Erin sensed the van come to a halt after a considerable journey, estimating that it had been approximately two hours since they commenced the drive. Despite her curiosity about their location, she ascertained that they were on a gravel road due to the presence of rocks beneath the van's tires.
Upon the opening of the van door, Erin noticed that darkness was already descending. The man forcefully grasped her arm and forcibly removed her from the vehicle, directing her to proceed accordingly. "This way," he commanded.
Erin endeavored to maintain her balance on the gravel, hindered by her cramped legs from the confines of the hatch. She allowed the man to guide her towards what appeared to be an abandoned farmhouse, long deserted.
Despite her attempt to discern the details of her surroundings, the dimness of the environment impeded her vision, although she discerned that there were woods encompassing the vicinity.
"I perceive that you are acquainting yourself with your surroundings, missy," the man chuckled as he unlocked the door to the farmhouse and forcefully pulled her inside.
"Take a good look, Erin, for you shan't be witnessing daylight for the foreseeable future," a new voice spoke, causing Erin to avert her gaze and looked at the figure at the door way.
Erin inquired, shaking her head in recollection, 'Was it you who sent me those texts and called me?'"
A smirk appeared on Charlie's lips as he responded, 'Indeed, it was me. I am surprised that you didn't catch on, although I did manage to unsettle you quite a bit.' He walked towards her, casually moving a strand of hair away from Erin's face.
Moving her face away from the man, Erin questioned sternly, 'What are you doing out of prison?' Her gaze fixed on the man standing before her.
Charlie let out a laugh and replied, 'Haven't you forgotten that I only had a one-year sentence?'"
In truth, he chose not to reveal to her that he had escaped a few months after being incarcerated, as it served to his advantage.
The brunette blinked, acknowledging his statement that he only served a year in prison because of her, and added, 'And it was because of me. But what happened to what I instructed you to do upon your release?'
Charlie gazed at her, pondering, 'Perhaps, do you think I am concerned about a mere deal?' He gestured towards the man, permitting him to leave, 'I will escort her to her intended destination.' The man acknowledged Charlie's command.
Erin was on the verge of responding when her attention was captivated by movement behind Charlie. She observed a young woman who appeared extremely unwilling to be present. She interrogated Charlie sharply, 'Charlie, have you also abducted her?' while glaring at him.
Charlie turned around, noticing the woman, and grinned smugly. 'Certainly not, Marie willingly chose to be with me and Joey, isn't that correct, Marie?' he addressed the woman, who regarded him with apprehensive eyes.
'Y-Yes, sir,' Marie responded hesitantly as Charlie smiled and nodded approvingly. 'Good girl,' he remarked before pulling Erin towards the basement. Erin listened to Charlie's words and frowned, unconvinced by his claims.
Erin's hazel eyes met Marie's brown ones as Charlie forcefully pulled her down the stairs. The last bit of light from the kitchen was blocked as Charlie closed the door behind them.
"What is your intention with me?" Erin inquired, struggling to maintain her balance on the dilapidated stairs. She heard Charlie chuckle as he dragged her towards a decrepit bed in a dimly lit corner.
A grunt escaped Erin as Charlie roughly pushed her onto the bed, briefly freeing her hands before restraints tightly secured them to the bed frame. She observed as he lean towards her face.
"You should already understand, Erin. Now, behave and wait here until I return to check on you," he stated. Before Erin could respond, Charlie placed the cloth back over her mouth even tighter than before, mimicking Joey's actions.
"I will come back shortly. I need to send a message to your partner and Voight about my success. They may have already deduced it, but they will not find you in time," Charlie gloated with a smirk before making his way upstairs.
Erin observed Charlie ascend the stairs while she pressed herself against the firm pillows and shut her eyes, contemplating the predicament she found herself in. 'How could I have been so foolish?' she pondered.
She questioned her own judgement in believing that Charlie would undergo any sort of transformation. She held onto the hope that Voight and Jay were unharmed and reassured herself that they were making every effort to locate her.
Charlie ascended the stairs and observed Marie seated at the table alongside Joey, indulging in a bowl of Ramon noodles. Curiosity piqued, Joey questioned the plan regarding Lindsay. Charlie headed to the counter, retrieving paper, pen, and an envelope. "
"You shall soon discover, Joey. I require you to accompany Marie in the assignment to District Twenty-One. Hand this envelope to the amiable lady working behind the reception desk. Inform her that it is for Voight and Jay," Charlie instructed, jotting down some notes.
Joey complied, addressing Marie with a cheerful expression. "Please ensure you are appropriately attired, so as not to attract undue attention. It is crucial we maintain our secrecy," he commanded. Marie nodded obediently, responding, "Of course, sir." She turned to Charlie with concern and inquired, "Are you going to hurt her?"
Charlie grinned mischievously at Marie, assuring her, "Not to badly." He waved her off with a casual gesture. "Now, prepare yourself. Failure to comply may result in Joey having to administer disciplinary measures."
"Marie nodded in agreement and swiftly ascended the stairs to the shared room she had with Joey. There, she efficiently changed into an elegant black skirt that fell just above her knees, paired with a tasteful blue and white striped shirt.
Completing her outfit, she slipped on a pair of polished black boots. Returning to the kitchen, where Joey awaited, Marie inquired, 'Should I convey any additional message to the female Sergeant, or simply provide her with the letter?'"
Joey queried, "Is there anything else you want Marie to convey, or should she simply deliver the letter to the female Sergeant?"
Charlie responded, "No, just have her deliver the letter and identify the recipient. And if she executes the task flawlessly, you may consider rewarding her." Joey nodded as he accepted the sealed letter from Charlie.
Charlie added, "I expect your prompt return within a few hours, and kindly inform me once the delivery is made." Joey acknowledged the instructions and turned to Marie, who stood near the doorway. Addressing her, he asked, "Are you prepared to depart?" as he moved closer to her.
"Yes, sir," she said, and Joey nodded, taking the lead. "Take my car, not the van, as they will recognize it," Charlie said, tossing his car keys to Joey.
"Understood," Joey replied, slipping on his coat and placing a cigarette in his mouth. He headed out with Marie, who followed him and closed the door behind her.
Joey sat in Charlie's 2000 mustang, waiting for Marie to join him. "Hurry up, we don't have time for your hesitations," he said, pulling her into the passenger seat. Marie nodded and fastened her seatbelt. "I apologize, sir," she said as Joey pulled out of the lengthy driveway.
Marie occupied the front seat while Joey drove to the twenty-first district. She inquired of Joey, her boyfriend, 'Why are we offering assistance to Charlie?' Glancing at Joey, she posed the question. 'Because he has promised to compensate us,' Joey replied.
'Furthermore, as I have previously mentioned, failure to comply with instructions and any attempt to disrupt this arrangement will incur consequences.'
Joey parked the car in front of the district. 'Now, kindly proceed inside and deliver this to someone named Platt, whom Charlie mentioned as the sergeant,' he instructed.
Marie nodded, taking hold of the letter before stepping out of the car. Joey firmly grasped her arm. 'Simply hand it to her and state its intended recipient,' he said, meeting her gaze. 'Do not make any mistakes.'
The brunette nodded, alighting from the vehicle and making her way into the police station. As she approached the desk, she narrowly avoided bumping into a man with black hair and a leather jacket. 'Pardon me,' she whispered, nearly stumbling.
The man swiftly caught her arms before she succumbed to a fall, he calmly reassured her. Maintaining eye contact with Marie, he inquired, "Is there something you require?" Marie responded by shaking her head and stating, "No, thank you. I simply need to deliver something to Sarge Platt," gesturing towards the package she held in her arms.
The man nodded and stepped aside, conveying, "Very well, until we meet again." He proceeded to ascend the stairs, while Marie observed his departure for a few moments before making her way to the front desk. There, she approached the gray-haired woman who was collecting car keys from officers returning them for the night.
"In what way can I be of assistance?" Platt questioned, redirecting her attention towards Marie, who had arrived at the desk after several officers had passed by. "Yes, I was informed that this is intended for Sergeant Voight and Detective Halstead," Marie conveyed, placing the envelope on the surface of the desk.
Marie observed as Platt picked up the envelope, prompting Platt to inquire, "Who is the sender?" Turning her gaze towards Platt, Marie replied, "I don't know, just a friend." She then departed from the station and made her way back to the red and black Mustang.
Joey peered out of the passenger window, observing Marie exit the station and rejoin him in the car. "So, how did it go?" he inquired, initiating the car's ignition and smoothly maneuvering away from the curb.
"It went adequately. Platt is currently delivering the Letter to Voight and Halstead," Marie responded. Joey nodded, retrieving his phone to call Charlie and inform him of the completion of the task, as well as their imminent return to the farmhouse.
"Very well. Please return expeditiously," commented Charlie from the other end of the line, his laughter faintly audible to Marie. "Understood, we are en route," Joey replied, concluding the call and continuing to drive.
(The cover has been updated by IVORY thank you so much for the help making the cover for me it looks very good. The full Credit goes to you I really appreciate the help.)