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"Aria Marshall ring any bells?"
Aria.
I stand up and pace the floor.
Aria and I were never apart when we were kids. We were glued to each other since we were in kindergarten. She was my first love, only I never had the guts to tell her out loud. She left Chicago when she was eighteen to work overseas. I got the odd email at first, but as time passed and our lives went in different directions, our communication dwindled. I haven’t seen or heard from her since. I was devastated when she left, but like everything else, time moves on, people change. I’ve seen her mom and brother a few times, but only to have a few words in passing. My parents and Aria’s parents are still good friends; they still discuss everything about their kids, and I doubt that will ever change. We’ll always be kids to our parents.
"Is she hurt? What do you know?" asks Clay.
"She's in a bad way. She was captured in November 2017."
"2017!" I turn to face everyone. "Why didn't anyone report her missing? That can’t be right. She’s close to her family."
"The story we have from her is believable. We have no reason to question it. She was in Africa, which checks out. She came home to surprise her family, but she got in a cab and never made it there. We have a lot of unanswered questions, but now she needs someone she knows and trusts. I take it you’re close to her, Caleb."
"I was very close to her. Where is she?"
"St. Thomas’ hospital." I grab my keys off the rack, but Al stops me. "I need to fill you in on a few details before you charge in there. Sit your ass down, Caleb. "
Clay wheels a chair over to me and I sit down. The quicker I can hear the story, the quicker I can get out of here.
"She gave me permission to tell you what you need to know. I don't think she's in any fit state to relive it any more than she already has."
"Just tell me!" I snap.
The expressionless face, I’ve come to understand, only means I’m about to hear some terrible shit. Al can remain impartial to cases. He doesn’t show any emotions. I think that’s when I knew I had to leave CPD, because each case was affecting me. Each case was getting under my skin, and sleepless nights were becoming the norm for me.
He sighs. "She was raped repeatedly, beaten, and left in poor conditions. We found her roaming in the forest where we also found the two dead bodies. We have officers searching the area for a cabin she remembers."
Anger radiates through me. I try to tame it down for the time being, but that’s not going to be easy. How dare anyone touch a woman like that?
"Does she know who did this?"
"No. She gave us a name - Spike. Clearly, this is a nickname. We're running this through every database we have just to see if anything pops up."
"It's November 2018. He's..." I shake my head as bile rises in my throat. "He's had her for a year."
I can't contain the sickness anymore. I rush over to the trashcan and throw up my breakfast. I feel a hand on my shoulder and I know it's Clay. He'll get why I'm feeling like this, because he’s the only one who knows our full story. Aria was the one woman I've loved forever. She's the one that got away. Now, she's hurt. She was hurting for a year and I didn’t know. She was all alone and I was here.
"I need to see her."
"I'll take you," says Clay. "Al, you can fill me in on everything you know when we get there."
"We've got it under control."
Clay sniggers. "I don't give a fuck. We'll be running with this as well. You can't come in here, drop this bombshell, and expect us to sit and do nothing. Aria is family."
I don't even want to get in the middle of this. I leave Clay and Al standing off against one another. I make my way out of the office building and stand in the compound to get some air. I take in a few lungs full and make my way to Clay’s truck.
I have this deep need to see Aria. Nothing will settle me until I see her breathing. We can work through anything if she’s alive, and I won’t believe that until I see her with my own two eyes.
***
We all walk into the corridor where Aria's room is; her door is guarded by two patrolmen. I take in a deep breath and walk closer to her room. Al adds my name to the approved visitor list and I look back at Clay. He nods his head. I know he won't leave here without me. Our company has been abandoned by us for the time being until we know what's going on here. We have enough staff back at the office to keep things ticking over, and if I’m honest, nothing will keep me away from Aria right now.
I open the door and a nurse smiles at me. I see the confident young woman I once knew lying in a hospital bed, looking weak and small, covered in cuts and bruises. I make my way over to her bed and she opens her eyes. The moment she sees me I can tell she realizes who I am, because her body relaxes into the mattress and she sobs. I don't hesitate. I sit on the edge of her bed and take her into my arms. Her small frame fits perfectly into my embrace and I just hold her for as long as she needs me to. I'm not in any hurry to let her go. I feel every ounce of her pain and heartache seeping from her pores. It breaks my heart to see and feel her in this way. The last time I saw her she was such a happy, content young woman.
"I've got you, honey. You're safe."
