Murder in the Forest, Chapter 54

Seaver got on the radio and summoned the other search team and had those guarding the SUV's bring the vehicles to the tiny dirt road where Mason had turned off to access his hideout. One of those drivers would also notify Sheriff Ford, who could then advise Hotchner and SAC Gaines. The SUV's could then carefully follow the small road to where they now waited.

As she did this, Blacklaws tried to revive Melissa. He managed to wake her, sit her up, and gave her a drink. He sent Seaver to search Mason's body for the keys to the slave collar and to the lead chain. And he took out his Swiss Army knife and opened the corkscrew blade, a useful tool to loosen the knots holding Melissa's bonds. He had thought of using the smaller (pen) blade, but a slip might have cut the victim.

They stood Melissa up, leaning against Seaver, so that he could address the knots better and he soon had her free. That little corkscrew was useful for more than opening wine bottles!

They used a key to unlock the chain from the collar, but Seaver was baffled at how any key she found would fit the collar. Blacklaws recognized the tiny hole as requiring an Allen wrench and went back to the body and rummaged until he found that small wrench and removed the slave collar, saving the screw to close the collar. He wanted it for evidence.

Melissa was now breathing easily and asked for more water, studying the faces of her rescuers.

"How is Courtney?" she wanted to know. "We went through a lot together, and I know that she must be having nightmares. You have no idea what we had to do to please Mason and Bamka. I was scared to death all the time, and I know that Courtney was, too. Look, I was being held in a cave near here. I'll show you where. It's really hard to see if you don't know just where the entrance is. I don't have any clothes to speak of in there, but I can get panties and bra and there are a couple of tee shirts that I got to wear a few times. You're being really nice, but I'd rather get something on." She blushed scarlet.

"Here," said Seaver. She had been cleaning out the fanny pack on her waist, looking for something of use for this. She had a spare tee with FBI lettering on it, and she shook it out and offered it to Melissa.

The fit of the old shirt, which had shrunk through washings, was slightly tight, and Melissa was amused. She moved her shoulders back and said, "The shirt is great for showing off that I have nipples, huh? Look, Peter? Isn't that your name? You used to come in the ice cream shop where I work. We girls used to talk about you. Anyway, let me lean on you a little if I need to and let's get to that cave and get some panties on me before your friends arrive. I'm tired of putting on a skin show every day since I was kidnapped."

"You can lean on me, "said Seaver, thinking that Melissa might be a little mad at all men at that moment, but the young girl shook her head.

"No, thanks, lady. Officer? Agent? I know Peter and he's a nice dude. Courtney said how she likes him, too. He used to get by that club where she worked. I guess he's now had an eyeful of both her and me. But if some guy is going to ogle me, I'd a lot rather have it be him than most, and a danged sight rather it be him than Bamka and Mason! Okay, let's go. I really want to get something more on me right away."

Seaver was a little surprised that her offer was rejected and resentful that the girl was clearly impressed by her new boyfriend. She decided to have a word with Peter later, but saw him grinning at her before he took Melissa's arm. He looked a bit sheepish and Ashley realized that he was embarrassed, if no doubt pleased that the rescued girl liked him.

They soon found the cave and were amazed at how difficult it was to locate, even knowing that it was there. At this point, Seaver rather strongly asked Peter to wait on the trail and show the other officers the cave. "Melissa and I will get her dressed. I think I may be better suited for that, and there may be questions asked later about how soon she was able to be alone with just female agents. If the media gets wind of you being in here with us, the PC fallout could embarrass the sheriff, at best."

But as Peter left the cave, Melissa gave him a wan smile and a shy wave. She seemed embarrassed, but amused.

When the others arrived, Kate Callahan brought in a bag of Melissa's own clothes, brought along on the off chance that she might be located and saved. Melissa was delighted, but asked if she could save some of the clothes from the cave.

"I think I deserve something for what I went through, don't I? And maybe it could be argued that those bastards who took us gave us this stuff, right? Some of this is pretty expensive if I had to go out and buy it, and some will fit Courtney, too. Let us divide it, if she wants. But there are a few things that I'll fight her for, and I have current possession, ha, ha. Seriously, can we girls keep what we want?"

The deputies and agents were baffled and looked at one another. They told her to wait until the district attorney made a ruling, and maybe then the victims could indeed have their pick. Photos of the items in question might suffice as evidence, especially as the criminals were both dead, and there'd be no real trial as such. The main issue might be that Bamka had paid for the lingerie with a credit card and would not now be sending payment for the merchandise. But health laws would probably prohibit the retailers from repossessing underwear. The bill would probably have to be written off.

Cheered a little by that news, Melissa looked shocked and asked if anyone had a cell phone that she could use to call her family. "I totally forgot them in all of this excitement. Oh, damn! What if they blame me for what I've had to do! I had to do what I was made to, or I'd be dead now, and so would Courtney."

"Trust your family," advised Callahan. "You may have a bad self image about now, but they know you and they've been calling us just about every day. Believe me, they want you back. They're more worried about your safety than they are about what you may have been forced to do. As for that, unless you want to write a book or sell your story to the tabloids, I think the details can be limited to the testimony that you give the DA in a private session and your written statements. The public will have to get along without knowing anything that you consider too humiliating."

"Thanks, "said the local girl. "Hey, we could maybe sell our stories? For how much? I totally need money for next semester's tuition and books!" She seemed really curious.

On that note, someone loaned her a phone and agents spoke on other phones to Hotchner and to Ford. They then returned to the scene of the incident, where officers called in from routine patrol duty were securing the scene, with orange Crime Scene tape up.

CSI arrived and took enough photos for a coffee table book. Van Reenan and Blacklaws were especially interested in the account of the Bigfoot and examined the footprints, several of which were quite good. They gathered a few hairs found on bushes and saved those and blood smears and drops for the lab. Faced with Mellissa's account, borne out by the hairs, the tracks, and the violence of the animal, those who had previously doubted the existence of the beast were nonplussed. They speculated, some on each side of the issue.

The small convoy taking Melissa back to town paused by the crime scene and she asked that Peter accompany her. Seaver joined them, Melissa studying her with a raised eyebrow. She had begun to catch on that Seaver and Blacklaws might be more than professional colleagues. As they left the cave, she asked Callahan if that was true. Told that those two were indeed involved in more than law enforcement, Melissa grew quiet, but still wanted Blacklaws along, with or without Seaver.

She asked if they could stop for a cheeseburger and potato cakes at her favorite burger location and was told that the officers would be more than pleased to do that. In fact, they all got burgers and ate them before proceeding to the sheriff's station.

There, they met the senior agents, Sheriff Ford, and key deputies. The media was told that there would be a press conference the next day and given a simple statement from Ford and Gaines. And then, agents took Melissa home, going by a back way to dodge reporters' vans. They drove up Melissa's alley and her family admitted her to their yard by the back gate. The officers shook hands with her family as they observed how warmly they received the missing girl. And then, they went home or to their motel, depending on which agency was involved. Ashley went to the motel to further brief Hotchner and his team, but she agreed to meet Blacklaws for breakfast the next day.

And that effectively ended the case, save for the follow-up work, lab studies, and the giving of statements by the girls who were saved.

Hotchner was quite happy when Rossi came by his room near midnight with a bottle of Chivas Regal. The team had long since finished his earlier bottle of Dewar's, and he felt like celebrating, so had bought the Chivas, no single malt Scotch that he liked being in the liquor store.

"This is one case that I'm glad we solved," remarked Hotchner. "Bigfoot and all!"

To which Rossi replied, "I'll drink to that sentiment!