Campfire Stories

Chapter 2

"Faith and doubt are both needed-- not as antagonists, but working side by side to take us around the unknown curve."

                                                                                                       -Lillian Smith

TAP, TAP, TAP of Ash's finger on the table.

"So, let me get this right. You left Lanona and then when you tried to find her, you couldn't. Then, you watched a black van drive away with her in the back?"

"I didn't leave her. Ellie and JJ did. I went to look for her, we all did."

"So someone took her?"

"Yes."

Detective Brewer's cold hazel eyes stared through Ash.

"You're sure that's Lanona?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Do you have anything else for me? The license plate of the van? Anything?"

"No."

"Well, we're screwed."

"You're not going to look for her?"

"You haven't given me anything to look for her with." Ash put his head in his hands.

"She was always the most careful of all of us. She never strayed to far from her friends and never walked alone because she was always scared. I never blamed her, but everyone else did. They laughed at her if anything. I convinced her to go camping with us. It's my fault she's gone."

"We'll look for her, but we have to talk to her parents and all witnesses first."

Brewer's pocket began to ring. He pulled out his phone and checked the caller ID before opening it.

"Brewer. They're here. Really? I'll be there soon." Ash stared at him. "Lanona's parents are here."

Ash said nothing further and looked down at his lap.

Brewer's eyes softened, but only for a second before he ran out the door to another interrogation room down the hall.

He walked in to see a crying blond woman and a man holding her hand with a solemn expression.

"Mr and Mrs. Davis?"

They both turned to him.

"Your daughter, Lanona, has gone missing. Is there anyone you could think would take her?"

"No," the mother answered.

"Why not?"

"She was always too careful to associate herself with people that would hate her."

"Could we have a picture of her? Are there any identifying marks on her? Visible ones?"

"A birth mark on her neck. It's shaped like a heart," Mrs. Davis said sliding a picture across the table.

"We're going to get this information to the public in case they see her. Okay?"

"Will you find her?"

"I don't know."

"What are we supposed to do until then? Nona was our life."

"Hope. That's all there is to do."

Detective Brewer walked out with the photo in hand. Time was of the essence. Most kidnapping victims get killed within the first 48 hours. It was the nineth hour.

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"We're looking for a girl by the name of Lanona Davis. She has blond hair and a--," the television was turned off.

"Lanona Davis, huh?" He turned around to see the blue eyed girl staring back at him with wide eyes.

"Blond hair? We'll see about that." He grabbed the scissors on the desk, walked over and kneeled in front of her. He took his scissors and followed along the red gag in her mouth. He started at the ear to the lips and to the other ear. Her eyes shot closed as she tried to restrain from letting the tears fall down her face.

He opened the scissors and began snipping away at her long blond hair. She glanced down to see it all cut off and on the floor. It was cut about half way up her neck.

"You look beautiful," he smiled an evil grin at her, "But your hair just won't do. It's an ugly color. I know! How about red?"

She glared at him.

"I thought you'd agree, sweetheart."

Nona lunged at him, but was pulled back by the chains connecting her to the floor.

"See? You're jumping for joy!" He smiled cupped her face in his hands. She jerked her head out of his hands. His eyes narrowed and he raised his hand and back handed her across the face. She fell to the floor, then glared back up at him.

"I don't like to hit you, but there are these things called manners. Learn them."