Face Value

2. Extravagant Persuasion: Flashback Part 2

                      I couldn't move; anchored to that spot like I had been the first time...

Behind me, I heard the whistle of  a long  breath. The air  in the room was charged and boot-clad feet thumped across the hardwood. I pivoted sharply with fire  in my veins instead of  icy fear.

'Clap.' The thin man, the one from the video stood in front of me with his pale bony hands clamped together . 'Clap.' The red shirt he wore had long sleeves that were rolled up to the elbows and they were soaked in something.

"Water maybe.." I thought . After all, he had  appeared from the corridor that led to the downstairs bathroom. Yet a small voice in my head, the part of me that was still very afraid under all the rage I was feeling , whispered more macabre things. "It could be blood: Alice's blood. With a shirt that dark a red, how could you know for sure?"

The man's beady brown eyes followed mine to his sleeves and his lips curled up into a smile, like he was a humanoid version of the Cheshire cat. His crooked, yellow teeth glistened.

"What do you think it is?" he hissed. "Could be her blood... Her skin was paper thin and so, so white." The beast closed his eyes and shuttered. "You could practically see every drop of it flowing right through her."

"Where is she?"  My voice came out low and strangled.

"Well, my name's Donald, and I'm a videographer by trade." The man began to introduce  himself , ignoring my question. " But I think you figured that out by the masterpiece I put together for you", gesturing toward the laptop behind you.

My blood boiled .

"She should have been an actress you know . Such a pretty face. Perfect figure. Put on a pretty good show too."  He-- Donald, continued talking about my wife as he aimlessly walked around the living room, stopping at the cold fireplace and the pictures on its mantle. "She tasted like caramel and smelled like orange blossoms and lavender." The creep tapped his bony fingers against the wood.

"But she wasn't for me. I gave her to the one who sent me; the one who gave me the job ." Donald's beady eyes held sadness. Sadness at the idea that he had to give Alice away. That he couldn't keep her, that he couldn't  have her anymore and that infuriated me.

" Where did you take her?'"I hissed , crossing the room to stand in front of him. He was stretched thin and about a  inch or two taller than I was so I had to look up at him. The skin was stretched tight over the bone in his face.. His stood slightly hunched in on himself. Donald was unhealthy, not only of his body but of  his mind. Something dangerous lurked beneath those dark eyes: a beast that hungered for  pain and blood and evil things done in the dark. The thought that this monster had been anywhere near my wife made me shudder internally.

"Where is she?!!!" I repeated , fisting the collar of his crimson shirt and driving him into the nearest wall.

A slow maniacal smile spread across his face. " Now where's the fun in that?"  

            Unable to contain my  anger, my fist collided with the left side of his face and his head rocked back with the impact of it. Shock registered on his face and was quickly replaced by something like anger. Taking me by surprise Donald 's jaw clamped down on my hand that was holding his shirt which forced me to release him. "Son of a.."  I shouted when I was able to tear my hand away from him. In one swift move, he was behind me , wrapping one bony bicep around my throat. He had more strength than I had anticipated but I knew I had the training. I was a Military Lieutenant before I became a detective and three tours during Desert Storm and training in jujutsu for self defense prepared me for a lot of situations. Bringing my elbow hard into his gut, I  took hold of the forearm he had around my throat and  the sleeve of his shirt. Twisting my hip and swatting slightly, I threw him over my hip and shoulder.** Donald's body flew  and hit the coffee table half way across the room and the glass shattered beneath him. I was on him before he had the chance to recover his wits and I pressed the heel of my boot  against his throat.