Kim helped Kayla lie down on the cot. Every movement seemed to cause Kayla more pain, but maybe, if she could sleep a little, things would be better in the morning.
Who the hell was she kidding? Neither of them would be able to sleep.
She looked over at Kayla, who was curled on her side. Kim had used the one small towel in the bathroom to staunch the bleeding from the wound on Kayla's head, and as the immediate shock and terror of the night began to fade, Kim had begun to feel the pain from some of the bruises and minor cuts she suffered in the crash.
Did they find the car? Kayla had sounded so certain that Shane and Steve would have known where to go, but did they really know? And the car had wound up pretty far off the road. Would they see it? And even if the found the car, did they find Andrew?
He must have been so terrified. And cold.
How long would it have been before anyone noticed they were late? It had probably been around 7 p.m. when Cal struck. Caroline probably would not have raised any questions until hours later, and would anyone have really reacted that quickly? They might not have even started a search until close to midnight and, by the time anyone would have found Andrew, he could have been in the freezing cold for hours.
"There's nothing you can do, Kimmie," Kayla said. She sounded tired and Kim could hear the pain in her voice. "I know you're worried, but you have to have faith that Steve and Shane found him."
It was so hard to have faith right now. "I feel so stupid," Kim said. "How could I not have thought about Cal? I mean . . . all the clues were there. He worked with Jericho, so he could have gotten Shane's keys, and he knew about the diner, so he could have found Shane's old shirt. God, I'm such an idiot."
Kayla shook her head violently, then grimaced. "No, you're not. Cal's supposed to be in jail in Alaska." She mused, "How could he have escaped with nobody knowing it?
Kim recalled the relief she had felt when Shane had gotten Cal transferred to Alaska. She had thought he was safely out of her life. But somehow he's in Salem. "I don't know, Kay." Kim felt a tense knot in her mid-section. "But he's here." She looked at Kayla and thought about what Cal would do to her. Just like he had tried to get rid of Andrew, Cal would have no remorse about killing Kayla.
And what will he do to me?
Kim had no illusions. Cal had planned to rape her when he kidnapped her before. In his deranged mind, she knew he envisioned them being together. But not just them. Her heart sank as another thought hit her.
He'll want Jeannie.
"Kim?" Kayla asked.
"He'll want Jeannie," Kim repeated, this time out loud. "He won't leave here without her." The fact that they were in an airplane hangar told her that Cal intended to spirit her away on a plane, but he would never leave their daughter behind. Not after what he put her through the year before. And Jeannie was at her parents, not at Shane's, behind the top-notch security. "How could I be so stupid," she muttered. "I'm so stupid, and now Andrew might be hurt-" Or worse. "And who knows who's protecting Jeannie? What if Cal goes after Mama and Papa?"
Kayla have her a sympathetic look. "Jeannie's fine, and nobody's going to let anything happen to her. And like I told you, Andrew's going to be fine-"
"You don't know that!" Kim snapped. "He's my son, and what did I do? Because I was upset with Shane, I put my son in danger."
"You couldn't have known about Cal," Kayla insisted. "Look . . . I know how you feel, but blaming yourself is not constructive. We need to figure out how we're going to get out of here."
Kayla made sense, Kim thought. Besides, if she focused on getting them out of this room, it would keep her mind off her kids. Please, Shane. Please find Andrew.
Unfortunately, there was little to see in the room. The "bedroom," for lack of a better word, was about 12x10, with only the little desk, a plastic chair, and the cot Kayla was on. Kim walked over to the desk and pulled open the one drawer it had.
Her stomach pitched, as she looked inside. Staring up at her was her own face. And Cal's.
She recognized the photo. Roman had taken it at Thanksgiving. Kim felt sick even remembering it. That had been right around the time she first slept with Cal, and she had invited him into her family. All the while Shane was out there, alive and lost.
"Anything?" Kayla asked.
Kim picked up the photo so Kayla could see it. Then, Kim crushed it into a tight ball. She was mashing it even tighter when the door opened and Cal stepped inside.
"Oh, I wish you hadn't done that, Kim," Cal said, ruefully. "That was a present - a reminder of happy times."
Kim winced and started to respond, but Kayla spoke first. "You're sick, Cal. Do you really think this is going to make Kim want to be with you? Kidnapping us and trying to kill Andrew."
Cal harrumphed. "Yeah, about that . . . . You'll be happy to know that Salem's Finest found the little brat."
"Is he okay?" Kim felt a mix of hope and fear.
Cal shrugged. "Perhaps I'll tell you in the morning . . . if you behave."
"Cal!" Kim rushed forward. "Please tell me if he's all right? He's my son."
Cal shoved her back. "Maybe not for long. From the police band, it sounded like the cops found a popsicle."
No! Kim stepped back. She could not stop the image forming in her head. No, he can't be dead. I'd know. I'd know.
"You bastard," Kayla snarled from the cot.
"Gee . . . that hurts," Cal said. "Coming from you, who everyone thinks is so perfect. You know, Kayla, you should be more careful. Kimmie over there, I have a reason to keep around. You, on the other hand . . . ."
Cal didn't have to finish his thought. Kim looked at Kayla and they both knew exactly what he meant. Kayla was expendable and Cal would not hesitate to kill her once he decided she no longer suited his purpose.
Kim knew she had to protect Kayla any way she could. Turning back to Cal, she looked him in the eye. "I told you already, Cal. If you do anything to hurt Kayla, you'll never have me."
Cal chuckled. "You sound so determined, Kimberly. I like that spirit. But you'll change your thinking over time." He stepped back. "Now I want you to sit down and stop talking. Your chit-chat echoes through the vents." He looked around the small room. "I suppose I should apologize; these accommodations were arranged with only one in mind. If you play nice, perhaps I'll find another bed for you tomorrow. If you don't, I take that one and you both sleep on the floor."
He leaned closer to Kim and feigned a whisper, even though his voice was loud enough for Kayla to hear. "You really should take the bed. It's not like little sis is going to need her beauty rest for much longer. I could just kill her now and save the bother."
"Cal," Kim warned. For a moment, her fear turned to a hot rage. She wanted to launch herself at him. For Andrew. For Jeannie. For everyone Cal had hurt. But she couldn't. Kayla needed Kim to stay strong and focused.
"Hmmm . . . No, I guess I'll keep her around. I think she'll keep you under control." Cal chuckled. "You always were a spitfire. I'll see you in the morning, Kimberly."
Still chuckling, Cal turned and stepped out of the room. He closed it and Kim heard the sound of a key in the doorknob.
I need to get that key, she thought. I'm going to get that key and then I'm going to make sure Cal Winters never hurts anyone I love ever again.
With a grim determination, Kim stared at the now-locked door and said, "I'll see you in hell, Cal."