Chapter 18

"A Helping Hand"

The sound of water boiling in the coffee machine was almost a mercy to Alicia. How could it not be, at an hour she could only describe as the Lord's forgotten time? Anybody in their right mind had to be safely wrapped up in bed, especially with that storm going on outside like nobody's business.

The only reason Alicia was there herself was because a younger co-worker had asked her to swap shifts. The company, what with its ferry being such a new service, had insisted that somebody stay on the desk even overnight to promote themselves as the "most reliable and accessible ferry company in the Tri-State area!". But her co-worker, Sally, had a baby to care for and she couldn't be the one to stay all that time!

Sally didn't have anybody else to care for the little one either, and Alicia had felt it a moral duty to take the shift. She knew what it was like to be a mother. She just wished her own little girl, who'd started to grow up but had never had a chance to be a mama herself, had had the same opportunity...

It'd been a year already, and yet it still hurt as if she'd only lost her that morning...

Her sadness, combined with the fact that nobody was gonna turn up at this hour in this weather, made her feel like this whole shift wasn't worth it. The only saving grace apart from her freshly made coffee was the fact that the next ferry to go was the last of the day. She could go home and go to bed afterwards, and not have to think about her dead child for a little while.

Or so she thought until the peace of the empty terminal was interrupted by the sound of the main door being pushed open. Alicia almost couldn't believe her eyes at first. The person who rushed in as the doors opened couldn't look more like a ghost if she'd tried! She was skinny as hell, pale to the point of almost being blue, and the coat and shoes she was wearing were...well, they didn't fit right to be hers!

Was she wearing her pj's underneath them?! She had to be soaked to the skin already from all the snow out there! The girl was gonna catch her death!

And the closer she got, the more Alicia realised she was shaking. Not from cold, though...no, Alicia had seen that look before.

The girl was terrified.

In an instant, Alicia knew that something wasn't right. She could easily tell, given how the girl looked in general and because of the clear desperation that came from running out into the middle of a snowstorm. She very nearly stumbled all the way to the counter, only occasionally looking over her shoulder, like she was being followed.

And she was.

Not that Alicia knew this, of course, even if she'd perceived it. She had no idea the danger C.C. was in or that the producer's time was running short. Walking all the way to Port Imperial had been challenging, to say the least — by the end she'd barely had any strength to move and her body was going numb due to the intense cold. It had been inevitable for her to slow her pace, but the moment she'd seen a car — and a very familiar car, at that — speeding in the direction of the port, it was almost as if C.C.'s body had been given a much-needed adrenaline shot.

It had been Thomas' car. That meant he was in it, and that he was after her.

He'd woken up. She'd wanted to kick and "correct" herself for whatever mistake she'd made that'd gotten him out of his dead sleep the second she'd spotted him! Had she just been stupid to think he wouldn't find out and follow her?! He'd always been out like a light before, but maybe it didn't actually happen every time? Maybe she'd just thought it and had actually been an idiot to think that any of this would work…?!

She'd nearly slapped herself in the face for that. There hadn't been any time to freeze up and think about stupid shit – she'd needed to get out of sight before he snatched her right off the street again and her plan really did end up down the toilet!

So she'd bolted, flat-out sprinting the last little distance that had separated her from the front doors, running like she'd never run from anything before. Running like a deer ran away from a hunter. Like a mouse ran away from a cat. She'd originally planned to stop and ask one of the staff to call for help – to get the police, or something – but her plans had changed in an instant. There was no time! If she stopped and wasted precious seconds, she'd be as good as dead! Thomas would get her and that would be it. Finished. No more. She'd never see the light of day again and…and…

It made her want to start weeping even thinking about it. She couldn't do it – she wouldn't go back to that nightmare! Even if her chest was screaming with the effort of running and her legs and arms had just been seizing up outside with the cold, she wouldn't stop. She'd get on that ferry and get the fuck out of there before Thomas came in and saw where she went. She'd disappear and leave this whole personal Hell behind!

"I...I need a ticket to New York!" she practically screamed at the cashier, who was looking at her with no small amount of concern. "Please...please I need a ticket!"

She couldn't help her voice cracking as she spoke, or tears springing from her tired eyes. Alicia's heart broke at the sound of her desperation, and in between running up the numbers on her cash register, she tried just as desperately to shush the young woman's crying.

She ended up leaning over the counter and grabbing her hand, murmuring comforting words to her.

"Hey, hey – it's gonna be okay, baby girl. Whatever it is, Imma getcha out," she quickly ducked her head down to look at the price. "Your ticket will be nine dollars, okay?"

Gulping in air as she tried to calm herself, C.C. nodded and reached into a pocket, her hand closing around her stolen fifty do–

Huh?!

Feeling her breathing starting to speed up again, she checked the other pocket. Empty. She tried to look for holes that could've slipped something into the lining, but there were nothing. All the possible pockets all over the coat were empty!

Now her heart was back to nearly beating out of her weak chest, and the tears were overflowing in loud, hyperventilated sobs before she could stop herself.

She'd lost the money. Probably back when she'd jumped from the roof...

She'd lost her only chance at coming home!

"What's the matter?" the cashier asked, looking concerned at her panic. "Can't you find your money?"

Not that C.C. was really listening. She was panicking too much for that.

Oh, God... this was it. If she couldn't get a ticket, Thomas would find her in the terminal! He'd drag her back and he'd...he'd...

She had to get on that ferry! It didn't matter what that took, she had to do it!

She leaned over the counter, one palm flat on the surface, her other gently resting there, curled over and throbbing with the pain in her wrist, voice breaking with sobs.

"Please – you have to get me on that ferry! Someone's coming–" she checked back over her shoulder at that. Was it just the wind making the doors rattle a little, or was someone coming in? "He's gonna...he'll hurt me if he finds me here!"

She had to get on that boat – there had to be something she could do to get that ticket! She couldn't come this far for it all to be taken away again!

She had to have something on her worth enough...

That was it. She'd taken off that awful "wedding" ring Thomas had given her as soon as she'd begun her walk to the terminal, but she hadn't done the same with the engagement ring! That absolutely had to be worth enough!

She grabbed at her own hand, wrenching the damned thing off and ignoring the searing pain that went up her arm as she did, thrusting the hideous ring towards the cashier.

"Here – take it! Please! It'll pay for a thousand tickets there and back, it's worth more than–"

Alicia had to interrupt.

"Hey, hey! Just calm it down there, baby girl," she said, calmly taking the ring (which Alicia believed to be an imitation, rather than a real diamond) before her new friend in need of protection got any more upset. "I'll take the ring, if it means so much to ya. And don't you worry about the ticket – I'll pay."

She wasn't going to abandon this one to whatever was coming. The girl was in too great a need to be left to her own devices – especially if she said this man was already on his way. The girl had no way of defending herself – her wrist was clearly broken, and that was sending up a whole bunch of alarm bells in Alicia's head.

Had this guy done that to her? What would he do if he caught up to her?

Alicia didn't want to know, and she sure as heck didn't want this girl to get caught, either. So, after rummaging in her pocket for the nine dollars the girl would have needed to pay for the ticket and placing them in the till, she printed off the ticket and handed it to her gently, closing her other hand over the one hand on the girl that wouldn't be hurting.

"Here; take it, and may God get you where you wanna go safely," she murmured, squeezing her hands tightly. "And if anybody comes lookin', you were never here."

The girl burst into fresh tears at that, but this time her eyes had taken on a new shine as well. It was almost like this was the most kindness she'd received in a long time. From how skinny she was and judging by what she'd said, Alicia could believe it, too.

"Thank you – thank you so much!" the girl cried.

Alicia waved a hand, both dismissing the thanks and ushering her along, "No need for that, honey – just get yourself on board!"

Again, the skinny thing nodded, still weeping but trying to stop, and hurried off in the direction of the ferry, her damaged arm and the ticket pulled tight against her chest. She was clutching her ticket like it had winning lottery numbers on it, and as Alicia went back to watching the doors, she couldn't help but feel that to that girl, what she'd done might as well have given her the riches of a lifetime.

It was, of course, a bittersweet moment. Part of Alicia wished someone could have given her child the same kindness she'd just given this girl. That someone had come to her aid when her bastard of a husband was beating her to death...

But it simply hadn't been. Her baby was six feet under, even if it killed Alicia to say so, but she'd just saved another poor darling from ending up like her Mariah.

"This is for you, baby girl," Alicia whispered to herself, part of her hoping her child could hear her, wherever she was. "It will always be for you..."

When Mariah had been murdered, Alicia had promised herself she'd dedicate her life to fight against domestic violence. As such, she volunteered in women's shelters on the weekends and always tried to be kind to them. She always tried to listen to them, too, because most of them lacked just that – someone who was willing to listen to them and to their pain. The poor things had too many things on their shoulders.

Maybe she'd see about tracking this girl down. She probably had nowhere to go, as was often the case of most of these runaway women. She could invite her to her home, if she needed to stay somewhere until she could get back on her feet.

She'd be more than happy to help her, if she needed her to—

The doors to the terminal burst open for the second time that night, nearly slamming against the walls behind. They jolted Alicia sharply out of her thoughts and her eyes snapped up to see them letting a tall man covered in snow, both his fists clenched tight and clearly angry beyond all sense, march in.

He looked like the kind of man that would make a woman jump out of her skin, even without slamming doors announcing his arrival when he went into places! And of course, he homed right in on the check-in desk the minute he'd scanned the place once, storming over with a force that made the blizzard outside look like a light rain shower.

He got more imposing the closer he got, until Alicia felt something about him want to make her turn around and get the hell out of there in the other direction.

This had to be him. This had to be the guy that girl was running from! What were the chances that another person would be out there, this time of the night? And even if it was late, what were the odds that another random stranger just wanting to take the ferry would give off such creepy and angry vibes?

But she couldn't let on that she knew who he was. It'd give the whole game away and put the girl back in danger again...

The guy all but slammed his fists down on the desk as soon as he was close enough. He leaned in far too close for Alicia's liking, but she held firm and kept herself exactly where she was.

"Can I help you, sir?"

Calling him "sir" felt wrong. People who beat up and terrified women didn't deserve respect like that. But she had to keep all of that inwards...

"I'm looking for my wife," he told her, not even bothering to introduce himself. "She's about five nine, blonde, thin...I have to get her back home – she's...mentally unwell and not supposed to be out by herself. You see, she sometimes gets confused and wanders off by herself. Has she come through here?"

If any doubt had been in Alicia's mind at all, the man's statement would've confirmed that not telling him was exactly the right thing to do.

"Mentally unwell and not supposed to be out by herself"... her former son-in-law had said stuff like that about her Mariah just before he stopped letting her see anybody. It practically screamed that he had no respect for the girl, and the thought of what could happen if Alicia let slip even the slightest thing set alarm bells off in her head.

Alicia knew the only way of turning them off.

So, she gave her best look of surprise and concern.

"Oh, I remember now! I had no idea that girl might've had a husband!"

She swore she saw a flash of ice in his eyes after she said that.

"Well, she does. And she's much better off back home. So, where is she?"

Alicia screwed up her face a little, pretending to think, "She left about an hour ago, I think. She didn't have any money, the poor thing, so I couldn't let her through. I think she must've lost the cash she had, 'cause she looked for it but couldn't find anythin'. I felt a little sorry, she looked so upset."

The man looked like he could've either hit the desk, or even Alicia herself. But she would've thought it worth it, if it meant that that girl got away. And she was planning on saying a little more, just to rub it in the guy's face and make him squirm.

Just before the guy could turn away, to do whatever shady individuals such as himself did, she spoke up again as though she were just remembering something.

"Y'know, come to think of it, she did ask where the nearest hospital was. She looked like she had something wrong with her wrist, so I'd say she needed it," she told him, still faking it but now adding in a knowing smile. "She left when I told her. She probably knew that was exactly where she had to go. I'm sure if you head along there now, you'll find exactly what you're lookin' for."

The void she left in the conversation swallowed Thomas whole.

Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. Shit. It was over, wasn't it? The game was up –Claire either had gotten or was on her way to a hospital. A hospital meant identification. Identification meant finding out that Claire was registered missing. Finding out she was registered as missing meant getting the police involved!

Christ. He had to go, and he had to go now. The assholes would be beating down his door at any moment and he needed to get the hell out of there before they were even walking up his fucking path!

He'd never thought it would come to this, but it was time to resort to his contingency plan. A few months before he'd first taken Claire, he'd made a brief weekend trip to the small town of City of Lake, Texas. Normally, he'd have never stepped a foot inside a dingy, long-since-forgotten, travesty of a town, but necessity called for him to have some sort of back-up plan, should things go wrong.

He'd bought himself an old (if reasonably sized) house using a fake identity, and he'd spent the following weeks refurbishing it in case he needed somewhere to hide for a while.

Somehow, he'd turned an otherwise wishy-washy dump into a habitable two-story home. It only had two bedrooms, and a small open area that combined the living room, the kitchen and the dining room together. It would be, if he compared it to his beautiful home, a dreadful downsizing. Marble would soon be changed for ceramic tiling, Macassar ebony for insipid linoleum, and wide-open spaces for crammed rooms with unglamorous plywood walls.

It would be Hell on Earth, and it was all thanks to that stupid bitch! If she'd stayed in her place, none of this would have ever happened! He'd still be the king of his own castle, and she'd still be his bitch, whose only purpose was serving him and looking pretty.

Thomas wanted to belt that cunt so hard right then...

But he couldn't. He couldn't even go scouring all the nearby hospitals to find her – given the way his luck seemed to have unjustly turned, the police would probably be at every single one of them, and maybe even patrolling the areas in between.

He was going to have to practically scurry home, checking every corner and light behind him in the mirror, practically praying that anybody going the other way wasn't an undercover cop...

He'd have to be like a rat, making his escape from one bolthole to another, and trying desperately to avoid all of the traps set up for him along the way.

Without saying another word to the cashier bitch, he turned around and marched out of the terminal. He had to get moving, before anybody decided to try and come looking for him around anywhere else that was open at that time of night. And all the while, he made a mental checklist of the things he had to pack. Clothes, obviously, plus all the money he'd saved up that his little escaped slut hadn't gone and lost...

He needed his gun, too. And his fake ID. He'd gotten that shortly after Lane had started sniffing around – he'd even gotten one for Claire, in case they both had to go in a hurry. Seeing as it was a new town, he'd have been able to afford the luxury of taking her outside, had they gone there. She'd only be one step above wearing a collar and a leash to keep her there, but that was what he would have done.

Now he was just going to have to go there alone.

But it wouldn't be forever.

No, sir.

That bitch might've thought she was safe now — that she'd gotten rid of him at long last. But she was wrong. He was nothing if a patient man. A man who would lie in wait until it was the perfect time to strike and take back what was rightfully his.

And when he'd done so, she'd regret the day she'd ever decided to leave his side.