Cry For You (Fallen Star #2) (13 page)

She'd left the blindfold off me but it'd been better with it on. At least then it'd been fully dark. With it off, my eyes couldn’t adjust. I thought I saw pin pricks of light but then they'd move and I wasn't sure if I was imagining them or if they were real. Around me, there were shadows and I couldn't imagine what some of them were. They seemed to move too. It all made the panic rise up in me and I tried to push it back down so it didn’t overwhelm me. If I let the bad thoughts take over, I'd not survive.

The rustling noises got worse and that, combined with the red lights, made me freak that the place was filled with rats. My flesh crawled and the screams almost took over my body. I had to close my eyes and concentrate on exhaling and clearing my mind. All that hippy shit Mum went on about came in handy at times like this.

Was
she
telling the truth about Tex? I had no idea what was real and what was crazy fantasies she'd made up. She really thought she had some kind of relationship with Tex. But he hadn’t even known who she was. Did she really think Tex would go out with her if I wasn’t around?

All I had was the possibility that she might have a sudden flash of rationality. And that didn’t seem likely. I thought about the way she’d lured me to the shop. She had some kind of scheming brain going on but then she’d talked at me and offered me tiramisu? What was with that? Had she thought she could just ask me and I’d happily hand Tex over to her?

I was at the pizza shop still. I knew that much.

I heard a car drive away. She'd gone. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. I had no idea what she'd do to me but she was the only one who knew where I was.

The guy who owned the shop had to come in some time though. Did he even use the shed? It smelt like it'd been closed up for a long time. I had no idea of time. It seemed as if it was still night time outside and I kept getting colder and colder. I kept moving my legs to keep them warm but I had little energy.

I tried to sleep but, every time I started to nod off, my head fell at a weird angle. So I rocked the chair around a bit so that I could rest my head on the boxes. At least I could try to get some sleep that way.

As I drifted off, something tickled across my face. In my half-asleep state, I thought it was Tex and smiled then remembered where I was and screamed – tried to scream, a muffled scream through the stuffing.

I cried again. All I wanted was to feel Tex's arms around me. He'd said he'd protect me but he couldn't. He'd been here and he'd gone away and I was all alone.

It was becoming harder and harder to think those happy thoughts but I had to dig down deep inside me. Tex would come for me, he'd find me and I'd be safe but I had to stay strong until then. At least I was alone, that was a good thing. Maybe I could think of all the places that would be worse than this.

Tex would find me. I knew he would. Our love was stronger than anything. He'd not believe that I'd just up and leave him without even telling him face to face. I wasn't that kind of person. I'd stay and make things work until the very last minute. What we had together was too good to give up without a fight. Without a lot of fights.

Maybe I'd taken it for granted. I'd been so focused on what I was losing and how Tex's career screwed with my life that I'd lost sight of the good things. He added so much more than he'd ever taken away.

If I ever got out of this situation, I'd spend every moment of my life making it up to him. If he wanted to go on tour, I'd be okay with that. If he wanted the world to know about us, I'd agree. I couldn't let the crazies win. Being public might bring them out of the woodwork but I had to fight back.

If I survived.

If I survived, I'd tell Tex I loved him every single day. Even if he didn't say it back. I'd be brave and positive and try to be the woman who would bring him happiness. I made a pact with myself. If I got out of this shed – no, when I got out – I'd be the best girlfriend to him I could possibly be.

I tried harder to loosen the fabric around my wrists. It had gotten a little looser but I still couldn't get my hands out.

Maybe, if I concentrated really hard, I could send my thoughts to Tex. It seemed like a stupid idea but then I had nothing else to do. It wasn't like I was super busy.

As I focussed, it seemed like the shadows in the shed lightened and beams of light coming through the holes were brighter. It must be daybreak. What time did the shop open? How many more hours would I have to wait?

My bladder was about to burst. I tried not to think about that.

Tex would save me. He had to. I repeated that, like a mantra.

“What do you mean you can’t do anything?” I slammed my fist down on the counter and glared at the officer.

“She’s only been missing a day and you said yourself that she sent you a message…”

“I said the message wasn’t from her. Someone has her phone and sent that message and I can tell you who it is.”

The man stifled a yawn and gave me a dismissive wave of his hand.

“Don’t you know who I am?” I hated myself for saying those words. I’d promised myself I’d never say them. How do you say something like that without looking like a massive tool? But this was a matter of life and death. If my rock fame was good for anything, I’d use it to save Ruby.

“No. Who are you?”

“I’m pretty damn well known in the rock industry, mate. And she’s my girlfriend. This isn’t a lover’s tiff. Something’s happened to her. Someone is trying to get to me through her. You’ll want to check into this because you are going to look like an incompetent cretin when it hits the major papers.”

The officer didn’t react. His lack of help made my blood boil. I wanted to jump the counter and punch him in the head but the counter had a massive security grill, probably for that exact reason. All I could do was rattle that grill like a damn chimpanzee.

There was nothing I could do. My head throbbed from the frustration of it all. I’d wasted precious hours waiting to report Ruby missing, hanging around the dingy waiting room when I could’ve been out on the streets looking for her. I’d not slept, I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I had Ruby beside me.

I searched in my pocket for my cigarettes but they were empty. I’d smoked the lot since I’d got home and found Ruby gone. I’d tried everything. Even that damn pizza shop. That crazy bitch had acted crazier than hell but Ruby hadn’t been there.

I knew that woman had done something with Ruby and it was all my fault. I’d had a bad feeling about her from the start. Even though Ruby hadn’t been there when I’d searched the pizza place, I was sure that woman knew where she was. Either she’d taken Ruby somewhere or had her hidden away. Or… I didn’t want to think of the other possibility. Ruby had to be saved. She was alive. If she wasn’t, I’d know. I’d feel the loss of her in the world.

The first glow of morning had hit the streets when I walked out of the police station. I shivered in the cold of dawn. Where was Ruby? Was she warm enough? Was she safe?

All this money, all this fame – it wasn’t worth a pile of shit. If I couldn’t use it to protect those I loved, what was the point of any of it?

I grabbed another packet of cigarettes from a nearby shop then paced the street outside the station, wondering if it’d be worth trying them again. Maybe I should just go back to the pizza shop and smash the place to make sure she wasn’t there.

I lit up a cigarette and leaned against the wall of the bus shelter outside the police station, trying to get my head straight.

The rage inside me welled up, frustration at that damn cop and his shitful attitude, at my own ineffectualness. Ruby would die and I wouldn’t be able to save her. That’s the way it was. That’s the way it’d always been.

The pain buried so deep. I kicked at the bus shelter.

A car pulled up beside me. I didn’t really pay it any mind. I swung my fist, wanting to break something just to hear the sound of it smashing.

Someone grabbed my arm.

It was Hannah and she wasn’t messing around.

“Get in the car, Tex.” She didn’t let go of my arm. “You punch that glass and you’ll never play guitar again.”

I tried to shake her off.

“I don’t care. What good is my stinking career? What’s the use of any of it?”

She put her arms around me in the most awkward hug ever but I let her do it. In a way, it was a relief to have someone with me. I choked back the sobs rising in my throat as Hannah patted my back.

“Come on, in the car.”

I got into the car. Maybe Hannah’d have a plan. I’d driven myself half-mad trying to come up with possibilities.

“The cops phoned me and said you’d been making a nuisance of yourself. You’d put me down as a contact on the missing person’s form.”

“What a joke that was. Those bastards wouldn’t do a thing to help. She’s gone. Missing. Who knows what the fuck is happening to her. And I’m wandering around like a lost puppy.”

My hands clenched into fists. It took all my strength to sit there quietly in the car.

“Are you sure she hasn’t just gone somewhere?”

“She wouldn’t. Not without telling me. That crazy bitch has her. I just know it.”

Hannah shook her head. “Do you have any proof? You can’t just go around accusing people of kidnap.”

I lit up another cigarette. Hannah glared at me but didn’t tell me to put it out. She just wound down the window.

I told Hannah about going to the pizza shop.

“She was unhinged. Totally fucking batshit. She acted like I wanted her. Like I was there to see her.” I shuddered, thinking about how she’d thrown herself at me. “I’ve been a damn fool. I flirted with her back stage, gave her fuel to feed the crazy fire. Now she’s done this. She said she hadn’t seen Ruby but I’m 100% convinced that she’s behind this.”

We pulled up at Brownie’s.

“Huh?”

“If the police aren’t going to help, you need some backup. I can’t have one of my band getting themselves in trouble.”

“You look a mess,” Lizzie said when I arrived. If anyone else had stated the bloody obvious like that I’d have snarled at them – or maybe punched them but you couldn’t do that with Lizzie. “Do you want a cup of tea?”

I shook my head. I didn’t want tea, I wanted a couple of dozen shots of whisky but I needed to keep my head clear. I went outside to smoke a cigarette. I drew so hard on it, it crackled and sparked, smoking up half a cigarette in one drag.

Then I went inside and saw Devon lounging on the sofa.

“What’s he doing here?”

“He’s helping. I called him,” Brownie said.

I glared at Devon. I needed help but I didn’t want it from him. It wouldn’t solve anything to punch him in the face but it might clear away some of this tension winding itself around me.

“Normally, I’d want to keep something like this out of the press but have you considered it? It might help if someone has seen anything. If we have Ruby’s photo all over the media, the police will have to help. And that woman wouldn’t be able to take her anywhere without someone recognising her.”

That made sense but I wondered what Ruby would want? She’d hate being in the press but then I bet she hated being kidnapped even more. I ran my fingers through my hair, totally unsure of what was the best thing to do. If it would save Ruby, then I was all for it. But would that help?

“You think she’s at the pizza shop, right?” said Devon. “So why don’t we just smash our way in there and get her out?”

“Yeah, exactly.” At least he talked some sense. Maybe I wouldn’t punch him after all. I needed to do something not just sit around and talk.

“No way. You are NOT doing that,” said Hannah. “For one, the lot of you will end up in jail and for another thing, if that woman is psychotic, it might not end well for Ruby.”

“Wow, wouldn’t it be great if there were some kind of service that did this kind of thing for people. Upholding the law and protecting citizens, that type of thing.” I couldn’t help but be bitter. I laughed, but the sound was chilling.

“We need to get hold of the owner of the pizza shop. He can legally let us in to search the place. I’ve got his number but he’s not answering his phone. We also need to find out where that woman lives and tail her.” Hannah gave me a searching look. “We should also look at other possibilities. Just in case it isn’t the crazy woman. Tex, do you have any contact details for her parents?”

I didn’t but I could probably get them. Ruby complained all the time about how freely her mother posted stuff online. I could contact her through Facebook or something. I didn’t really want to worry her parents unnecessarily but, if she’d gone to be with them, she’d definitely have let them know she was arriving.

Lizzie grabbed her laptop and did a search on Facebook. I hovered over her, knowing how annoying that was but unable to stop myself. If Ruby’s parents could give us even the slightest clue, I needed to know. My hands clenched around the back of Lizzie’s chair. Maybe, somewhere in her computer, there’d be an answer.

“This looks like her,” she said. “I’ll send her a private message and also post on her wall to let her know it’s urgent.”

“Is there nothing else you can do?”

“Tex, settle.” Hannah put her hand on my arm. I knew she was just concerned but I didn’t want to settle. I couldn’t settle, not until Ruby was safe. I went back to pacing instead. I was so wound up inside, I’d end up striking out without meaning to and I couldn’t hurt these people who wanted to help me. I’d done that before and the regrets I had could fill the world.

I’d known this would happen. Not this exactly but that something would go wrong. When everything went well, the price had to be paid. That’d been my experience, anyway. Maybe some people got what they wanted scot free but I’d always had to pay. In loss and tears and heartbreak.

“She’s replied,” Lizzie said. “She wants a phone number.”

My heart jumped. She might know something. She might get us one step closer to finding Ruby. If she said that Ruby had left me and was going to be with her, I’d be the happiest man alive. I’d hate that Ruby had gone but having her safe somewhere in the world meant more than anything else.

I told her my number and Ruby’s mum called straight back, in a panic. She hadn’t heard from Ruby. That was like a punch in my guts.

“Should I get on a plane and fly home?”

The poor woman. Spending hours on a plane with no contact and not knowing if her daughter was safe or not. Maybe she’d be better off staying put until we knew more. I didn’t know what to tell her.

“I’ll find her. I promise. If I have to rip that pizza place down brick by brick. If I have to hunt that crazy woman to the ends of the earth. I’m sorry. It’s my fault this happened to your daughter and I swear I’ll find her and, when I do, I’ll prove that I’m worthy of her.”

Ruby’s mother tried to reassure me that she didn’t blame me but that meant nothing. I blamed myself.

“There was something strange. I’m such an idiot. Ruby always tells me to be careful about giving out information...”

She told me about the phone call she’d received from the phone company. It did seem strange.

“It seemed the girl was just being helpful at the time but later I thought about it and it all made no sense.”

“Who did she say she worked for?” I asked. I wrote down the name of the phone company.

No wonder that bitch knew so much about us. She had access to our phone records and god knew what else. I’d sue the phone company. I’d find the CEO and punch his head off for employing psycho bitches. Shouldn’t that information be private and confidential?

After I got off the phone, I paced around. Hannah was being the voice of reason but Devon’s idea was the only thing that made sense to me. At least we’d be taking action. If anything happened to Ruby, if one hair on her head was damaged, I’d kill that woman myself.

“Stop doing that, Tex,” Hannah said.

“Doing what?”

“Cracking your fingers like that.”

I hadn’t even realised I was doing that.

“Okay, this is what I think we should do. Someone needs to go stake out the pizza shop. Someone needs to stay on the phone, trying to get hold of the pizza shop owner and someone else should follow that woman. The pizza shop opens at 5.00 so we need to be there before that. Hopefully the owner will be contactable by the time the shop opens. And, should I issue a press release?”

Then it hit me. I knew what needed to be done. The fastest way to get to Ruby.

“I need to be bait.” Of course, that’s what was needed.

“Huh?” Hannah’s head jolted around to me.

“This woman, wants me. That’s why she’s doing this. If I can contact her, I can draw her out of hiding. Maybe, if I could talk to her, I could get her to release Ruby or at least tell us where she is. I’ll swap myself for Ruby. That’s what she wants.”

And then I’ll kill her, I thought but I didn’t say it out loud. No point getting Hannah more riled up. Just thinking about that woman, turned my thoughts blood red.

“It’s dangerous, Tex,” Hannah said. “This woman is not rational. She’s not just a lovesick fan. If you don’t act out her idea of you, she might get violent.”

She didn’t need to tell me that.

“And you want me to leave Ruby with her? I don’t give a shit about myself. I want Ruby safe. Everything else can go to hell. I just need to get in touch with her. We must have something. Fan club records? Anything with her contact details? I’ve tried calling her on Ruby’s number but the phone just rings out.”

“We don’t even know her real name,” said Hannah.

“I might have something…” Devon drawled.

He reclined in his chair as though he had all the time in the world to mull things over. He knew nothing. What could he know?