Riding Tall: Fencing You In Part 22

Gage clenched his teeth. "He's done something with her. I know it in my gut."

"My gut doesn't trust the man, either." Reese put his hand on Gage's shoulder. "We'll keep looking a little longer. There's a shed out back that I've got a couple of men going through now."

Gage nodded. Statistics showed that the longer an abducted child or adult was missing, the less likely he or she would be found alive.

He refused to believe Tess was dead.

Detective Petrova was standing with Harvey in the front doorway. Harvey had a furious look on his face. "They're wrecking my house."

"Get over it." Reese walked up to Harvey and studied him. "Expecting company?"

Harvey looked taken off guard by the question. "No."

Reese jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Then why the food and drink in the kitchen?"

"I was just about to have lunch," Harvey growled.

"Uh-huh." Reese took a notebook out of his pocket and jotted a note. "And you planned on eating five sandwiches and drinking out of two separate cups?"

"I was hungry and besides, I make a lot and what I don't eat I wrap up and eat later. And I drink a lot." Harvey shrugged. "The sooner you hurry and get the h.e.l.l out of my house with your dumba.s.s questions, the sooner I can eat."

"You're going to come down to the station so that we can ask you a few questions more," Reese said. "Guess you'll have to put off your egg salad."

"Why the h.e.l.l should I go with you?" Harvey scowled.

"You were placed at the scene," Reese said. "We need to ask you a few questions and while we're at it we'll have you examine some security tapes. If you weren't there, then maybe you'll recognize someone who was."

Harvey looked furious but he said, "Let me put the food away."

"Gage here will take care of it for you." He nodded to Gage. "Won't you?"

"Yep." Gage nodded.

Harvey narrowed his eyes. "I don't want him in my house."

Reese shrugged. "He's just being a good neighbor. Helping you out."

Harvey gave Gage a hateful look and Gage watched as Reese took Harvey by one arm and started escorting him down the stairs.

Reese turned to Gage. "Get a ride with Officer Suarez. I mentioned to him that you might need one."

Harvey jerked his arm away. "I can walk by myself and I can drive myself there, too."

Gage watched as Reese walked Harvey to his truck and had a few words with him. Then. Reese and Petrova climbed into the front of their vehicle and headed the car down the dirt road, following Harvey's truck.

After the taillights had vanished from sight, Gage turned around and headed back into the house for another look.

Chapter 35.

Gage stayed behind a while when Reese and Petrova went in with Harvey for questioning. Instead of wrapping the egg salad sandwiches and putting them in the fridge, Gage tossed the sandwiches into the garbage. He studied the cup with the lid and straw, wondering what the significance of it was. Why would Harvey have two gla.s.ses of iced tea, one with a lid and a straw?

Unless he had a prisoner flat on her back who couldn't raise her head enough to drink without spilling liquid.

The thought made Gage's gut burn. Could that be it? Could Harvey have Tess somewhere here, tied down?

With that possibility in his mind, he spent time searching the house with Officers Suarez and Taynor, but found nothing. His shoulder and thigh ached as he searched, but he ignored the pain.

When the officers declared the search to be over, Gage reluctantly went with them. He wanted to keep looking but he didn't have a choice when the officers insisted that he leave at the same time they did.

Something told him that Harvey had Tess. Somewhere. But they'd searched everywhere imaginable around the old Anderson place. Where could Harvey have taken her?

Suarez and Taynor dropped Gage off in front of the police station. Harvey's beat-up truck was parked near the front entrance.

Gage went to his own truck that was parked down the street. He climbed in but drove it to a small mom and pop cafe across the street from the police station. He could have walked but he wanted to be able to get into his truck as fast as possible if he needed to. Before he got out, he reached into the glove compartment and snagged a bottle of Advil, took out a couple of tablets for the pain, and swallowed them dry.

His stomach rumbled as warm smells of fried chicken hit him as he walked into the cafe. He took a seat by the big plate gla.s.s window where he could watch the front door of the police station.

Since dinner last night, he hadn't had anything more than a couple cups of coffee at the police station this morning and two packaged sweet rolls out of a vending machine. It was already afternoon and he was starving. He ordered a large plate of half a fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and biscuits, along with a large gla.s.s of iced tea. He figured he was in for the long haul and he cleaned his plate.

It was a good three-hour wait before Harvey came out of the police station and it was already starting to get dark. Gage watched as the man looked left then right, as if checking to see that no one was around, before climbing into his beat-up old truck.

Gage had already paid his tab but dropped an extra tip on the table for taking up the booth for so long. He followed Harvey in his truck at a good distance, and on the way out of town, Harvey stopped at a supermarket. Gage parked a good distance from Harvey then headed into the store.

It wasn't easy following Harvey without being noticed, but the man seemed to be focused on his own thoughts. Gage was wearing a ball cap instead of a western hat, a T-shirt, jeans and an athletic shirt. With his height and size it wasn't easy to blend in, but somehow he managed.

He watched as Harvey picked up supplies that included food, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and feminine hygiene products. It was the latter that made Gage's skin p.r.i.c.kle. There could be no reason why he'd be buying something like that if there wasn't a woman involved.

Once Harvey looked over his shoulder in Gage's direction and he thought Harvey had spotted him, but the man turned back to the cashier and paid for his purchases.

Gage had a feeling Harvey would be heading back to the Anderson place, but he didn't know for sure. He could be holding Tess anywhere. Gage gave Harvey a bit of a head start and then followed him.

It was getting darker as they walked out of the supermarket's front doors. Harvey loaded his groceries into the truck and climbed in and started it. By the time Harvey had loaded everything, Gage was in his vehicle and wasn't far behind as Harvey drove out of the parking lot.

Gage hung way back because the road out to the Andersons' didn't have much traffic and Harvey might notice him. When the man turned down the road to the Anderson place, Gage kept driving past so that Harvey wouldn't suspect anything.

After a few heartbeats, Gage turned around, went back to Harvey's drive, killed the headlights, and parked near the end of the road. He reached into his glove compartment and drew out the pistol he kept there. He kept the weapon loaded with only snake shot that was designed to kill rattlesnakes, and didn't have any regular ammunition with him.

The pain and stiffness in his right shoulder made it almost impossible to use his arm at all. He'd probably be as good at using the gun with his left hand as a lame duck with a crutch. He made sure the safety was on before he stuffed the gun in the waistband at the back of his jeans.

When the truck had been locked up, he started walking up the rough road to the house. His limp made him grind his teeth, as did the throbbing ache in his shoulder.

The darkness made it harder to walk up the rough road to the house. A wind had kicked up and tugged at his ball cap.

Harvey's truck was parked in front of the darkened house, and only one window was lit on the south side, approximately where Gage remembered the kitchen to be. Gage made his way to the window from which the glow spilled onto the ground.

When he reached the window, he eased up to it and peeked through a part in the curtains. Harvey was putting the lid back onto the one tumbler and inserting the straw in it. Gage watched as Harvey took his time making several sandwiches and wrapped them in plastic wrap.

He looked distracted as he put the sandwiches into one of two plastic grocery bags and left the kitchen, heading in the direction of the living room with both bags. He left the cup with the straw on the countertop.

Gage hurried to look into the living room windows, but there was no light and the curtains were drawn tight. In the stillness of the night, Gage thought he heard the loud thump of a heavy door coming from inside the house.

He waited, hearing nothing but silence coming from the house now. He carefully tried the front door, not wanting Harvey to notice in case he was in the living room. Locked.

Gage went around to the back of the house and tried that door. To his surprise, it was unlocked. With his left hand, he slowly turned the k.n.o.b, then used the same hand to draw his weapon. He waited a heartbeat and slipped into a utility room with a washer and dryer, wind following him inside. He shut the door against the wind and it howled through the cracks in the doorframe.

After walking through the utility room, he checked to make sure Harvey wasn't in the kitchen as he peered around the doorframe. He'd seen the man walk out, but he may have returned. When Gage saw the kitchen was empty, he slipped inside. He glanced at the counters and saw only breadcrumbs, the cup with the straw, and a small water spill.

He headed to the living room, and again peered around the corner. No sign of Harvey. The house was dark and silent, but enough light came from the kitchen into the living room that Gage could make his way around without tripping over anything. Everything was as he remembered except for the couch, which had been pulled a couple of feet away from the wall. The cops must have looked behind it when they were conducting their search and hadn't put it back.

The house was old and full of creaks and groans in the wind and he felt a draft as he went down the hallway where the bathroom was. The living room, bathroom, kitchen, and utility room were the only rooms downstairs.

He silently searched the rest of the downstairs and found no signs of Harvey or Tess. Harvey was in the house, somewhere. Whatever it took, Gage would make Harvey tell him where Tess was.

Steps creaked as he made his way upstairs and searched for Harvey and Tess. Moving up the stairs made his body ache even more and he felt weaker than he'd ever felt in his life. But determination kept him going. Determination and love for his woman.

Everything was the same, as far as he could tell, as it had been when Gage had been there earlier today. His frustration grew to the point where he wanted to punch walls.

Where the h.e.l.l was Harvey? Where could he have disappeared?

And more importantly, where was Tess?

Chapter 36.

Tess's arms and legs ached from having been tied down for so long. All she'd been able to do was look around her with her limited ability to turn her head. She'd spent most of the time staring up at the concrete ceiling and the hook, wondering if he had something in mind for that hook. The thought gave her a chill that rolled down her spine.

Where was Harvey? He'd left hours ago, supposedly to fix lunch and bring it back down.

What if he never came back and she died like this? Of thirst and starvation, unable to move and do anything to save herself. If there was a way to save herself. At least she'd die trying. d.a.m.n it. If she could only get out of this bed...

All of her attempts to free herself from the metal cuffs had rubbed her wrists and ankles raw. The cuffs had no give of course, but it hadn't stopped her from trying. The ball gag kept her from making any sounds, so she couldn't scream for help. Spit pooled at the back of her throat and she had to struggle to swallow it down whenever she could. She'd never realized how hard it would be to swallow with a ball gag in one's mouth.

Exhausted from fighting her imprisonment, she eventually drifted off to sleep.

The sound of concrete sc.r.a.ping concrete jarred her awake. She opened her eyes and focused on the door, hoping that someone had arrived to rescue her.

It was Harvey, of course. Bizarrely, she found herself glad to see him. It meant she wouldn't die alone like this.

At least not yet.

The door made a loud thunk when it closed and Harvey came down the steps carrying a couple of plastic grocery bags.

When he smiled at her, it was so chilling that she immediately changed her mind. She wasn't glad to see him, not at all.

"I'm sorry, baby." He set the bags on a small table beside the bed. "I had to take a little trip and wasn't able to get back until now."

Tess just stared at him. She couldn't say anything with the gag.

"I wonder if all this time you've had to think has made you realize anything." He continued to smile and raised one of the two bags he was holding. "Got you a toothbrush and a few other things you'll be needing."

She swallowed as he set aside the bag. It was clear he wasn't planning on letting her go soon.

He brought plastic wrapped sandwiches out of the second grocery bag. He set them on the side table. "I'm going to take the gag off. Don't scream and don't beg and I won't make you wear it. For now. Understand?"

She nodded.

He smelled of stale sweat when he leaned over her and unfastened the ball gag behind her head. When he pulled the ball out of her mouth, air rushed out of her in relief. "I have to go to the bathroom, Harvey."

He paused a moment as if he hadn't considered that possibility in his scenarios of kidnapping her. "Don't try anything. It will only get you hurt. Got that?"

She swallowed and nodded. "Yes."

He took a small key and unlocked each of the cuffs. Her muscles were sore and her skin burned where she was rubbed raw. She got up stiffly and he walked her to a small bathroom. He made her leave the door open but she still had privacy because the toilet was set back from the door and he didn't come in.

She was grateful that she still had her dress and underclothes on. Harvey could have stripped her while she'd been drugged, but thankfully he hadn't. It made her wonder exactly what his intentions were. Did he want her willingly? Or was he going to eventually force her to have s.e.x with him? Rape her?

When she finished, she flushed, tugged down her skirt, and then washed her hands with soap and water. She walked back into the room with its gray concrete walls and metal shelves full of supplies and wondered if anything could be used as a weapon.

"There's nothing sharp in here," Harvey said, clearly reading her intentions. "Nothing you could hurt me with. So don't worry your pretty little head about finding ways to harm me." He gestured for the bed. "Sit, Tess."

"Don't handcuff me again, please." She gave him a pleading look. "I'll do whatever you want me to."

"Whatever I want?" He raised an eyebrow and gave her an intense look.

Heat rushed to her face. "I meant that I won't try to escape or anything like that."

He laughed. "You have no chance in h.e.l.l of escaping, so I'm not worried about that." He pointed to the bed again. "Now."

She went to the bed and her limbs trembled as she sat on the edge of the mattress.

"First we'll eat, and then we'll have some bondage fun." He gave her a wicked grin.

Tess swallowed. She'd been starving before and now she wasn't so sure she could eat anything.