This chapter is a little bit shorter, but a lot happens. This is also the last chapter of part 1. Enjoy!

Chapter 9

April 10, 2019

Anna turned down the dirt path and heard as her phone slid from its spot on the console and to the floor. She groaned. It was always doing that. She really needed to invest in one of those things that would hold her phone at the vent or in her cup holder. Thankfully, she didn't need her phone for directions.

She completed the turn just in time to see Alex's car blocking the road. Hitting the breaks, she looked back, wondering if she could back up quickly. Alex was standing in front of his SUV with a satisfied look on his face. Anna put the car in reverse, but before she could know what was happening, Alex was already at her side of the car. She saw him lift something up and then heard the smash of the window, closing her eyes to keep glass from getting into them.

"I told you I wouldn't allow you to leave me!" Alex screamed. He bent over, putting her car into park, before dragging her out of the car by her hair and arm. She cried out in pain, trying to do anything to get away from him. But all of her efforts only made him tug at her more harshly. She fell against the ground, as he let go of her for a brief moment. She could feel scratches along her body from the cut glass. Despite the pain, she tried to get up. She knew that she had to get away.

He was faster than her. He kicked her side, making her fall back down to the ground.

"Please," she now pleaded. "Please, let me go."

Alex was down at her side in an instant, grabbing her cheeks with his hands and forcing her to look at him.

"I told you not to leave me, Anna. I gave you every opportunity to return. You didn't listen. If I can't have you, no one can have you!"

"But Zachary…" Anna blubbered.

"It's always Zachary! Never me! Dammit, Anna! Well, now you'll have to realize how I wasn't willing to let you go." He lifted her back up. She felt something along her side, a needle maybe, she wasn't sure. Then everything grew dark and she faded away.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

August 18, 2019

"Let me talk to him," John said to Carson. "I believe Anna might still be alive, but I doubt we have much time to find her. We need to get Jenny on that property now. We can't wait until tomorrow. It might be too late. What did she say about that cave? It was on the neighbors' property? But which one?"

"I'll call her and see what I can find out. I'll give you ten minutes with him. But don't make me regret it, Mr. Bates."

John nodded, before making his way into the interrogation room. Green glanced at him and then just gave that same sly smile.

"Trying out someone new, eh?" He asked. John didn't respond. Instead, he lifted Green out of his chair by the lapels of his shirt and pressed him up against the wall. Green's eyes grew slightly, caught off guard. "I don't think you're supposed to do that, mate." There was a slight tremor in his voice.

"I'm not your mate and I'm not an officer," John growled. "Now, tell me where Anna is. I know you have her somewhere. I know she's alive. Where is she?"

Green chuckled. "I don't know where she is. Why would I?" John shoved him harder against the wall.

"Is it strange being the one on this side of the abuse? Did you get your thrills from torturing her?"

Green eyed him carefully, as though he was trying to think of the best response.

"I know you have her. The detectives know. You will be in prison for the rest of your life, especially if she's found dead. Don't you want to give yourself a chance for parole at some point in the future?" John tried appealing to the man's fears. But Green only laughed.

"I'll never tell you or anyone. She's mine."

"So you're admitting that you do have her?" John questioned, shoving him once more. "Where is she?"

"You'll never find her."

"If you love her so badly, why would you want her to die?"

"If I can't have her, no one can," Green sneered. "No one."

John dropped his hands from Green's lapels, making him fall slightly. Then he turned, his mind racing. They needed to hurry. At this point, Anna had been gone for eight days. Eight days. He didn't know if she had been fed or left to die. They might already be out of time. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"I don't know what…" Green started, as he stood, but John just turned around and punched him straight in the jaw, making Green stumble back.

"Mr. Bates!" Carson yelled, entering the room.

"Did you get his confession?" John just asked, not caring. Carson nodded. "Good. We need to hurry. I doubt we have much time to find her."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Mary watched Zachary toddle his way around the toys. He seemed in a decent spirit since he had woken up from his lap. He had smiled when he saw she was holding him and then crawled down to start playing.

Zachary hadn't asked about Anna again. Mary didn't know if that made her sadder or not. She didn't want him to forget Anna, but at the same time, she didn't want to see him sad because he missed her. She was struggling to know what the right way was to feel about all of this.

It had been a long day. She knew that Alex was arrested now and she had Zachary back. She tried to focus on those two things. But she needed to know about Anna. She wouldn't be able to completely rest until she was found.

Her mind went to some terribly dark places, as she imagined what her friend must have felt and went through during her last moments. She knew her friend's mind would have been on Zachary and how she'd never see him again. The thought alone made a lump form in Mary's throat.

Matthew was making dinner for them. She was so grateful for his support during all of this. He had never complained about Anna and Zachary moving in. He was quick to agree to fight for Zachary and Anna. He kept her from falling completely apart in all of this mess. He was her rock.

Her phone dinged and she looked down to see that she had a text from John.

Alex Green confessed. We don't know where Anna is, but we have some leads. I promise I will let you know as soon as we find her. He will be going to jail, Mary. I know it's not over yet, but I hope that gives you some peace.

Mary's hand flew to her mouth and she closed her eyes. He would be going to jail. He confessed. Tears prickled behind her eyes. Zachary was safe from him.

"May-May?" Zachary asked, walking up to her and placing his hand on her knee. "Play?"

"Yes, darling, May-May will play with you until dinner time."

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

It was dark outside. John couldn't believe how much had happened in one day. Had he really just met Detective Carson earlier that morning? What a difference a competent detective made. He'd been running full steam for close to fifteen hours now, but he wouldn't stop until he had found her.

When he texted Mary, he decided not to tell her there was a chance Anna was alive. If it turned out he was wrong, he wouldn't know how to tell her that. It was best that she didn't know unless they found her in time.

Jenny tried to point out what she could remember, but she said it was a long time ago. They thanked her and sent her on her way. John was sure it was the cave. It was the place that made the most sense.

They took some smaller cars through the woods and into the neighbor's property, hoping to find this mysterious location. Jenny told them it was covered by a lot of branches and leaves, that it was low to the ground. She said she had to bend over to get inside of it.

John hated how dark it was. He tried keeping his eyes opened and to take everything in. The neighbor had been questioned, but said he didn't know about any cave on his property. Yet, he told them to search wherever they wanted, said Anna was a sweet girl.

John's heart was racing. What if they didn't find her in time?

"Wait!" John called out, forcing the driver to stop the car. John jumped out. Yes, he hadn't saw it wrong. There was a bush that had been cut or hit by a car. He glanced down and saw tire marks.

Detective Willis, who had been in the same car as him, stepped out.

"What do you see?"

"Tire marks. I think it might be this way. I'm going to go and look."

"I'll come with you."

They pulled out flashlights to follow the path that the tires had made. They suddenly stopped and John knew that this was where they needed to look. He turned in search for what Jenny had pointed out.

"There." Willis called out. John followed the light. He walked forward and pushed back some branches to find a small opening. Much like Jenny had said, he had to bend over. He pushed the light into the cave.

"Anna!" He tried. "Anna! Are you in here?"

He continued to search and heard Willis's steps behind him. Then his light landed on blonde hair. His heart raced. He quickly stepped forward, to find that the cave was higher back here and he could stand all the way up.

He made his way toward the body on the ground and saw that she was on her side. He carefully touched her cheek.

"Anna? Anna, can you hear me?" Dear god, what if they were too late?

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

She heard her name. Was it Alex again? What did he want to do to her now? Slowly, she was able to open her eyes. But there was a bright light in her face, she groaned.

"Anna?" The voice said again. But it wasn't a mocking voice. It was so very kind. Again, she tried to open her eyes. This time she saw two beautiful, dark eyes staring back at her. Were they going to take her away from this hell?

"She's alive!"

Her body grew weak and she blacked out again.

End of Part One

To be continued...

There will be a little break between now and when the next part is posted. I have been working hard on trying to complete Part 2, but it isn't completed yet (I have six chapters done and am hoping to work on a chapter today.) I promise I am not stopping here to be cruel, but more so that I can assure the next section is also given the attention it deserves. I will update as soon as I have the second section of this story completed. Thank you all for your continued support.