Chapter 9: Held Hostage

It was Friday and NYPD had taken shifts over the last several days to keep an eye on Dr. Kendall Knapp, but he stuck to only going to work and running errands. We were all exhausted and really needed a break. Amanda had brought up earlier in the week that Jessie had been bugging her to hang out with Noah since it had been so long. Since the weekend shifts were covered by other officers to watch the creepy therapist, I told her that Friday night would work great to get the kids together. Lucy was dropping Noah off at work after dance class so Amanda could bring Jessie to the precinct, and I would take both kids home to my apartment. I told her we would order pizza and the kids could play video games and watch movies. We were all on edge with this horrific case, so I was also going to have Elliot come over just to have another person watching over our backs.

We got to my apartment around 6:00 pm and Elliot said he could get there around 8:00 pm after he finished some paperwork up at his office. I got the kids settled with pizza and a movie and decided to go take a shower. I wanted to scrub off this long week of work but also wanted to freshen up for El. I was giddy at the thought of him coming over and us getting to spend time together unrelated to work. The hot shower felt so good that I stayed in there much longer than I normally do. I had dried off, put my robe on, and stepped out into my bedroom. I was headed towards my bed where I had laid out the clothes I was going to put on and the hairs on my neck stood up. I could feel someone else in the room with me. I walked over towards my closet where I had a gun safe, but as I reached the closet door, I felt cold metal pressing into the side of my head. Someone was in my room with a gun to my head. My entire body was frozen solid, and I couldn't breathe. This was William Lewis all over again. I was instantly transported back to when he was in my apartment holding a gun to my head. How could this be happening again? I was utterly terrified and all I could think about were Noah and Jessie and if he had done something to them.

I then heard his voice right next to my ear. It was Dr. Kendall Knapp in my bedroom. "Hello, Captain Benson. Miss me? If you scream or try any trick moves, I will shoot you, and then I am going to kill both those kids out there. Do you understand?"

I couldn't speak. My mind was racing with how I was going to get out of this. He threatened to hurt Noah and Jessie which means he hadn't hurt them yet. He then shoved the gun harder into the side of my head, "Do you understand?!" he said through gritted teeth, as his voice got louder and more demanding.

My response was barely audible, "Yes, I understand." He told me to walk out to the dining room table and sit down. I walked out there slowly still trying to figure out how I was going to get out of this as well as how the hell he got into my home. I sat down in a chair and noticed he had Noah and Jessie each tied to a chair with mouth gags in. I looked at both and could see the terror in their eyes. My heart broke and I wanted to bash this bastard's skull in. I had seen what he was capable of, and I suddenly felt like I was going to throw up thinking about what he would do to Noah and Jessie.

Dr. K: "Ok, now that we are all seated at the table like one big happy family, I will tell you how this is going to go. I have been searching for just the right people to make a family. I thought those other two families were the right fit but both mothers ended up being whores just like my mother was. The kids were spoiled little brats and didn't deserve to live. You two are perfect though and your mother is just who I have been looking for. I did my research ever since I saw her for the first time in my office. She has never been married and she adopted her son. She wanted her child and didn't make him feel guilty for simply existing like my parents did. We are all going to be one big happy family all together. If anyone thinks differently and tries anything, I will kill you with no questions asked."

I was now shaking all over. I couldn't let anything happen to Noah or Jessie. My only concern was how to get them away from this psycho. I knew that Elliot should be here soon, so my plan was to keep Dr. Knapp talking and distracted until help arrived.

O: "How did you get in here? How did you know where I lived?"

Dr. K: "The NYPD isn't all that great at keeping watch on me. I have been able to sneak out disguised as someone else. I followed you home from work one night to find out where you lived. Getting in here was easier than I had planned since lovely Jessie answered the door. Don't you know not to answer the door for strangers?"

I looked over at Jessie who was looking at me now with tears streaming down her face. "It's ok Jessie, it's not your fault. Everything will be ok," I emphasized to try and comfort her.

Dr. K: "All I had to do was say I was a neighbor who had found a hurt puppy and needed your mom's help. She opened that door right up and I used my gun to get both kids to do everything I said. It was so easy since you were in the shower and had no idea any of this was going on."

I closed my eyes not believing what I was hearing. Noah knew for sure to never answer the door for anyone without me, but I didn't know about Jessie. I had weapons in multiple rooms, but I was too scared he would hurt Noah and Jessie if I tried to make a move for them.

O: "Where are you taking us?"

Dr. K: "I have the perfect set up with a home in the woods up state. There is a special room in the basement for you all to live in."

Just then, there was a knock at my door. I looked over at Dr. Knapp to see how he would respond. He looked at me and asked who it was. I told him that it was Detective Stabler who was scheduled to come over here tonight. He cursed under his breath knowing this would conflict with his plans.

Dr. Knapp yelled through the door, "Hey Detective Stabler, it's Dr. Knapp. I'm in here with Captain Benson, Noah, and Jessie. Do not come in here or I will shoot all of them!"

The silence was deafening and seemed to last forever. I am sure he was trying to process if what he had just heard was real. Elliot replied through gritted teeth, "You better not lay on a hand on any of them or I will make sure pay."

Dr. K: "They are my family now and I will do what I want. Change of plans though since we can't exactly leave now. This is a cozy little home so we can be a family here."

E: "You know that isn't going to happen. I need to know that they are ok. I need to speak to them."

Dr. Knapp looked over at me and nodded his head towards me giving me permission to respond. My voice was very shaky when I uttered, "El, we are ok. All of us are ok."

E: "Liv! Everything will be alright, I promise. I am here for you like I said I would be. Hang in there."

I wish I could believe that everything would be ok, but the images of the brutally murdered families flashed through my head. This man was a serial killer and had nothing to lose at this point. I could hear the anger in El's voice when he spoke to Dr. Knapp and knew he would do everything possible to save us. I looked over at Dr. Knapp and asked him to please take the mouth gags off the kids. I told him they wouldn't scream or make a noise. I tried to play into his sick fantasy of us being a family and convince him that no father would leave gags in his children's mouths. It worked and he removed them. I have never seen Noah look so terrified and I have never wanted to comfort him so bad. I was watching Dr. Knapp closely, trying to assess his movements and mannerisms to figure out a way to knock the gun out of his hand and take him down. He must have noticed me watching him because he then looked nervous.

Dr. K: "Don't even think about it. I see those wheels turning trying to figure out a way to take me down. I need to tie you up too, so I don't have to worry about you doing something stupid."

N: "Leave my mom alone! Don't touch her!"

Before I could blink, Dr. Knapp backhanded Noah across the face hard and knocked him out cold. I screamed his name and attempted to run over to him, but Dr. Knapp stepped in between and pushed the gun against my forehead so hard I felt like it was penetrating my brain.

Dr. K: "Don't go near him. Kid needs to show respect and needs to know who the boss is."

Fear had left me at that point, and I could only see red. There was no way I was going to let this man walk out of here alive.

Dr. K: "Speaking of knowing whose boss. I am going to officially claim you as mine. I need to make sure you fully understand that I am in charge, and you will be with no one else."

He then grabbed my arm and yanked me into my bedroom. He threw me onto the bed and quickly zip tied my hands to the headboard. I was frozen again, being transported back to when Lewis had me tied to a bed. I had broken into a cold sweat, my chest was tight, and I felt myself struggling to breathe. I looked up and saw Lewis coming towards me unbuttoning his pants. I closed my eyes as tight as they would go knowing he was dead, and this couldn't be him. I was praying Elliot would figure out a way to us soon.