The yearbook was in her lap and Jason opened it to the page he had dog-eared.
“I want you look carefully at all the male photos on this page. If you see the man who attacked you….”
Before Jason could finish the sentence, her finger came to rest on the picture of Norman Lasiter. He watched her begin to shake and tears welled up in her eyes. He could tell by her reaction that she was sure. He didn’t bother asking.
“Thank you, Stephanie. I have to go. Are you alright?”
She nodded, and as he got to the door, she stopped him.
“Detective Strong?”
He turned and met her eyes.
“Get him.”
“I will…. I will.”
Jason ran for the elevator even as he was dialing the lieutenant. His phone said 1:45 am.
“Patton.”
“Lieutenant, I have an ID on our guy. I need an address.”
Jason heard the lieutenant grab a pad and pencil.
“Our suspect’s name is Norman Thomas Lasiter. He went to high school with Marcie Walker.”
“Give me five minutes.”
Jason smiled to himself. He knew John Patton wouldn’t be asleep but he didn’t expect him to be at the station. He should have known better. Lieutenant John Patton would not rest when one of his own was in danger.
It was no more than three minutes when the lieutenant came back on.
“Norman Lasiter. Age 22. No priors. Last known address was 125 Rio Grande here in San Antonio.”
“You’re shittin’ me!”
“No. Why?”
“That’s two blocks from Marcie Walker’s parent’s house. I’ve driven past that street probably ten times in the last few weeks.”
“I’m on my way with a S.W.A.T team.”
Jason was already pulling out of the parking lot and heading back towards the neighborhood he had just left an hour ago.
“I’m going there now.”
“JD.”
“Yes sir?”
“Be careful. No unnecessary risks until I get there.”
“I’ll be careful.”
He hung up and gunned the engine.
Chapter 17
Exhaustion had finally taken over and Vanessa had dropped into a fitful sleep. She twitched and moaned as a dream moved through her mind.
The nurse helped her onto the birthing bed. She was so relieved to be alive and to see Rob standing there with her. They had survived the ordeal and now it had come time for them to meet their baby.
“Let me take a look.”
The nurse raised the sheet and did a quick exam of Vanessa.
“Looks like we’re almost ready. I’m going to get the doctor.”
Vanessa waited for a contraction to end before smiling at Rob.
“Soon!”
The nurse returned to the room with the doctor following behind. Vanessa’s heart jumped into her throat. It was him. Her abductor with the birthmark on his face. She started to panic but Rob seemed unconcerned and the doctor acted as if he didn’t recognize her. She was hit with a major contraction and when she opened her eyes again, he was on a stool below her.
“Okay, Marcie. Push the next time.”
Marcie, he called her Marcie. She looked at Rob but he was still smiling. Didn’t Rob hear what the doctor had called her?
Another contraction came and she pushed. She felt the baby being born.
“It’s a boy!” the doctor said.
He held the child up and turned him towards Vanessa.
There was a large birthmark on the left side of his face!
Vanessa began to scream.
She awoke to the sound of her own screams and found her abductor staring down at her. Her heart was pounding in her chest and despite being naked, she was sweating.
“Sweet dreams?”
Vanessa ignored the comment and wrapped her arms across her chest.
“Get up.”
She didn’t move.
He pulled his gun and pointed it at her.
“Get up now.”
Keeping one arm across her chest, she pushed herself to her feet. She was weak from not having any food or water and the room spun as she stood. For a moment she thought she might fall, but when he reached out to steady her, she pulled back and forced herself to stand upright.
“Hold out your hands.”
She did as she was told and he produced zip ties. Looping them around her wrists, he pulled them tight. They cut into her wrists but she held her tongue. She was not giving this animal any more satisfaction.
Grabbing her by the zip ties, he pulled her along behind him towards the garage. He opened the door and she started down the steps, almost pitching forward face first onto the floor. He jerked her upright before she could fall and put her into the back of his truck.
He reached into his pocket and produced another set of zip ties, this time proceeding to pull them tight around her ankles. The metal truck bed was cold and hard. Every way she turned hurt her. Lastly, he put a strip of duct tape over her mouth. Pulling the truck topper door down, he twisted the lock shut and left her there.
Vanessa was glad to leave the room and it’s writing on the walls behind her but she knew that being put in the truck meant he was moving towards the last step in his ritual. He was taking her to be sat up against her own tree. The one she would die against.
****
Norman locked the topper door and went back in the house. He suspected that every cop in the state was looking for his pick-up, which was why he was going to take this ‘Marcie’ out in the middle of the night. His problem was that his preferred place to kill was a forest and, at two in the morning, he couldn’t be traipsing through a forest with a flashlight. It was too risky, especially since they knew where he normally went.
He sat in a chair in the living room and tried to come up with an alternative. He saw an old photo of he and Mark Jensen. Mark had been his only friend in high school. The picture was of the two of them in Arnold Park. It was their favorite place to hang out when the weather was hot. Mainly because of all the shade trees.
Of course! Arnold Park. It’s perfect. Trees and enough light from the surrounding area to see. I’ll Have to get away in a hurry, the gunshot will be heard, but it’s perfect.
He took the picture off the wall and looked at it. He remembered telling Mark about his plan to ask Marcie Walker out and how Mark had warned him not to. His friend was right, of course. She had rejected him. Norman had made her pay. In fact, he made them all pay. Arnold Park was a good choice for this Marcie, he decided.
Norman laid the picture on the table and went out to the truck.
****
Vanessa heard Norman get into the truck. He started it and activated the garage door opener. She listened as the chain pulled the door all the way up and braced herself as the truck started backing out onto the street. She was shaking from the combination of fear and the cold truck bed. Her face still hurt from the blow against the wall but otherwise she was unhurt from her ordeal. She knew that was about to change.
She continued trying to stretch the zip tie restraints but was only hurting herself. They weren’t going to come loose. She examined the inside of the truck, each passing streetlight giving her a brief glimpse. She needed something sharp. Anything that might help her get free. There was nothing.
Come on girl, think. You know you’re headed to the woods. He’s gonna undo your feet to make you walk. You may be weak but you can still fight back, you have to. For Rob, for the baby. You’ve played it soft, counting on Jason to find you. Now, it’s up to you. You can’t wait for anybody to come. You have to give it your best shot.