Page 41 of The Quiet Witness

She was ready.

***

“Excuse me, sir…” She trailed off, fishing for how to drop the news.

Richard turned on his feet, all wide smiles and courteous charm. “Yes ma’am.” He tipped his head in greeting. “What can I do for you on this beautiful day?” Wrinkles were etched onto his skin beside his eyes and his mouth. A man who liked to laugh, despite the horrors he no doubt had seen in his profession.

Well, where to start? My family was killed by a psychotic madman, who kidnapped me instead of killing me then and there. And it just so happens to be someone you know. Please help.

“I… I was kidnapped.”

Once she blurted it out, she’d expected him to push off the car, straighten up and glance over the gathered crowd. Richard did none of those things.

“I see.”

“Excuse me?” Her mouth fell open, and she could feel Lucien’s eyes drilling into her back. “What kind of response is that? I’m in danger, and I-I n-need help.”

Not him too, not him too.

“I’m sorry, dear. I really am, but Lucien and I, we go way back… he told me about your predicament.” His coffee brown eyes shone with regret. “My hands are tied.”

“Your hands are tied.” Her breathing faltered and she had to bend over, hands on her knees to keep from falling over.

She cackled and before long a loud, bubbly laugh filled the parking lot. The people closest to them, in the midst of unloading their groceries, shot her puzzled looks. And one woman herded her child to the side and away from the mad woman losing it in a parking lot.

“Then why the hell are you wearing that badge? Because from where I stand you are complicit in kidnapping, soon to be murder if you leave it up to Lucien. You will have my blood on your hands.” If her eyes could burn holes, the man in front of her would be like a well-used target at a shooting school. “How can you even sleep at night?” Her voice rose, but it was dwarfed by the last car shooting away from her.

He warned me.

As soon as the thought hit her, a man came up beside her.

“Richard, good to see you again.” Lucien’s tone… devoid of mirth. Nothing but cool confidence lined his words. “I take it you and Kate got acquainted alright?”

Consequences, he said. What would that be like? Starvation? Would he… bind my hands together again and watch when a panic attack takes over?

“Let’s go.” Lucien’s feet angled back toward the Volvo. Where Clara leaned against the car with one hip cocked and her cup of chai clenched tightly in a bright, purple gloved hand.

“No.”

“Come again?”

She pushed up from her quacking knees. “I’m not going to walk over there and pretend to be a love-sick couple. Not when you’re imagining all the different ways to make me suffer.”

It didn’t matter that she was admitting to the fear. Maybe her plea would pull on what was called a heart, if Richard did indeed own one.

“I’m off for now.” The cop opened the door of his cruiser. He settled behind the wheel in what should have been her symbol for safety. “See you around Lucien, and Kate… I’ll keep you in my prayers.” He touched the tiny, wooden cross that danced below his mirror before shutting the door in her face. Tires crunched over ice as he wove his way through the lot.

All she could do was stare at the spot his car had been in seconds ago. Looping back in her mind how certain she had been that freedom was waiting on the other side.

“The ladies got you a chai latte as well.” A coffee cup entered her sight with the familiar green outline of… “Starbucks, not my favorite, but it will have to make do, I guess.” Lucien heaved a heavy sigh as if the idea of drinking it was simply repulsive.

“You’ve got to be kidding me right now.” Kate lifted her head to meet his inquiring gaze, and found a raised eyebrow waiting there. No triumph or even an I-told-you-so look.

He only tilted his chin to the car. “Let’s go… now. They’re waiting.”

Still she didn’t move.

“One tip. Don’t make it worse for yourself, Kate. I still have some patience left, but you don’t want me to have to dig any deeper. Save it, for another day.”