Perry paused briefly to decide whether to check the back hallway or the main hallway. He did not remember the door to Della's office being opened quite so wide. He hastily hurried through Della's office and out into the main corridor. It was empty, since all of the normal people had gone home hours ago.
Perry headed for the stairs, not hearing the elevator. He was getting more and more worried. A strange feeling was rising in his chest, and that scared him as well. He had heard of people having a gut instinct that something really bad was going to happen... Just as suddenly as they went out, the lights came back on. It startled Perry and he had to blink, getting used to the bright lights again. He continued to call Della's name, but only silence reached his ears.
~~~~P+D~~~~
The lights had suddenly gone out.
"Stay still, Della, I'll find a flashlight," Perry said.
Della had taken the opportunity to do a rather un-lady-like stretch. Suddenly, a rough hand clamped over her mouth. She tried to scream and wrench away from the strong arms, but her capturer was too strong. She was helpless as her kidnapper pulled out into the back hallway and down the stairs. She could hear Perry calling her, and she could tell by his tone he knew something was wrong.
The next thing Della knew, she was waking up in a strange windowless building. Her head throbbed. She was helplessly tied to a chair, but not gagged.
She listened quietly. there were no sounds of people or vehicles. She looked around her surroundings, looking for her kidnapper. She was in a small, shack like building. The roof had holes in it, and the door had cracks large enough to see through. Della could see water through these cracks and guessed she was somewhere by a lake or the ocean.
Della, deciding her kidnapper was nowhere in sight, called loudly, "Help! Help me!"
"Shut up!" a tall man burst through the door.
This startled Della and she screamed again. The man pulled out a gun.
"I said shut up!"
He smacked her hard across the face. Della noticed drops of blood dripping onto her skirt from her nose.
"Who are you?" she asked, her head still spinning.
"You know who I am!" and the man swore.
"I've never seen you before!" Della struggled against her knots.
"Yes you have!" the man shouted again, making Della shutter at the noise.
"I haven't," she insisted.
"Yeah, yeah you have! We were married! The you ran off and left me!" He struck her even harder across the face than he had before.
~~~~P+D~~~~
Perry hurried down to the front doors of the building. A small knot of people had gathered.
"George," he nodded the night watchman off to the side, "Did Della come through here?"
"Sorry, Perry, but I had to go flip the breaker. She could have come through while I was ?" George asked.
"Thank you, George. If you see her, let me know!" Perry called over her shoulder.
Perry got on the phone and called Paul.
"Paul?" Perry said as soon as the telephone stopped ringing.
"Perry," Paul sighed, "I have a life outside of being a detective, you know. Can't this wait til tomorrow?" Perry could hear glass clinking in the background.
"Della's gone."
"Oh?" Paul sounded more alert.
"The power went out and she vanished. Paul, something is really wrong."
"She isn't just pulling a prank?"
"After what she's been through? Not a chance. I need you to help me find her."
"I'm on it. I'll be by your office soon. Call the police!"
~~~~P+D~~~~
Della's kidnapper got very nervous when he saw car lights going by outside. Della screamed again, trying to get their attention, but he grabbed his hand over her mouth. He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and gagged her with it. He went to look through the cracks in the door, then went out into the night, leaving Della alone once again.
~~~~P+D~~~~
Paul, Perry, and the police worked together to try and find Della, mostly because Paul and Perry would not hear otherwise. Lt. Tragg even got involved, since he was not currently working on any homicides. They searched through stores, restaurants, and businesses that were still open in the area around the office building. They searched the Brent building completely (*for those who do not know, that is the building where Perry's office is located, I did not make the name up*). Della was nowhere to be found. All they could do now was wait until she was found.
~~~~P+D~~~~
Della had nothing to do herself but sit and try to untie her ropes. She had no idea where her kidnapper had gone, or when he would be back. She was still startled when the man burst through the door. He held his gun pointed at Della, his eyes like a mad man. Della tried to take deep breaths and remain calm, but it was not easy.
"You left me!" he panted, picking up in the middle of the conversation.
Della stared at him, not speaking because of her gag. He yanked the gag off, and she was not sure why.
"You left me!" he said again.
"I-I've never seen you before!" Della insisted, struggling.
"You ran away!" he began to circle her, "I've been looking at you for two years! Two very long years! And when I do find you, you are with another man!" he held the gun to her face.
"I wasn't with another man!" her voice broke.
"I saw you!" he shrieked, "And now you'll pay for it!"
~~~~P+D~~~~
The telephone rang. Paul dove across the desk and got to the phone before Perry could. Perry stood there fidgeting while Paul spoke.
"Hello? Yes? She did? Is she sure? Where? Got it, thanks!" Paul had a quick discussion, "Someone says that they saw someone fitting Della's description with a man down by the docks. The woman who called it in thinks Della fainted, because the man was carrying her," Paul hung up the phone and quickly told Perry.
"That's not good."
"Come on, let's go rescue her!"
One more chapter to go! Please leave a review and tell me what you think is going to happen!