1 week missing
Day and night were now irrelevancies. There was no difference between the two; no routine to follow during daylight hours and no hope of sleep when darkness made the small closet smaller still. Sam was well past the time when she tried to plan her escape, past the hope of rescue and past the tears and despair that came with the realisation of the hopelessness of her situation. She felt nothing; not the pain from her cuts, bruises and other injuries, not the hunger that came from days with little nourishment, not the weariness from sleep-deprivation and not an emotion in the world. Emotions didn't help, they only added to the pain.
Meanwhile, Vivian's mind was reeling from the thought that had entered her mind. Why she hadn't thought of it before she didn't know, perhaps because it was simply unthinkable and because its consequences would have such a great effect on the lives of everyone who was so close to her. But, more importantly for the moment at least, she didn't know how to deal with the thought. She certainly couldn't deal with it alone but yet she couldn't share it. If she made what she had thought public knowledge she would either never recover from the social effects if she was incorrect or, if, as she feared, she was correct, then she would be putting Sam's life in even more danger. That was if she still had a life to be put in danger.
Vivian desperately needed someone who she could trust. She had always trusted all her colleagues before but now she couldn't help but view them in a different light – as suspects. It was obvious really, with any normal case the work-place and love life were among the first things to be investigated. It just so happened with Sam that these two were the same thing and that there had seemed no need for her friends to investigate themselves. However, as far as Vivian was concerned, there were no other leads at all and an inside job would certainly go some way to explaining the seemingly perfect crime.
But why? Why would Danny, Martin or Jack want to kidnap Sam – or worse? It simply seemed so out of character for any of them. Sure, they all felt the stresses of the job but the five of them had always been friends as well as colleagues – more so in some cases. Vivian knew about Jack and Sam's relationship, in her mind she couldn't understand how everyone else didn't seem to as they certainly weren't the most subtle of people. And there had always been some chemistry between Martin and Sam. Yet somehow Vivian was under the impression that it was more than that. She was astute enough to catch their glances to each other from across the room and the happiness that these glances seemed to cause. And Danny, well, people had commented about how he and Sam would be suited but she had never seen it and neither had seemed interested in being anything but friends.
Vivian knew that she had to confide her thoughts with at least one of them. On the one hand they were all suspects, but on the other, if one of them was responsible it left two who weren't. Making a snap decision, Vivian decided that if she had to tell someone, it would be Martin. He was almost sick with worry and had been getting paler by the day. Somehow she knew that he was innocent and, anyway, why would he want to kidnap a friend and possibly lover when she was so obviously head-over-heals in love with him too.
And so she walked casually over to his desk, where he was staring at a computer screen sipping a cup of coffee in an attempt to stay awake. 'Martin' she spoke softly but with obvious urgency. 'I think you and I should take a little walk outside.' Martin's eyes lit up with the prospect of a lead, even if it did sound somewhat ominous and swung round on his chair, taking hold of his jacket in the same movement.
Within minutes the two were walking the streets of New York, deep in conversation. At first Martin wouldn't, or perhaps couldn't, believe that Vivian even suspected Jack or Danny of kidnapping Sam. But it didn't take long for him to realise that she did, indeed, have a very good point. They discussed all possible motives and any ideas that came into their heads for about half an hour before they found themselves back outside where they had started. Martin was just about to go inside when Vivian put a hand on his shoulder. 'I just have to ask you one question. Were you and Sam...well...an item?' At first Martin seemed rather taken aback by this question and his cheeks blushed slightly. He fidgeted with the back of his neck and looked down at the paving slabs below him as he replied, 'Yeah. I guess we were.'
Vivian had guessed as much, but as far as she was concerned the more pressing question was had Danny or Jack? Just for an instant the thought came over her that she would ask Sam who had a knack for knowing exactly what other people did or didn't know and could read their emotions like a small child's first book. The irony of the situation, which strangely seemed to be shared by both Martin and Vivian as they made a final eye- contact before entering the building, certainly succeeded in strengthening their already strong resolve that they would find Sam whatever it took and whoever they had to go through to do it.
Day and night were now irrelevancies. There was no difference between the two; no routine to follow during daylight hours and no hope of sleep when darkness made the small closet smaller still. Sam was well past the time when she tried to plan her escape, past the hope of rescue and past the tears and despair that came with the realisation of the hopelessness of her situation. She felt nothing; not the pain from her cuts, bruises and other injuries, not the hunger that came from days with little nourishment, not the weariness from sleep-deprivation and not an emotion in the world. Emotions didn't help, they only added to the pain.
Meanwhile, Vivian's mind was reeling from the thought that had entered her mind. Why she hadn't thought of it before she didn't know, perhaps because it was simply unthinkable and because its consequences would have such a great effect on the lives of everyone who was so close to her. But, more importantly for the moment at least, she didn't know how to deal with the thought. She certainly couldn't deal with it alone but yet she couldn't share it. If she made what she had thought public knowledge she would either never recover from the social effects if she was incorrect or, if, as she feared, she was correct, then she would be putting Sam's life in even more danger. That was if she still had a life to be put in danger.
Vivian desperately needed someone who she could trust. She had always trusted all her colleagues before but now she couldn't help but view them in a different light – as suspects. It was obvious really, with any normal case the work-place and love life were among the first things to be investigated. It just so happened with Sam that these two were the same thing and that there had seemed no need for her friends to investigate themselves. However, as far as Vivian was concerned, there were no other leads at all and an inside job would certainly go some way to explaining the seemingly perfect crime.
But why? Why would Danny, Martin or Jack want to kidnap Sam – or worse? It simply seemed so out of character for any of them. Sure, they all felt the stresses of the job but the five of them had always been friends as well as colleagues – more so in some cases. Vivian knew about Jack and Sam's relationship, in her mind she couldn't understand how everyone else didn't seem to as they certainly weren't the most subtle of people. And there had always been some chemistry between Martin and Sam. Yet somehow Vivian was under the impression that it was more than that. She was astute enough to catch their glances to each other from across the room and the happiness that these glances seemed to cause. And Danny, well, people had commented about how he and Sam would be suited but she had never seen it and neither had seemed interested in being anything but friends.
Vivian knew that she had to confide her thoughts with at least one of them. On the one hand they were all suspects, but on the other, if one of them was responsible it left two who weren't. Making a snap decision, Vivian decided that if she had to tell someone, it would be Martin. He was almost sick with worry and had been getting paler by the day. Somehow she knew that he was innocent and, anyway, why would he want to kidnap a friend and possibly lover when she was so obviously head-over-heals in love with him too.
And so she walked casually over to his desk, where he was staring at a computer screen sipping a cup of coffee in an attempt to stay awake. 'Martin' she spoke softly but with obvious urgency. 'I think you and I should take a little walk outside.' Martin's eyes lit up with the prospect of a lead, even if it did sound somewhat ominous and swung round on his chair, taking hold of his jacket in the same movement.
Within minutes the two were walking the streets of New York, deep in conversation. At first Martin wouldn't, or perhaps couldn't, believe that Vivian even suspected Jack or Danny of kidnapping Sam. But it didn't take long for him to realise that she did, indeed, have a very good point. They discussed all possible motives and any ideas that came into their heads for about half an hour before they found themselves back outside where they had started. Martin was just about to go inside when Vivian put a hand on his shoulder. 'I just have to ask you one question. Were you and Sam...well...an item?' At first Martin seemed rather taken aback by this question and his cheeks blushed slightly. He fidgeted with the back of his neck and looked down at the paving slabs below him as he replied, 'Yeah. I guess we were.'
Vivian had guessed as much, but as far as she was concerned the more pressing question was had Danny or Jack? Just for an instant the thought came over her that she would ask Sam who had a knack for knowing exactly what other people did or didn't know and could read their emotions like a small child's first book. The irony of the situation, which strangely seemed to be shared by both Martin and Vivian as they made a final eye- contact before entering the building, certainly succeeded in strengthening their already strong resolve that they would find Sam whatever it took and whoever they had to go through to do it.