Chapter Twelve: Day Six
Savannah opened her eyes drearily, not to much change. She was still imprisoned in that dark cold room. She didn't know how long she'd been there or what day it was or even whether it was morning or night. All she knew was that Layla was dead and she was alone, alone and frightened.
I'm going to die. I'm going to die alone in this disgusting room… I won't even be able to see anything before I die. I'll die in total darkness… If he doesn't kill me then I'll starve to death, or die of dehydration… At this point I don't care. I wish I were dead. I'd be better off dead. Layla's lucky…at least she's escaped. Hopefully my turn will come soon… They're never going to find me. I'm never going to see my mother or father or brothers or sister again. The last person I'm going to see, is that disgusting sweaty face of the monster that's keeping me here…I don't want to die…
Tears rolled down Savannah's face she was scared. A feeling of dread had been growing inside her, increasing ever since Layla was killed, diminishing her hope and extinguishing her will to live.
Evan sat at his desk combing over files frantically. This was it. Their last chance, and they still had no leads. The prints hadn't come back yet. All they had to go on was the same things they'd had for weeks. Evan glanced at the clock; it was noon. They still had time, but how much time Evan didn't know.
He glanced over at Melanie and Louis they were both pouring over every inch of information they had. The phones were ringing off the hook with false tips so they were in constant use.
Evan returned to looking at the file in front of him. Michael Piccardy, 25 years old. A rough young man stared back at him. He had shoulder length dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. His long nose glistened with sweat. Evan reopened the file and skimmed through it once more: he was a bouncer that jumped from club to club, usually worked weekends, just out of school…
"Dad," Evan looked up. His twelve-year-old Daughter Amanda was standing beside him bundled up in a red puffy jacket and ski cap her hair looked slightly windswept and her cheeks flushed.
"Amanda? What's up? Is something wrong?" He asked nervously. Amanda shook her head. "Why aren't you in school? How did you get here?"
"I walked over, it's lunch time. I need money for the movies tonight, but I forgot to get it from mom this morning…is Mr. Piccardy in trouble?" She asked staring down at the picture of the greasy young man.
"Sure I'll…give…how do you know him?" He looked at her quizzically.
"He's a substitute teacher, I had him…last week I think…yeah when Mrs. Marcello was absent. I don't like him, he's ugly and annoying, and way too friendly…why?"
"He's taught at your school…" Evan looked at her, the gears in his mind spinning rapidly. He pulled out his wallet and handed Amanda a twenty. "Get back to school. Thanks Amanda, Love you" He added as she bounced away. He jumped up the moment she was gone and ran over to Melanie and Louis. They looked up at him waiting.
"I know who it is!" He screamed. Melanie and Louis looked at each other and back at him in alarm.
"Who?" Melanie asked jumping to her feet, Louis followed in suit and walked over to Evan.
"Michael Piccardy—" He felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out of his pocket and held up a finger to Louis who was about to say something.
"Hello?" Evan barked.
"Evan?" It was Darren; Evan felt a wave of excitement rush over him.
"Darren! Did you get a match?"
"Yes. To a Michael Piccardy, he was charged with assault back in college—"
"Thanks" Evan hung up. "The print matched Michael Piccardy. We need a search warrant we have to search his house and we have to arrest him."
"I'll phone Blair and tell her we need a warrant, you three go pick him up…" said Captain Burgin, who had apparently heard all the shouting.
"I told Kevin I'd find his daughter I want to search his house. No matter how much I want to arrest that son of a bitch, I promised Kevin…" Evan stared determinately at captain Burgin who looked conflicted.
"All right, all right. You three pick up Piccardy." He said pointing at three officers standing beside him. Evan nodded gratefully. "I'll get on Blair."
Lucy sat on the couch her legs folded neatly beneath her. The house was silent. She had agreed to let Kevin take the kids out to lunch with her mother. She needed some alone time. Kevin got his alone time last time, now it was her turn. But now that she was alone, she wanted them all back with her so she would know they were safe.
Lucy glanced at the clock. It was only twelve thirty. Every moment that passed caused her heart to pound against her rib cage. She was painfully aware of every breath she took and every beat of her heart. Thoughts rushed through her head so fast she barely had time to understand them before another thought popped up. She was nauseous from thinking and sick with worry.
She wanted to hear her daughters voice one more time. See her face one more time. Hold her. She wanted her forever, but at least one last moment. Not this anxious worrying over what would happen. She had heard what had happened to Layla, and was sick every time she thought about it. She knew Savannah had been through all of it. The horror of what happened to the two of them was unbelievable.
Lucy stood up trying to shake herself of her thoughts. She thought about turning on the news but didn't feel like hearing about the frantic search to find Savannah Kinkerk, when it was a lie. This wasn't Glenoak, they weren't sending out officers to canvas the neighborhood, they were sitting at desks analyzing the suspect while he continued to rape and torture these children…
"Stop it!" Lucy cried. Images haunted her mind, so that she was afraid to close her eyes. Lucy sat back down and laced her fingers; she placed her forehead to her hands and prayed.
"God…please…bring Savannah home…"Lucy stopped overcome with tears. "…Alive…"she added breaking down. "We…n-need her…I n-need her…"
Savannah could feel herself drifting in and out of consciousness. Her body felt heavy and useless. Every inch ached in pain. Her cuts screamed as though on fire. A couple of times she thought she heard people's voices other then the dull monotonous tones of her captor, possibly even her name. She thought she'd heard footsteps overhead. But nobody appeared.
"Help…" She whispered, her voice hoarse and dry. Sweat trickled down her face as the darkness and the blurry images swam in and out of view. Her body trembled as though she had just plunged into freezing water, her clothes drenched in sweat and blood.
"…Help…" she whispered feebly before falling back into the comfort of unconsciousness.
"SAVANNAH!" Evan screamed as they pounded through the door of a small two-story house in the Bronx. The door swung open and swayed unsteadily as though about to fall off its hinges. Officers filed past him running up the stairs and through the rest of the house. Evan looked around for anything out of the ordinary.
"Savannah's not up there." Melanie said as she returned from upstairs.
"She's got to be here!" Evan said impatiently. He walked into the kitchen and saw it; a door bolted shut with a padlock. "She's in here!" Evan yelled as he ran to the door and began trying to pry off the lock.
"Stand back," Louis said. Evan turned and got out of the way as he brought a crow bar down hard on the lock. The lock smashed and fell to the floor clanking across the kitchen tiles.
"Where'd you get that?" Evan asked momentarily distracted.
"Under the sink, does that matter? Open the fucking door?" Louis said looking at Evan like he was crazy.
"Right!" Evan said refocusing. He wrenched open the door to uncover a rickety old staircase. There was a light switch to his left. He flipped it on and ran down the stairs. His stomach lurched at the sight. The room was completely dark except for a single swinging light above head that only uncovered a portion of the room. In front of him were two beds, with ropes attached to the four corners. One bed was completely covered in blood, as was the wall behind it. It was the other that caught Evan's attention.
"Savannah…" Evan said. He ran over to the motionless girl. She was drenched in sweat and blood, her face pale as a ghost. He placed his fingers to her throat to find a pulse. "She's alive! CALL A BUS! Savannah? Savannah, wake up honey!" He began to frantically untie the restraints around her wrists as Louis untied her ankles. Evan touched her face gently.
"Wake up Savannah, hold on!" He whispered.
Lucy lay silently on the couch. She had fallen asleep for the first time in two days. Her dirty blonde hair fell in layer over her face and neck. A thin red blanket covered her thin frame against the couch. The entire house was silent except for her slow even breaths, and the almost silent pounding of her heart.
The silence was broken by a sudden sharp ringing sound, as the telephone came to life. Lucy jumped and rolled off the couch. She jumped to her feet and looked around for the sound that had taken her from her dreams. She spotted the phone and her heart leapt. She raced to it and picked up anxiously.
"Hello," She said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible.
"Lucy, it's Evan. Kevin's partner." Lucy held her breath, the knot in her stomach tightened.
"Did…did…you find…her?" She asked waves of dread and despair were crashing over her as her stomach flip-flopped inside.
"She's at the Beth Israel right now, She's alive!" Evan said excitedly. Lucy screamed, and broke down in joyful tears. "It's okay, she's all right!" Evan said knowing how relieved she was.
"T-thank you!" She sobbed hanging up. She fumbled with the phone as she raced to get her jacket. "Kevin!"
"Lucy, is everything all right?" He asked sharply the moment he heard her voice.
"They f-found her! She's at B-Beth Israel…" Lucy sobbed pulling on her jacket one handedly. "Hurry and get back here!" She hung up and ran outside to stand in front of the car. She looked up and down the block, knowing they couldn't travel five blocks in less then sixty seconds. Finally she saw Kiley, Andrew, and Jacob running down the block. For the first time since Savannah disappeared she saw tears in her sons eyes. Kevin and her mother trailed behind walking fast, Lucy knew Kevin wasn't running only so that Annie wouldn't be alone.
"Mom!" Jacob and Andrew cried as they reached her, they threw themselves into her arms sobbing. She hugged them crying and kissing them on the tops of their heads. Kiley reached her and Lucy pulled her into the hug. She opened the car and ushered them in and they all set off for Beth Israel.
Excitement and panic bubbled within as tore down the blocks. Kevin parked and they ran into the hospital. Lucy searched frantically as though expecting to see her.
"Lucy! Kevin!" everyone spun around. Evan was striding towards them, he was covered in sweat, but looking relieved. "Follow me. She's in the ICU unit. She is extremely dehydrated and starved, and she has a serious infection, so that's were they're treating her for." They stepped out of the elevator into a semi-empty room, completely white from ceiling to floor.
"Now you won't be able to see her just yet. I can't wait with you guys if you like…" Evan said turning to look at them. Lucy looked around at the sad room. Their was a young couple sitting together in a corner, an elderly woman who was crying into a handkerchief beside a younger looking version of herself, and a middle aged man and his daughter.
"Evan, thank you." Kevin walked over and threw his arms around Evan, who hugged him and patter him on the back.
"No problem Kev, I'm just happy she's all right." Kevin pulled away and patted Evan on the back again.
"Thank you…" He said smiling for the first time in six days. "Maybe your mom could take the kids home, I can go get us some coffee—"
"We're not leaving!" Jacob cried.
"You can't make us go home!" Andrew wailed.
"I don't want to go…" Kiley said beginning to cry.
"Alright, then go get comfortable." Kevin said gesturing towards the empty row of chairs along the far wall. Annie walked them over and Lucy walked over and wrapped her arms around Kevin's waist. "Evan, why don't you go home? Be with your family? I'll walk with you to the elevator and I'll get everyone something to drink. You want coffee Luce?" Lucy shook her head and pulled away going to sit beside Kiley. Kevin watched her go and then led Evan towards the elevator.
"Evan—" Kevin began, but Evan held up a hand.
"I know you'd do the same if it was Amanda or Stephanie or Trent," Evan said nodding his head. "I did everything I could to find her…I had to keep my promise…" Evan sighed as they reached the elevator.
"You're right, I would do the same for your kids. I love them like my own—"
"Exactly. Same with Savannah, Jacob, Andrew and Kiley. Kev, we've been partners for ten years. We've watched our kids grow up, taken care of each other's kids. I couldn't let you down." Evan stopped and chuckled to himself. "It was Amanda who helped me find the guy."
"Thank her for me," Kevin laughed. "I love how a twelve year old is smarter then the whole NYPD." With that Kevin and Evan burst out laughing. Kevin hadn't laughed in so long, his ribs ached when at long last they stopped.
"While, I'm sure that's true, she doesn't know she helped me." The elevator doors opened for the third time. "I better go." He said stepping in and holding it open. Kevin nodded and hugged him one more time, waving goodbye.
Kevin returned a half hour later with drinks for everyone. They all sat in silence for hours drinking their sodas, or coffees. Once they were finished the silence remained. No one seemed to have anything to say. Annie left to call Eric, Simon, Matt, Mary, and Ruthie around eight o' clock, when she returned she informed Lucy that her father, and Matt were coming.
At ten o' clock, Matt arrived and was bombarded with hugs and cries of "Uncle Matt! Uncle Matt!" by his niece and nephews, who he greeted excitedly. He then turned to Lucy and pulled her into a hug. Lucy was reminded of when he had talked to her before her wedding, and how he had hugged her just like this, making her feel completely safe.
"I can't believe you came down here," Lucy said smiling as she pulled away.
"Luce, I'd do anything for you and your children!" Matt said placing an arm around her shoulder.
"Speaking kids how are yours?" Lucy asked walking over and sitting down. Matt took a seat next to her after giving his mother a hug.
"Isabel is such a teenage girl. "She's only thirteen but very much like you Luce. Always crying." Matt Laughed as Lucy punched him lightly on the shoulder.
"I didn't cry that much and at least she's not the middle child!" Lucy said indignantly.
"Corey and Henry are, well, boys" Matt laughed looking at his mother.
"Hopefully no worse then you were?" She smiled.
"Oh they are at least as bad as Simon," Matt and Lucy exchanged looks, and began laughing. "Well, they seem to be heading that way, and they're only ten. Jenny is a mini Ruthie. Exactly like Ruthie at her age. Remember Ruthie at five?" Lucy smiled and laughed to herself.
"Oh yes," She laughed. "It's good to see you Matt." She said hugging him again.
"Mr. And Mrs. Kinkerk?" Lucy looked up.
"Yes?" She jumped up and walked over with Kevin.
"I'm Doctor Robinson. Savannah is awake and she is asking for you two." He held open one of the swinging doors labeled DO NOT ENTER. Lucy smiled back at her family and walked briskly down the hall. Doctor Robinson stopped and held open another door, this one leading into Savannah's room. Lucy walked in and ran over to her daughter.
Savannah was starch white and drenched in sweat, and looked completely terrified. She saw her mother and broke down hysterically.
"MOMMY!" She sobbed as Lucy threw her arms around her sobbing.
"Savannah!" Lucy sobbed. Savannah buried her face into Lucy's chest sobbing hysterically. "Shh…you're safe! I've got you!" Lucy cried. Kevin walked over to the other side and kissed her on the cheek.
"Da-da-da-dy!" Savannah sobbed. Kevin hugged her quickly and let her return to Lucy's arms. Kevin wiped the tears out of his eyes quickly. He had never seen his daughter this distraught before. She cried, she's a teenage girl, but never sobbed, and never like this. Kevin couldn't remember ever seeing someone cry like this.
He looked at Lucy and pushed the thought out of his mind for the moment. All that mattered was that Savannah was safe. Savannah was home. She was the only thing that was important. Everything else seemed insignificant, even breathing. Savannah meant everything. And she was safe.
Authors Note: YAY!! I hope everyone is happy that Savannah is alive, of course I'veknown this from the beginning and every time somebody begged me not to kill her I wanted to be like no don'tworry she's going to be fine but that would ruin it so I couldn't. I hope I did a good job writing this chapter surprisingly it took me awhile to write this chapter I've known how I wanted it to go pretty much from the beginning but actually writing it out was hard because it's a chapter that if not written properly can come off as way to over the top or to unbelievable.
I'll try to update soon.
Next Chapter: Day Seven
