Page 50 of No Way Forward

Novette made it all the way through the maze on her dad’s property. The other end of it let out on several acres of woods and then beyond that a back road to some other people’s homes.

She considered heading to one of them and ask for help but decided against it. Her dad had thrown many parties over the years and knew everyone in the neighborhood. Although he wasn’t close to anybody, she wasn’t sure if a neighbor would call him the second they found her at their door.

Instead, she used Google Maps to locate the nearest way out of the area and started along the road. The rumble of a vehicle speeding along behind her signaled that she had already been found.

She ducked off the road and into the trees. The vehicle’s tires squealed, and footsteps pounded the earth. She ran, half aware of the navigation system telling her it was recalculating. A rumble of panicked laughter rose in her throat just as a huge hand dragged her from behind.

She broke free of the hold and rounded on the man. A jump and a hard kick connected with his chin. His head snapped back, and he lost his footing to hit the ground.

She spun and started running again. Blood rushed through her ears, making it hard to hear. A shadow danced on her right, and she slammed into the chest of another guard. His hands nearly crushed her arms to her sides. She screamed.

“Stop, Ms. Novette.”

“Let me go!” She kneed him between the legs. He expelled a heavy breath and wobbled and sank to the ground. When his hold loosened, she was off again. Before she could get out of reach, he grabbed an ankle and tumbled her.

He scrambled on top of her, pinning her face down on the ground. Tears of frustration filled her eyes.

“Don’t do this,” he panted. “Wait for him.”

She froze. “W-what did you say?”

He didn’t repeat himself, but she was sure she’d heard right. The guard pulled her to her feet, and the man she kicked caught up to them. A satisfying bruise was already forming on his chin, and he worked it, wincing in pain.

She expected the men to exact revenge on her, but they simply returned her to the car and stuffed her inside. She sat in the back with one of the men beside her. He was careful to keep a tight grip on her arm and forced her to sit in the middle of the seat rather than near the door.

Before she knew it, they were at the mansion and she was tucked into one of the living rooms. A guard stayed with her. She folded her arms and glared at him. “I need to use the rest room and to clean up.”

He didn’t respond.

“Did you hear me? Please. You don’t understand.”

No response.

Hours dragged by with her stuck in that room. A maid brought her food but left before Novette could ask for help. The guards escorted her to one of the downstairs restrooms, a half one which didn’t include a window she could escape through. She was well and truly trapped.

The guard had said she should wait for “him.” Did he mean Zaid? Of course he did. Zaid was the only one of her dad’s employees who had nothing to lose. He would risk everything to come for her. She was convinced of it. Then she supposed they would live their lives on the run. Her dad would no doubt get the police to believe Zaid took her without her consent.

At some point her dad would return home, and eventually she would be allowed to go to her bedroom. She intended to get her passport and to be ready. Zaid would come.

Novette pushed her food around on the plate. She didn’t have much of an appetite, but she knew she needed to get something down before she had to deal with a headache or worse dizziness.

The last three days had dragged by with no word from Zaid. Of course with her phone gone, she couldn’t expect to hear from him. Still, she thought there would be some signal—an explosion on the grounds perhaps? She almost chuckled at the idea, but she didn’t have much humor either.

“Ms. Novette, would you like more coffee?” The maid stood at her elbow holding the French press container. Novette nodded without thinking about the offer. The woman added cream and sweetener the way she liked it.

“Has my dad left for the day?”

“No, ma’am. He hasn’t come from his room yet.”

Novette didn’t really care. He could stay up there. The night before he’d told her he was almost ready to leave. When she had searched for her passport, she found it missing and assumed he confiscated it from her room. How would he get her on the plane? Drugs? Probably.

“Oh.” The maid’s soft murmur bought Novette’s head up.

The maid focused on the television mounted on the dining room wall. It was an unconventional location, but her dad liked to stay current with events. Novette had watched her morning shows while munching cereal when she was younger.

Her face and her dad’s was plastered on the TV screen again. “Turn that up, please.”

The maid complied.

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