Page 26 of Innocence

“Well, that fucking sucks! This is why I’m even more grateful for what Mama and Pops have done.”

“You and me both,” said Ivan. They rang the doorbell of the next home and waited patiently. When no one answered, they knocked but then started to walk away. Hearing the door open, both men turned.

“Well, hello there,” smiled an attractive brunette. “This is not the delivery I was expecting, but please, come right in.” Neither man said anything at first, just staring at the woman.

“Ma’am, we’d just like to know if you have any knowledge of the murder that happened in those woods.”

“Murder? What murder?” she frowned.

“The young woman who was held captive and murdered. She escaped, but only to die in the arms of the local baseball coach. We’re trying to find any footage or doorbell camera shots that might help.”

“Oh. I had no clue,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t listen to the news much. It’s just too depressing. I prefer happier things. Things that give me shivers, if you know what I mean.” She grinned at the men, turning her hip in a sexy way.

“I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean, ma’am,” said Miller. “If you hear anything, please contact the police right away.”

“Wait, you don’t need to go,” she smiled. “I just made some coffee. I bet you boys like coffee, don’t you?”

“Ma’am, we’re old enough to be your father,” said Ivan.

“I got daddy issues. What can I say,” she smirked. “It wouldn’t take long. I promise.” She was practically cooing at them. Miller shook his head, walking away before he said anything he’d regret. Ivan was so stunned by her statement he almost fell over.

“Ma’am, get your daddy issues fixed before you find yourself in a situation you can’t get out of.” Ivan walked off the porch, meeting Miller on the sidewalk.

“Fine. But you’ll regret it! I’m that good. Ask anyone in the neighborhood.” Her laughter stuck with them as they continued knocking on doors. Deflated, defeated, and dead tired, they headed home.

“We’ll catch a break sooner or later, Miller,” said Ivan.

“I know that. I was just thinking. In all the years that you and Sophia have been married, have you ever worried about what she was doing while you were gone? Or her worry about you, for that matter.”

“Never. I trust Sophia completely, and she trusts me. I’ve never once thought about another woman. I’ve probably noticed. Looked is the wrong word to use, but I have noticed beautiful women. But it was never with lust. It was more, I don’t know, admiration maybe.”

“I know what you mean. We have a lot of beautiful women on the property. It’s hard not to notice them. But I’ve never had thoughts of being with them. That woman had a wedding ring on, living in a multi-million-dollar home. Her husband is off somewhere making money for her to live there. What are people thinking?”

“I don’t know, brother. Maybe he’s off somewhere with his mistress, and she knows it. Or maybe she’s divorced and wearing that ring as a reminder of what she lost. Hell, she could be the one with all the money and doesn’t really give a damn. People are strange. I know we’re not exactly the peak of normalcy, but I’d say we have a good handle on right and wrong, good and bad. You never know what someone has going on in their personal lives. It could be anything.”

“Well, I don’t want to know about it,” said Miller. “Just get me home to my beautiful wife so I can tell her how much I love her.”

“Ditto, brother. Ditto.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“Why are you doing this?” croaked the young man. He stared into the blackness, hoping to catch a glimpse of his captor, but it was just too dark. “I’ve done nothing to you. My parents don’t have money for ransom. Why are you doing this to me?”

“Sshhh,” said the person on the other side of the room.

“Please, please, if I’ve done or said something to you, I’m sorry. Please just let me go. I won’t tell anyone. I swear,” he pleaded.

For a moment, he thought perhaps his captor was thinking about it. Instead, all he heard was the scraping of a chair being pulled along the floor. A door opened and closed, but he saw nothing but blackness. He could hear the sounds of crickets and a barn owl nearby. Maybe they were in an abandoned house.

He pulled on his restraints but knew there was no getting loose. From what he could feel, he was in handcuffs, his arms wrapped around a metal pole. His feet were free, but that did him little good considering his hands.

Staring at the space where he thought the door was, he prayed for just a little light in order to see his surroundings better. He’d been walking home from class, ready to drop his books off at his apartment and head back out to work.

He remembered waving at a few people as they passed him, a few people in his classes, a few who lived in his apartment compound. He walked into his apartment, and that was the last thing he remembered. It had been daylight, maybe just two or three in the afternoon. His last class ended at one, so it couldn’t have been later than that. Now, it was dark.

“Hello?” he called. He thought he heard something outside the door, then just shook his head. “Hello? Please come back and talk to me.”

A good student, hard worker, good son, and good friend, he couldn’t for the life of him think of why someone would want to kidnap him. He heard the sounds of someone placing something in front of the door. What was the point? He couldn’t get away anyway. Then he heard a splash.

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