Month Seven:
Liza takes the glass of sparking cider she requested from the waiter. She glances around the ballroom and smiles. Vienna, such an elegant place. She unconsciously straightens her gown over her stomach. Business mingling has never been so beautiful, she thinks looking over the ballroom. But her feet are tiring in heels and her back is feeling stiff. After dinner and three hours of networking, it is time to leave. She hands her ticket to the girl and waits for her coat. "Liza Colby." She recognizes the voice and turns.
"David Hayward? What the hell are you doing here?"
"How civil and it is Dr. David Hayward."
"Not God?" She mocks. The girl hands her the coat. "Thank you." She turns back to David. "Thankfully David, I am leaving. I will leave you to find you next victim." She emphasizes the word victim and brushes past him. "Oh I need a bubble bath." She whispers waiting for her car. After tipping the valet, she drives to her hotel and kicks off her shoes. A knock on the door causes her to groan in frustration. When she turns the knob, the person on the other side pushes it open, knocking her to the floor. "David!" She scrambles to get up. He grabs her arm pulling her up and holds a cloth over her mouth. She struggles but soon loses consciousness.
Liza wakes suddenly when she is roughly dropped on a concrete floor. She hears footsteps and a door closing. Slowly, she opens her eyes beginning to feel the pain in her knee and elbow where she landed. Her head throbs as she sits up. Looking around the cell, which is her only description. It has a metal, rusting door with concrete walls with water damage and some mold. She hears someone behind her and jumps up at the sniffling sound. There is a person covered in ratty blankets on a rusted cot. "Hello." The blankets move. "Um, do you speak English?" She tries to get a reaction. She asks in German, Russian, Italian, and French but no reaction. She stands up and stretches. Fear overcomes her when she realizes that no on is expecting to hear from her. Adam will show up to the penthouse in two weeks. The baby! Oh God, the baby.
"Liza?" The voice behind her asks. That is a familiar voice, she thinks. She is stunned silent seeing the woman sitting up in the cot.
"D…Di…Dixie?" She takes a step closer. "You are dead! Twice, you're dead. The Satin Slayer killed you, accidentally. You haunted Adam. You…you're alive!" Liza sits down on the cot at her feet.
"Liza? What are you doing here?" Liza sputters.
"That's my line. I'm not the one who is dead." Dixie looks thinner than usual almost gaunt. The dark circles under her eyes and pale complexion don't help. "David saw me at a party, followed me, and here I am. You?" Dixie takes a raspy deep breath.
"He wanted Babe. Using one of his designer drugs to take her away from my son. But I messed up his plan so he took me." Tears fill her eyes and Liza's heart softens. "I don't know how long I've been here."
"Years."
"I wanted to find my daughter. I had a second chance with my son and grandson. I've tried to escape but he began using me as a test subject. I…" Déjà vu, Liza thinks remembering Jonathon Kinder. As Dixie begins to let go of all the emotions that have been bottled up due to loneliness, Liza pulls her into an embrace. I can't believe I'm consoling Dixie. What Pine Valley news did Stuart fill me in on?
"Kate is with Tad." Dixie moves back to look her in the face. "Adam uncovered the adoption papers. He told Tad, a year or two ago." Dixie wipes away her tears.
"Tad has Kate. She is with him."
"Yes. He and his wife are raising her with their daughter, Jenny." Oops, was that harsh?
"Are they happy?"
"I assume so. It was told to me. I don't live there." Liza stands up and paces a little. "We have to get out of here. You said that you've tried to escape. How? Do you remember the layout or the at least how are you were brought in?"
"No. Liza, it is hopeless. He has one or two goons that guard this place. Hopeless." Dixie looks down at her hands.
"No! It is not hopeless. I have a life. I have a daughter I want to make amends with. You have a daughter you have to meet. I am getting out of here and I'm taking you with me. So, get use to the idea and use your brain." Dixie looks up at her dumbfounded as Liza starts to pace again. After a few minutes pass, Dixie speaks up.
"You're pregnant?" Liza stops turning to face her.
"Yes." Liza notices that she is chained to the cot. She sits next to Dixie and takes her hand to look at the handcuffs connected to the chain. Dixie watches her confused at Liza's behavior. "Dixie, are we being monitored?" She whispers.
"Not that I know. The times I tried to escape they were surprised."
"Good. Let me work on these handcuffs and try to find a plan for escape." They sit quietly for a while as Liza looks over the restraints. She looks down at her gown. She unpins the diamond broach holding the bow steady at her waist. She has to bend the pin a little then begins to work on the lock.
"How far along are you?" Dixie asks unsure of the situation.
"Almost five months."
"Married?" Liza takes a deep breath. She successfully holds back tears.
"No. My husband was killed. Car accident." She doesn't meet Dixie's eye and continues to pick the lock.
"I'm sorry. He left you with…"
"It is not his. That would have been nice. He died over a year ago. My…boyfriend, I guess, is the father. "
"Is he here in town?" She feels hopeful that there is some help out there.
"No, he is in the States." Dixie exhales hearing the handcuffs click open. Liza holds her hand still. "Don't move, let them believe you are still restrained."
"Ok." Liza leaves the pin in Dixie's hand. "Liza, there is a door to the left that leads to a stairwell. I think we are in a basement or something. Because the windows in the hallway are up near the ceiling."
"Ok." She paces a little before starting to stretch her toes. Dixie watches, a little amused, as Liza braces herself against the wall and bounces up and down to stretch her calves.
"Tired?"
"A little, but I was in heels all night and the cold floor is making my muscles hurt. So, unless you want to dance, I will stretch."
"Dance?" Liza smiles.
"Yes, dance. Dancing gets the legs warm. My husband was a professional dancer. Ballet mostly. His habits have rubbed off. He got me in great shape."
"How long were you together?"
"We were married for eight years. I met him not long after I left college. I did a stint at a small town station, then over fifteen years later we got married." She stops not wanting to go farther and Dixie decides not to push. This is a side of Liza she's never seen before. "I've got an idea." She sits next to Dixie again.
"What?"
"Does the guard bring you food? Or David?"
"The guard. Why?"
"Is he armed?"
"Yes, but he never aims the gun at me." Liza ponders a bit.
"When the guard comes in does he hand you the tray?"
"He puts it down on the table." She points to the head of the cot.
"Ok. When he comes in, grab his wrist and I'll grab his gun." Dixie looks unconvinced. "Trust me." Liza knows not to plan any farther than that, you have to be flexible. They need to pull off the disarming first.
A few hours go by before they hear the door unlock. The guard steps in carefully, carrying the tray of food. "Back." He orders Liza, who had stood up.
"Like I'm a dog who follows commands. I'm a hungry pregnant woman. Bring the food." She steps back. The guard hands her the tray. She puts it down quietly at the foot of the cot. Dixie catches her eye and she nods. He puts Dixie's tray on the table. Before he can take his hands away, she grabs his wrist. He is startled. Liza grabs the gun and at the same time pushes him off balance. She switches off the safety and points it at him as he gets up. Dixie unsteadily gets out of the bed on the other side. She stands behind her. "Handcuffs." Liza emphasizes by motioning with the gun. "And if you don't think I know how to use this, you are mistaken." He reaches down and handcuffs himself to the bed. "Is David here?" She cocks the gun when he doesn't answer.
"No. He won't return until later this morning."
"The other guard?"
"Around."
"Dixie, take some of that food." Dixie starts around the bed. The guard tries to grab her and with his attention elsewhere, Liza knocks him out. "Ok, let's go." She says after covering the guard with a blanket. Dixie follows her to the door. They slip out the door and down the hall in the dark. "Stay here." She commands Dixie to stay at the bottom of the stairs. "And stay in the shadows." Liza sneaks up the stairs. The door at the top is locked so she goes up one more flight. The door opens and she peeks in. When she turns to go back for Dixie, the second guard is there pointing his gun at her.
"Back downstairs." He orders but before he can grab her, he yelps in pain. Liza sees a small hand at the side of his neck. Then blood spills out. He drops his gun and Dixie moves out of the way as he falls down the stairs. Liza grabs Dixie's arm and pulls her through the door. After a few hallways, she finds a door to an alley. They stop.
"What happened?" She asks.
"After you checked that door, I saw him come through and follow you. I used the only thing I had." She opens her hands, holding Liza's, now bloody, broach. " I killed him."
"We don't know that. We need to get out of here though." Carefully, they pick their way down the alley barefoot. Once on a main street, Liza tries to figure out where they are.
"What about your hotel?" Dixie suggests. Liza ignores her.
"My office." She points to the east. "I would prefer not to walk around in a gown barefoot with…" She turns to Dixie. "I need a phone." Dixie follows her reveling in the fresh air. Liza realizes that she is carrying two guns. She clicks the safety on both guns and hands one to Dixie. "Keep it hidden." The sun is coming up when they reach Liza's office building. The security guard jumps at the sight of her and runs to unlock the door.
"Mrs. Riley, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were coming back today." He opens the door then locks it behind them.
"I wasn't expecting to. I need a car to the airport and call the police to meet me here. Also we need some food." He nods.
"Yes ma'am." Liza leads Dixie to the elevator and they go to her office.
"Have a seat, relax." She picks up her phone and dials. Dixie looks at herself in the mirror and realizes how bad she looks. Liza sees her looking herself over. She hangs up the phone. "There is a shower and toiletries in my private bathroom." Liza points to the door on the right of her desk. "Go ahead."
"I have nothing to wear."
"There is a comfortable robe in there and I will have some clothes brought up for you." She starts to protest. "You really want to meet you daughter looking human." Dixie is too weak to argue. Liza picks up the phone again. "Lydia, Liza. Yes, I need something casual for a friend. Size 4, I believe. Yes, I think that will be nice. And that pant suit I ordered last month. Yes, I don't think my waist has expanded more than we estimated. My office, as soon as possible. Thanks." Her phone rings. It is security sending up the police, she lets him know she is expecting clothes.
"Thank you, Mrs. Riley and Ms. Cooney. We will contact you when he's found and will contact the US Embassy."
"I need to get back to the States, is that alright?" Liza asks them.
"Yes, we have your numbers and Ms. Cooney's." Liza walks them to the elevator, which Lydia is in and hands Liza the clothes. Dixie thankfully takes the clothes. They take turns changing.
"Liza, thank you." Liza waves it off. She picks up the phone to dial one more number.
"Hello."
"Stuart! Great, this is Liza. Listen, can you get the Chandler jet to meet me in New York?"
"Are you coming home?" He sounds excited.
"No. I have a gift for the Chandlers and Martins. Please?"
"It is a good gift, right?" Liza looks to Dixie.
"It is the best gift." Liza's voice trails off as the door opens. David steps inside. "Please, I'll call soon." Liza hangs up as Dixie backs away from the door.