Victoria (25 page)

"Now what do we do? Where is she? Who did she leave with?” Peter asked in a panic again.

"Debbie said she left with Tod over forty minutes ago,” Steven stated, then dialed her cell phone again. This time it went right to her voice mail.

"We need all the men you got. Let's check Kafrey's house, put an APB out on his car, both personal and police car. Keep this within law enforcement personnel only. We need to find out everything about Tod Kafrey,” Investigator Warren commanded and everyone spread out, taking it upon themselves to locate Tod Kafrey and Victoria Mardullo.

"What about Mom, Uncle Patrick? She'll be so scared."

Steven watched Peter noting the state of panic he appeared to be in, and Steven couldn't deny that he was feeling the same way. More than likely, this moment was bringing back bad memories.

Tod was responsible. The family, and all who were currently present in the office and the department had trusted him. This was insane.

"Uncle Jack and Alex are at Mom's house, and Andy is headed there now.” Uncle Patrick added, placing his hand on Steven's shoulder.

"We're going to find her, Steven. She's one tough cookie and we're not far behind. Thank God, Don started putting things together."

"I can't just sit here. I'm going to help get information on Tod's family. Come on Peter, let's work together.” Steven walked out of the office.

Victoria awoke wincing from the throbbing pain that radiated from her ribcage, armpits, shoulders, and neck, then into the back of her head. She slowly opened her eyes but hadn't the strength to move. She wore a black, one-piece dress. There were no socks or shoes on her feet like there had been before.

Instantly, she panicked and out of habit, attempted to bring her hands to her chest, but they fell back down to the bed. Her wrists were tied to the bedposts with a thick rope, allowing her about twelve inches of leeway.

She tried to think about what happened and how she had gotten into this room and what he may have done to her. Her hair was damp against her shoulders and there was a smell of soap heavy in the air. It was obvious she was clean. Fear engulfed her, not remembering taking a shower or bathing herself. What had he done to her? Did he undress her and give her a shower? Did he rape her? She began to cry as she attempted to loosen her wrists from the ropes that bound them.

She tried with little success to calm herself as she scanned the room and moved her legs, which remained free. They were sore and she recalled the way he had tackled her earlier when she'd attempted to escape. He was angry as hell, full of rage, and she'd acted as if she was weak, obedient, and almost defeated.

She needed to be strong. She needed to fight the tired feelings that were overwhelming her.

As exhausted as she was, Victoria planned her next move in her head. One mistake was all he had to make.
Please don't let me pass out again
.

She recalled the conversation they had after her failed attempt to escape.

"Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?” Victoria asked and Tod increased his grip on her arm.

"You're hurting me!"

"It's nothing compared to what will come if you try anything like that again."

He smiled as he placed his hand against her throat. Would he strangle her?

No.

Instead, he let his hand slide from her neck to her chest, fondling her, then touching her ribcage as she inhaled and exhaled trying to control her rapid breathing.

Victoria attempted to fight him off. She didn't want to think about him getting her alone in that motel room. She used her weight and strength to wrestle with him.

Tod continued to laugh as he apparently allowed her to believe she was actually winning, allowing her to take position above him. He stared into her eyes, laughing at her, as if enjoying her spirit. They rolled around a few times in the dirt, then finally, he took control as his fist slammed into her jaw and she had difficulty recovering. He got off her, pulling her up by her hair as she cried out in pain. She took another shot at him as she kicked her legs, but he held her at a distance.

"Its over, honey. You lost. Now be a good girl and walk nicely back to the room,” he told her in a charming, patronizing way.

Once again, she allowed her anger to control her next move. There she was, sprinting across the parking lot.
Faster, faster, damn it!

He was cursing at her, and she could feel him right behind her, but she continued to run. Would she make it? “Please ... please ... please!” she begged right before she felt the blow to the back of her head.

The memories of what happened next flashed through her mind.

She must have suffered a concussion, she recalled passing in and out of consciousness. Vaguely, she remembered lying across the bed, untied, sleepy while Tod emerged from the shower.

His hair had dripped on her neck as he touched her, attempting to wake her.

Victoria recalled pretending unconsciousness, but then falling into another deep sleep.

What had happened next? How did he get her into the shower without her waking?

The thoughts were frightening as she began to cry.

The sound of Tod's voice made her jump.

"Oh, you're awake. I missed your voice,” he spoke softly as he walked toward the bed and sat down practically on top of her. Her whole body shook. She was losing it and he knew it.

He gently rubbed her bruised cheek, and she shuddered at his touch.

"What's wrong, Tory my love? After what we just shared, how could you be like this? Wasn't the bath wonderful?” he teased rubbing the palm of his hand along her inner thigh.

She felt nauseous, like hurling, and knew her face showed every emotion as he laughed. That sick, carnival clown laugh sent chills through her entire body.

"Don't fret, my little darling. Did you think I would make love to you while you were unconscious? No, no, no. Ah, ah, ah,” he said with a condescending tone deep in his throat, pointing his finger in her face as if he were reprimanding a small child. She didn't believe him. It was obvious he had touched her, and the tears streamed down her cheeks.

He reached over and wiped them away before they could reach their destination on the bedspread.

"Now, now. We didn't go all the way.” he patronized, and petted her hair.

All the while, her blood continued to boil.

"You see, I want you to be completely conscious when I make love to you. I want to hear you plead for more and tell me that you love me. You do, don't you?” He took her face into his hand. He was gentle at first, until she didn't respond to his question. He clenched his polished teeth.

"Tell me you love me."

She closed her eyes and could feel the knot in her throat.

"Tell me!” he demanded as he squeezed his thumb into the bruise in her cheek, and she screamed out in pain.

"I ... I ... love ... you.” She sobbed as he pushed her face away from him and rose from the bed.

"Bullshit! You love that fucking Marine. I should have killed him when I had the chance.” Tod walked across the room and opened the duffle bag. He pulled out a t-shirt then walked back toward the bed.

Maybe he won't touch me? He's getting dressed. That's sure to be a good sign.

"You love him, right? Your precious Steven, he's stood in the way all this time, but not anymore. You are never going to see him again, or your family. You belong to me now.” He caressed her hair.

"No! Never! I'll never belong to you. I hate you!” she screamed, then closed her eyes, expecting his raised hand to hit her. Instead, he grabbed the ceramic lamp and threw it across the room. It slammed against the door, scattering pieces along the ugly, outdated, industrial carpeting.

"You make me so angry, Tory. Stop upsetting me or you'll wind up like the others."

Her teeth clenched. She knew he would kill her no matter what. She closed her eyes and prayed.

The hours passed, time appeared to be running out, and the evidence against Tod Kafrey continued to increase.

"I can't believe this is happening. I should have never let her out of my sight. I should have trusted my instincts. I knew something more was up with that guy.” Steven sat next to Peter in the conference room.

"Don't beat yourself up. None of us should have let her out of our sights. You weren't the only one who ignored a suspicious feeling,” Peter stated, then looked at Steven.

"You mean you didn't like the guy, either?"

"No, I really didn't and I didn't trust him. He was the lead investigator for my dad's murder case. Thinking back, he did always seem to give Tory most of his concern and attention. I figured he was interested in her, but Tory never accepted an invitation. There was just something about him that I couldn't put my finger on."

"I know exactly what you mean. We have to find that car. We have to find Victoria. It's a bad combination his obsession with Victoria and he's killed three others that we know of. Let's not sit around here doing nothing. Let's track down that car.” Steven rose from his seat.

Peter stood up too.

"I'm with ya. Let's go!"

They traveled down 9W. It was late in the day, but still plenty of light for at least the next couple of hours. The longer Tod had Victoria, the greater the chance she could be hurt or even dead.

They saw multiple patrol cars circling the area, and the dispatcher was constantly giving updates.

"If only we could find the car. He may not even be in town anymore,” Peter stated.

"The Sheriff's Department and State Police have been informed. Everyone's looking for them. If only there was some kind of tracking device on the vehicle, then maybe—"

"There is a tracking device! Like one used when your vehicle is stolen. The department recently purchased new vehicles to use as unmarked cars. They were costly and we wanted to deter anyone from stealing them. Believe it or not, Bret Collins got the town board to purchase the vehicles. He was laying the groundwork for votes, I guess.

"Let's call it in and see if there is one on Tod's car. I'm not sure if he was using one of the new ones,” Peter said as Steven called it in.

Their hunch was right, the tracking system was on and they waited for the location of the car.

"It's still in River Point. Somewhere between 9W, where the shopping center and pizzeria are located, and Fiddle Lane,” the dispatcher told them.

"It would have to be hidden somewhere. He wouldn't leave the car in the open."

"Unless he's abandoned it and took another vehicle,” Steven added and they hoped they were wrong. They feared tracking them would only make the search more difficult.

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"Get up. We're heading out of this stinking town,” Tod announced as he undid the ropes, leaving them on the bed. He apparently had a feeling the cops were on his trail and they were getting closer. He peeked out the window and noticed a car pulling into the parking lot.

"Shit!” he yelled, then pulled Victoria from the bed.

"I'm not going, Tod. I'm not leaving."

He backhanded her across the cheek. She fell to the floor, noticing a jagged piece of ceramic that Tod left behind. He must have missed it when he cleaned up the lamp. It was tiny, but her mind was in overdrive.
Think like a cop's daughter. Don't give up. Don't lose your cool. Be smart
. As she controlled her breathing, the idea sprung to her mind. She figured that if she cut her foot with the ceramic piece, her family would know she had been there. Victoria carefully stood up and slowly stepped on the ceramic piece, careful not to make any sounds that would alert Tod. She didn't flinch at the pain. She was determined.

Tod pulled her out the doorway and away from the room. She looked down seeing the trail of blood she left. Victoria prayed they would find her before Tod could get her all the way outside.

Tod peeked out another window by the stairwell. There were more cars pulling in; patrol cars, sheriff's cars, there were even troopers.

"You won't get away with this, Tod. They probably have the place surrounded by now,” she silently prayed that were true.

"They won't catch us. I'll kill you right here if I have to,” he told her, squeezing her bruised cheeks. Pushing her face away in anger, he practically snarled at her as they went down the stairwell and headed toward the basement.

Steven and Peter had the other officers surround all the entrances and exits. “Find every way in and out of that motel and cover it.” Steven drew his weapon and entered the motel.

The place reeked of garbage and filth. It was a hellhole and the town had done a good thing by shutting it down. Now some big shot would renovate the place and bring it back from the dead. There didn't seem to be any workers around today, but they had been there recently, Steven could tell by the piles of new doors and large containers of spackle. He noted the lights on in the hallway and some water running in the sink near the first room they entered.

"Let's head upstairs. You guys take this floor,” Steven said to Don Phelps while Colt and Warren were already checking rooms on that floor.

Steven and Peter went down the hallway, looking for the staircase. Suddenly, Steven halted.

"What is it?” Peter asked in a whisper.

Steven noticed some blood by the doorway.

He used hand signals, letting Peter know to be quiet. They listened and didn't hear anything. Steven reached for the doorknob. It was open.

They fell right into professional mode. Peter backed up Steven as they entered the room with their guns ready. They scanned everything then checked the bathroom.

"All clear!” Steven stated.

"They were here. He had her tied to the bed.” Peter's concern was evident.

"We're close, man, I can feel it. They're still here. Let's move it.” Steven then saw the piece of ceramic on the floor. There was blood on it. He pointed it out to Peter.

"That's my girl. Your sister stepped on this on purpose. She knows we're here. Let's follow the blood."