Page 7 of Hidden Falls

“Fine.” Marcella held up a hand for the check. “This one’s on me, since I hear you’ll be feeding me at your house tonight.”

“Not gonna argue, though you don’t really wantmeto be the one to feed you,” Lei said. “My artistry with a microwave is legendary.”

“You’re right about that.” Marcella laughed.

“Anyway, you’re in luck. My dad or Stevens will be cooking dinner tonight. I’ll text them that we’re having company.”

“Perfect.” Marcella stood up and slung her bag onto her hip. “Off to the impound lot, then.”

“You make it sound sexy.”

“That’s my gift,” Marcella said, and Lei laughed.

5

Malia

I tried to slow down what was happening as much as I could; if I could buy time, I had more of a chance for Mom to find me.

But tied, and with the hood on, there was pretty much nothing I could do, and the more I thrashed around, the more it hurt, especially my bound arms wrenched behind my back.

I fought the men again when the van stopped and we got where we were going, but it didn’t work because they picked me up out of the van, put me on a carpet and rolled me up in it, then carried me between the two of them.

Panic filled the blackness around me; I was smothering and claustrophobic. I struggled to get enough air, not to pass out. The rug and the hood together were doing a great job silencing and disorienting me. Any sound I might have made was lost in the carpet’s thick pile.

If I hadn’t been the victim of this crime, I’d have been impressed by the speed and efficiency the kidnappers showed; I had no information to identify anyone or anything that was going on.

It about made me crazy. “Assholes!” I yelled and regretted it when I couldn’t refill my lungs with air.

Where were they taking me?

I racked my brain, as I’d been racking it since they grabbed me.

My parents didn’t have money for a ransom.

Could this be about one of Mom’s cases? Was I leverage against her?

Or was this related to my Wallflower Diaries blog and my CI work for the Maui Police Department?

Either way, I was in “deep dog-doo,” as Camille liked to say.

Camille had been kidnapped, too. She had been through this terrifying shit, being treated like a thing. She’d stayed strong, even gone on a hunger strike to try to get her kidnappers to let her go.

I wasn’t that strong. Tears stung my eyes and welled over.

I wanted my Mom, my Dad, and my boyfriend Blake, in that order.

I drew in slow deep breaths as I bounced along, being carried wherever they were taking me. Thinking about Mom and Dad made me tense up more; they’d be so freaked out when they found the Prius.

Remembering Blake helped me most.

“You always tighten up so much when you’re upset,” he’d say, giving me a shoulder rub. “You’ve got to learn to relax.”

“I bet you know a way to make me feel better,” I’d teased.

“Sure do.” He’d kissed me.

I’d felt better.

---