escape? "What's your name and how long have you been here?"
"Weeks. I'm Valentina. They took my twin sister and I away from my family," she said. "They promised my parents they would give us a better life in America, but instead we are told to do dirty things with men, lots of men, in front of a camera.”
A sound of voices echo.
Sh, they're coming."
Stacy closed her eyes in dread.
Chapter 9
Dana felt she had been running for eternity. There was no sight of civilization as the end of the pavement only led to a dirt road. A glance at her watch revealed it had been almost two hours, and she wasn’t sure she if she’d been going the right direction.
She gazed at the sky above. “Please help me, Lord.”
Shortly, a ray of light appeared in front of her. She waved her arms in the air as hope rejuvenated her.
A black BMW slowed down and stopped in front of her. Dana smiled and approached the passenger door.
The door flung open, and a man stepped out. “Are you lost?”
Dana’s smile vanished. Skully. This time, he was not alone. A woman stepped out of the car and faced her.
Frozen, Dana stared at the lady, the one person she recognized and could never forget, the woman who left her when she was ten years old. She had shattered her life and killed her father emotionally.
Adrenaline rose inside, her but she kept her compose by pretending she didn't know her.
Skully approached Dana and pushed her toward her mother. "I told you I know where your mother is, and now she's right in front of you."
Her mother put on a straight face and didn't once flinch. "That's my daughter? I don't think so."
Her words dug into Dana's heart, but she knew her mother faked her reaction and remained calm.
"You heard what she said. I'm not her daughter, so will you just let us all go? You're wasting your time when you should be looking for the right person," Dana said.
Clamoring at her, Skully banged Dana's head onto the car and she collapsed.
***
Dana opened her eyes feeling a fierce throbbing pain behind her head. Two people were sitting beside her, but she couldn’t see them clearly. “Where am I?”
A woman’s voice spoke. “You need to rest.”
Flashes of memories—the dirt road, Skully, her mother—assaulted Dana. She bolted upright. “You did this to me.”
"Sh!" Her mother rubbed Dana’s shoulders. “I never thought I'd ever see you again.”
Although her angelic face tempted to soften Dana’s emotions, she blurted, “How could you leave us?”
Dana had rehearsed over and over again what she would have done had she seen her mother. She always believed her mother was out there somewhere, never had found closure.
Her mother paced around the room. Although she’d aged, her skin was still flawless, her body trim. “If I told you the reason I left, you would understand.”
A roller coaster of emotions grilled upon Dana as she fought back tears. "I was ten."
“I followed all your shows," she said in a hushed tone. "Cut every clipping and stored photos of you. I couldn’t believe how my daughter blossomed into a beautiful woman. I’m so proud of you.”
Dana affixed her stare at the windowpane. “How about I tell you how you ripped my childhood apart and only after Dad died did I discover my whole life has been a lie.”
Marcy drew in a breath. “Your father was a good man. He took care of you. ”
“Really, Mom? Because he died the day you vanished."
"I never stopped loving you both. You have to believe me."
Taking deep breaths, Dana faced her mother and couldn't say a word. Her head continued to throb from the bang.
“Remember how I used to braid your hair? You always wanted to apply lipstick like me.”
Dana glared. “There’s no use bringing back the memories. They’re all tainted with lies.”
Marcy gave her a blank stare. “Your life is in danger, Dana. That's why I left. So I could protect you.”
“Tell me about it. Each day I spend with you leads me closer to my death. Actually, I think I’m already in hell.”
Marcy sighed. "I don't where to begin."
The sound of footsteps came close.
Dana didn’t budge, one hand exposed while the other clutched the screwdriver tight, ready to pounce at Skully if he attacked her again.
Marcy eyed the door. "He's coming."
***
A shiny, squeaky pair of shoes approached Rob as he sat at the waiting room of Atty. Chan’s office. A tall Asian man in his twenties, dressed in a fine, pale gray Armani suit. “Rob Hanson, I’m Stanley. Chan. Pleasure to meet you."
They shook hands.
“Nice to meet you. You were able to get a hold of my father?”
“Yeah, I assume you know he’s in Costa Rica —“
“Right.” Rob leaned one foot to the wall. His father was busy with his new wife trotting the globe. He scrutinized the lawyer from head to toe. “And how many cases have you handled?”
Straightening his shoulders, Stanley grinned. “Don’t be fooled by my looks. Your father works with the best lawyers." He led Rob inside his office. “Let’s discuss more inside.”
Stanley circled around his desk and plopped himself on the chair.
Rob sat across him, glancing at color-coded folders, noticing how his desk was polished like his shoes.
Stanley smirked. “I know, I know. I suffer from OCD, but take my condition to your advantage since I will ensure I produce quality work with the investigation.”
"I trust my father, and I know you won't let me down.”
“Thank you. Anyway, here’s what I gathered.” He handed folders to Rob. “There have been five reported missing women in Manhattan during the past year. Dana is the fifth one and Stacy the sixth.”
Rob breezed through the documents. “How do we know they’re related to Dana’s case?”
“The women are all between twenty-eight and twenty-nine years old except for Stacy.”
Rob paused. “Wait a minute. Dana just turned thirty.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, December fifteen.”
“Hmm.” Stanley grabbed his red pen and marked his notes.
“And what does this have to do with Stacy? I assume she’s much younger than these women.”
Stanley leaned forward. “That’s what I need to investigate. The judge granted a search warrant, and they didn’t find anything suspicious at her parent’s house. They’re simple Russian immigrants who speak very little English.”
Rob stomped his feet. “They’re hiding something. I can feel it. Did you check the café?”
“Rob, I have to warn you to be careful. You can’t assume anything based on feelings. Right now, the media is pinning you down and you have to maintain a low profile.”
“I can’t believe this.”
“I hate to say this, but I believe it would be best that you don't stay at your loft. I can set you up at a
motel in Brooklyn.”
“What about my projects?”
“It will only be temporary. And don’t do anything stupid.”
***
FBI Agents Felicia and Kerry sat on the benches across Central park, each chewing a hot dog. Kerry watched tourists, joggers and executives passing through the park.
“Something tells me this kidnapping is personal. Six attractive blonds. What do you make out of that?” Felicia asked.
"One Puerto Rican." He wiped mustard from his lips. “Tell me what your theory is.”
“The person doesn’t seem like he picked this women at random. The perpetrator must have studied every move, their routines, where they go. I think the Puerto Rican lady was to divert our attention from the criminal's patterns. My hunch tells me that this criminal doesn't work alone.”
“Possible.”
“The only thing that puzzles me is that Dana Simmons turned thirty recently. Why didn’t her captor take her before then?”
Kerry faced her. “You have a point there. Detective Schultz informed me that her friend Rob said her father just died.”
“Ah.” Felicia gave a sharp jerk of a nod. “Do you think that guy Rob has anything to do with this?”
Kerry pursed his lips. “I don’t know. He knew both Dana and Stacy.”
She threw a pebble on the ground. “I believe Rob has nothing to do with their case. He came to the police to find his friend, and when they shrugged him off, he sought answers for himself, which led to Stacy’s disappearance.”
“But that could be his cover up.”
“He might have a list of women who have modeled for him and that should give us clues in case this person targets another woman again.”
“Felicia, tell me again why I need you?”
She poked him. “Wake up. We’ve got work to do.”
Chapter 10
Muffled cries filtered from the other room. Dana failed to open the locked door. The weeping grew deafening. She leaned her ears against the wall and heard Skully, her mother, and two, no three, no four women screaming. What is happening out there?
“If you guys don’t shut the fuck up,” Skully yelled, “I will sink your head inside the toilet and leave you there.”
Silence descended, and Dana dashed back to her bed in case Skully came. Questions plagued her. Why was she here? Who were these women, and what would happen next?
“You need to let me know once and all who is your daughter, Marcy!”
Dana jerked back at the raw anger in Skully's voice.
"I told you I don't have any daughter."
Dana covered her face. They were after her now. Guilt washed upon her. Her father was right. Her mother only wished to protect her.
But from what exactly?
***
Rob sneezed for the sixth time that evening. He cleaned the mold from his bathroom and stared at the cracked linoleum tiles. Being a photographer taught him how to appreciate beauty and art, but there wasn’t anything attractive about this dingy motel.
Rob wiped the tears from his face as he clutched the phone. “I’m sorry, Mom. I never wished to disappoint you this way.”
“My son, I know you have nothing to do with these women. I don’t wish to turn on the TV anymore because the news just devastates me.”
“Don’t believe them. The media will do anything to destroy me. That’s how they make a living. In the meantime, be strong and pray for me.”
“I will. You take care of yourself.”
“I love you, Mom.”
***
Kerry and Felicia studied Ginny’s café from the corner table inside. Closing time approached, and both Mr. and Mrs. Kestav were cleaning the counters. No more patrons lingered in the café.
Kerry nudged his partner on the side. “We’ve been here three times. Nothing has changed.”
“Sh. You’re too complacent,” Felicia whispered. She raised her chin. “Just look at them, especially Mrs. Kestav. She’s nervous as hell. Trust me. I know they’re hiding something.”
Mr. Kestav approached them, his hair gelled to one side, both hands inside his pocket. “Agents, any updates with the case?”
Kerry stared at him. “You tell us, Mr. Kestav. Who would want to kidnap your daughter? Your sweet daughter who had a whole life ahead of her. Wasn’t she supposed to leave for Paris?”
“Yes,” he choked out in between tears. You have to find the bastard who took her."
Mrs. Kestav squeezed herself between them with a tray of desserts and two waters. "Please enjoy these goodies."
The couple sat beside the agents.
"So…" Felicia licked the chocolate icing of the decadent cake. "What's Stacy's favorite dessert?"
Mr. and Mrs. Kestav exchanged glances.
Mr. Kestav cleared his throat. "Stacy was actually a diabetic, and most of our desserts are made from real sugar."
"She was the one who created the special sugar-free desserts," Mrs. Kestav added.
After taking a sip of his water, Kerry said, "Must be difficult for a diabetic to be surrounded by sugar. Is this the reason why she wanted to leave?"
Stacy's sister stepped forward from the back. "Mom, everything's done. Can I walk ahead?"
"Natasha, we won't be long," Mrs. Kestav said. "I don't want you walking alone out there."
Natasha rolled her eyes. "I'll wait here then."
Kerry rose from his seat with his plate. "I'll take this to the counter." He followed Natasha to the back kitchen where she sat glued to her iPhone. "Must be lonely without your sister."
The skinny blond teenager didn't budge as she continued to text. "For once, I don't want to keep talking about her."
"My little brother died when I was twelve." He sat beside her.
She glanced at him. "How?"
"Asthma attack. All the attention was focused on his death. I not only felt left out, but I felt like I didn't exist."
Natasha pushed her phone aside. "That's exactly how I feel. When my parents talk, it's always about what Stacy would have wanted. And when they're not talking, I can taste their tears in our desserts."
"You can't erase her disappearance, but you can help us find clues."
She nodded. "You're right. I do miss her so much."
"And you're allowed to miss her." He handed her his business card. "If you find anything suspicious, please give me a call."
"Thanks." She tucked the card inside her pocket.
***
Five minutes later, the agents climbed into the car. Felicia blasted the music, but Kerry turned down the volume.
"C'mon. You're never too old for rock music." Felicia brushed back her loose hair.
His radio beeped. "Agent Wayne, we received an anonymous tip that four blond women were sighted being shoved inside a car by a man with a sleeveless shirt and tattoo stopped at a 7-11 in New Jersey," Officer Jones said.
"Copy that. Do they have the exact location?"
"Sending you guys the address now. Witness said the women looked filthy and gaunt."
"Thank you." He glanced at Felicia. "Maybe you can start blasting the radio as we take a drive to New Jersey."
Felicia checked her iPhone. "Hmmm, I know exactly where that is. My hometown."
"You never told me you grew up in New Jersey."
Bobbing her head from side to side, Felicia said, "Jersey Shore."
***
Dana waited. When her door opened and her mother entered, Dana pounced on her like a prey. She shoved her mother to the door and pushed the screwdriver on her throat.
Beads of sweat poured from Marcy's forehead.
"Sh," she whispered. "I'm not going to let them hurt us." She cleared her throat and yelled, "You better tell me everything, or I will kill you. I don't care what happens to me."
Skully popped inside. "Now, here comes the feisty woman. She surely takes after you, Marcy."
Marcy eyed the screwdriver and elbowed Dana in her stomach, knocking her down to the floor. "I make t
he rules around here." Turning to Skully, Marcy added, "For the tenth time, I have no daughter."
Dana lifted onto all fours and kicked Skully in the crotch .
"You bitch!" Skully doubled over.
Dana escaped. Four women sitting huddled together in the living room. "C'mon. Let's go."
The four women, resigned and filthy shook their heads.
One petite blond lady with a ponytail said, "We can't go anywhere. They will find us."
Dana pulled them up. "We can't give up. We're five. Please."
They followed her to the door. Dana's heart leaped as the door wasn’t locked. She dashed outside with the four women trailing behind and inhaled the fresh air.
From the corner of her eye, Dana spotted her mother running after her, but Skully pulled her back. Dana halted, but her mother signaled her to leave. Her heart sank. I will see her again.
"Do you know where we are?" Dana asked.
The curly-haired blond inched her way beside Dana. "I overheard the man say we're near Jersey Shore."
"Hmm." Dana raced to the left. "You guys have to follow me. I tried that route." She pointed to the right. "It didn't lead me anywhere. I’m assuming if we go south, we should reach the ocean."
An hour later, the five women still followed the dirt road, catching their breath.
"We can't stop," Dana warned.
The Puerto Rican spoke up. "We need to know why they took us? I'm Maria, and this is Belinda, Jane, and Rosie. What's your story?
The women exchanged information sharing a common way of being abducted.
"The lady in the house is my mother," Dana said.
They gasped as Dana narrated how Marcy disappeared when she was ten and finished with her father's letter.
"Did your mother tell you why?" Belinda asked.
"All she said is that I was in danger."
"That's what she told all of us," Jane said. "We were all in an abandoned house before they transferred us to where you were. They all asked us if she was our mother."
"I was the first one," Rosie added.
"Did they rape you guys? What did they tell you?" Dana asked.
They shook their head.
"No, they would come bring food and psychologically play with your mind and then disappear and come after two days," Maria said.