Page 55 of Kidnapped in Dark Waters
As she took in the room, her headache banged harder. It was only when she tried to raise a hand to her head that she realized her wrists were tied down.
A rope also surrounded her waist along with another rope around her ankles. She yanked on the ones holding her wrists down. Desperately, she jerked and pulled in an effort to get free, but there was no give at all in the ropes.
Who had brought her here? The door to the room was closed and she didn’t hear anything or anybody. Who had drugged her and put her in this bedroom?
She knew it was the person who had written her the notes…the man who had killed a poor bird and left it on her doorstep.Was it one of her regulars at the café, or was it somebody no one even considered?
Once again, she tugged at the ties that bound her as her veins iced with fear. Did anyone even know she’d been taken? Was anybody out looking for her? How on earth would they find her? She didn’t even know where she was.
Deep sobs exploded from her as frightened tears raced down her cheeks. “Somebody help me!” She began to scream at the top of her voice. She screamed over and over again as she bucked and kicked in an effort to get free.
Finally, she collapsed back on the bed, her throat hurting and her sobs slowly halting. Surely, if anyone was nearby, they would have heard her screams.
She listened for a long moment. The room was obviously in a house, but she sensed she was all alone. She looked around again at her surroundings, hoping to see something that would give her an indication of where she was and who had taken her.
There was a small dinette table with two chairs, and a vanity with a plush bench seat. What she didn’t see was anything personal and she also realized there was no window in the room.
A closet door was open and inside women’s dresses hung from the hangers. Somehow the sight of the dresses terrified her almost more than anything. It was an indication that somebody had gone to a lot of trouble to make sure they could keep her here. There was another door that was closed and she assumed it might be a bathroom.
Whoever held her captive could feed her at the dinette table. She would wear the dresses from the closet and there would never be a reason for her to leave this space.
With this thought in mind, she screamed again. She screamed as loud and as long as she could until she was finally out of breath.
Luke. Was he looking for her? Oh, how she wanted his strong arms around her now. She wanted to be enveloped by his familiar scent and feel his heart beating against her own.
If he knew she was missing, then he would be out pounding on doors and searching everywhere to find her. He would hunt for her with everything he had because he was in love with her.
She began to cry once again. She was afraid and alone and she didn’t know what would happen to her. Who was going to walk through the door?
The only positive she could see in the situation was if he killed her, then she would be reunited with the mother she loved.
BY THE TIMEthey reached the station, Luke was beyond frantic. They went into the murder room where Daniel and Clay sat and Luke paced the floor. How could they sit when Dominique was missing? Kidnapped?
“Luke, I know this is difficult for you, but you need to keep yourself together,” Daniel said.
“How are we going to find her? We have no idea where to look,” Luke replied, his anguish deepening his voice. “I should have been shadowing her movements. Dammit, I should have been a real bodyguard keeping her safe.”
“Right now, what we need is a game plan to find her. The first place we need to start is with the men who were her regulars at the café,” Daniel said.
“Burt Stanfield, Austin Colbert and Jacob Benoit.” The names tripped off Luke’s tongue.
Daniel nodded. “Clay, why don’t you and Roger go check out Austin Colbert. If he isn’t at work at the library, go to his home.” Daniel quickly looked up the address. “Call me as soon as you check him out.”
“I’m off,” Clay said. He stood and quickly left the room.
“Luke, you and I will see if Burt is at work today. We should be able to find him in his office. And if he isn’t there, we go to his house and check it out.”
This is what Luke wanted…action. “What about Jacob?”
Daniel stood and frowned. “I honestly don’t think anyone who lives in the swamp has her. It would be very difficult to hold a woman there and keep it a secret.”
Luke followed Daniel out of the room. Burt’s office was in city hall and that building was close enough that they could walk. “I have all the men out looking for her,” Daniel said as they hurried down the sidewalk.
God, they had to find her. They had no idea what the kidnapper might do to her. Hopefully, he wouldn’t hurt her in any way. The thought of that happening shot a shaft of pain through Luke’s heart.
They reached city hall and went inside. Daniel led him down a long hallway and then stopped and knocked on one of the closed doors.
“Enter,” Burt’s voice called out.
