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“Sir, over here. We found something.”
His words bubble like acid in my ears as I race to the other side of the barn and stop in my tracks, my stomach convulsing.
Her.
Everywhere.
“What the fuck?” I take in the pictures covering the barn wall. Mindy. At work. In her apartment. Walking down the street. Eating at a café. I move my eyes lower, and my hands shake as red hazes my vision. Naked. Coming out of the shower. Intimate moments where she felt safe and had no idea a psychopath was stalking her.
A worktable off to the side catches my attention, and I walk over, taking in the items. Clothing. A hairbrush. A fucking coffee mug with her lipstick on the rim. “He was the one in her apartment,” I say out loud. “All this shit—how long has he been following her?” This is a man who has spent a lot of time waiting.
Hunting.
An officer runs up to Rochel. “Detective, we found something.”
“What is it?”
The officer leads us to the other end of the barn, stopping short in front of a mound of dirt. “What am I looking at?” he asks.
The officer bends down, snapping on a plastic glove and brushing off some dirt. “It’s a skull, sir.”
Chapter twenty-three
Mindy
I wake up again, this time just groggy. I open my eyes, praying it was all a bad dream. The scenery almost convinces me it was until I tug at my ankle. The sound of a lock grabs my attention. The door opens, and Vince walks in. “Glad to see you’re awake. You must be starving.”
“What time is it?” I ask.
“It’s late, but I know you’re used to late nights. Hungry?”
“No, I want to go home. Why are you doing this?”
“I already told you. Would you like something to eat? I bought snacks. Your favorites.”
I stare at him, my mind still jumbled from whatever he gave me. This has to be a bad dream. I cannot be chained to the floor by someone I thought was a good guy. Who saved me from being raped. A man who has kidnapped me and is talking crazy. “Vince, listen to me.” He sits on the bed next to me, and I fight not to shudder at his closeness. I bite the inside of my cheek in hopes he doesn’t see me shaking and offer him a faint smile. “I’m flattered at the lengths you’ve gone to for me.” His smile churns my stomach. I dig my nails into my palm.
“I’m glad. You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this. For you.”
“That’s great.”Breathe, Mindy.“I just wish you would have said something. I think you’re a great guy. You didn’t have to do all this to get my attention.” My comment pleases him. His dimples appear, and acid rises in my stomach. “Why don’t you unchain me?”
He gazes at me, unsure. Then nods and pulls out the key. “Okay. It would be easier for you to eat. But any funny business and I’ll punish you.” He stands and lifts his shirt, flashing the gun tucked in his slacks. I back up, suppressing a shiver. “Hey, don’t be scared. I don’t want to hurt you. You have to know I’m in love with you. I would never do anything to hurt you. This is for your protection.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. My eyes burn, but I hold back my tears. “Yeah, okay. I won’t do anything. How about those snacks?”
“You bet.” He bends down and unlocks the chain, releasing my foot. I debate running, but I’m not sure how far I’d even get before he caught me. And I have no idea where I am. He claims he doesn’t want to hurt me, but I can’t guarantee he won’t shoot me in the name of protecting me.
Cupping my elbow, he leads me out of the room. I walk slowly, taking in every detail of my surroundings. We go downstairs to a small kitchen. There’s an island in the middle and a side wall lined with appliances. The walls are bare, but I notice the fading spots where pictures used to hang. Is this Vince’s house? “Do you live here? I thought you lived in an apartment.”
“I do. This is… uh… a friend’s letting me rent it out until I find something more fitting for us.”
For us.
“Are you cold? I can grab one of your sweaters.” I shake my head and smile, hiding the trembling in my body. “Here, sit. I’ll make you a cup of coffee.”
I take a seat at the table, eyeing the back door. It could lead outside or to a garage. Are we in the suburbs? The city? Fuck! And what if it’s locked? I won’t have enough time to open it and run. It could lead nowhere, and I’m still trapped.
“That’s really nice of your friend. To let you redecorate.”
