Found in Darkness

Chapter 27

ELENORA

I thank the Lyft driver as I step out of the car and pull my card out to enter the building. I expect to see Ruben behind the desk but he's not there. He must be on a bathroom break.

I better send a text to Rico. Knowing my mother, she might forget to tell him I won't be too long.

After the text, I check my mail and scan through it as I step into the elevator and something shiny on the floor catches my eye. Crouching down to get a better view I see it's Ruben's name tag. It must have slipped off. I pocket it; I'll give it to him on my way out.

I expect Mrs. Jones to come out when I drop my keys but she doesn't. She must be out, too. I flip on the lights when I walk in, setting my keys and mail on the counter before I head to my room and grab the pair of high heels I borrowed from Clara. She's going on some hot date and considers these heels her lucky shoes.

I chuckle remembering they happen to be the same shoes I wore the night I met Federico. I had joked that they were not so lucky after all.

As I walk back into the living room, I stop when something near the balcony doors behind the couch catches my eye. My heart stops as I approach.

It's a foot.

I walk slowly towards the back of the couch and Mrs. Jones is lying on the floor. There's a cut on her head that's bleeding profusely. I quickly move around on the other side of her. "Mrs. Jones! Mrs. Jones!"

I bend down over her and thankfully hear her breathing. A muffling sound gets my attention next and I look around to see where it's coming from. I slowly open the closet door and find Ruben on the floor with his hands and feet tied. A gag over his mouth and his face is bruised and bloodied.

What the hell is going on?

His eyes widen as he looks at me and starts to shake his head while shouting something, but it's hard to understand him. I start to bend down to remove the gag, but I'm stopped, being pulled back by my hair.

I'm thrown back against the wall and crumple to the floor with a heavy thud. I move my hair away from my face and look up in horror.

Standing above me is a man wearing a mask and gloves.

No, no, no.

This can't be happening. Not again.

Ruben is trying to escape his ties.

The masked man focuses on him for a moment and I use that distraction to junk punch him. He falls to his knees, groaning and I make a run for the door, but I know I'm not going to make it in time and head to the kitchen instead. I unsheathe a knife from the holder and point it out at him, stopping him from getting closer.

He laughs, shaking his head. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to bring a knife to a gunfight?" His voice sounds electronic and I wonder how or what he's using to modify it, but then I forget about that when he pulls a gun from his back.

He cocks it and aims it at me.

"What do you want? Money?" I ask, trying to keep my voice steady even though my hand holding the knife is shaking enough that it doesn't matter.

"Just you." He cocks his head to the side. "Did you forget what day it is?"

I stare back at him and I know he sees the fear in my eyes. "Ah, you remember now, don't you? You've been so busy with a new man in your life that you forgot all about me it seems. And by the looks of it, he enjoys putting his hands on you."

He takes a step towards me and I raise the knife to stop him. My heart is thundering in my chest as I try to focus on slowing my breathing, but I can't.