The DA's Daughter

Chapter Five

          “It wasn’t a long enough call to track. All I can tell is that she’s not in vicinity and the call was from an Angela Payne.” Explained the lady.

           “I don’t think I remember her.” Mumbled Charles.

           “How do you not know our daughter’s best friend?” Scolded his wife.

            “Best friend?” He questioned.                                                                                                                                                    

           “Yes. Angela, Dave’s daughter. He works at the insurance place. God Charles! They have been hanging out with each other since elementary!”

            “Are you talking about the blonde girl?”

         “Yes… Yes I am!” She was on edge and it was expected. Her daughter was missing and they couldn’t even go public with it. Leaving the office, she started down toward the small staff area of the police station. She poured herself a cup of coffee, cringing when she took a sip. “How do they drink this stuff?” She grimaced as she took another taste of it. Cynthia generally wasn’t this tense. In fact, she was a really relaxed person, the complete opposite of her husband. Then again, he had a very viable reason to be tense.

            “Cynthia, there you are.”

            “How do they drink coffee this nasty?” She asked her husband, wrinkling up her nose as she stared down at the cup of unpleasant liquid.

            “The better question would be why you are drinking it even though you are complaining about it.” He pointed out, smirking slightly.

            “It takes my mind off reality.” She stated flatly. “Tell me we are going to find her.”

            “We’ll find her. This city has one of the best police forces in the country.” Her husband reassured her, taking the cup from her hand.

            “I mean alive. Will we find her alive?”

            “This city has one of the best police forces in the country.” He took a swig of the coffee, also noticing the extreme bitterness of it.

            “Repeating yourself is not answering my question Charles. Also, if they were so great, this wouldn’t have happened.”

            “I’m sorry Cynthia. I’m sorry I cannot answer your question the way you like. I want to say we will find her, healthy, happy and most importantly, alive but I just don’t know. If we are dealing with who we believe to be dealing with, there is nothing we can be sure of.” Charles liked to look on the logical side of things, even when it came to the life of his own daughter.

           This answer displeased his wife almost as much as his last one. She scowled at him and stepped around him, leaving the small room. She didn’t return to Phillip’s office but instead, walked right out of the police station. Night had fallen by now, the traffic had slowed slightly and there weren’t as many people out and about. Looking up, the moon was hidden behind a nearby high rise and no stars were seen. There was far too much light pollution for that to even happen. Cynthia started down the road to where her car was parked, slipping inside the driver’s side. The moment the door was closed, she finally allowed herself to break down. Her head rested on the steering wheel as large tears fell from her eyes, her chest heaving and her whole body shaking as she sobbed. She didn’t want to lose another child to this stupid city, she just couldn’t.

** ** **

        The sounds outside had died down. Sandra had been passed out for a little while now on the mattress. Juliet was lying on her arms on the table, trying to stop herself from falling asleep.

            “You can sleep if you want.” Offered Robert.

            “No.” Juliet stood up and started to pace, hoping to wake herself up. “I don’t want to chance anything happening.”

            “You’ll feel better after some sleep. Besides, you’ll probably be more useful if you were rested.” What he was saying made perfect sense to her but she just didn’t want to fall asleep. She had a feeling something bad would happen if she fell asleep.

            “You’re right but it still makes me uneasy.” She admitted, returning back to her seat at the table. She resumed her head on her arms and against her own will, fell asleep five minutes later.

                                                ** ** **

            “Please! Don’t! I’ll talk with my father! He can help!” Her face was tear stained as she pleaded with the man. He wouldn’t listen. He was laughing. A deep, maniacal laughter that made her blood run icy.

            “There’s nothing I want from him. You’re useless to me!” He scoffed as he raised the gun to her forehead.

            “NO!” She screamed, bringing her hands up to protect herself, no matter how useless it would be.

            BANG!

 

            “AHHHHH!” Juliet awoke with a startle, sending the chair she was sitting on to fall backward and take her with it. She hit the floor hard. Pain shot up her back into her head as she rolled to her side. She groaned as she opened her eyes and looked around the room as her day came flooding back to her again. Wait… Where were Sandra and Robert? She couldn’t hear them but that could have been because of the ringing in her ears.

            Juliet slowly sat up, taking a better look around the room to finally realize she was alone. Where did they go? Using the table, she pulled herself to her feet only to sway for a moment and fall to her knees. The smack to the head had sent everything out of balance. Instead of standing again, she began to crawl to the center of the room and when she did, the door swung open and in walked a large figure.

            “Looks like sleeping beauty has awakened.” A male voice mocked.

            “Huh?” She mumbled before being picked up and tossed over his shoulder. “Wh-where are the others?” Juliet asked as she was being carried off the boat.

            “Should be more worried about yourself.” He muttered. Juliet tried to take in everything that was going on but it was difficult. The only thing she was able to deduct was that it was just before dawn and there was a damp nip in the air.

            The van from the day before was parked where it had been then and that seemed to be where they were going. He tossed her roughly in the back before following in after and slamming the door shut as they began to speed off. Inside, Juliet pushed herself to the far corner only to be dragged back so he could tape her legs and wrists together. A piece was slapped across her face before a bag was thrown over her head and that was the end of sight.

            There was a conversation happening but she was still having difficulty hearing anything clearly. Her ears were still ringing and a headache was blooming in her temples, causing even more trouble for her. A sharp turn had sent her to the opposite side of the van, her arm smashing hard against the side. Juliet groaned the sound muffled by the tape. She swore something popped out of joint but she couldn’t be sure.

           When the van finally arrived at its destination, she could feel herself being dragged out. She squirmed but that only caused even more pain. Her shoulder was definitely popped out and it hurt like hell. The ringing in her ears was finally beginning to disappear and her normal hearing return. Wherever they were, it was eerily quiet and it made her shiver. Something bad was about to happen she could feel it.