Chapter 36

She lay curled on the cold, damp, hard floor nursing her wounds. Each inhalation was like a shard of glass stabbing her chest. Every inch of her body ached, and her thighs were black and blue from where Abraham had kicked her. A lump the size of a golf ball throbbed on the back of her skull.

A shudder wracked her, and she moaned at the electric jolt of pain the tiny movement caused.

Isaiah murdered Charlene. She and her parents had searched for years, praying that someday they’d find Charlene.

Finally, Candace knew the horrible reality, but she wished she didn’t. Far better to believe her sister was alive and well somewhere, living with amnesia, unaware of her past or the family who missed her. There was comfort in ignorance. The light of hope had kept her going year after year.

She bit hard on her bottom lip to stop another sob escaping. Charlene was dead, and the son of the man who’d killed her now held Candace hostage. If she didn’t want to meet the same fate as her sister, she had to act, and act now. Before it was too late.

Pushing up against the wall, she struggled to find a comfortable position. The chain attached to her ankle clanked, and shooting stabs of fire flared in her bruised ribs. Her head throbbed, and she squeezed her eyes shut and swallowed back bile. The acrid taste filled her mouth, and she grabbed the water bottle lying on the floor and twisted off the cap. Her hand shook as she lifted the bottle to her mouth and gulped a mouthful.

A loud clank of metal sounded as the bolt slid back. The door opened, and Abraham stepped into the room, carrying a small plastic tray with a bowl on top. He set the tray on the floor beside her and backed away. “I brought you some soup and crackers.”

The savory smell of warm, meaty broth filled the small room. Her mouth watered, and her stomach rumbled. The bowl was filled to the brim, chunks of meat and vegetables floating in the steaming broth. There was also a small, plastic-wrapped package of soda crackers on the tray.

Abraham crossed his bulging arms over his muscular chest. “Aren’t you going to thank me?”

She bit down hard on her ragged bottom lip, the pain giving her strength. “Thank you.” The words galled her, but she’d learned her lesson. The slightest sign of disrespect earned her a hard kick and more pain. If she had any hope of escape, she needed to be healthy.

He nodded approvingly. “Eat your soup. You need to keep up your strength. I have plans for you.”

She wanted to tell him what he could do with his soup, but all she’d had to eat was a granola bar, and she was starving. There wasn’t a spoon, so she lifted the plastic bowl with both hands. The soup smelled like heaven. Her stomach rumbled again, and she slurped. The meaty broth slid down her throat and into her belly, sending tendrils of warmth throughout her body. She ate the rest of the soup and set down the empty bowl.

Ripping open the package of crackers, she stuffed them into her mouth, all the while aware he watched her every move. When she’d finished her meal, she leaned back against the wall, wincing at the stab of pain in her ribs. “What have you done with Amanda Jacobs?” He’d hinted there were other women. Maybe Amanda was one of his victims.

His dark eyes turned icy. “Amanda was a bad girl.”

She shivered. Was? Was Amanda dead? Had he killed her like he’d killed Mary and those other girls? “Where is she?”

“Gone.”

Fresh tears burned her eyes. “Did you kill her?”

He exhaled a hard-done-by sigh. “She didn’t follow the rules.” He shook his head as if he were discussing a recalcitrant child who refused to tidy her bedroom. “I thought that after the first time she tried to escape, she’d learned her lesson, but…” He shrugged.

“Those footprints I saw in the snow last November in the park were hers, weren’t they? She was escaping you.” The truth blurted out, along with a bucketful of guilt. If only she’d done something more that afternoon, maybe she could have saved Amanda.

“It was supposed to be you that day, you know. I’d been keeping track of you for months, and I followed you to the park. You were all alone, and the park was deserted.” He spread his big hands wide. “It was almost as if you were asking for it, but when that little bitch escaped, I had to go after her.” His narrowed gaze pinned her. “You called the cops, and I had to grab Amanda and clear out of the area.” He jammed his hands on his hips and glowered. “It was all your fault. And Amanda’s, of course. She broke the rules. That was naughty of her, but I punished her. No one disobeys me.”

A chill rippled through her at the menace in his brown-eyed gaze. Stop talking. Now. Stop asking questions. The warning blazed through her. But she couldn’t stop. She had to know the full scope of the nightmare. “What—” She gulped and gathered strength, prepared for the full brunt of his rage. “—what about the other girls? What happened to them?”

“The others?” He smiled sadly. “They weren’t very smart either.” He shrugged. “I tried to train them, just like Father taught me, but they wouldn’t learn.” He fixed her with a hard gaze. “Not like you, Candy Girl. You’re smart. Real smart. You’ll learn. I know you will.” He rubbed his hands together. “We’re going to get along great.”

Insanity gleamed in his eyes, and her stomach roiled. He’d never release her. Never. She’d be his prisoner until the day he decided she wasn’t following his rules. And then he’d kill her. No one would find her body. No one would know what happened. An ache, deep in her heart, throbbed. Would Aiden keep searching? Or would other cases of missing women take over, and he’d move on?

Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You’re not dead. Not yet. You’re smart, just like he said. You can get out of this. Just figure it out. The words, blasting like bullets, firmed her resolve. She squared her shoulders. “What happened to your father? Is Isaiah still alive?”

He picked up the tray and strode to the door but paused with his hand on the door handle. “Father passed several years ago.” His eyes shone with unshed tears. “He was sick for a long time…cancer, I think. He wouldn’t go to a hospital. He didn’t trust doctors or the system.” His gaze pierced her, the light of insanity blinding. “Before he left me, he made me promise to carry on his legacy. And so, I have.” His chest swelled as if he were proud of his actions.

“Sleep well, Candy Girl. I have big plans for you tomorrow.” He opened the metal door and slammed it shut behind him.

The lock slid into place.