Saving Zoey
Chapter 10:
Following a Lead
Early that morning, Lola, Logan, Michael and Chase decided to leave. They were going to start with interviewing Rico's elderly mother. Logan handed his keys over to Michael and they all took off.
Two hours later, the gang was standing outside a little cottage.
"Oh…how cute, they have a wishing well," Lola said, her voice high and squeaky. Ever since Nicole had disappeared, Lola seemed taking on some of her more happy qualities. It was funny, really, considering the fact that her personality was closer to Dana than Nicole, but they knew it was her only way to keep together. Now they were used to it. It was kind of a reassurance that they could be safe. The four of them approached the door of the cute little cottage. Chase rang the doorbell. A small woman answered. She had snow white hair tied back into a bun, and strong, youthful blue eyes. They all smiled.
"Mrs. Rameriz?" The woman nodded.
"We need to talk to you about your son," Lola said.
"Please Mrs. Rameriz, I swear, this is important," Logan begged. The stubborn old Hispanic woman refused to give up. The woman just frowned at him.
"Mr. Reese, you are asking me to betray my own flesh and blood. And for what? So you can accuse my nephew of a crime he didn't commit?" she said. The whole group knew that it was someone close to Rico that would take their friends. Revenge was the whole key there.
"We know this has to do with the case A.D.A. Jonathan Brooks brought against your son. And now, even when you know what he's done, you still protect him?" Lola said.
"Three girls' lives are at stake here," Michael insisted. He looked up at Chase, who was leaning up against the doorframe, as he had when they first started talking with Mrs. Rameriz. His crystal green eyes remain dull and lifeless. Michael shuddered.
"I think there's even more than that if these girls are hurt," he said absently. He turned back to the woman.
"Please." Lola begged. Mrs. Rameriz looked at the three teens. She looked over at the one at the door. They deserved answers. But was she willing to give them?
They left each day. Zoey figured this out about a week into their captivity. Everyday they'd come to their dungeon, feed them, give them drinks and leave. The fear was replaced with anger after a while, and the pain with the craving for revenge. Nicole's wound healed. The cut on her forehead became nothing but a scar. But Zoey…it took all she had to wake up each morning. She was still hurting, both physically and mentally. She knew it was her fault her friends were in mess…
Flashback:
Zoey walked through the hallways of her home, shaking dramatically. In desperation, she reached out to grip the railing of the stairs.
"Dad!!!" she called out. Instantly, her father appeared at the top of the stairs. The moment he saw her appearance, he ran to her. He carried her in his arms up the stairs to her room, where he laid her on her bed.
"Daddy," Zoey whimpered. Mr. Brooks stroked his daughter's cheek tenderly.
"What's wrong, baby?" he asked. He pushed back a strand of her blond hair. Zoey's eyes clouded.
"He killed her Daddy…Rico killed Katy," she said.
End Flashback
Only her father knew what she witnessed that day. Katy Santos was found in an alley, brutally beaten and stabbed forty-seven times. Her father had the police working on it non-stop, until they had enough forensic evidence to convict Rico Ramirez. Zoey was never called to testify. Unfortunately, Rico knew she saw him kill her. Apparently the message got around. And now her friend had to suffer for her.
A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, I just had a terrible case of writer's block...see ya...hopefully soon.