Page 7 of The Captive Missing

Pushing off the threshold of the door, he stalked to the kitchen and began opening the white lacquer cabinets. Val refused to turn her head to watch but she heard him remove a glass. The tap of it striking the stone countertop was loud in the large space.

Out past the wide doors, the moon had risen over the ocean. The rolling murmur of the waves glimmered in the distance. The beauty, like the betrayal, felt solemn.

“What would you have done differently had you known?” Gabe crept up behind her, the ice in his glass clinked lightly just behind her ear.

She took her time thinking about it. The question rolled over in her mind, already cloudy with the events of the past twenty-four hours. Two years ago Jace would’ve only been three. He had been home with her all the time then, and even with his nanny’s help, Val had been overwhelmed. If Jason had told her about the lawsuit, about Gabe and Sharon and Cambric, what would she have done?

“Nothing,” Val admitted at last. “I would’ve been scared out of my mind, but I don’t know what I would’ve done about it.”

“For what it’s worth-” Gabe leaned over the back of the sofa, forearms braced next to Val’s head. “I’m sorry.”

Staring down at her wine glass, Val took a moment to study the last of the ruby-colored dregs. All this time she thought they were safe. That Jace was safe.

Swirling the tiny bit of liquid twice, she brought the glass to her lips and downed what remained. The truth was, as a captive born, there was no such thing. Taking her cue, Gabe raised his tumbler of whiskey and swallowed it down.

After a moment, Val looked up and over her shoulder. His eyes full of apology, Gabe bobbed his head once before retreating up the far staircase, leaving her all alone.

Chapter 5

That night Val slept curled up with her son, windows open wide to the melody of the sea. She didn’t recall what it was that filled her dreams, but upon waking, she was left feeling drained. Sitting up on the queen-sized mattress, Val drew her knees to her chest and sighed. Worrying would do nothing to fix the unfairness of the world.

Eyes drifting out the window, she took in the winding wooden dock as it snaked its way toward the shoreline. This bedroom faced the island, with its pristine white sand beach and clusters of inviting palms. Their radiant green leaves fanned out to drift in a mild breeze. It was going to be an absolutely perfect day.

But almost every day here was an absolutely perfect day. Because Gabe had been right about one thing. All those nights the three of them sat huddled together at Cambric, hiding his forbidden presence in their room, they had talked of where he would go. If he could go. And this place was indeed paradise.

Jace stirred beside her. His mouth, which hung open slightly in his sleep, snapped shut as he arched his back to stretch. The space rocket pajamas he loved so much were twisted about his body, causing his small hands to clutch and grasp at the cotton fabric. He often tossed and turned in his sleep.

Down below, the sound of breakfast could be heard. Soon the smell of bacon began to creep up the stairs.

“Good morning,” Val said.

Standing up to stretch, she straightened her own oversized shirt. It was one of Jason’s. She loved that it captured his smell. Murmuring sleepily under his breath, Jace took a few seconds to come fully awake. The moment he remembered where he was, his energy flooded back full force.

Eyes bright, he practically bounced his way off the bed before disappearing down hall. The pounding of his footsteps on the staircase sent shivers to echo throughout the quiet house. Val smiled. At least one of them was still blissfully unaware. Absently, she ran a hand back through her tangled locks before following her son’s path down and into the kitchen. Time to face her friends. The ones who knew danger was coming, but hadn’t warned her.

Bee was already up and dressed. Holding a frying pan poised in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other, she leaned in to press her lips to the top of Jace’s head. Her son was balanced on a stool standing off to one side, waiting to crack the eggs necessary to make pancakes. Bee always let him do it, even though egg yolk ended up everywhere.

When Bee glanced over her shoulder and spied Val, her expression was one of tentative appeal. She wondered if she would be forgiven. And of course she already was. Grudges were particularly hard for Val to keep, there just didn’t seem enough time to hold onto them. And time was one commodity captives valued most.

Walking up next to her friend, Val leaned in to give Bee a peck on the cheek. It was meant as a gesture of peace between them and ended in a tight hug.

“Alright, which one of you two ladies is my woman?” Gabe boomed from just behind them. “I don’t want to get in trouble for pinching the wrong behind.”

“The one that’s cooking,” Bee giggled, grabbing up a spatula. “And I have a weapon so be warned!”

This sent Jace into a fit of laughter as Gabe backed away, both his hands raised in surrender. Avoiding his questioning eyes, Val grabbed her own cup of coffee before retreating to the center island bar and settling on a stool.

Gabe did the same. He wouldn’t let her get away so easily.

After a few moments of perching there quietly together, the upset between them began to fade.

* * *

Over the next several weeks, each day was more beautiful and peaceful than the last. They explored the island, went fishing off the dock, took turns driving Gabe’s boat and marveled at the vibrantly colored fish while snorkeling. At first, Val had been concerned about being surrounded by water. Not only was the entire ocean wrapped around the house, but the deck itself had a pool and spa.

But Gabe was a watchful uncle, keeping Jace always within his line of sight. Even so, he still worked with the boy every day, teaching him how to swim. Val made Jace wear his lifejacket while riding in the boat or playing on the dock, but her instinctual fear eventually waned. Gabe had her son swimming like a fish, even Val had to admit it.

Every evening at six o’clock, Jace and Val would wait for a phone call from Jason. By the time the sun was setting in the Maldives, it was cresting the eastern sky in Texas. The arrangement actually ended up working well. The morning was always the best time to catch Jason before he began his day.

---