“You’re free now,” Tom said, making the final slice of the duct tape.
The girl smiled at him. “Thanks, Tom.”
“You’re welcome. So what happened after that?”
“They both got really mad again when I started crying. One of them told me to sit down and be quiet while the other one went into the kitchen. He came back with a glass of Coke and offered it to me. I told him I wasn’t thirsty and he told me to drink it anyway, or else he’d force it down my throat. So I took a drink.
“I thought it tasted funny and I asked him what was in it. He said nothing but good old Coca Cola. I didn’t believe him, though. Then the other man turned on the television and we all just sat there for a while. Then…”
Molly looked confused as she struggled to recall.
“And then I-I don’t really remember what happened after that.”
Tom saw a red flag. “You can’t remember anything at all? Are you sure?”
The girl looked past Tom with a vacant look in her eyes. “I can’t remember! I guess I just fell asleep then.”
“And you don’t remember anything else that happened until I woke you up?”
“No, nothing,” she said uncertainly. “It was like, a big blur. I mean, I think I was awake on the sofa but I don’t remember what I was doing. It was sort of like a dream that I can’t remember.”
This disturbed Tom and had dire implications. He hoped that what he was thinking wasn’t true. That the men had drugged her with something and that was why she couldn’t recall anything.
But now was not the time to be worrying about this. He had to find a way to get them out of this basement and find Tracy.
“Can you stand up?” he asked.
“I think so.”
Tom put his arm around the girl’s waist and helped her up onto her feet.
“How do you feel?”
“A little wobbly,” she replied. “But not too bad.”
“Good, let’s see if you can walk.”
Molly took one step then suddenly froze.
“Shit!” she cried.
“What’s wrong?”
“I think I’m bleeding-I must have started my period.”
“Are you sure-I mean, that it’s just that?”
She gave Tom a troubled look, realizing what he may be getting at. She shook her head slowly. “I don’t know for sure. The time is about right, though.”
“Listen, Molly. You need to check yourself out. I’ll go to the other side of the basement and wait for you, okay?”
“I’m scared, Tom! What if those men did something to me?”
Tom faced her and gently held one of her small hands in his. “Try to calm down, Molly. I don’t know how to say this but what ever happened has happened and there isn’t much we can do about it now. The important thing is that you’re still alive and that we get out of this place ASAP. Do you understand?”
She nodded slowly. “Go away and I’ll look.”
Tom headed across the basement to the other side of the stairwell and waited nervously. He wondered what this poor child may have gone through at the hands of these two assholes. His pity turned to anger as he thought about them upstairs now and how he would love nothing more than to shoot them both in the balls.
His thoughts shifted to Tracy. What in the hell has happened to her? Had she been drugged and raped? Was she still alive or unconscious?
“Okay, Tom,” he heard Molly call.
Tom emerged from around the stairwell and went over to Molly.
“I think everything is all right,” she said with an embarrassed smile.
Tom couldn’t hide his relief. “That is the best news I’ve heard all day.”
“But my mother is going to kill me! She told me never to walk alone at night and I disobeyed her.”
“This isn’t your fault, Molly-and I’m sure your mother will just be happy to see you again. What do you say we get out of this place?”
“Let’s do it.”
“Help me find a screwdriver and we’ll be on our way.”
CHAPTER 24
The door leading out of the basement was old and warped. Molly held the flashlight while Tom wedged a screwdriver between the door and the jamb, its tip pressed firmly against the metal latch bolt. After several attempts, he finally managed to create a space great enough for the latch to clear the hole in the jamb, allowing him to push the door open.
They were free.
Molly smiled when Tom gave her a thumbs-up and then motioned for her to wait while he checked out the situation. He inched the door open just enough for him to slip through and enter the kitchen.
Tom’s first task was to grab the phone and dial 911, but his heart sank when he discovered that the wireless kitchen phone had been removed from its wall cradle. Swearing under his breath, he realized he was going to have to proceed with Plan B. He returned to where Molly was standing on the other side of the door.
“Here’s what I want you to do: I’m going to open the backdoor and you are going to run like hell away from this house to the BP station less than a block away. I want you to tell whoever is on duty there that you need to make an emergency 911 call. Tell the operator that you have been kidnapped and that there is an assault in progress at a house on the east side of Summit Street just south of the BP station. Then I want you to call your mother and tell her where you are-she no doubt is worried sick about you. Think you can do all of that, Molly?”
“Yeah, but what will you be doing? You should go with me-these men are dangerous!”
“I’ve got to see if I can locate the friend I’ve been looking for. She may not have much time left. I’ll be okay, don’t worry. Just get yourself out of here and run like the wind!”
“I’m scared, Tom! What if I get lost?”
“You won’t get lost, I promise. All you have to do is hop over the fence and run between the houses toward the street. When you reach the street, head right and you’ll see the gas station less than a block away.”
“Okay, I guess I can do that,” Molly said slowly.
“That’s my girl! Now, come with me.”
He took her by the hand and led her over to the back door, opened it quietly and held the storm door open for her.
“Remember, go to the right, over the fence and head toward the street. Be careful!”
She gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. “Thanks, Tom, for saving me. Please be careful!”
“I will-now go!”
Molly ran outside and out of his sight. He heard a rustling sound as she scaled the old wire fence and then the soft thud of retreating footsteps in the snow.
Tom moved quietly toward the front of the house, aware that he hadn’t heard a single sound since escaping the basement. Could they have already abandoned the place? he wondered. He reached the living room, paused, and listened hard. After a moment, he thought he heard the faint muffled sound of voices coming from upstairs.
He scanned the living room for his flashlight and cell phone but came up empty. Then he tiptoed over to the stairway and ascended the stairs. As he neared the top, he could clearly hear voices. He carefully peered around the corner and saw that all of the doors to the second story rooms were shut. The voices were coming from the same room he had believed Tracy to be in. He slipped around the corner to the nearest room where he’d been whacked and put his ear to the door. He didn’t hear anything. Praying that Tracy’s cell phone might be there, he inched the door open.
A light was on in the unoccupied room. He closed the door behind him and searched around for his gear. After rifling through all of the drawers of the dressing bureau, he checked the closet and found nothing but a few shirts and a vacuum cleaner.
Tom wasn’t sure what to do next. He had no phone and no weapon. He was up against two men that were armed and holding all of the aces. What in the holy hell could he do, realistically?