Wanted (12 page)

I
turn my head and I’m a little taken aback.  A young girl walks toward the
counter in a Perky’s uniform.  She isn’t what I was expecting.  She is
beautiful.  Sweet.  She’s tiny.  She’s blonde with big brown
eyes.  I see faded bruise marks and cuts on her face.  All of a
sudden I feel sick to my stomach when I think about what happened to her. 

“Hey
Kim.  It’s dead in here. I’m going to take my break, okay?” Her co-worker
shouts.

“Sure. 
I’ll be right back.”  She walks to the back room and I try to shake my
nervousness.  I really don’t want to betray her.  I feel really weird
about this now.  She walks out of the backroom tying her apron around her
waist.  The lanky guy goes to sit at a table in the back with his
coffee.  Here goes nothing.  I walk up to the counter, taking a deep
breath and fix a smile on my face.

“Kim?”
She looks up with a frown on her face.

“Are
you a reporter?”

“What?
No!  My name is Lindsey. Lindsey Price.  I know Carol Benton. 
We met at a party and I mentioned I was considering attending Western and she
told me to talk to Kim Sawyer. Thought maybe you could help me.  I don’t
know anyone here and I’m visiting this week to see if Western is where I want
to be.” I totally just rambled as if reading from a script.

Ryan
knows Kim well and we came up with a story about me meeting a girl she knew in
high school so that she would hopefully trust me. Although, I think I just
ruined the plan, seeing as I just sounded like I rehearsed that speech a dozen
times, which I have.  She’s looking at me with complete distrust.

“How
did you know I worked here?” Fuck!

“I
didn’t.  I just heard him say your name.”  I point to the boy. 
She looks completely unconvinced.

“Um,
sure.  I can show you around.  Introduce you to a few people.” 
I feel awful.  She is too sweet and can’t say no even though she knows I’m
not being truthful.

“Want
to meet for coffee or something?”  Damn!  That was stupid since we are
in a coffee shop where she is working as we speak. 

“I
have a break at 10.  We can have coffee then?  Here?”

“Great! 
I’ll come back.  Thanks!”  I say a bit too anxiously.

I
take my coffee and drive to the Walmart I passed on the way in telling myself
to breathe in and breathe out.  I have almost three hours.  I wander
around, pushing my squeaky cart. I find a pair of skinny jeans.  I throw
two basic tees in the cart and a package of Hanes underwear.  I don’t want
to spend too much of Ryan’s money.  I think that’s good for now.  I
stroll up and down the food aisles trying to pass time until two hours have
gone by and I just can’t stand to be in here any longer.  I pay for my
clothes and get back in the truckster.  I still have an hour before her
break.  It sucks not having a phone.  What did people do with
themselves before mobile devices?  This sucks.

I
sit in the Walmart parking lot until I see a cop car circle the lot
slowly.  Shit.  I duck down in my seat, my heart rate increasing and
my skin becoming clammy.  I lift my head slightly and notice him parked
three aisles over in the back of the lot.  He’s just sitting there. 
Fifteen minutes later, he leaves. I blow out all of the breath I was holding
and sit until I feel like I can drive. I head over to Perky’s and pray I’m not
followed.  I’m totally paranoid now. By the time I get to Perky’s, it is
9:45.  I decide to go in and wait for Kim.

At
exactly 10am, Kim heads over to my table. Before I can get a word out, she sits
and lets out a long breath.  “Listen, I don’t know who you are and if
you’re a reporter or not, I don’t care.  What do you want to know?”

I’m
a little shocked and not sure what to say.  She just gave me an
opening.  She wants to talk.  Should I just ask her to tell me? 
“I’m not a reporter.”  I assure her.

“You
look really familiar to me.”

Shit. 
She’s no doubt been following the news and has seen my picture.  I look
nothing like that picture right now though. 

“Um,
I’m sorry.  Listen, I do know what happened to you but I am just a potential
student and I was really just looking for friendship.  That’s all.”

She
nods her head. “Sorry.  I’m not a bitch, I’m just tired of being followed
around by reporters.  I feel like I’m being watched all the time. 
I’m just kind of freaked out.”

“I’m
so sorry for what you went through.  I don’t know the entire story but I’m
a good listener if you ever need to talk.  I know I’m a stranger but I can
be a good friend.”

“Thanks
Lindsey.  So, you’re looking at Western, huh?  Even after what
happened?”  I need to play dumb here.

“Um,
well they’re close to catching him right?”

“Yeah.”
She looks away, tears glossing her eyes.

“Why
would he do that to you?” I ask, going for the punch.

“I
don’t know.”  She shakes her head.  “I don’t know.”  She says
sniffling, wiping her nose.

She’s
obviously still very conflicted about what happened. I don’t want to push too
fast.

“So,
Lindsey?”  She shakes off the memory that was torturing her just now. “Why
Western and what are you going to major in?”

“I
wanted a smaller college. I think it’s beautiful here and I’m majoring in
Finance.  I know.  Boring, right?”

“No,
not boring.  You must be smart.  Where are you from?”

“Denver.” 
I really don’t want her asking too many questions.  I’m afraid I’ll slip
up.  “So, I was hoping maybe we could set up time to walk around
campus.  Maybe you can introduce me to some people?”

“Well,
most kids are gone until after New Year’s but, hey!”  She bursts out as an
idea pops into her head.  “My best friend Kayla is having a New Year’s
Party at her parent’s house not far from here.  The kids that are here
will be there.  She throws a party every year.  It isn’t like a dorm
party.  It’s pretty low key but you can meet some people.”

“That
sounds great.”

She
pulls out her phone.  “Let me get your number and I’ll text you.”

“Oh,
I lost my phone. Can you just write down the address and directions?”

“Oh,
sure.  Sucks you lost your phone.  I don’t know what I’d do without
mine.”

“Believe
me.  It sucks bad.” 

“My
break is over.”  She hands me the paper.  “I hope I see you there!”

“You
will.  Thanks Kim.”

Perfect. 
A party.  Maybe she’ll tell me what happened and I can get a good read on
her friends as well.  Someone had to have seen something that night.

I’m
flustered pulling out of Western, completely absorbed in my thoughts when I
realize, I have no idea where I am.  I just have to find my way to route
50.  This is what happens when you don’t have a GPS. I drive down streets
looking for signs, turning every which way.  I finally see a sign that
takes me to Route 50.  It’s not the same exit I used coming here and I’m
completely turned around.  I merge onto the road and drive several miles
but nothing looks familiar.  I decide I need to turn around.  It must
be the other way.  Shit. I’ve been gone for four hours.

As
soon as I watch her pull away from the cabin, I feel a stabbing pain in my
chest.  I slam the door to the cabin and immediately open a bottle of
wine.  I don’t even bother with a glass.  I need something to take this
edge off.  I need to ease the pounding in my chest and to numb the dark
thoughts swirling in my head.  I feel like I’m losing my mind. I’m wanted
for murder.  Everyone I know thinks I’m a monster, including my best
friend.  I’m being hunted and I know they’re close. I feel it.  As if
dealing with this fucked up shit on my own wasn’t bad enough, now Ness is
involved.  I took her, held her captive, kept her from her family and
seduced her.  Now, I’ve allowed her to leave me.  I don’t know if the
twist I feel in my gut is because I’m afraid I’ll lose her and I think I love
her or that I might be going to prison today if she turns me in.  My heart
tells me that she truly cares about me and wants to help me, that she believes
I’m innocent.  She even tells me so.  My brain, on the other hand,
keeps winning the argument, telling me that I’m a stupid fuck and that she is
desperate to get home and has done everything possible to earn my trust just
waiting for this opportunity to run.  I mean, really, how could she care
for me?  I held her prisoner.  Whether she believes I’m innocent of
the murders or not, I’m still a monster. 

I
take a long swig of the wine and sit on the chair in front of the
fireplace.  One bottle of wine turns to two.  Paranoia starts to kick
in and I keep checking the window for the police car I swear I hear pulling up
the drive with sirens on and lights flashing.  I can picture her face as
she stands next to the car watching me get handcuffed and taken away.  A
look of satisfaction. Kim could be with her, telling her the gruesome things
she thinks I did to her.  I can see the look of disgust on their faces.

I
open the third bottle and glance at the clock on the stove.  She’s been
gone for four hours. I think about the gun.  I would rather die than go to
prison for murder. I have no one.  No one would care. I shuffle into the
bedroom, spotting the handcuffs and the knife on the nightstand, a condom lay
next to the knife.  I swipe the back of my hand over my eyes trying to
clear my vision and then I open the drawer to the nightstand starting at the
pistol taunting me.

“Ryan!” 
I turn around and stagger towards her voice with the wine bottle in my
hand. 

“Why
did you fucking come back here?”  I shout at her.

“I
told you I would.”  She says, eyeing the bottle in my hand.

“Did
you talk to Kim?  What did she say?  Did she tell you how I forced
myself on her and then carved her up?  Did you believe her? Did you two go
to the police together?” I slur.

“No,
Ryan. Why are you drinking?  You’re drunk!”

“I
didn’t think you were coming back.  I was waiting for the police.” 

“God
Ryan.  You have to put the wine down.  It’s not going to help. 
The police aren’t coming.  I thought you trusted me?”

“The
police are coming!”  I grab my hair pulling on the ends.  I can’t
take it anymore. “Fuck!!  I’m going to prison.  I didn’t do it
Ness!!  It wasn’t me. Did you and Kim go to the police?! Do you know who
was here last night?  Did you tell someone?”  I’m pacing furiously.
 I have this anger raging inside me that needs to come out.  I need
to hit something. I throw the bottle of wine in my hand at the wall, screaming
in frustration. Glass shatters all around the floor.  She backs away from
me cowering in the corner of the room.

“Ryan.
Please calm down.  You’re scaring me.” She whispers.

“Oh,
I’m scaring you?!  Well, you should be scared, right?  I murder
people.  I attacked my best friend and cut her up and left her for dead!”

“You
didn’t do it Ryan.  I know you didn’t.”  She says quietly.

“Doesn’t
matter what you say! I’m going to prison for murder.  I had sex with all
of them.  There are witnesses that saw me with all of them.  I
ran.  I abducted you.  I had sex with you!  I fucking handcuffed
you and kept you here against your will!  I kept you from your
family!”  I rub my hands over my face feverishly.  I’m not sure how
to calm myself down.  “Someone knows we’re here!  I don’t know what
the fuck is going on!  Did you tell someone, that day I took you out? 
Did you slip a note to someone or something?   Have you been just
fucking with me all this time until you had your opportunity to turn me
in?  Tell me!  Did you go to the police?  Are they coming? 
Are they fucking coming?”

“Ryan,
the police aren’t coming!”  She screams at me, tears rolling down her
cheeks now.

“Fuck
you! Did they follow you here?! They’re probably surrounding the place right
now?!”  I head towards the window, looking around frantically.  I
swear I hear sirens.

“Ryan,
what are you saying?  I didn’t talk to the police.  You need to trust
me.  You’re being paranoid because you’re drunk. I’m trying to help
you!”  She stomps her feet in frustration.  I see fear in her
eyes.  She knows I’m out of my mind.  She just needs to leave.

“I
don’t want your fucking help!  Why don’t you just fucking go! Just
go!”  I scream at her pointing at the door.  I don’t fucking
care.  I don’t want her here anymore. I need to end this.

“I
don’t want to fucking go!”  She screams!  She studies me in deep
thought and then seems to make a decision. She strips down to her underwear and
stomps into the bedroom.

“What
the fuck are you doing?”

“I’m
staying!  I want to help you.  If I thought for one minute you were
guilty, would I do this?!”  She grabs the handcuffs off the nightstand and
clicks it to her wrist.  She attaches the other side to the bedpost and
locks her wrist to the bed. “Ryan, please.  Trust me.  I want to help
you.  I didn’t go to the police”.  She says calmly, tears still
falling down her beautiful face.  Her eyes are swollen and she’s
shaking.  From fear?  I stand in the doorway, completely
distraught.    “I trust you Ryan.  Take me. Take all of
me.” I stand there, my body battling with my brain.  Why is she doing
this?  She looks scared.     

“Are
you scared of me Ness?”

“No.” 
She whimpers.

“Do
you trust me?”

“Yes.”

“Do
you need me, baby?”

“Yes.” 
She says quietly.

“I
need you too Ness.  Hold on to the railing, baby.” 

She
grips the bed railing, one hand cuffed there.  She’s on all fours and I can’t
help but to take time to just admire her. Her pale flawless skin.  The
curve of her back.  Her ass in the air waiting for me, trusting me to take
her anyway I want. She’s trembling and I notice tiny beads of sweat forming on
her skin. Soft whimpers escape her mouth as she breathes heavily.  Her
chest moving rapidly with each pant.

I
climb on the bed and kneel behind her.  Not saying a word or touching her,
I just listen to her breathing.  She’s nervous.  I watch her body
react to the anticipation of my touch.  The soft noises, the slight
shivers, her stomach tightening.  I place the palm of my hand flat on her
back and push her down so her ass is pushed up towards me.  I unfasten my
pants and push them down past my hips, covering myself in latex and then
ripping her underwear off of her body.  She winces and gasps which makes
my cock stiffen against her ass.  I spread her knees further apart and
without warning, I thrust two fingers inside her pussy as I feel a tremor work
through her body.

“Holy
fuck.  You are so wet!” She likes being a little scared.  She’s
turned on.

I
swirl my fingers inside her collecting her juices and then remove them.  I
enter her with a quick thrust, pushing in so deep and fast that the headboard
hits the wall as she’s hanging onto it.  Adrenaline pumps through my
body.  I dig my fingers into her hip and hold her shoulder with my other
hand to hold her still as I slam my hips into her over and over. She screams
out my name which makes me lose even more control.

“Fuck! 
You feel so good!”  

“More
Ryan!”  She begs, as she pushes her ass towards me.  Fuck!  She
wants more?  Sweat is dripping down my face onto her back. I don’t know
how much longer I can keep going.

I
throw my head back pounding her with so much force, the entire bed shakes and
hits the wall violently.  We’re both grunting and panting with each
forceful thrust.  Shit, I know she’s so close.  Her pussy is
pulsating around me cock.   I slow my pace just a little and then I
take my finger, still coated with her juices and push it into her tight ass all
the way to my knuckle.  She stills her movements, clenching around my
finger and screams.  “Oh God Ryan!!” 

“You
like that baby?” I growl. 

“Yes! 
Yes!  Harder!  Oh God!”

I
push my finger further in, wait until she adjusts and then I fuck her ass with
my finger while circling my hips in the same rhythm. 

“Ryan!”
 She shrills, exhausting all the air in her lungs.  Then her entire
body tightens and then convulses violently as she lets out a long loud keening
moan.  She throws her head back and I swear her eyes roll back and her
toes curl as her body reaches a state of euphoria. 

“God
Damn Ness. You’re so fucking hot!”  I remove my finger from her ass but I
drive into her a few more times until I find my own release which doesn’t take
long.  I rest my face on her back, our sweat mixing together as I catch my
breath. The room is completely silent, except for the sounds of our breaths.

“Please
don’t leave Ness.  I need you.” I whisper into her back.

“I
won’t leave you Ryan.”

After
a few minutes, I’m almost sure I’ve passed out. I feel her squirm a bit.
“Ryan?”

I
lift my head “Yeah?”

“Can
you please uncuff me?” 

“Oh! 
Shit. Yeah.”  I lean over her to let her loose from the cuffs.  Then
I gently rub her wrist.  She falls on her back and pulls me over
her.  I rest my head on her belly as she runs her fingers through my damp
hair.

“I’m
sorry.”  I say kissing her belly button. “For drinking like that and
losing my temper.  I didn’t mean to scare you.  I would never hurt you
Ness and I really didn’t want you to go.”

“I
know.  That’s why I did what I did.  I wanted you to know that I
trust you and I want you to trust me.”

“I
do.  I trust you.  I’m just fucking scared.  Can you tell me
what happened with Kim?”

“She’s
sweet.  Not what I pictured.  You were right.  She is easy going
and she did open up.”

“What
did she say?”

“She
is convinced it was you.  She didn’t tell me anything about that night
though.  I didn’t want to push.  She didn’t buy my story. She thought
I was reporter.  I assured her I wasn’t and that I was just looking for
friendship.  She invited me to a New Year’s Eve party at her friend’s
house.”

“No
way!  It’s not safe.  You’ll be seen by too many people and you don’t
know if that guy is still hanging around!”

“I
have to go.  It’s the opportunity we’ve been waiting for.  I can get
her to tell me everything and maybe even get her friends to speak up. Someone
has to know something.  We have to figure it out.  I’ll be careful.”

“You
don’t even have a phone.  What if you get in trouble?”  Shit. 
There’s no way she’s going alone.  “I’m going with you.  I’ll just
stay hidden.”

“Okay.”

I
climb up the bed over her and we flip so that she’s on my chest.  I cradle
her head into the crook of my neck and we both lay silent.

“Ryan?”

“Yeah?”

“Where
did you get the gun and the handcuffs?”

“Gramps
is an ex-cop.”

“I
love Gramps.”  She says with a wicked smile.

“I
do to.”