Chapter 111 Part 111
Emerson
She tried to run the moment Asher went down. Two men had come into the house from the kitchen. One had hit Asher on the back of his knees with a metal rod, the other one had pressed two tasers into his flesh, one against his back, the other against his neck.
She didn’t know the first man, the one Asher had called Joey. She did, however, know the other two men. They were the same men who had beat that man to death in Grover’s office. Grover always called them Mr. Black and Mr. Blacker.
She had nowhere to escape to. They were in the open-plan foyer and living room and blocked her only exit.
“Easy now, Emerson. We won’t hurt you if you cooperate, but we will if you fight us,” Mr. Black said.
She nodded her head meekly, knowing there was no way out. This was the end of the line for her. They would take her to Grover. He would torture her and kill her slowly. She doubted that her body would ever be found, and Asher would wake up, still mad at her, and never know what had happened.
Tears welled in her eyes but she swallowed the sob as she looked at him. His head was bleeding, and he lay unmoving on the foyer floor. Mr. Blacker appeared in her field of vision, and she looked down at the pinprick on her arm. Mr. Blacker grinned creepily, and her vision began to swim.
The sky was overcast, lightning flashing in the distance. Thunder rumbled, and Emerson smiled as she stood on the porch. Asher was riding toward her. He was still far away, but she knew it was him. Nobody sat on a horse quite like he did.
She leaned forward on the railing, and watched as he took off his cowboy hat, and waved it above his head. “Emerson!”
She grinned, and lifted her hand to wave to him. “Emerson!”
Her eyes snapped open, and she tried to move her arms. She was tied to a chair, and she squinted in the darkness. Asher sat opposite her, also tied to a chair.
“Emerson,” he hissed again.
“I’m here,” she whispered.
He let out a breath of relief. “Are you hurt?”
“No, they injected me with something,” she said, her voice sounding gravelly. Her throat was dry and she swallowed a few times. Her lips felt cracked, and she had no idea how long she’d been out.
“Are you okay? Your head was bleeding,” she said softly.
“I’m fine. I’m racking my brain trying to figure out how they found you. Did you call anyone? Use social media?”
“No, the last time I saw or spoke to anyone other than a Fitzgerald was when Eden and I went Christmas shopping,” she said.
“The present under the tree,” Asher murmured. “It’s for me, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“How did you pay for the present, Emerson?”
She gasped as reality set in. “I swiped my card.” Asher lowered his head and swore under his breath. “I’m so sorry…I didn’t think!” Tears welled up in her eyes, and they ran down her cheeks unchecked.
“We’ve been alone for a while now, I reckon about an hour. I think they’re waiting for Grover to get here. He wouldn’t want anyone else to touch you,” Asher said.
Her whole body shuddered. “They’re going to kill us both.”
“Yeah, they’ll kill me first. I’m the bigger threat,” Asher said, and Emerson started to cry. “Listen, Emerson, the first chance you get…you run. Do you hear me? You run as fast and as far as you can. Run to a road, and flag someone down, someone in a truck, something that looks old and used.”
She couldn’t answer him. The thought of Mr. Black and Mr. Blacker killing Asher ripped through her. It was a physical pain that hurt so much, she could scarcely breathe.
“Emerson? You have to listen. Do not flag down anything that’s a sedan or an SUV. It could be them trying to find you. Stay hidden and keep moving. When they come for me, I’ll fight them as long as I can. Look for opportunities to escape, even if it means making Grover believe that you’re sorry for leaving him. Do you understand?”
“Ye…yes,” she said.
“Shh,” Asher whispered, and a few seconds later, the door was opened, and Emerson felt nauseous. Grover stood in the doorway, and his grin was menacing.
He walked toward them, but turned away from her, and faced Asher. He gripped Asher’s hair tightly and forced his head back. “Did you touch my woman? Did you put your hands on her?” Asher grunted as Grover’s fist connected with his abdomen. “Did you?”
“She’s a spoiled little brat that I was paid to keep safe,” Asher said. His words stung, even though she knew why he was saying it. Maybe, just maybe, he really did feel that way.
Grover looked intently at him, then he turned his head to Emerson. “I’ve missed you, my love. Correct me if I’m wrong. Did the police take you in and threaten you? Did they force you to talk? Or did you betray me, Emerson?”
Asher’s eyes pleaded with her so she shook her head. “I didn’t betray you, Grover.”
“So this man kept you against your will?” Emerson closed her eyes, and more tears spilled from between her lids.
“Mr. Black and Mr. Blacker, take him out to the shed, and dispose of him. I want to spend some time with Emerson,” Grover said, and took the knife Mr. Black offered him.
He turned to face Emerson and chuckled when she flinched. He dragged the knife’s edge down from her cheek, and cut through the shirt she was wearing. He cut through her bra, and pulled the tattered material away, revealing her nudity to Mr. Black and Mr. Blacker.
They cut the rope behind Asher’s hands as Emerson sobbed, and lowered her head. Mr. Black held a pistol to Asher’s head, and Mr. Blacker prodded him in the back. “Walk.” She glanced up, and looked at Asher, his eyes showing his determination.