Smokescreen

She reaches in her pocket and hands him a folded piece of paper. “Dad gave me the numbers, he memorized them. He said as soon as he saw the transactions, he knew Mom was up to something because she’s the only one who has access.”

“Do you actually know anything about the kidnapping?”

“My mom talked to my dad every day. One day he was coming out of sedation and heard her on the phone. She mentioned getting rid of that woman.”

“Hate to tell you, Erica, but you said it yourself, he was coming out of sedation. Not sure we can believe what he says,” Jake states exactly what I’m thinking.

She glares at him, “You obviously don’t know my dad very well. He’s smart and manipulative. He talked to his doctor privately that night and told her he didn’t want the sedatives anymore. He was feeling better and wanted to sleep. He also told her that she wasn’t to relay this information to any of us. He wanted Mom to think he was sedated. The doctor was hesitant but agreed. From that day on, he listened to everything Mom said. She admitted to setting up Stella through Brian Claxton. She knew my dad was talking to him about possibly getting the business back from Sullivan PR. She contacted him directly.”

“Why?” I utter my first word since sitting down.

“For me. Some of it was for the business, but mostly for me. Dad said he was furious when you hired Sullivan PR and he told her as much. When he suspected you were getting involved with Stella, Mom decided to intervene. She approached Brian. Apparently she didn’t want to know the details, but offered money if he needed it. Then when the truth came out and Stella was shining in the spotlight it pissed her off even more. She knew how much I loved you and she believed we should be together. I was crushed when you kicked me out. She found me one night passed out, close to an overdose and she blamed you and Stella.

“I’ve been clean since then. After that night, I promised her and Dad it would never happen again. Something clicked, I’m not sure what, but realizing you weren’t going to help me anymore triggered something in me. Mom and I went to a counselor and I’ve been talking through my life with her. But now that I think back on it, my mom was always telling me that if I got clean you’d come back to me for good. According to Dad, after you’re television interview, Mom set a new plan in place. Thinking Dad was always asleep, she told him everything. Last week, she said, ‘Edward, we don’t have much to worry about now. I’ve made sure that woman isn’t coming back from South America.’

“This absolutely freaked him out. He told me he has the death of your father on his conscience and couldn’t live with the death of Stella.”

As soon as she says the word death, my blood runs cold.

“He sent me to you.”

“What else do you know about the kidnapping?” Jake takes out his phone and starts typing furiously. “Anything he told you, anything you’ve heard your mom say, absolutely anything is helpful.”

“I don’t know much more. I’ve been spending the nights at my parents’ house and a several times my mom has looked at me with tears in her eyes and said she’ll do whatever it takes to take care of her family. A few times when Max stopped by the hospital, she encouraged me to talk to him and tell him I was getting clean. She thought if he saw my progress, he’d be proud. I wanted to drop out of the JOS photo shoot after Max humiliated me, but she convinced me it was a chance for me to prove to him how much he missed me.

“My dad is pompous, greedy, and controlling, but he’s still my dad. A part of me always hated him for the way he cheated on my mother, but now that I know she’s known and accepted it, my respect for her is gone. Being sober really opens my eyes to what’s been happening around me.”

There’s a quick knock and then the door opens slightly. An officer looks directly at Jake. “We’ve got something. The Captain and your supervisor want a meeting now.”

I get up to follow them out when Erica’s small voice stops me. “You really love her don’t you?”

“More than anything in the world. Love barely skims the surface of all the feelings I have for her,” I answer honestly.

“I wanted that from you. Why couldn’t you love me?”

“Don’t do that, Erica. Don’t ask me questions that you don’t want answers to.”

“Please, Max. Give me that. Tell me why her.”

“My heart started beating the minute I laid eyes on her. Anything and everything in my life before became a blur and all I could think about was a future with her.”

She cries out softly and tears spill down her cheeks.

“Erica, you’ve done a really good thing here. This had to be hard knowing your parents are both going to jail. But for what it’s worth, if Stella comes out of this unscathed, you have my personal gratitude.”

I don’t say another thing but walk to the conference room that is filled with people. There’s a lot of activity but I don’t pay attention to anyone but Marshall Barnes. As soon as our eyes meet, it’s evident. He has a plan, and we have hope.

The room has more light than usual I notice struggling to get up. What the hell is wrong with me? My mind is fuzzy, and thoughts come to me slowly. Each time I have started to wake up, I remember a needle being stuck in my arm or neck.

Breathing deep, the stench of mildew and mold fills my nose. When my feet move against the hard floor, they slip in dampness. As my consciousness returns, I look around the room and a chill runs through me. Daylight illuminates my dire surroundings and my stomach curls at the food on the tray. It looks like it has been here for days and small ants move around the plate.

The bathroom is filthy with smudges of unknown substances covering the walls. I turn on the sink and watch as orange water fills it. Finally it turns clear and I wash my face slowly, hoping the cold water will help me wake up. Finally after a few minutes, my head clears and I look at my reflection in the dingy mirror.

My hair is matted and stuck to my head and bruises cover my neck and forearm. There are small pricks with dried blood where I have been jabbed. My shirt is torn and leggings hang on my body. Overall, I look like hell.

The door to the room behind me opens slowly and the man that kidnapped me comes in with a spine-chilling grin in his face.

“You’re awake.”