Chapter Seven
Lucy closed her eyes and spoke. “I’m scared she’ll die on my watch. Take too much of something. Do something stupid she didn’t mean to do.” Her eyes flew open to look up at Jack. “My… my mother did that. Took too much of her prescription drugs and it killed her. She was too tired or too confused and no one was watching her. No one was there to help my mother. I have to make sure Angelica doesn’t do something stupid. She doesn’t have anyone watching her but me.”
“If you weren’t in this job, someone else would be. Monroe will see to that. He can’t lose his biggest money maker.”
“I’m afraid she’ll fire me. She’s always threatening to.”
“All right. That’s a real possibility.” He smoothed her hair back behind her ear and ran his finger down her chin. “If she did, what’s the worst thing that could happen? What’s on the other side of being fired that has you so scared? You’re terrified of this woman, and I’d like to know why.”
She hesitated for a moment, thinking, and then said, “I’m scared she’ll make it so I’ll never work in Hollywood again. I’ve heard her threaten people like that.”
“Maybe she could keep you out of some jobs, but do you really think she has control over every job in Hollywood?”
“Oh,” Lucy frowned, thinking. “No, not when you put it like that.”
“The thing about bullies, Lucy, is that there are two kinds. The kind that will follow up their threats and the kind that are all hot air. Both rely on using your fear to get what they want. So the first thing is not to give them those fears.”
“Yes, I can see that. She does use it. She’s manipulative.”
“So what is fear? What do you think it is?”
“Fear is when you’re afraid.” She frowned at him. “I don’t understand what you mean.”
“There’s fear from something that’s actually happening right now, and then there’s fear of a thing that might happen. A thing that’s happening right now has to be faced right now. But the thing that might happen? Nine times out of ten, it never happens. Letting the ‘what if’s’ control your life is no way to live. Truly live. So which one is this?”
“The what if.”
“Right. Are you tired of it having control over you?”
“More than tired.”
“Then kick it to the curb. Say sayonara. Hasta la vista, baby.”
She laughed as he did an impression of a famous actor they both knew. “Yeah.”
He smiled at her. “You ready to kick it? To stand up to her?”
She nodded with a wide grin.
“Good girl.”
****
Lucy sat reading the Bozeman newspaper. “Here’s something to do that would get you out of the house,” she said to Angelica. “There’s a Sweet pea Festival this weekend in Bozeman. It starts tomorrow. They have the Bozeman Running Film Festival, there’s an art show, a parade, music, arts and crafts, and there’s even a beer and wine garden.”
“Finally something to do around here.” Angelica sat up and perked up out of her sulky mood. “We must go.” She downed the last of her drink and held out her hand for the newspaper. “Give it to me.”
Lucy handed it over and Angelica read every line. “I’ve never head of this film festival. Get Monroe on the line.”
Lucy dialed Monroe, and then handed the phone to Angelica.
Finally, Lucy had found something to make her boss happy.
While Lucy had thought only of an outing, Angelica was now focused on making a splash at this little film festival she’d never heard of before. Out here, a visiting big city actress could be big news, and Angelica knew it.
***
Angelica had selected three dresses and asked Lucy, “Which one do you think is best?”
Lucy hesitated.
“Well?”
“I think this event is more country style; the only ones wearing high heels and fancy dresses will be the beauty queen contestants.”
“I have my public image to maintain.”
“Yes, true, but how much different do you want to be from the others?”
Angelica just gave her a look, and that was the answer.
The drive to Bozeman was quiet with Angelica looking out the window. “There’s nothing to see except cows, dirt, and mountains,” she said. “The view never changes. And those cows stink.”
Lucy said, “Would you like a peanut butter cup?”
“Wearing this dress?”
Lucy had to admit getting chocolate on the white silk dress would likely ruin it.
Angelica was wearing five-inch white heels and a white silk halter dress, which was bound to stop traffic. Exactly what she’d intended. The last thing she was going to do was try to fit in.
Lucy sat wearing jeans and a plain blue cotton blouse that matched her eyes, along with flat blue sandals.
“You’re going like that?” Angelica had said in her critical voice when Lucy came downstairs after changing.
“I’m just the assistant. No one is going to notice me,” she replied.
Jack begged to differ. For he certainly would notice her no matter what she wore. Driving the women to the festival, he noticed the strain on Lucy’s face. So much time around the actress was wearing her down, and he wished she’d start getting more sleep.
They arrived with four other members of the security company, and okayed it for Angelica to make her grand entrance. Of course, she had to meet the mayor and other city big wigs, and they fawned over her. She started the evening in a good mood.
Walking through the art exhibit and the craft venders interested her for a while, and then they ate dinner at the beer and wine garden. They’d just left when the local newspaper reporter came over with the paper’s photographer and wanted some shots.
Angelica was all smiles. “How lovely! Of course we must have photos for your paper.”
“Fantastic. Thank you so much, Miss Glory.” The reporter gestured to the doorway where four beauty contestants and the newly crowned beauty queen stood waiting. “Come on, girls! Miss Glory wants a picture with you!”
Lucy knew that was the last thing Angelica wanted, especially seeing that every single one of the girls was a blonde.
The photographer situated them all around her as if she was the white center on a colorful daisy, and then he started shooting.
After several shots, he said, “Thank you, Miss Glory.” He came up and shook her hand. “I appreciate it. What great shots. You looked the center of motherhood, as if you had all your girls around you. It’s incredible how much the smallest one looks like you.”
Her smile froze on her face and she stopped shaking his hand, quickly withdrawing it. “If you’re quite done.”
“Oh, why yes, thank you again.” He and the photographer left.
But the girls stood around still, hovering and wanting her autograph.
She signed copies of her photograph that Lucy had carried in her bag tonight, and then she turned to the smallest girl, who did bear some resemblance to Angelica, and said, “You’ll need a nose job and breast enlargement, but even then, without my height, you’ll never get anywhere.”
The girl appeared shocked the minute she’d heard nose job, and near bursting to tears soon after. The moment Angelica stopped speaking, those tears did come out and she turned and ran.
The other girls followed.
Lucy stood, shocked, but the moment the girl turned and ran, she said, “Angelica! That was a cruel and hurtful thing to say!”
Angelica stood, her heels making her taller than usual, and glared down at Lucy as she roared, “How dare you talk to me that way! Making a spectacle in public and humiliating me!”
Lucy’s jaw dropped. Then she found her words. “You are accusing me? You’re the one who talked ugly and hurt that little girl in public, causing a spectacle!”
Knowing the two women screaming at each other was not going to be resolved in a good way, Jack made the decision to curtail the rest of the outing that evening. “Ladies. It’s time to go.”
Angelica turned to him ready to lash out with her tongue when he gave her a look that silenced her.
They were done and heading home. Within minutes, the team had them in the cars and on the way back. The two women did not ride together. He wasn’t having a catfight when one could be prevented.
****
Angelica and Lucy had just had their first major fight, and it was all Lucy could do not to quit on the spot.
It turned out that standing up for herself with Angelica wasn’t as simple as it sounded. They’d ridden home in separate cars and stayed away from each other when they got back to the house. Lucy hoped everything had calmed down.
But Angelica had only been waiting. The next day, Angelica flew into a rage, shouting at Lucy for made up reasons and any fault she could find to pick.
Lucy had rushed down to the garage, talked to Branch Masters, and taken the small Jeep. She had to get out of the house and away from Angelica, and she was going to do something for herself for a change.
Bozeman had a store, which sold gems for jewelry making, and they had a selection of turquoise she wanted to look at. So, off to Bozeman she’d gone without telling anyone but Branch Masters.
Jack was off duty and likely sleeping by now, so she hadn’t bothered him with it. She’d go to the store, get the gemstones, come back, and then make something beautiful to tune out all the ugly things Angelica had said to her.
Lucy enjoyed the thirty-mile drive to the store in silence. No radio and no interruptions from Angelica. Just Lucy and the pretty scenery. As she drove, she thought of ways she might design her new turquoise pieces. By the time she got to the store, she had several new ideas in her head.
The store had a huge selection of stones, and Lucy enjoyed looking at the large bin of tumbled turquoise ones. With so many, it was hard to decide which ones to choose.
On her way out of the store to her car, the parking lot was full. She had to look twice to find the little jeep behind the large, white Chevy cargo van parked next to it.
Just as she walked around the van and had unlocked her car door, someone rose up behind her, his hands closed around her neck, and within seconds of that pressure at just the right points on her neck, she was out.
Confused and dizzy, she opened her eyes carefully and slowly realized duct tape was across her mouth, her wrists were tied together behind her back with rough jute rope, and her ankles had been tied together as well.
Oh no. Where am I? What’s going on? What happened?
She lifted her head and turned it from side to side, seeing nothing but the inside of a white cargo van. A gray metal wall with holes in it separated her from the driver. But she could see through the holes a little bit. He wore a cap on his head and from the back, she could only see he had brown hair down past the collar of a khaki work shirt.
Who is he? Why did he take me?
Tears started at the thought of possible whys, but she forced them to stop. Each bump in the road wrenched her body and made the ropes rub against her skin. A thin blanket had been thrown onto a futon mattress on the floor of the van, which gave her some padding but did nothing to stop the rope from rubbing her skin.
Who did this to me and why? What does he want?
The metal wall would allow air and sound to move through while blocking out everything else. The back of the van was empty of seats and instead, there were shelves on the sides of the van. The basic work van had been stripped of everything inside. The shelves were all bare. There was nothing to cut the ropes off with or to open the side doors.
I have to get out of here. Now.
Looking about frantically for a way out of the van, she saw two windows on the back doors of the cargo van.
If only she could get back there and raise up high enough for someone to see she was tied up in here.
He’d stopped at a light, and she hoped there was at least one car behind them that might see her.
Using the blanket to scoot, she slid until she finally reached the back door. Rolling onto her knees, she raised her body up just enough to see out and, just as she did…
He accelerated just as her head was high enough to see out and then bam, her right cheek mashed against the glass window as her body hit the door.
For a brief moment, she saw the startled face of a woman in the car behind her, and at that same moment, the driver yelled, “Lucy, get down.”
He knows my name. Who is he? Someone I know? That voice.
Then with a jerk of the wheel, the van lurched forward again, making her fall back down as he made a right turn to head out of town, which knocked her away from the window and down onto the van floor as she lost her balance, along with her train of thought.
If only the woman who’d seen me would call the police. Jack will find me. But he doesn’t know to look. I didn’t talk to him before I left or tell him I was leaving. That was a mistake. Mr. Masters is the only one who knows where I am.
She got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. How could Jack find her if he didn’t even know she was gone?
The driver sped until the van was out on the highway, and then he pulled to the side of the road, stopped the van, got out, and came around to open the doors.
The moment his face appeared on the other side of the window, her breath caught.
Grant.
Her shocked eyes widened and panic started as her heart raced.
Sliding the doors open, he climbed inside.
“Now why’d you have to do that, my sweet?” Grant’s eyes gazed at her lovingly as if she was his favorite possession, and she saw a hint of madness in his eyes.
Grant. He abducted me. He must be crazy.
“So, surprised to see me? Didn’t you guess it was me?” He laughed. “Bet you wish you’d said yes to that dance now. Bet you wish you’d said yes you’d go out with me. We could have avoided all this. See what you’ve made me do?” He shook his head and tisked.
She tried to say, “Let me go,” but her words were lost between her attempt to say them and the tape holding her mouth closed.
He watched her as if he was listening and understanding, and then said, “We must work on your oral skills later.” He touched her bruised cheek and she flinched.
“Why do you hurt yourself, darling?” He shook his head. “I didn’t want to bruise you. Now, I’ll have to tie you good so you won’t hurt yourself. Naughty girl. Bruising your pretty face on the window. We can’t let this happen again. I didn’t want to tie you so tightly it would mar your skin. Such soft, pretty skin. But you’re making me do this.”
He pushed her onto her belly and tugged hard at the ropes as he redid them so her wrists and ankles were tied together in a snug hog tie so that she wasn’t going anywhere.
Then he pulled off her shoes and socks. “Can’t have you running.”
He checked the tape on her mouth and patted her unbruised cheek. “Or screaming.”
He tested the ropes to be sure they were tight enough she couldn’t move. “Soon, we’ll be home and this can all come off.”
He ran his hands over her body and she started to shake as her heart raced faster. “You look so pretty like this. All tied and those big, wide eyes looking up at me. I’ve wanted to touch you for so long. Why did you deny me for so long? You know we’re meant to be together. Soon, we’ll be together forever.”
She watched him, her thoughts racing.
Oh my God. He’s crazy. I have to get away from him.
A tear ran down her cheek.
He unbuttoned her blouse, exposing her white cotton bra. “You’re not wearing the gift I sent you. That’s a shame. But we’ll soon fix that.”
Grant ran his fingers around to circle her breast. “I spent an hour picking out just the right gift, imagining how you’d look in it with those hard little nipples of yours peeking out beneath that red lace.” He reached and tweaked one nipple hard through the cotton bra, and then the other. “Yes, that’s it, just like that.” He smiled. “But I want them harder.” He pinched them both again and pain shot through her.
She stared at him, silent behind the tape, as another tear ran down her cheek.
“I want them harder to show me how bad you want me. Because you’ve been a very bad girl. So unappreciative of all my gifts.” He stood abruptly and walked away, his anger coming back. “I watched you every night. And you never appreciated anything I sent you. Everything I did for you. You gave it all to that bitch.”
He slammed the side of the van with his hand, and the force and the loud sound made her cringe.
Then he took a breath and calmed himself before he said, “But I’m taking you away from her. That greedy bitch won’t take all of your time anymore. I thought she would fire you when you made so many mistakes at work, like she’d fired the others. But no matter what I did, she wouldn’t let you go. So I had to take you away from her. You’re free to be with me now.”
He loomed over her and she stared up at him, horrified and unable to look away. He reached down to his crotch and adjusted himself, as he looked her up and down.
She didn’t want to think about what his hand held and how he might hurt her.
“You’ll make everything up to me soon. In so many ways.” He bent down and fondled her breasts again. “Did that nasty woman tell you they weren’t big enough? Hateful bitch.” His fingers moved slow and snakelike across her breasts, raising goose bumps. She shivered.
Lucy’s thoughts raced. So he’d heard that? But Angelica had said that in her trailer and there was no one else there. Did he have a microphone or something? He watched me? How?
“We don’t need her opinion. These,” he pinched her nipples again, “are mine to do as I please with.” He continued pinching and twisting.
She winced, tears reforming in her eyes. He was hurting her. And enjoying every moment. The sadistic bastard. She hoped Jack would shoot him right between those crazy eyes and stop him before he did something really bad.
“They’re the perfect size for me to play with. Any.” Squeeze. “Time.” Squeeze. “I want. We don’t want to move too fast now, do we? There must be foreplay.” She shook her head no, begging with her eyes for him to stop. “No? Oh you bad, bad, girl. Soon you’ll learn never to tell me no. But we’ll start slow to let you get used to your new life. You’ll never have to worry about that bitch you used to work for again. You’re mine now, and once we’re married, you’ll be with me forever.”
Tears ran down her face and she shook with fear.
“Don’t cry, sweet Lucy. We’ll be home soon.”
Dear God, where is he taking me?
He smiled. “Home Sweet Home. And then we’ll be together forever.”
He climbed back out and closed the van doors, then went to the driver’s side, got in, and started the van up.
She closed her eyes and tried to quit crying. She needed to calm herself and find a way out of this van, not lay there and do nothing but cry, which would do her no good. She had to find a way out of there. She tried wiggling, but had so little range of motion and the ropes cut into her skin, so she gave up.
Maybe the person who saw me will call the police. Had she seen the tape on my mouth? No, likely not. My face wasn’t high enough on the glass. Though she’d have seen my cheek hit the glass.
The van hit a bump, jarring her.
After what seemed like forever, the van doors opened and fresh air reached her. Her tongue and mouth were as dry as sandpaper.
Grant climbed into the back of the van again.
“You didn’t eat the large chocolate treat I sent you. All that good chocolate wasted. Tsk. Tsk. But don’t worry. I have a much better treat for you that you can lick and suck on all night long. There’s plenty for you to swallow. I’ve been waiting a long time for you.”
Tears filled her eyes. She closed her eyes and prayed.
Please Jack, find me soon. Before this crazy man does something even crazier.
“Are you tired, my darling? Those bruises are going to be ugly. I wanted the wedding photos to be perfect. I don’t want to have to wait much longer. You just had to go and bang your cheek. Such a shame.”
He sighed. “Well, let’s get you into the house and get you cleaned up.” He threw a blanket over her head and wrapped it around her, and then he lifted her and carried her out of the van.
She could see nothing as he walked and could only hear his footsteps on the ground. No cars, no people, nothing but a few birds. She heard doors opening and closing as he carried her into the house and into a room in the back. He placed her on what felt like a mattress and unwrapped her.
He stood eying her for a moment. “I think I want a picture of this. Yes. Yes I do.”
He went out of the room and returned with a camera, then adjusted her body and took a few pictures before moving her body again.
She felt like a rag doll with no control over her body, and she hated every moment of it. The jute rope was so tight, it rubbed and cut into her skin and the tape on her mouth made her worry she would suffocate. She lay on her side on the bed, unable to turn over, and looked up at him with one eye as she watched him play at being a photographer.
He walked over and turned on a window air conditioning unit, and the hum filled the quiet room. His breathing had grown heavier. “It’s too warm in here,” he said. “And you’re wearing too many clothes.”
Her limbs had gone from aching to numb and her body was bruised in places from banging around in the back of the van and the rough road they’d traveled over. Scared he might kill her, and of what he might do to her, her mind raced.
She thought of Jack in the pool, his strong arms wrapped around her. She’d give anything to be in his arms again. Those were her last thoughts as Grant’s hands closed around her neck and everything again went black.
****
“Jack, wake up. Lucy is missing.”
Roused from a sound sleep by those words, Jake woke, then sat up and frowned at Swede. “Lucy’s missing? What? How long has she been gone?”
“She drove to Bozeman and should have been back an hour ago.”
“She went by herself?” He scowled at Swede.
Swede raised his hands. “Don’t blame me. She took off and didn’t tell us, just Masters. He just told us. Didn’t think anything was wrong when she didn’t return.”
“What the hell was she thinking? Why did she drive to Bozeman?”