The Medusa Deception

Chapter 27

GARY'S SUSPICION GREW like a disease. Mandy's face was plastered all over the news with a warrant out for her arrest. The list of her alleged crimes had grown. Not only was she wanted for the incident at the Target store, but for resisting arrest and grand theft auto. Gary had a hard time understanding the recent turn of events. Had she really gone off the deep end or was something else going on? The whole crazy business seemed to start with her crawling around in the dark in Seth's store. To top it off, Seth was acting strangely, even more defensive and secretive than usual, not returning any of his calls.

Ever since their recent argument, Gary had been anxious to make things right. He knew that, underneath his air of superiority, Seth still cared about him. They were all the family each other had left.

He was more than a little worried. Why was Seth so angry at him for calling the police? The more he thought about it, the more he suspected something was going on. What had Seth gotten himself in to?

He couldn't sleep. A brisk walk in the cool night air would do him some good, clear his head. Leaving his apartment, he closed and locked the deadbolt behind him. Before he knew it, he was passing by the Occult Bookstore, only a few blocks away. He couldn't afford to live in the same style as Seth, in a luxurious mansion in the burbs. His older brother had certainly done well for himself, wisely investing his inheritance and starting his mysterious little bookstore. Everything he touched did well.

He'd not been so lucky. Seth kept him afloat with a monthly allowance - his lifeline. Gary didn't begrudge him his success and was grateful for the monthly stipend but was beginning to resent Seth's control along with his superior attitude.

The lights were off in the vacant store except for a thin slit under the back door. The light in the hallway must be on. A shadow passed through it. Someone was there.

Gary continued up the street and peered into the alley. A car was parked at the rear entrance. A man leaned into the open trunk and gathered something in his arms while another man waited. Standing up, he hoisted a bundle over his shoulder. Heading to Seth's back door, the man shifted his load. A corner of the blanket fell away and a face was revealed. Her hair hung in dripping clumps, stringy and matted. Her eyelids flickered. She was alive.

Gary gasped and slunk into the shadows, wedging himself behind a dumpster, watching as they disappeared into Seth's back hallway. Should he call the cops? What was going on in there? Seth was his brother, his only family. A chill of foreboding washed over him. While he struggled with what to do, a light once again shone into the alley from Seth's back door. The two, silhouetted men patted each other on the shoulder, hopped into the car and drove away.

Was Seth alone with the girl? What was he doing to her? He had to know. Now that the two muscle-bound goons were gone, Gary skulked uneasily toward the back entrance.

* * *

MANDY WAS UNROLLED from the blanket and pinned to the concrete floor face-down while her wrists and ankles were cut free. Obviously, the power had been restored to Seth's precious little man-cave because the lights were back on. Not wanting to confront anyone, she waited motionless on the floor until she heard the door close behind them. She shakily got to her knees and looked around.

Ryan was in the cell adjacent to hers, curled up on the cot in a fetal position, facing away from her.

"Ryan?"

He didn't move.

"Ryan?"

He slowly turned toward her but said nothing. His red-rimmed eyes were distant and sorrowful.

"What happened? Where's your mom?"

A tear trickled down his cheek as he shook his head.

"Oh, Ryan, I'm so sorry." She moved to the cot, threaded her arm through the bars and tried to take his hand but he pulled away. She laid back and let the silence fill the room. Shivering, she crawled under the blanket and hugged her knees to her chest, making herself as small as she felt.