As I am not very familiar with the Washington, D.C. area, some of the locations in this chapter are or may be fictional. Please don't attempt to visit them! LOL
I lay on the floor for what seemed like forever. My body felt drained of energy and my lungs still felt full of water. Finally, Dubaku came back into the room and I was trying to prepare myself for more torture. Instead, he jerked me up and sat me on the bed, then held a picture up in front of me. It was one of me in the pool and Tony leaning down to kiss me tenderly.
"You're involved with this man, Tony Almeida, aren't you?" he asked.
I shook my head adamantly. "That's not me," I lied, praying that he would believe me.
"I think it is you, and I'm betting that Mr. Almeida knows all about where you hid the money and jewels," Dubaku growled.
I shook my head again, beginning to dissolve into tears. "That IS NOT me!" I insisted.
Dubaku backhanded me across the face with all his strength. "I think I might just kill you now, but I need you alive, regrettably."
Tony, able to hear everything, cursed the turn of events. He hadn't thought that Dubaku would learn about their relationship. And he was right-- Tony did know where the jewels and money were. He had helped her open the safe-deposit box and the savings account. His name was also on the accounts, at Elle's request.
Moments later, his cell phone rang. It was Dubaku. Tony glanced at Jack, who had also heard the conversation.
"Yeah?" he answered the call very nonchalantly.
"I know about you and Ms. Emerson. I will kill her, Mr. Almeida, unless you meet me at the South Capitol Street bridge with the money and jewels. You have one hour."
"I want you speak to Elle," Tony told him.
There was a moment of silence until Elle got on the phone. "Tony?" she croaked, her voice sounding hoarse and raspy.
"Baby, just hang on. I'm going to get you out of there, I promise. Just hang on. We'll have you back in an hour," Tony assured her, closing his eyes and envisioning the beautiful blonde back in his arms again.
"Tony," Elle gasped. "Remember the high dive!"
At that point, the phone was jerked away from her and Dubaku came back on the line. "One hour, Mr. Almeida. And bring it all."
When he hung up, Tony cursed David Emerson. "That son-of-a-bitch involved his sister in this on purpose!"
"What did she mean by 'remember the high dive' ?" Jack wanted to know.
"Elle is a national champion at diving. She was trying to tell me that she'll jump off the bridge, if she has too."
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Now, where is this bank?"
While Jack and Tony raced to get the money and jewels from the bank, Dubaku untied my wrists, re-gagged Mr. Taylor, and then forced me out the door. We headed back out to the parking deck, where Dubaku had a Mercedes Benz parked. He popped the trunk, then glanced around to make sure nobody was watching.
"Get in," he ordered me.
I wanted to stay conscious and calm, in case I did have to jump off the bridge, so I climbed in willingly and let him close me into the small space. Thank goodness I wasn't claustrophobic.
Jack and Tony called Renee and Bill and asked them to meet them at the bridge, in case backup was needed. Tony walked into the bank and easily withdrew the money and jewels, silently thanking God that Elle had insisted his name be on the account.
"I want you to be able to use the money if you ever need it," she had insisted. "And as for the safe deposit box, you can just put any jewelry David sends into the box and then come visit me."