Joe pulled his wrist down, trying to slip it out of the handcuff. He pulled harder, the metal scraping his skin as his wrist finally managed to come free. He tugged on his other wrist, trying to hold the cuff as he pulled his wrist out. Free, his arms dropped to the bed and he lay still for a moment; trying to muster enough strength to escape before his captor returned.
Finally, he sat up, gripping the edges of the bed as a wave of dizziness washed over him. He prayed he could make it out of there as he stood up and took a step toward the bedroom door. He fell at once, his legs unable to support him. Not giving up, Joe crawled toward the door. Rising a bit and resting his weight against the door, Joe turned the knob. The door opened, removing the support for Joe's body and he fell to the floor. He picked himself up with the support of an end table by his side and moved forward a couple of feet.
His eyes lit up as he saw a phone sitting on the coffee table. He took another step and fell down again. Drained, he remained where he was. He reached out an arm and snagged the phone's cord, pulling it to him. The phone tumbled to the floor and Joe kept pulling on the cord until it was within his grasp. He dialed his home number, all his thoughts on getting help.
"Hello," the phone was answered on the second ring. Joe's eyes began to tear as he heard the welcome voice of his girlfriend on the other end. "Hello," she said again. Joe opened his mouth to tell her he needed help, but no sound came out. His tears of joy became tears of frustration.
"Look, buddy, if you can't talk why are you calling?" Vanessa demanded hotly, getting ready to hang up. Mrs. Hardy who was sitting beside Vanessa on the bed heard this and snatched the phone from Vanessa's hand before she had dropped it onto it's cradle.
"Joe! Joe, is this you?" Mrs. Hardy cried into the phone, her blue eyes wide with hope. No sound came forth. "Honey, if it is, hit one of the buttons," she instructed.
Joe said a silent "Thank You, God," and pushed one button.
"Run to Fenton's office," Mrs. Hardy ordered Vanessa. "Use his line to have this call traced." Vanessa took off running. "Baby, it's okay. We'll be there in no time," Mrs. Hardy promised her son, tears flowing down her cheeks.
Joe breathed a sigh of relief as he lay on the floor. He had dropped the phone but he could still hear his mother's comforting voice. It was going to be over, he thought. He was going to go home. Tears flowed freely as he concentrated on this thought. But wait! Something was wrong. He heard something that wasn't his mother's voice. Footsteps! 'Oh God, no,' Joe begged as the door opened and his captor stood framed in the doorway, looking down at Joe lying in the floor, the phone beside him.
"Well, now," Avery stated, walking over to stand by Joe. "You are much more resourceful than I gave your credit for," he replied, bending down and scooping Joe up. "I guess it's time to move again."
Mrs. Hardy, hearing the man speak, started screaming into the phone. "Leave him alone, you Bastard! Leave my son alone!" she screamed, her anguish seeping into her voice. "Leave him alone!" she screamed again as Vanessa came running back into the bedroom. She saw Mrs. Hardy falling apart. Saw the receiver drop from her hands to the floor as Mrs. Hardy fell to the floor after it, sobbing uncontrolably.
Mr. Hardy arrived at the address Avery had listed less than ten minutes after dropping Frank off at the police station. Chief Collig was there with one of his officers. Chief Collig looked at Mr. Hardy as he entered the house. "I'm sorry, Fenton," he said, his voice filled with sadness. "This place has been deserted for sometime."
Mr. Hardy had expected this but none-the-less, the chief's words brought a wave of disappointment. "What about the car?" he queried. "Has anyone seen it?"
Chief Collig shook his head and started to speak when his radio went off. He turned away briefly then turned back around, his eyes showing relief that he had one bit of good news for the distraught father. "The car was just found on Vine Street," he informed Mr. Hardy. "You follow us," he instructed, leading the way out of the house, followed closely by Mr. Hardy and the forensics officer, Chad Jerome.
Arriving at Vine Street, Mr. Hardy hurriedly got out of his car and rushed over to the vehicle. He wanted to search the car himself but Officer Jerome was already busy placing hairs in a sandwich bag using a pair of tweezers.
"We know who had him," Mr. Hardy told Collig, chaffing at the wait as he stared fixedly at the car.
"We have to..." Chief Collig began.
"Do it by the book," Mr. Hardy ended resignedly. "I know. It's just..." he broke off, running a hand through his hair.
Chief Collig put a hand on Mr. Hardy's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He wished there was something he could do, but right now, they had nothing to go on.
When Mr. Hardy was finally allowed to search the car, he gave special attention to the back seat, sure this was where Joe had been put. He knew his son well enough to know that had Joe been able, he would have left something to let him know were he was being taken or at least that he was still alive. But there was nothing. He backed out of the car, dejected.
Mr. Hardy climbed back into his own car and headed home. He only hoped Frank was having better luck.
Pulling into the drive at the corner of High and Elm streets, Mr. Hardy killed the motor and sat quietly for a moment. How was he going to tell Laura he hadn't been able to find anything? Taking a deep breath and resigning himself to having to divulge no good news, he got out of the car and walked up the steps to the house.
He opened the front door and was immediately accosted by the heart-wrenching sobbing of his wife. He ran up the stairs and into their bedroom. He found his wife on the floor, her head lying on her arms as she cried and an extremely pale Vanessa sitting beside her.
"What's happened?" Mr. Hardy rasped, his eyes wide with fear.
"Joe called," Vanessa whispered, too confused and upset to speak any louder. "At least, Mrs. Hardy thought it was Joe. She had me use the phone in your office to trace it," Vanessa explained. "When I came back in here, she was screaming and crying like this and she hasn't quit," Vanessa ended.
"Did you get a trace?" Mr. Hardy demanded hoarsely, forgetting about his wife for the moment.
Vanessa nodded and handed Mr. Hardy a slip of paper. "It's in Southport."
"The police?" queried Mr. Hardy.
"The operator said she would alert them," Vanessa answered.
Mr. Hardy grabbed onto Laura's arm and pulled her to her feet and into his arms as Vanessa lifted the phone to her ear briefly before hanging it up. "What happened?" Mr. Hardy asked his wife a few minutes later after her sobs had subsided a little.
Mrs. Hardy told him about Joe calling and how she had him hit a button to indicate it was him. Then she repeated what she had heard Avery say and started crying again.
"Why didn't Joe speak?" Vanessa demanded, her own cheeks stained with tears.
Mr. Hardy told her about the injections. "But this is still good," he insisted.
"How can you say that?" Mrs. Hardy shouted at him, pulling back from him in shock.
"Because this is the first real lead we have gotten," Mr. Hardy explained. "The last two addresses we had for Avery didn't pan out. At least we know he has been here," he added, holding up the slip of paper as a car could be heard pulling into the drive below. He looked over at Vanessa. "You two stay here," he ordered. "I'll run down and let the officer in," he said, sure it was the police he had heard arrive.
Holding Joe in a fireman's carry, Avery lugged Joe out of the apartment and down the steps to a black Chevette. He tossed Joe in the back and started the motor.
As he pulled away from the building, Avery cursed silently becuase he hadn't had time to clear anything out. He had even left the roll of film he had just filled lying on the table near where the phone had been. At least he still had his camera, he thought with a relieved sigh.
He glanced in the back seat at the boy who had once again lost consciousness. Where could he take him for the next rite? He smiled to himself then made a U-turn in the road and headed back in the direction of Bayport.
Finally, he sat up, gripping the edges of the bed as a wave of dizziness washed over him. He prayed he could make it out of there as he stood up and took a step toward the bedroom door. He fell at once, his legs unable to support him. Not giving up, Joe crawled toward the door. Rising a bit and resting his weight against the door, Joe turned the knob. The door opened, removing the support for Joe's body and he fell to the floor. He picked himself up with the support of an end table by his side and moved forward a couple of feet.
His eyes lit up as he saw a phone sitting on the coffee table. He took another step and fell down again. Drained, he remained where he was. He reached out an arm and snagged the phone's cord, pulling it to him. The phone tumbled to the floor and Joe kept pulling on the cord until it was within his grasp. He dialed his home number, all his thoughts on getting help.
"Hello," the phone was answered on the second ring. Joe's eyes began to tear as he heard the welcome voice of his girlfriend on the other end. "Hello," she said again. Joe opened his mouth to tell her he needed help, but no sound came out. His tears of joy became tears of frustration.
"Look, buddy, if you can't talk why are you calling?" Vanessa demanded hotly, getting ready to hang up. Mrs. Hardy who was sitting beside Vanessa on the bed heard this and snatched the phone from Vanessa's hand before she had dropped it onto it's cradle.
"Joe! Joe, is this you?" Mrs. Hardy cried into the phone, her blue eyes wide with hope. No sound came forth. "Honey, if it is, hit one of the buttons," she instructed.
Joe said a silent "Thank You, God," and pushed one button.
"Run to Fenton's office," Mrs. Hardy ordered Vanessa. "Use his line to have this call traced." Vanessa took off running. "Baby, it's okay. We'll be there in no time," Mrs. Hardy promised her son, tears flowing down her cheeks.
Joe breathed a sigh of relief as he lay on the floor. He had dropped the phone but he could still hear his mother's comforting voice. It was going to be over, he thought. He was going to go home. Tears flowed freely as he concentrated on this thought. But wait! Something was wrong. He heard something that wasn't his mother's voice. Footsteps! 'Oh God, no,' Joe begged as the door opened and his captor stood framed in the doorway, looking down at Joe lying in the floor, the phone beside him.
"Well, now," Avery stated, walking over to stand by Joe. "You are much more resourceful than I gave your credit for," he replied, bending down and scooping Joe up. "I guess it's time to move again."
Mrs. Hardy, hearing the man speak, started screaming into the phone. "Leave him alone, you Bastard! Leave my son alone!" she screamed, her anguish seeping into her voice. "Leave him alone!" she screamed again as Vanessa came running back into the bedroom. She saw Mrs. Hardy falling apart. Saw the receiver drop from her hands to the floor as Mrs. Hardy fell to the floor after it, sobbing uncontrolably.
Mr. Hardy arrived at the address Avery had listed less than ten minutes after dropping Frank off at the police station. Chief Collig was there with one of his officers. Chief Collig looked at Mr. Hardy as he entered the house. "I'm sorry, Fenton," he said, his voice filled with sadness. "This place has been deserted for sometime."
Mr. Hardy had expected this but none-the-less, the chief's words brought a wave of disappointment. "What about the car?" he queried. "Has anyone seen it?"
Chief Collig shook his head and started to speak when his radio went off. He turned away briefly then turned back around, his eyes showing relief that he had one bit of good news for the distraught father. "The car was just found on Vine Street," he informed Mr. Hardy. "You follow us," he instructed, leading the way out of the house, followed closely by Mr. Hardy and the forensics officer, Chad Jerome.
Arriving at Vine Street, Mr. Hardy hurriedly got out of his car and rushed over to the vehicle. He wanted to search the car himself but Officer Jerome was already busy placing hairs in a sandwich bag using a pair of tweezers.
"We know who had him," Mr. Hardy told Collig, chaffing at the wait as he stared fixedly at the car.
"We have to..." Chief Collig began.
"Do it by the book," Mr. Hardy ended resignedly. "I know. It's just..." he broke off, running a hand through his hair.
Chief Collig put a hand on Mr. Hardy's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He wished there was something he could do, but right now, they had nothing to go on.
When Mr. Hardy was finally allowed to search the car, he gave special attention to the back seat, sure this was where Joe had been put. He knew his son well enough to know that had Joe been able, he would have left something to let him know were he was being taken or at least that he was still alive. But there was nothing. He backed out of the car, dejected.
Mr. Hardy climbed back into his own car and headed home. He only hoped Frank was having better luck.
Pulling into the drive at the corner of High and Elm streets, Mr. Hardy killed the motor and sat quietly for a moment. How was he going to tell Laura he hadn't been able to find anything? Taking a deep breath and resigning himself to having to divulge no good news, he got out of the car and walked up the steps to the house.
He opened the front door and was immediately accosted by the heart-wrenching sobbing of his wife. He ran up the stairs and into their bedroom. He found his wife on the floor, her head lying on her arms as she cried and an extremely pale Vanessa sitting beside her.
"What's happened?" Mr. Hardy rasped, his eyes wide with fear.
"Joe called," Vanessa whispered, too confused and upset to speak any louder. "At least, Mrs. Hardy thought it was Joe. She had me use the phone in your office to trace it," Vanessa explained. "When I came back in here, she was screaming and crying like this and she hasn't quit," Vanessa ended.
"Did you get a trace?" Mr. Hardy demanded hoarsely, forgetting about his wife for the moment.
Vanessa nodded and handed Mr. Hardy a slip of paper. "It's in Southport."
"The police?" queried Mr. Hardy.
"The operator said she would alert them," Vanessa answered.
Mr. Hardy grabbed onto Laura's arm and pulled her to her feet and into his arms as Vanessa lifted the phone to her ear briefly before hanging it up. "What happened?" Mr. Hardy asked his wife a few minutes later after her sobs had subsided a little.
Mrs. Hardy told him about Joe calling and how she had him hit a button to indicate it was him. Then she repeated what she had heard Avery say and started crying again.
"Why didn't Joe speak?" Vanessa demanded, her own cheeks stained with tears.
Mr. Hardy told her about the injections. "But this is still good," he insisted.
"How can you say that?" Mrs. Hardy shouted at him, pulling back from him in shock.
"Because this is the first real lead we have gotten," Mr. Hardy explained. "The last two addresses we had for Avery didn't pan out. At least we know he has been here," he added, holding up the slip of paper as a car could be heard pulling into the drive below. He looked over at Vanessa. "You two stay here," he ordered. "I'll run down and let the officer in," he said, sure it was the police he had heard arrive.
Holding Joe in a fireman's carry, Avery lugged Joe out of the apartment and down the steps to a black Chevette. He tossed Joe in the back and started the motor.
As he pulled away from the building, Avery cursed silently becuase he hadn't had time to clear anything out. He had even left the roll of film he had just filled lying on the table near where the phone had been. At least he still had his camera, he thought with a relieved sigh.
He glanced in the back seat at the boy who had once again lost consciousness. Where could he take him for the next rite? He smiled to himself then made a U-turn in the road and headed back in the direction of Bayport.
