Olivia shifted on the bed, her ragged breaths filling the room. A cold chill had settled in the air…into her bones. Lewis had put out the fire, something about too much smoke when the door was shut. She wasn't really sure. But at least he was gone.
A nagging voice reminded her that he would be back, but she pushed it aside. For now, she would welcome the silence. The darkness. A shiver ran through her, jostling her torn skin. A sound reached her ears, but she wasn't sure what it was. It sounded like a wounded animal, but that couldn't be right. She was alone and that sound surely couldn't have come from her.
Olivia's stomach churned, bringing a wince. People said the nausea got better after the first trimester. She sure hoped that was the case. Not that she planned on staying pregnant. As soon as she escaped, she was getting rid of the baby. She had made that decision years ago. After watching her mother struggle to raise her, Olivia determined that if she was ever assaulted, she would never carry her rapist's baby. That feeling had only intensified when Lewis showed her the positive pregnancy test.
Even as Olivia struggled to calm her nausea, she still couldn't believe Lewis had gotten her pregnant. It seemed like a dream she couldn't wake up from. In the beginning, her only goal was to get away from him. Escape so she could terminate the pregnancy. But she didn't know if that was possible anymore. It had already been four months. What if she couldn't get out in time? What if her team couldn't find her? She would be trapped with Lewis. Stuck with a baby she didn't want.
She wasn't sure which scared her more. The idea of spending five more months with him, or the thought of Lewis delivering the baby. Olivia groaned. She couldn't let either happen. She had to find a way out and soon. Her window to escape was closing. Her sluggish body responded to commands slower each day, and it would only get worse as she the baby grew. It would be harder to move. Harder to fight.
Olivia shook her head. There was no use thinking of escape now, not with all her injuries. She closed her eyes, beckoning sleep to claim her. Only, it wouldn't come. She had been subject to too much violence. Her brain refused to shut down, instead filling her with images of Allison. The horror on her face as Lewis bargained her fate. The accusation in her eyes as he tore off her clothes. Olivia knew deep down there was nothing she could have done, but she kept second guessing herself. Maybe if she had tried harder to distract him. Maybe if she had just –
A dull thud reached her ears, ending her train of thought. Olivia's breath grew shallow at the light pouring into the room. He had just left. Why was he back so soon?
"Miss me, sweetheart?" His sarcastic tone echoed off the walls, mocking her misery. He walked into her line of vision and tossed a sandwich on the chair beside her. "Breakfast time."
Olivia swallowed the groan in her throat and eyed the sandwich. She couldn't tell if the smell of peanut butter made her hungry or queasy, but she wasn't eager to find out.
Lewis untied the rope around her ankle, smirking at her muffled cry. "Feet bothering you, huh?" He moved up to her head and reached for her hand. "That should make your next trip to the bathroom fun."
Her feet ached just thinking about it. She had no desire to stand anytime soon. Her eyes followed Lewis as he loosened the rope around her right wrist, her fingers starting to tingle as the blood flowed back into them.
"Roll over." Lewis leaned over and grabbed the sandwich. "You can't eat lying on your stomach."
She frowned at the sandwich. "I'm not hungry."
Lewis pushed the chair close to the bed and plopped down. "Oh, come on. Peanut butter and banana. You'll love it. My momma used to make it all the time."
She stiffened at his proximity, acutely aware her left arm was still restrained. "Your mom? I thought it was just you and your dad."
He shrugged. "It was."
"Then what happened?" she croaked.
Lewis narrowed his eyes. "That's not important. Open up."
Olivia studied him, surprised at his reaction. "Mommy issues?"
He snorted. "You're one to talk."
"At least I had my mom." She had barely spoken the words when his hand smacked across her face.
"Shut up," he hissed.
Olivia's lips parted at the danger lurking in his eyes. Whatever secret he was holding onto, she wasn't going to find it today. But at least it was something. A weapon she could hold onto for a rainy day.
"Roll over so you can eat the damn sandwich," he barked. "Now."
Olivia jumped at the tone of his voice. She needed Lewis to remain calm; she couldn't take another round of his anger. If he wanted her to eat, she would eat. She brought her free hand up for leverage, and slowly rolled to her side, careful to avoid putting pressure on her back.
"Good girl. Now open up." He moved the sandwich to her lips, his frustration waning as she took a small bite. "There you go."
She chewed slowly, not sure she could swallow it. She didn't mind peanut butter, but it was so difficult to get anything down her throat these days.
"Pretty good, right?" Lewis licked the peanut butter off his finger. "I knew you'd like it."
Olivia grudgingly swallowed and took another bite, deciding not to comment. How ironic it was that Lewis worked harder to keep her alive than she worked herself.
"Picked up a lot of food at the grocery store, things that don't need to be refrigerated. We shouldn't need anything for a while." Lewis moved to feed her another bite.
Olivia pulled her head away and reached for the sandwich. "I can do it."
Lewis tilted his head. "Trying to be independent now, are we?"
Her eyes searched his face, wondering what she could say to have a small part of humanity restored to her world.
He shook his head before she could form the words. "I feed you, or you don't eat. And based off how much you've been throwing up, I suggest you be a good girl and eat." His tone turned mocking. "For the baby."
Olivia dropped her hand, taking on a blank stare as her mouth opened.
"See? It's not so bad, right?" Lewis grinned and held the sandwich up to her lips.
She took the bite he requested and swallowed it down, finishing off the sandwich a few minutes later.
Lewis stood and brushed off his hands. "Want some water?"
Olivia nodded, trying to dislodge the layer of peanut butter stuck to her mouth.
Lewis moved to the corner of the room, fumbling through the pile of supplies he had carried inside. He tossed a blanket on the floor, emptying a few bags before he found it. "Ah, there they are." He grabbed a bottle of water and moved towards her.
Olivia's eyes stayed on the blanket, even as Lewis titled her chin back for a drink. The water swirled into her mouth, and she took a moment to relish the moisture.
Lewis tossed the bottle back in the corner and pushed her back down on her stomach.
She winced as Lewis tied her back down, a slow uneasiness growing in her stomach. She hated being restrained. Not that she had any say in the matter.
"Wait," her raspy voice called out, stopping Lewis as he reached the door. "Can I get the blanket?"
Lewis cast a glance at the fleece blanket on the ground, as if noticing it for the first time.
"It's cold," she reasoned quietly. Her body shivered, goosebumps raised on her skin.
"It is cold," he agreed. But he stood still, not moving a muscle.
Olivia set her jaw in annoyance. "Please," she said flatly.
Lewis smirked. "Be glad to, baby." He grabbed the blanket and shook it open, grinning at her compliance.
Olivia grit her teeth as he laid the blanket on top of her, tucking it around her. The blanket's pressure against her raw skin almost took her breath away, but if it meant being warm, she could deal with it.
Lewis leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Be a good girl."
The door closed with a thud, the metal clanks confirming she was locked in. Olivia buried her head in the mattress, anxious to feel something besides pain. Lewis exhausted her in every way. His words rang in her head, giving her something to contemplate. Maybe she should just be a good girl. It was the only card she hadn't played.
"Would you just stop?" Amanda cast an irritated glance at Nick.
He raised his eyebrows, following her gaze to his tapping fingers. "Sorry," he mumbled. Nick folded his arms and studied the tree line they were passing. "What if they're close by?"
She turned her attention back to the road, pressing harder on the gas pedal. She couldn't blame Nick for feeling anxious, but it made her feel like the car was getting smaller by the minute. "Lewis is smart. He wouldn't stop at a store down the street from where he's holding her."
"I know." Nick's head dropped. "I keep thinking we're missing something, though. Maybe something he bought. The receipts have to tell us something, right?"
Amanda rolled her eyes. "Other than they're hungry?"
Nick frowned. No, it had to be more than that. He took the receipt out of his pocket and glanced through the list again. There had to be a pattern, something they could use to find Olivia.
Amanda took another sip of coffee, glancing at the time with a frown. Each lead was so far apart, they spent more time in the car than actually working the case.
"What if we're going about this all wrong?" Nick glanced through the receipts, looking through the random items Lewis had bought.
"Hm?" Amanda asked, trying to calculate how fast she needed to drive to avoid rush hour.
"Maybe this is a longshot but hear me out." Nick held up his hand. "There was vomit in the car and in the house. Liv must be sick, so it can't be easy to move her. What if Lewis decided to keep her in one place for a while? Lay low? So he didn't have to deal with moving a pregnant hostage?"
Amanda took a moment to process his suggestion. "That does sound like Lewis."
Nick sat up straighter, encouraged they might have some place to start. "The things he bought, it's not his usual supply of torture tools. I mean, the food makes sense. They have to eat. But the blankets and towels? The wood sealant?" Nick paused. "What if he found an abandoned house or cabin? Something that needs a lot of work but is still livable. And that's what he needs all this for."
Amanda's mind began to race through the possible scenarios. "Didn't he pick up some oil lamps? And bottles of water? It might mean there's no electricity."
Nick glanced through the receipts again, trying to decipher the items listed. "None of the food items on this list need to stay cold," he confirmed excitedly. "It's all pantry items."
"Change of plans, we need to go back to the local precinct. They'll know more about the land in this area." Amanda set her jaw and slowed the car down. "Good thing this road doesn't have much traffic."
"You're going to turn around in the middle of the road?" Nick turned to her with an incredulous stare.
"It's no big deal. There's no cars around," Amanda dismissed, pulling off on the shoulder.
Nick pointed to the blue Nissan parked on the opposite side of the street. "Except that one."
"Relax, Nick. There's nobody in it, the driver probably ran out of gas or something. I know how to drive."
Nick shook his head and pulled his attention away from the abandoned vehicle. "I'll call the captain." His body lurched forward as Amanda spun the car around. "Are you sure you know how to drive?"
"Rise and shine, sweetheart."
Olivia blinked open her sleepy eyes, careful not to move. Her head was still fuzzy, but she had learned to take inventory of her body before using any of her muscles.
"Caught some sleep, huh?" Lewis crouched down beside her, running his hand along her arm. "Looks like you needed it."
"Since when do you care?" she mumbled, her eyes half closed.
Lewis chuckled. "After all the stunts you pulled, the fact you're still breathing should say something."
"What about Allison?" Olivia lifted her head, searching his pleased expression with a sense of dread.
He tilted his head, amused at her continued interest. "Still worried about her?"
Olivia let her eyes close. She didn't have the energy to keep up with him.
"Relax. She's fine." Lewis stood to his feet. "Well actually, that might be a stretch," he admitted. "But she's still breathing. At least, she was the last time I checked."
Olivia jumped as his fingers grazed her wrists, her body taught with anxiety.
"Let's get you up. Probably have to use the bathroom, right?" He grabbed the blanket and pulled it off her back, taking a few scabs with it.
Olivia hissed at the sting and held her breath as Lewis untied her wrists. She worked to relax her muscles, wanting to fight him as little as possible. The cuffs circled around her wrists as her arms were pulled behind her back. A few blisters broke open, but she barely registered the shoulder pain.
"You're pretty worn out, aren't you?" Lewis moved to her feet, untying her ankles. "Course, if you did what you were told, life might get a little easier for you."
She bit back a cry of pain as the rope slid across her injured feet. As much as she had to use the bathroom, she had been dreading this for hours. Lewis rolled her onto her back, and there was no blocking the scream that tore from her lips.
"Sh," Lewis whispered, caressing her face. "You're okay." He waited until she regained control of her breathing. "Now, we're going to get you up. And you're gonna be a good girl, aren't you?"
His harsh tone made her heart skip a beat. Olivia licked her dry lips and nodded her head. She could barely move. Fighting would only cause more pain, and she couldn't take anymore.
"Good choice," he noted. "Up we go."
Lewis grabbed her arm and pulled her up. Olivia's mouth gaped open at the pain sweeping through her. The pressure on her feet made her want to throw up, and her weakened legs protested her weight, sending her swaying against Lewis. "I can't," she groaned.
"Oh, yes you can. You are going to walk all the way there and all the way back." Lewis shoved her forward. "Maybe this will teach you not to throw a lamp at my head."
He half pulled, half carried her to the bathroom. By the time he threw her back on the bed, her feet felt like they had been sawed in half, and a trail of smeared blood lined the floor.
Lewis unlocked the cuffs and rolled Olivia onto her back, hushing her noises of protest. "I have to work on the house today. Board up the windows, fix a few leaks." He knotted the rope around her left hand and reached for her other arm.
Olivia listened half-heartedly, arching her back to take the pressure off her cuts.
"Since I'll have my hands full with the house, I need to make sure Allie doesn't go anywhere. She'll be in here," Lewis commented as he finished securing her to the bed.
Her eyes flickered to him, her back temporarily forgotten. "What?"
"Don't get any ideas. If either of you try anything, Allie dies the second I walk back in the door. Got it?"
"Yeah," she replied quietly as her stomach dropped. As much as she feared for Allison's life and wanted to make sure she was okay, she wasn't sure either of them were ready to talk.
Lewis grabbed the blanket off the floor and laid it back on Olivia. "Just remember, one move and – " he paused with a question in his eyes.
"Lights out," Olivia finished meekly.
"Good girl." He ran his hand along her cheek with a smile. "I'll be right back."
He crossed the threshold a minute later, dragging a sullen Allison in behind him. Olivia's eyes rounded at the drastic change in her appearance. Her skin had lost color, and her eyes had grown dark. Half a dozen cuts lined Allison's stomach, and burns covered her breasts and neck.
Lewis pushed Allison into the chair, making quick work of binding her arms and legs. "Remember what we talked about?"
Allison gave a small nod, keeping her desolate eyes on the floor. She didn't even flinch as Lewis pulled the rope around her, tying her stomach to the chair.
"All right then. That should do it." He kissed the top of her head. "Behave, and you may live until tomorrow." Lewis met Olivia's worried eyes with a grin. "You girls have fun."
The door slammed shut, closing their world in darkness. Silence filled the air around them, growing so thick Olivia thought she would explode from the tension. As much as she didn't want to break that silence, they had no way of knowing how long Lewis would be gone. This could be her only chance to help Allison. And based off Lewis' pattern, Allison didn't have much time left.
"Allison?" Olivia whispered.
"Leave me alone."
"Are you okay?" Olivia asked quietly.
"I don't want to talk to you."
Olivia's heart broke at the hurt in her voice. "That's okay. We don't have to talk about – "
"I said," Allison interjected firmly. "Leave me alone." She sniffed and shifted in her chair, trying to settle into a comfortable position. "Just because he put us both in here doesn't mean we have to get all chatty."
Olivia waited a beat, not entirely sure how to respond. The detective training said to empathize but compassion had no place here. Olivia's world had narrowed to the most basics of survival, at times whittling down to one breath at a time. And if Allison wanted to survive, she would have to do the same thing.
"When Lewis first took me," Olivia started softly. "I didn't talk much either. Didn't see much point in it. He got mad at everything I said." The memories flooded back, taking Olivia to a different place. A different person.
"I didn't know what was going to happen. It's terrifying. To be completely helpless. To know he can do whatever he wants, and you can't do a damn thing about it." Her voice faltered. "I was so angry. Angry at him for – for everything he did to me. But mostly, I was mad at myself for letting it happen."
Allison sniffed, trying to stop the tears from pouring out.
Olivia dropped her head against the mattress, thinking back to those first few days. "I kept thinking I should have fought harder. This happened to other people. Not to me." Olivia's voice broke, echoing through the cement room. "I'm sorry, Allison. I'm so sorry for what happened. But at least you're alive. Lewis was going to kill you. He was killing you."
"You should have let him finish," Allison interjected bitterly, her voice thick with emotion.
"No, come on Allison," Olivia said firmly. "Listen to me. We can get through this. Together. I don't think you really want to quit. I think you're a fighter. "
"What if I'm not?" Allison cried. "What if I'm not like you? What if I'm not that strong? Maybe I just want this to be over. You don't know what he did to me. The things he made me do."
Olivia's mind rebelled at the reminder. "I know more than you think." Her voice grew thick. "The way his hand grips your shoulder, shoving you down to your knees. The way his fingers tangle in your hair as he forces himself in your mouth. How the taste lingers for days."
Olivia's voice cracked. "I understand. The way he gets in your head, the way he makes you feel. But the things he makes us do, the things we do to survive – that's on him. Not us."
Allison let out a sob, her fear and sadness bubbling over. "I'm so scared."
"I know you are. And I wish we had time to talk about that, but I don't know when he's coming back. Lewis said you might live till tomorrow. What did he tell you? Before you came in here?" Olivia insisted, her own fears set aside.
Allison hiccupped. "If I was a good girl, he wouldn't use the blowtorch again, but if I was bad, he would shove it inside me and rape me with it till I die."
Olivia shuddered, repulsion coursing through her at Lewis's sadism. "He likes a struggle. If you stop fighting, he gets bored. And if Lewis gets bored, he will kill you."
"But he hurts me when I fight," Allison argued in a small voice.
"Yeah, he will," Olivia acknowledged reluctantly. "I wish there was another way. Believe me, I do. But Lewis gets off on the pain as much as he does the struggle. Fighting to stay alive doesn't always end well, but it's better than the alternative."
Allison mulled it over, sniffing away her tears. "Are you sure about that?"
Amanda bit her lip, her eyes flickering over the road map in front of them. "You guys have a lot of territory."
Detective Stiles combed his fingers through his hair. "We have to narrow it down. This entire county is made up of back roads."
Nick perched on the table, trying not to be dejected at what he was hearing. He glanced around at the busy police station, catching a few familiar faces. Lewis seemed to like up-state New York, so they had spent a fair amount of time with the Jefferson County Police Department. The people were nice enough, but it wasn't home. "Lewis likes it off the main road," he contributed. "We're looking for houses that no one has lived in for at least a few years. Something run down."
Detective Stiles shrugged helplessly and gestured to the map. "This isn't Manhattan. We have dozens of back roads, all with hunting cabins that are rarely used and abandoned homes that have been left to rot. We need something more."
Amanda walked up to the map, studying it intently. "Where was that grocery store at?"
"In Newcomb, over here off Highway 28 North." Detective Stiles pointed to the center of the map.
Nick looked at all the green areas on the map and shook his head. "Maybe you're right. This is stupid. We don't even know if they're still around here."
Detective Stiles turned and gave him a look. "I didn't say you were wrong," he pointed out. "We just need to figure out where to start looking."
"Start with searching homes within a one hour radius of the grocery store. Focus on roads with not much traffic."
Detective Stiles straightened and flashed a tired smile. "Sergeant Taylor. Didn't see you come in."
"Still working on that missing girl." The sergeant yawned, his face crinkling. "Did you get the BOLO out for that car? The 2009 Nissan Altima?"
"The BOLO went out about an hour ago," Detective Stiles confirmed.
Amanda frowned. "A Nissan Altima? Blue? With Connecticut plates?"
"You've seen it?" Detective Stiles turned to her with a skeptical stare.
Nick nodded. "About thirty minutes from here. Amanda almost hit it when she turned around."
"I did not," Amanda protested quickly.
The sergeant's eyes darted between the two of them, his amusement evident. "I'll send my guys over to get the vehicle's location. Good luck with finding your detective." He nodded at the map. "Let me know what you need. We'll do anything we can to help."
"Thank you," Nick shook his hand firmly.
"There's a missing girl?" Amanda asked slowly, her eyes on the sergeant's retreating back.
"Yeah, some college girl driving through town." Detective Stiles picked up a red marker and started sectioning off the map. "She was going to her uncle's place in Vermont, never made it. Her credit card was used at a gas station about an hour from here, so we were hoping she would turn up."
Amanda and Nick exchanged worried glances. "How long has she been missing?" Nick asked with a sinking feeling.
"Not sure. She's nineteen, you never know what kids will do at that age." The detective motioned to the board across the room. "That's everything we have on her."
Amanda swallowed hard and met Nick's concerned gaze. They walked across the room and took in the sparse notes hanging on the board. Amanda's eyes were drawn to the girl's picture, a smiling teenager with blonde curls. And right underneath that photo was a name. Allison Bryant.