Page 126 of Done Waiting

My mom’s brisk voice brings me back to reality. “Good, I’m glad. Obviously, you were safe, so I don’t know why you’re mad at me.”

“Thank God I have someone who cares for me. I ended up witnessing Ben raping and killing a girl. The missing girl….” God, her name eludes me over the throbbing in my temples.

“Brittany Smith?” My mom’s voice is full of disbelief.

“Yes, her. Ben raped and strangled her in the woods near campus. He’s the serial killer, mom.”

She squirms again, causing me to look over at her. “You saw him?”

“Yes. And he saw me. I took off running and if it wasn’t for Jagger…” my voice cracks, along with my chest. Tears fill my eyes. I miss him so damn much.

“Jagger?” She frowns, closing her eyes. “You’re not referring to Jagger Williams, are you?”

“Jagger Brandt.” I swallow the anger that threatens to choke me. Even though he’s never told me his previous last name, Jagger told me he legally changed his last name to Brandt. I’m certain we’re talking about the same Jagger but I decide to play dumb. “Who’s Jagger Williams?”

My mom snorts. “A problem child I dealt with in a previous career. A long time ago.”

“Why was he a problem?” I whisper, my body shaking from my anger and the bumpy road we’re on jolts me like an amusement park ride.

“He was mental. Believed his father abused him. I was working to have him committed, but then his father died. But he became someone else’s problem when a family stepped in and adopted him.”

My pulse hammers in my ears from my rage. I’d beat the shit out of my own mother if I wasn’t tied up right now. “He’s not mental,” I snap.

She stares at me in the dark van, our eyes adjusted to it enough that we can make out our figures. I see the whites of her eyes as they widen from my tone before she blinks. “So we are talking about the same Jagger. Really, Maddie? You know how to pick em.” Her sarcastic tone is like nails on a chalkboard. Her words like acid being poured down my throat. “First, a serial killer, and now a guy with mental issues.”

“I said he’s not mental,” I snap, my voice coming out as a hysterical shrill, anger overtaking me.

“Ladies, stop fighting.” Ben’s raspy voice carries back to us, a chuckle in his tone. “Although I’d have to agree with your mom. Jagger is mental.”

I hope he’s mental enough to kill both of you fuckers. I’ll help him.

My narrowed gaze is on my mom as she chuckles. She senses my glare and stops. “Ben has a point, Maddie.”

“Yeah? Well, Ben came into your house and knocked you out and kidnapped you. Agreeing with him may not be in your best interests,” I snap, not even bothering to lower my tone.

Ben’s evil chuckle is chilling. “This is entertaining, ladies. It’s fun listening to the two of you argue.”

“It’s not usual.” My mom gripes.

I snort. “Typical. We don’t seem to agree on much.”

Silence descends over us as the tires crunch over stones. Straining my ears, I start focusing my attention on my whereabouts, searching for clues as to where we might be.

After what seems like forever, the vehicle jerks to a stop and the engine shuts off. Squeezing my eyes closed, my heart beats frantically inside my chest, waiting for the inevitable moment I come face to face with Ben again.

The doors open and the cold air blows inside, making me shiver. I didn’t take time to put a coat on before I left Jagger’s house and the jeans and hoodie I’m wearing offer little warmth.

“Hello, ladies.” Ben’s voice is jovial, making my head pound. “Time to see your new home.”

Glaring at him with all the fury radiating inside me, Ben isn’t the slightest bit phased by it. He throws his head back, loud laughter echoing around us.

Echoing. Are we in the woods?I don’t have much of a view with him standing in front of me.

He reaches forward, hand wrapping around my ankle, dragging me toward him. I try kicking him away but his grip is too tight for me to be effective.Damn him.

Throwing me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, he whips around, making me nauseous from his sudden, abrupt movements. My tangled hair hangs in my face as he marches forward, his strides brisk.

Taking deep breaths, I lift my head slightly, a huge expanse of trees surrounding us. Then we’re climbing three rickety wooden steps before I hear the screech of a screen door opening, followed by a key turning in a lock. The door creaks open on rusty hinges before he carries me through it. The screen door bangs shut behind us, and then Ben kicks the wooden door shut before turning around and locking it. Very little light comes through the small rectangle window nor the small, dirty window beside it.

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