Read Online Detective Wade Jackson Mystery - 03 - Thrilled to Death by L. J. Sellers - Free Book Online
Book: Detective Wade Jackson Mystery - 03 - Thrilled to Death by L. J. Sellers
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Authors: L. J. Sellers
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everything she owns is still in her house.”
“Do you have a digital image you can e-mail me?”
“Sure. I’d love to get her picture on the news. She could be in a hospital somewhere with no ID.”
“No promises. I have to run everything by my producer.” Trina gave Kera an e-mail address and got off the phone. Kera decided on her next call, she wouldn’t mention Danette had dropped off her baby, just to see if she got a different reaction.
“I’d like to take a nap,” Maggie said from the doorway. “Would you keep an eye on Micah?”
“Sure.” Kera reached for the little boy who grinned wildly at her.
Chapter 9
Danette thought she was awake, but couldn’t be sure. With the blindfold over her eyes, her little world was dark, and the pills had knocked her out for what seemed like hours. She’d been half awake and half asleep for a while. Now her bladder felt like it would burst. She forced herself to focus. Danette rolled to the edge of the bed and sat up. Her head felt light, her throat was parched, and her stomach growled. How long had she been in this room? Why were they keeping her?
She had a vague memory of being carried downstairs and dropped on this small, musty bed. The big guy had forced two tiny pills into her mouth and untied her feet. She’d been terrified, thinking, please don’t rape me, please don’t kill me. He’d said something, then left her alone. She’d drifted off soon after.
Danette stood, waiting to see how her body would react. Her legs felt weird and her shoulders ached from having her arms pulled together in front for so long. The ache in her breasts made her think of Micah. She’d quit breastfeeding a few weeks ago and the baby had not been happy about it. A sob rose in her throat; she choked on it. Would she ever see Micah again? Danette fought for control. She couldn’t break down. She had to stay alert and resilient if she wanted to survive this ordeal, whatever the hell it was.
The big guy had replaced the handcuffs on her wrists with thin nylon cord, so her hands had less mobility. Still, she was able to push the bandanna up and off her eyes. The room was just as dark without it. She was ready to yank it back into place if she heard footsteps coming. Her captor didn’t want her to see his face, and it gave Danette hope she might eventually be released.
The gag in her mouth wouldn’t budge without tearing off her lower lip. Danette shuffled forward, thinking there was a bathroom in the corner. Had the big guy told her that? Cautiously, she crossed the small space, found the switch inside the door, and flipped it on. The light was so dim she barely blinked after hours of darkness. Danette shuffled into the bathroom and used the toilet.
Having her wrists tightly bound made it difficult, but Danette searched the tiny room for something that might help. She found nothing. Not even a towel. She left the light on and shuffled back out into the main room. In the weak glow, she could see she was in a basement. Yet it wasn’t a typical filled-with-crap basement. She was alone down here, with nothing but a bed, a couch, and toilet. She touched the cool stone wall, paralyzed with despair.
Another vague memory surfaced. She’d come awake once at the sound of footsteps on the stairs. The door to the room had opened and someone had come in. He’d offered her food if she promised not to say a word while the gag was off. She vaguely remembered chewing her way through most of a nutrition bar before she’d passed out again.
As her eyes adjusted to the weak light, she realized one long wall was stacked high with boxes. What were they storing down here? She thought about trying to open one. Was it worth the risk of angering the big guy?
She heard footsteps and yanked the cloth back over her eyes. A key clicked in the lock and a door swung open. Danette turned toward the sound, braced for assault. Two sets of footsteps moved toward her. A man’s voice whispered, but she
“Do you have a digital image you can e-mail me?”
“Sure. I’d love to get her picture on the news. She could be in a hospital somewhere with no ID.”
“No promises. I have to run everything by my producer.” Trina gave Kera an e-mail address and got off the phone. Kera decided on her next call, she wouldn’t mention Danette had dropped off her baby, just to see if she got a different reaction.
“I’d like to take a nap,” Maggie said from the doorway. “Would you keep an eye on Micah?”
“Sure.” Kera reached for the little boy who grinned wildly at her.
Chapter 9
Danette thought she was awake, but couldn’t be sure. With the blindfold over her eyes, her little world was dark, and the pills had knocked her out for what seemed like hours. She’d been half awake and half asleep for a while. Now her bladder felt like it would burst. She forced herself to focus. Danette rolled to the edge of the bed and sat up. Her head felt light, her throat was parched, and her stomach growled. How long had she been in this room? Why were they keeping her?
She had a vague memory of being carried downstairs and dropped on this small, musty bed. The big guy had forced two tiny pills into her mouth and untied her feet. She’d been terrified, thinking, please don’t rape me, please don’t kill me. He’d said something, then left her alone. She’d drifted off soon after.
Danette stood, waiting to see how her body would react. Her legs felt weird and her shoulders ached from having her arms pulled together in front for so long. The ache in her breasts made her think of Micah. She’d quit breastfeeding a few weeks ago and the baby had not been happy about it. A sob rose in her throat; she choked on it. Would she ever see Micah again? Danette fought for control. She couldn’t break down. She had to stay alert and resilient if she wanted to survive this ordeal, whatever the hell it was.
The big guy had replaced the handcuffs on her wrists with thin nylon cord, so her hands had less mobility. Still, she was able to push the bandanna up and off her eyes. The room was just as dark without it. She was ready to yank it back into place if she heard footsteps coming. Her captor didn’t want her to see his face, and it gave Danette hope she might eventually be released.
The gag in her mouth wouldn’t budge without tearing off her lower lip. Danette shuffled forward, thinking there was a bathroom in the corner. Had the big guy told her that? Cautiously, she crossed the small space, found the switch inside the door, and flipped it on. The light was so dim she barely blinked after hours of darkness. Danette shuffled into the bathroom and used the toilet.
Having her wrists tightly bound made it difficult, but Danette searched the tiny room for something that might help. She found nothing. Not even a towel. She left the light on and shuffled back out into the main room. In the weak glow, she could see she was in a basement. Yet it wasn’t a typical filled-with-crap basement. She was alone down here, with nothing but a bed, a couch, and toilet. She touched the cool stone wall, paralyzed with despair.
Another vague memory surfaced. She’d come awake once at the sound of footsteps on the stairs. The door to the room had opened and someone had come in. He’d offered her food if she promised not to say a word while the gag was off. She vaguely remembered chewing her way through most of a nutrition bar before she’d passed out again.
As her eyes adjusted to the weak light, she realized one long wall was stacked high with boxes. What were they storing down here? She thought about trying to open one. Was it worth the risk of angering the big guy?
She heard footsteps and yanked the cloth back over her eyes. A key clicked in the lock and a door swung open. Danette turned toward the sound, braced for assault. Two sets of footsteps moved toward her. A man’s voice whispered, but she
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