Page 33

THIRTY-TWO

The man had come back and pulled her across the floor and leaned her in a corner sitting up. Victoria has scooted on her butt to a wall. It’s so dark she’s disoriented but at least she can breathe. Loud footsteps reach her ears and the door opens, the light comes on, and she hears the rattle of metal on concrete. Something has been set on the floor near her.

Strong hands grip her shoulders and pull her forward as far as her bindings will allow. The shoulder she’d been forced to lie on for days now erupts in pain, but she bites back the moan.

“Good girl. I’m going to cut your hands free. Don’t touch me or the blindfold. If you do, I’ll hurt you. Understand?”

Victoria nods and says, “I understand. Please don’t hurt me again.”

The plastic ties are cut and fall away, and a groan escapes her when she moves her arms in front of her.

“Raise your arms over your head. That’ll get some circulation going.”

She forgets modesty and does as he says. Her injured shoulder pops and she immediately feels relief. Not good, but better. Her arms automatically come down and cover her breasts, and the man chuckles. The embarrassment makes her face flush and she swallows a sob at her helplessness.

“Next to you is a bucket filled with water. You can drink some but use the rest to clean yourself up. You really stink.”

She hears the bucket scraping across the concrete and feels it touch her leg.

“Listen to me. Your life depends on you doing as I say. I’m keeping your ankles bound so you don’t think you can escape. Not possible. Keep the blindfold on and keep quiet. Don’t make a problem.” He chuckles softly. “It’s all I can do right now to keep my girl from tearing you apart.”

The boots walk toward the door and stop. “I don’t want her to kill you, though. You’re not bad looking for your age. If your husband doesn’t pay up, I might have a go at you.” He laughs and the door shuts and latches.

She grabs the metal bucket and gorges on the water until she retches. It tastes like heaven. She bends her knees and sets the bucket between her legs so she can stretch her arms over her head and pushes her legs out to work her ankles and toes to get the circulation back. She pulls her knees up and feels the bindings on her ankles. Thick zip ties like he’d used on her wrists. The kind she’s seen on police shows. No way is she going to break these. But she has some hope in her heart. If this man wants her alive, it must be for a reason. Maybe Jack has seen the pictures and is arranging to pay a ransom.