Authors: Val Tobin
Cope sat waiting on a chair in Ben’s office. Katherine stood
next to Ben and watched what he did. Cope tried to stifle the impatience that
made him so restless he’d spent most of the last two hours pacing. Should
hacking into someone’s files take this long?
Ben had tried to explain what he was doing when he got fed
up with his younger brother’s nervous energy, but it was jabber to Cope. When
Ben got technical, it made Cope think accessing Henderson’s email and other
files would be impossible. After that, they were still searching for something
they’d recognize only when they found it.
“I have it.” Ben waved to Cope, who jumped from his chair to
peer at the monitor.
An email message displayed on the screen, and Ben toggled to
another screen. “Here. See that map? It leads to a cabin Henderson bought two
years ago under another name.”
“Let’s go. We have to get to her before he hurts her.”
Or kills her.
That threat was real. Too
many times women ended up murdered by exes who refused to let them go.
Katherine moved toward the door, and Cope stopped her. “No.
Too dangerous.”
“You’re not leaving me behind.” She confronted him, fists on
hips, feet planted on the floor.
Cope pulled
Enders’s
card out of
his wallet and handed it to Katherine. “Call the cops. Tell them where we think
he is, but give us a half-hour lead. I don’t want Dani killed in a shootout.”
He saw her hesitate. “Please. I need you safe and the cops
on the way.”
Resignation showed on her face and she took the card. “Okay.
Go get your girlfriend back safe. Be careful.”
He leaned in, kissed her cheek, and gave her a quick hug.
“Okay, Ben. Let’s go.”
Ben retrieved a Colt .45 from his desk. “Ready, bro. Just
gotta
grab my ammo.”
***
Punishment over, Henderson cut the duct tape from Dani’s
wrists and ankles and helped her climb under the comforter. To her horror, he
stripped off his clothes and climbed into bed with her. She recoiled.
“No, babe. None of that. You’re mine now. Just us, together
forever.” Henderson put his arms around her and yanked her to him.
Afraid of another whipping, she put her head on his shoulder
and pretended it was Cope she leaned against. Eyes closed, she pictured herself
back in Cope’s arms. She was thirsty and wondered if she’d be risking another
beating asking for water. Her mouth was so dry. Chills wracked her body, and
she shivered.
“Are you okay, baby? Do you need anything?” The concern in
his voice made anger swell inside her, but she suppressed it.
As she had with her mother, she’d have to play pretend.
Pretend everything was normal. Pretend it was okay. Don’t cry. Don’t complain.
Most of all, be invisible, silent. Speak when spoken to. She’d been spoken to
now, so she replied. “Water, please.”
Henderson leaned over and kissed her cheek and her lips.
Dani flinched, but he didn’t notice—she’d have to do better
next time, make it appear she was okay with it, but not encouraging more.
He got out of bed, said, “Don’t move,” and walked out.
Dani took him literally and remained frozen until he
returned. He came back with two bottles of water and gave one to her. Should
she thank him? Or would that be speaking without permission? If she didn’t
thank him, he might get angry at her rudeness. If she did, he might get angry
that she spoke. One way to find out: “Thank you.”
She sipped the water while he slipped back under the covers.
Her heart beat rapidly, sweat broke out under her arms, and her spine prickled
at the thought of what would happen next.
“Had enough water?”
It was a question anyone might ask, and under normal
circumstances, it would be considered polite. Coming from Henderson right now,
it chilled Dani to the bone. She tipped the bottle to her lips again, sipping,
buying time—even another second helped.
When she took yet another slow sip, he realized what she was
doing and grabbed the bottle from her. He recapped it and set it on the
nightstand next to the bed. “It’s been a long time, babe. Come here. I’ve
dreamed about fucking you ever since we did it on set.”
“Greg, please.” Dani wriggled to the edge of the bed, but
didn’t get out.
His expression grew dark, the frown vicious. “Behave,
Daniella. I’ve been wanting this. You know you want it, too. I don’t want any
trouble from you.”
“I’m not feeling well.” Maybe she could talk him out of it.
At least keep him talking though she’d have to choose her words with extreme
care. “I haven’t eaten since—I don’t even know how long. Please. Can we eat
first?” She kept her voice even. No whining. Normal speaking voice. Reasonable.
“Okay.” He got out of bed again, unlocked and opened the
closet, and took out a woman’s bathrobe, which he tossed on the bed. “Put that
on and come with me.”
Dani moved slowly and deliberately.
Normal.
It became her mantra. She picked up the robe and slipped
into it, grateful to conceal her body. Henderson retrieved a robe for himself,
put it on, and took Dani’s hand.
He guided her out of the bedroom and into the main living
area of the cabin. Had she been here with Cope, she’d have called it quaint,
even lovely. The furniture was rustic, and a large, fieldstone fireplace
dominated the living room. An open kitchen had all the conveniences: fridge,
stove, dishwasher—even an apartment-sized stacked washer and dryer. A pine table
with seating for eight people was the focal point in the dining area.
Henderson motioned for her to sit at the table, so she
pulled out the closest chair and sat. The silence got to her, but she was
afraid to break it, and looked around instead, trying to find a potential
weapon. It hadn’t escaped her he’d had a woman’s robe on hand. Had he been
planning this, or did the robe belong to a former girlfriend?
Dani peeked into the fridge when he opened it and noted it
was stuffed with fresh food. Henderson pulled out a prepared salad and a bottle
of dressing and set them on the table. An urge to help overcame her, and she
almost stood when she remembered he’d told her to sit. She folded her hands on
the table in front of her and realized she was chewing on the inside of her
cheek. It was a nervous habit she hadn’t indulged since she’d live with her
mother.
Henderson opened a pantry, and Dani scoped that out as well:
lots of canned goods, cereals, pastas, and rice. The door slammed shut before
she saw more, and Henderson held a French loaf in his hand. He returned to the
fridge and took out various cheeses. By the time he finished, he’d amassed a
decent meal.
“What would you like to drink? Wine?” He held up a bottle of
Sauvignon blanc and tilted it toward the glass he’d set by her plate.
A direct question.
Answer him.
“No, just water, please. I left it in the bedroom. May I go get
it?” Best to ask. If she asked, she was being respectful, and if she was being
respectful, he wouldn’t get angry.
“I’ll get it. Don’t move.” He strode into the bedroom, his
pace hurried. So he didn’t trust her at all. How long would it take to lull him
into a false contentment? Dani feared it would be too long.
Oh, God, she didn’t want to sleep with him, and if he
realized that, he’d hurt her. She had to get out of here. She caught herself
before she folded onto the table in despair.
No, don’t let him see fear, or he’ll suspect I’m planning escape.
Henderson returned and set her water on the table next to
her hands, which rested, still clasped, on the table in front of her plate. As
he walked past her, he stroked her hair and then her cheek. Her mouth dry, Dani
swallowed, and when he sat next to her, she picked up the water and drank.
“Is this okay? Need anything else?” So polite, he was. So
solicitous.
Shrieks welled up inside her, and it took everything she had
not to open her mouth and scream until she woke from this nightmare. “Fine,
thanks.”
Henderson poured himself wine, and Dani’s stomach lurched.
It was worse when he drank. When they’d dated, they’d both drank to excess.
When Dani drank too much, she became livelier, then wound down, passed out,
and, if she’d really overdone it, she’d puke. But when Henderson drank too
much, he became quieter, then meaner, to the point where he’d frighten her.
He picked up the knife and cut slices of cheese, and, when
he was done, set down the knife out of her reach. Every move he made, she
followed. If he touched something, she considered its use as a weapon.
At least she was no longer naked. With food in her stomach,
she might muster up the strength to attempt escape, though not if she had to
fight her way out. But if she tried to slip out after he was asleep, she’d have
to have sex with him first.
Panic rose in her again, and she distracted herself by
nibbling on the food and sipping her water. He’d given her a fork for the
salad, but she knew she’d never be able to stab him with it. Sure, she could
work herself up to hate him enough to do it, but she’d never incapacitate him,
and a wounded, angry Henderson might kill her. He was capable of murder, she
was sure of it.
“Tomorrow, I’ll show you the view in the back. There’s a
mountain stream where we can fish. It’s gorgeous.” He smiled at her, a big,
smarmy, motherfucking grin like they were lovers on a romantic getaway.
Her hand tightened on the fork. “Sounds lovely.”
He hadn’t asked a question but was making conversation.
Amendment to the rule:
speak when he
seems to want to converse even if he hasn’t asked a direct question.
Sweat beaded on the back of Dani’s neck, and she rubbed it
with a napkin. Another sip of water calmed her nerves. She’d lost her appetite,
but forced herself to eat. If she escaped, she’d need her strength.
All too soon, her salad bowl was empty, and she couldn’t
stomach anything else.
Henderson noticed and stopped eating. “Had enough?”
Dani gulped water, saw that almost three-quarters of the
bottle of wine was gone, and sought the courage to answer. “Yes.” A whisper. No
good. He’d pick up on the fear. She cleared her throat. “Yes. Thank you.”
Clearer. Better.
“Shall we retire to the bedroom, my love?”
“We shouldn’t leave this stuff out. Let me help you clean it
up first.” No shaking in her voice. She was giving the performance of her
life—for her life.
“Yes. You’re right. Sit. I’ll take care of everything. Don’t
move.”
Dani held her breath while he wrapped up the food, rinsed
the dishes, and put everything away. It didn’t take as long as she would’ve
liked, and all too soon, he was done and heading toward her. Gaze darting
around the room, she saw no way out, nothing she could use as a weapon. Unable
to help it, she begged. “Please, don’t make me sleep with you. Not tonight.”
He grabbed her by the arms, eyes sparking anger. “You belong
to me now, and you do as I tell you.”
“I don’t belong to you. I don’t belong to anyone. Let me go.
Please. You must know what you’re doing is wrong. Why did you do this?”
In answer, he kissed her on the mouth, hard, forcing her to
feel his desire. She tried to pull away and failed. He pressed his body against
her, pressed his hardness against her. Henderson lifted his mouth from hers and
with one hand, shoved her head forward so she saw his penis thrusting out of
the part in his robe. “See what you caused? Tease. You tease me and then you
don’t want to give me the relief I need. You have an obligation.”
He lifted her in his arms and carried her into the bedroom,
her sobs now the only sound she could hear.
Cope and Ben had to leave their car at the bottom of a trail
that led to the cabin where they suspected Dani might be held. They spotted a
car amongst the trees and recognized it as a vehicle the police had described
when the APB went out on Henderson.
Ben had his gun ready, and Cope led the way. He hurried
though the dark trail was littered with rocks and tree roots that tripped them
up despite the flashlight he carried. When the cabin came into view, Cope
motioned for Ben to watch the front of the house while he went around back.
Everything was dark inside. Cope tried to look in a window,
but it was shielded by a curtain. He approached the side of the house and found
an uncovered kitchen window. He’d have to hurry. The cops would be close behind
them. By the time the police arrived, Cope wanted to have Henderson gift
wrapped for them.
Silence blanketed the house and surrounding yard. Mouth
drawing into a tight, grim line, Cope shoved aside thoughts of what Dani might
have suffered in the time she was missing. If he didn’t, he’d kill Henderson on
sight. The kitchen window was open, the screen the only obstacle. Cope removed
the screen, raised the sash higher, and climbed in.
Once inside, he sat for a moment on the kitchen counter,
letting his eyes adjust to the semi-dark room. A faint glow from the LCD on the
stove and moonlight shining in through the windows afforded the only
illumination. The front door should be on his right. Cope eased to the floor.
The boards creaked under him as he walked, and he froze.
Breath held, he waited and listened. Nothing. One foot forward. Another step.
By the time he reached the front door, sweat drenched him.
Cope ran his hands along the door where the faint outline of
the doorknob was visible. Under it was the deadbolt. He quietly opened the
door, left it propped open, and returned to the kitchen without waiting to see
where Ben was. His priority was getting to Dani.
The kitchen and dining area abutted a living room on the
right. A sliding door beside the fireplace in the living room lead to the
porch. Cope crossed the kitchen into the hallway beyond and followed it,
opening doors as he went. The first one led to the bathroom, the next, a
closet. A noise behind him told him Ben had entered the house. Not caring about
silence anymore, Cope picked up the pace.
He opened the bedroom door. It was darker than the rest of
the house, shades blacking out the windows. The king bed was occupied, but Cope
couldn’t tell who was in it. At first it looked like one large person. He drew
closer, and in the dim light from the clock radio, he saw Henderson spooned
around Dani. Cope screamed in rage, grabbed Henderson by the arm, and yanked
him to the ground.
As soon as Henderson hit the floor, he moaned and puked.
Cope leaped out of the way, and, leaving the kidnapper to writhe on the floor
in his own vomit, rushed to Dani. Cope’s heart broke at the sight of her bound
hand and foot, hands secured behind her back with duct tape, her pale skin
mottled with bruises.
Rage bubbled up in him and it took all his self-control not
to round on Henderson and kill him. Before Cope could flick on his flashlight,
the overhead light went on. Ben had arrived.
“Make sure that fucking bastard on the floor doesn’t move,
Ben.”
“Got him.”
Oh, God, Dani.
Cope couldn’t speak. Since she had her back to him, he could see welts covered
her back, butt, and thighs. Her arms were bruised and her fingers swollen. Cope
grabbed the scissors off the night table and cut through the tape on her wrists
and ankles. As he peeled the remaining tape from Dani’s skin, Cope noted drug
paraphernalia and traces of white powder next to the lamp. Henderson had been
doing drugs. What if he’d forced them on Dani, too?
Where were the cops? Now Cope wished he hadn’t told
Katherine to wait thirty minutes. Henderson would be too out of it to resist
arrest—the fucker wasn’t sober enough to make it to the toilet to puke. Groans
from the floor told Cope Henderson was conscious, but still struggling with
nausea.
Dani in his arms, Cope’s gut lurched as she remained limp
and unresponsive though she was breathing. Her blackened eyes stayed closed,
and her head flopped against his chest. “Call nine-one-one and get an ambulance
here,” Cope called out to Ben.
He pulled the comforter over her naked body and held her.
When he checked her pulse, it seemed normal. “Dani.” He bent his head to hers
and kissed her hair. “Baby, please wake up. I’m here. You’ll be okay now.”
She was still unconscious when the police and paramedics
arrived.
***
Dani had a concussion, and the doctors told Cope they didn’t
know when she might wake up. She’d slipped into a coma while Henderson had
slept. He’d tried to rape her, failed to get it up, probably from the alcohol
and coke he’d consumed, and then beat her in a fit of rage. Henderson claimed
he couldn’t remember doing any of that. At last, he was in jail with no chance
of bail, but now the waiting game was on as Cope sat by Dani’s bedside and held
her hand.
Liz, John Madden, people from Star Power and Danger Play,
and others who cared for Dani stopped by. Many more sent flowers. A shrine grew
in front of Dani’s apartment building, and fans held candlelight vigils.
Reporters had tried to get into her room, but the hospital
staff kept them at bay. Cope had hired a bodyguard to stand outside her door,
which kept out even the most clever and determined gossip hunters.
Red-rimmed eyes betrayed Cope had shed tears, but now that
he was cried out, he sat staring at her dry-eyed. Dani’s poor, bruised face was
calm, her chest rising and falling in a slow rhythm as though she slept in
peace.
He hoped that was true, but he also hoped that when he
talked, she heard him wherever her mind wandered. And he did talk because so
much had been left unsaid before she’d disappeared, and what if this was his
only chance to say it?
“I found out what my mother did. That’s why you were so
distant, why you avoided me. What a struggle that must have been. So sorry you
felt as though you weren’t good enough for my family. I love you, Daniella.
I’ll always love you. When you get better, I’ll spend the rest of my life
showing you how much.”
Someone cleared her throat, and Cope turned to see who had
walked in and find out why the bodyguard hadn’t stopped her. His mother stood
in the open doorway, a vase of flowers in her hands. “May I come in?”
Lost for words, Cope nodded. The strength to fight with
Margaret had disappeared. All he felt was sadness at how her greed and
narcissism had torn them apart.
“I wanted to deliver these myself and see you.” Margaret
drew closer to Dani’s bed and held the flowers out to Cope.
He rose and took the elaborate arrangement from her, setting
it on the floor.
Margaret waved her arms at the other bouquets and potted
plants that covered every available surface. “She’s popular.”
Cope nodded again, still unable to speak.
“I’m sorry, Bobby. Will she get better?”
“I don’t know.” His voice broke when he said it. “They don’t
know why she’s unconscious. Everything seems fine with her brain, but she won’t
wake up.”
“I overheard what you said to her. I didn’t mean to
eavesdrop.”
He shrugged. “It’s not important.”
“Yes it is. I’ve been so awful.”
Cope returned to his seat next to Dani’s bed and clasped her
hand in his. “You won’t get an argument from me.”
“Ben told me what happened—how you two rescued her. Bobby,
that maniac could’ve killed you. Or Ben.”
Cope stared at her, narrowing his eyes, frowning. “If we
hadn’t gone, she might’ve died in her sleep. That asshole was too fucked up to
notice he’d beaten her into a coma. She’d be another statistic. Another woman
killed by her sadistic-as-fuck ex.”
“If something had happened to you, I wouldn’t be able to
forgive myself. I couldn’t go on if I’d lost you or Ben. My life would’ve been
ruined.”
“You? Why is this about you?” He honestly didn’t know
whether to laugh or cry. At least she was here trying to do something positive.
Possibly. An apology usually meant something good, though with Margaret, you
could never be certain.
“My God, Bobby. Let me say sorry for what I’ve done. I drove
you away, maybe forever, and I didn’t think it important at the time. It was
more important to force you to see things my way or have you suffer for it
until you did.”
“Your way is cruel and judgmental. That’s not me.”
“I wanted to keep you from getting hurt.”
Cope brushed imaginary hair from Dani’s face and placed a
hand on her cheek. She felt warm—not feverish—just warm, and her skin was soft
and smooth. He was certain the swelling on her face had diminished.
When she was awake, and the swelling was gone, he promised
himself he’d kiss her often. Cope turned to look at Margaret again. “You hurt
her, Mother. Because of you, she avoided me, and Henderson got to her.” He
shook his head. “No. I’m sorry. That’s not true. I refuse to play your game and
lay blame where it’s undeserved. Henderson got to her at work despite the
bodyguard.”
“How is the bodyguard?”
“Home from the hospital, but he can’t return to work for
another month at least. He almost died.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me too. Ryan blames himself.” Cope chuckled, but it was
without warmth or mirth. “He blames himself; I blame myself. We make a
wonderful pair.”
“It’s not your fault, darling.”
He winced.
Darling.
Whenever she used it, the superficiality of it struck him like a slap.
“Bobby, I’m sorry, and I hope Dani recovers. When she does,
please bring her to the house. I’d like to apologize to her in person if she’d
be willing to forgive me.”
Startled, he looked in her eyes, but all he saw was worry
and a genuine desire to make amends. “She will. Dani’s kind like that. What
changed your mind?”
“I’ve been following the story on the news. You’re quite a
hero. If you love her that should be enough for me. I can’t say I’m happy with
your choice, but I won’t fight it anymore.”
“What else, Mother? You didn’t just have a sudden epiphany.”
He knew her too well. She was his mother, and he loved her despite her faults
and out of obligation. But she strong-armed his father, which angered Cope.
Then he realized what else was behind this. “What happened between Dad and
Nate, Mother?”
Cope had always suspected she’d had something to do with the
parting of ways between Nate and Big Cope. Margaret opened her mouth to speak,
but he cut her off as he figured it out. “Jesus. The woman he married. You
didn’t approve of her, and when you forced him to choose between his friendship
with Dad and the woman he loved … ” Cope shook his head. “How did you expect it
to turn out? You can’t give someone an ultimatum like that.”
“That woman was a gold digger, Bobby. They divorced three
years into the marriage, and she took Nate for half of everything he’d worked
so hard to make. I was right.”
“That’s why you should’ve stuck by him. Nate needed your
support, and instead of being there for him, you cut him out of your lives. How
can Dad let you do that to people he loves?” Cope paused, held up his hand,
forestalling her again. “Dad loves you that much. I hope you’re happy.”
“No, Bobby, I’m not—not for a long time, and I don’t want
this anymore.” Margaret went to the bed and looked at Dani. “She didn’t deserve
what happened to her. I hope she gets better soon.”
“Thanks for coming.”
She smiled. “Forgive me?”
“Of course.”
A loud sigh crossed her lips, and she shook her head. “It’ll
be a day of penance for me. I’m going to visit Nate now. If I’m lucky, he’ll be
as forgiving as you are. Your father has missed him, and I was wrong to force
them apart.”
Cope stood again and hugged her. When she’d left, he sat on
the edge of Dani’s bed and took her hand. “Did you hear that, my beauty? Things
are getting better. Please, come back to me.”