Dare to Succeed (The Dare 2)

“Keep me posted of any suspicious activity. Put out an APB on Alicia’s car.”

He headed out of the building, his gut twisting and turning as he thought about what could be going on. He didn’t feel right and instantly he thought about Alicia’s ex-boyfriend and her brother. He called into the station.

“I need you to also look up these individuals and find out where they are. Have the local police departments send someone to their residence to see if they’re home and to question them.”

“Who are they, Max?” Williams asked.

“Tony is Alicia’s ex-boyfriend and the other is her brother. Both are trouble and could have something to do with this. It’s the only lead I’ve got.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Max got to Alicia’s to find two other deputies there already and Monroe and Caldwell looking very pissed off. He got out of the patrol truck.

“What do you have, Taylor?” he asked the deputy.

“Definitely suspicious. Looks like a struggle took place in the living room by the front door.”

“We’ve got cut utility wires in the back,” Deputy Harris added as he came around the front with a flashlight.

“Son of a bitch. Anyone could have her,” Monroe said.

“I had Williams put out an APB on her vehicle and also find out where Tony and Alvin live and get some patrol units over to question them.”

“You think her ex showed up or her brother and did this?” Caldwell asked.

“I don’t know what’s going on but that’s all we have as possibilities right now. Nothing like this has ever happened in town before. No break-ins, no abductions by strangers. Well, except for the Marlena situation and that was resolved. So I have to cover all the bases I can think of right now, Caldwell.”

“Fuck. What if it is him? What if her ex came here to take her back?” Monroe asked.

“Then from the looks of the apartment she put up a fight,” Taylor said.

The radio went off and Max answered.

“Where?” he asked. “I’m on my way.”

“Someone reported a speeding vehicle heading toward the construction site on the edge of town. They believe it was Alicia’s.”

“Let’s go. We can get there in five minutes.”

Caldwell and Monroe jumped into Max’s truck and the other deputies followed in their vehicles. He prayed that Alicia was okay and that they got to her in time. He didn’t know what her ex was capable of, but obviously he had been watching her and waiting for an opportunity. Why was he bringing her to the constructions site?

* * * *

Alicia headed into the construction area too fast. Tony yelled about slowing down and not being able to see. She didn’t care what happened to her, she wasn’t letting Tony touch her and make her sign papers. She turned the wheel, making a hard right, and didn’t see the debris in the way. The vehicle lifted and bumped up and down as she hit the brakes, spun out, and then crashed into the machinery. She felt her neck jerk hard and her forehead hit the steering wheel. Stunned, she smelled and saw through smoke coming from her car and glanced at Tony. He was holding the side of his head. The gun wasn’t in his hands. She tried opening the door and it wouldn’t budge. She started climbing out of the window. She needed to get as far away from Tony as she could.

As she began descending toward the dirt she felt the hands on her legs and heard him yelling.

“Not so fast. I’ve got you. You can’t get away from me.

She kicked at him, heard the grunt, and then fell to her knees. She landed against the front tire and the debris cutting her side but she didn’t care. She needed to run. She headed toward the construction site and by the buildings. It was dark. So dark she couldn’t see a thing as she banged into something, knocking over tools or nails.

“You can’t run, Alicia. I’m going to finish what I started,” he yelled at her and she was shaking with fear. Could he see her? She couldn’t see him. She reached out with her hands, her fingers hitting cold concrete and the openings of unfinished windows. She lowered down, thinking if she kept her back against the wall that she would see him coming if he charged. She continued to scoot around and could hear him getting closer.

In the distance she heard the sirens and she knew they were coming. Somehow Max and the others knew she was in danger. She waited to make her move when the light came upon her. Tony held his cell phone at her with

one hand and the gun pointed at her with the other.

“I win,” he said, and she took a deep breath and ran to the right.