Page 71 of The Captive Missing

“She thinks that I’m a drifter who couldn’t sit still another minute.”

“You walked out.”

“I protected her.”

“She thinks you stopped loving her.”

Charlie shrugged out from under Val’s arms and scooted to the end of the bed. Without looking back, he rose to his feet and stomped his way into the bathroom. The door snapped shut and the shower flipped on.

For a while Val sat still and listened to him bathe. She could hear the random bump of his elbow against the stall, then the squeeze and tap of soap bottles being used.

All captives were affected by their condition differently, though most of them handled the confinement fairly well. Then again, Val thought, that might be a misconception. Maybe captives were just better at hiding things. They were able to distance themselves more quickly, but not necessarily more effectively.

Gabe had a secret vasectomy, Val lied about taking birth control, Charlie walked out on the love of his life, Bee gave away all of her money. They each did these things in secret, not wanting to draw attention. Each decision was a way to exert a measure of control in a life that had always been lived without any.

By the time Charlie got out of the shower, Val had snuggled back down in bed. He drank deeply from a glass of water. She could hear him sigh and gasp. Lifting the corner of the covers, he crawled in beside her and looped an arm around her waist. She let him pull her up against him, knowing they would never speak of his wife again.

For the first time in days, her belly was satisfied and her throat didn’t ache from thirst. The sound of his even breathing lulled her, calming any looming thoughts that threatened. She dropped down into slumber with him, not caring what the next day would hold.

* * *

And the next day held plenty.

In the morning, Val refused to leave Charlie, so Cambric was forced to bring in food as well as her prep team. Grumbling under his breath, Shane stabbed at her with those cold eyes of his. He wasn’t used to giving in to any type of demand and she would pay for this. She could recognize it again, now that her mind had enough food and rest to function properly.

Whatever the reason Shane was holding back, there would come a time when he would be loosed. Fear snaked itself once more in her system, but she fought it. She fought it so that Charlie could have breakfast and lunch. She fought it to make certain they wouldn’t run him again. But in the end, she would be punished. There was no doubt about that.

For his part, Charlie lounged on the sofa and surveyed the spectacle. He had his own version of prep, but it wasn’t nearly the production that a female D2 received. They bade her shower and wash her hair before they blew it dry and styled it down. Her nails were painted, lotion was applied to her skin and a copious amount of makeup was slathered across her face.

They were trying to cover the dark circles that hung under her eyes and distract from the odd color that lack of food will leave on your skin. With their infinite products and years of practice, they succeeded.

Val received a clean thong and matching lace bra. They outfitted her in a miniscule grey skirt and professional white blouse. The buttons were left undone near the top so as to accentuate her chest. Next, she slipped into sheer stockings that ended high on her thighs, the tops of which were secured to a garter.

Stepping into four-inch black patent heels, she locked eyes with Charlie who frowned in concern as they fluffed and sprayed her hair. Who was she being prepped for? What type of appointment was this? She looked like a business woman on her way to meet a lover.

With the transformation complete, the prep team departed, and Cambric security came to collect their charge. Val threw a last glance over her shoulder at Charlie, who closed his eyes and turned his face away. The door locked shut behind them.

* * *

It took four hours to get there. Four hours of silent driving in a tinted sedan before they made it into the city. Val’s stomach had twisted itself into knots all the while because Shane sat like a stone in the front seat. She had one security guard on her right and another on her left. Cramped and uncomfortable, Val’s pulse sky-rocketed as she recognized their route.

When they pulled up in front of the courthouse, she blanched. Sucking in a breath, she could only imagine who would be waiting for her inside.

And suddenly she realized why they wanted her to eat. Now she knew the reason Shane had agreed to stop running Charlie if she submitted to prep. It was the media. They were everywhere and they were hungry.

Outside her door, they swirled and swelled as the Cambric car idled at the curb. Val’s makeup was thick and expertly done, her clothing was expensive and fit perfectly. No one would see what they had done to her. No one would ever know what they had done to Charlie.

As the first hulking security guard threw open the door, people began to rush and shout. He braced against the tide as Shane exited and came back to help Val from the car. Keeping his face full of smiles and charm, Shane hid the chill that so often clouded his eyes.

Val rose from the sedan when beckoned and walked obediently at his side. He held her hand loosely in his own, waving casually to his left, then over to his right. The other security guard brought up the rear.

Once inside the courthouse, the attention ceased. It was crowded, but in the way that courthouses always were. People were distracted, hurriedly going about their own business. They didn’t care who was in line behind them, only what lay just ahead.

Instead of taking the elevator to the floors which housed the courtrooms, Shane directed them toward an administrative wing. Val listened to the click of her own heels as they cruised down the narrow hallways. At the end, they reached a receptionist desk.

A plump woman with spectacles on the end of her nose blinked up at them expectantly, then tapped at an old boxy computer. Shane explained they were checking in for a court supervised medical evaluation and she waved them through a heavy wooden door.

On the other side was yet another hallway with rooms off to the right and left. This place was a labyrinth within a labyrinth. Eventually they stopped at the numbered door indicated by the receptionist and one of the security guards knocked briefly before entering.

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