Chapter Seventy-Two: Destination Anywhere

Jon sank down on the couch his phone still gripped in his hand unsteadily. Her voice had been unwavering and strong but she would have been staying strong with that fucking low life creep sitting next to her. Five million dollars was in his range but fuck if he wanted to hand that creep a dime.

Richard was on the phone to his cop buddies to help trace the call, hell if it was even traceable. His nails dug into his skull as he bowed his head and wished to fuck he was watching a Bruce Willis action special instead of living one.

He knew now just one thing. He loved Devon. Against all odds of being a bitter twisted divorced guy and having already lived twenty years in a marriage. He loved her. He would do it all again if he got her back. He’d make sure of it.

Dusk was settling in and soon it would be night. He couldn’t bear to think about her locked up with him during the night. What if he did something to her? Fuck-what if-

“Boss, you need anything?” Josh popped his head into the living room.

Jon shook his head. “No, just go home tonight Josh. It’s not like we’re unsafe anymore.” He rubbed the dull ache in the centre of his chest. He doubted sleep was even on the cards at this point.

“I’ll come back in the morning, but call if you need anything, yeah?”

Jon nodded. “Yep.”

Josh left and the house hung with silence. His feet were restless and he wriggled on the couch as he had no clue what to do next. He grabbed his coat and scarf, cell and keys and signalled to Richard he was leaving.

“I need some air.”

Richard covered his phone. “You sure that’s such a good idea?”

Jon jammed his hands in his pockets. “Not like he’s out there now, is it? He’s fucking got what he wanted.”

“Ok but be careful and try and not be too long. Devon needs you to be strong as well.”

Jon didn’t say a word and let the door slam behind him. He wasn’t what Devon needed right now was he? He was helpless. Yes he had a great big pile of money but he wasn’t even sure that was the right thing to do. And they couldn’t involve the police properly like normal folk, well not at this point anyway without risk to Devon.

His feet hit the cobblestones of Mercer with a quickened pace. The cool air had settled into the city as winter nipped on their heels. Whistles and faded sirens were they only sound over the hum of traffic from the busier streets nearby. He walked without care except to avoid traffic as he crossed each intersection. He took a turn into the quieter run-down streets of Soho. It wasn’t a bad neighbourhood even at this time of night but he kept aware of his surroundings.

Away from the hustle and bustle of Canal Street and the street merchants, littered newspapers and trash cans were all that were left down here. His feet moved faster and his chest tightened. He must have walked two, three miles? It wasn’t enough. Nothing was enough.

His step fell into a jog until it blended into a run. His head screamed as the cold air whipped and his calves burned as he pushed through the pain barrier. A kaleidoscope of lights spun past him as he ran and ran until he came to a dead end. He crouched against the wall and his lungs heaved for breath. One hand clawed the brick and the other covered his eyes as he wretched two sobs.

Is this what he had been reduced to?

He took three more deep breaths and his heart rate steadied. The night lights came back into focus and the world was still there. Still turning.

Pull yourself fucking together.

It was all he could do for her. Richard was right and he could see that now. Meltdowns weren’t going to help her now. He stood, brushed his jacket down and wiped his brow full of sweat. He strode back into the crowds on the main drags and slowly walked his way back to his apartment. He took the stairs and climbed each one slowly building a resolve when he was at the top he’d be strong again.

When he was nearly there he stopped when something caught his eye tucked in beside the braces for the third floor railing. He bent down and picked up the twisted heart ring and sighed. “Oh baby.” He kissed it and tucked it into his pocket as he looked around the stairwell and wondered how the struggle played out.

“You won’t get the best of us.” He vowed quietly and moved back up to the apartment. It was well after midnight and Richard was sitting in the armchair.

“You all right?”

Jon sat opposite him and nodded. “I am now. Did you find anything?”
Richard crossed his hands on his stomach. “Nothing yet but I have some guys running scans in the areas and to see if we can see anyone that called your number via the satellites. It’ll just take some time.”

Jon shrugged. “I don’t know what that even means but great.”

“You should try and get some sleep Jon. You’ll be no good to her without it.”

He got up. “I should but what about the money? Should I get it?”

Richard half-smiled. “Let’s discuss that in the morning when we’ve both had a couple of hours sleep. I’ll stay in here if that’s ok.”

“Yes, of course. There is a blanket under the couch and help yourself to anything you need or to use the bathroom to shower. Everything you need is in there.”

“Try and get some sleep son.”

Jon picked up the whiskey bottle. “Help yourself to any of the booze. And Richard thanks.”

Richard nodded. “Don’t thank me yet. But we’ll get her back, ok?”

Jon managed a small smile but his heart was heavy. “Sure.”

He stripped down and crawled into his bed after two shots of whiskey and closed his eyes. His only hope was that sleep would claim him and that tomorrow they would have better news.

~

Her head pounded.

She’d kill to pop an Advil or two about now. The darkness had set in for the second night and she was drifting in and out of sleep. She was weary, rundown and tired but afraid to sleep. Afraid what promises that they darkness would offer her.

Would Jon come through with the money? Her gut told her he probably would. He loved her enough to but he’d still be angry if Jared made it away with five million of his money and she’d feel guilty as well.

The silhouette of a man in a chair by the window was what she could make out in the room. His breathing kicked in time with the hum of the air conditioning unit just like it did last night. All she could remember was inside this room. There was more to her life but it felt so boxed in right now. What would happen tomorrow? Would Jon show up with the cash and she’d be sent home in his arms? Somehow she didn’t think so. That would be too easy.

The day had been so long, Jared had left her alone for most of it thankfully than hovering all over her. But there was only so much she could take. She couldn’t wait till tomorrow. She couldn’t stand to let this come down to a stand-off that may or may not end in her favour.

She did it five years ago when she chose to run away from him, she could do it again. At least she had somewhere to go this time. At least she had people who supported her.

“Jared.” She spoke into the darkness.

He stirred. “What is it?”

“Bathroom.” Her heart pounded in her ears as he grunted and switched on the light.

“You did always get up in the middle of the night. Nothing’s changed huh?”

“Yup. I guess so.” She answered without fighting him. He undid the rope and hauled her up off the bed and pushed her in the direction of the bathroom.

She stood again in front of the cracked mirror and washed up. Her arms were shaking from being bound above her head and the muscles pulsed in pain. She looked like a mess. She tucked her hair behind her ears and splashed some more water on her face. She had no shoes on but there would be no time for that, she’d just have to run if she even got the chance.

“Oh god.” She steadied herself against the basin. If she failed this time she had no doubt he’d do something awful to her. She studied the cracked mirror a little closer and picked at it. A shard came freely out, it wasn’t big and she doubt it would do a lot of damage but it should deter him for a few seconds. If she could do it.

She wrapped her hand around the shard and walked back out. It was still dark outside but that would make it easier to run and hide. Where ever they hell they were.

“Can-Can I just stretch for five minutes?” She winced as she leaned back. “Everything aches.”

“Do I look like I give a shit? Get back on the bed.”

“One sec.” She bent back over and made sure the shard tip was ready as he made his way towards her. It was now or never she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
“You’re determined to be a right little-”

She came up and shoved the shard into skin, she hit his shoulder and he backed away and bellowed in pain. She leapt towards the door and fumbled with the locks, this time sliding them open quickly.

“Yes!” She flung the door open and Jared grabbed it but she squeezed through before he could close it again.

“Get back here you little bitch.”

She spun and kicked the door back so it connected with Jared and adrenaline pumped through her veins like a new lease of life as she pounded down the narrow corridor. Peeled off paint and chopped carpet was left in her wake as she rounded down a staircase hearing footsteps drumming behind her. She flew down, one-two steps at a time and through a run-down reception area.

The doubles doors out to the street opened with a crash and she kept on running. God, where the hell was she? The dark narrow gravel streets were not recognizable and there was nothing around. He gravel crunched under her feet, grating the skin but she kept running. She could hear shouts behind her but she dared not turn around in-case he was in reaching distance of her.

Keep going.

God she ached, but the resolve kept driving her. Pumping each beat of her heart.

She rounded the corner and zigzagged through trees that led into a reserve. She was crazy to be running into here in the middle of the night but she had no choice. She ran under the canopy of trees where the moonlight barely hit the ground and stood behind a large oak. Voices in the distance kept her weary and the flicker of fire from a bomb fire crackled into the night.

God, where the hell am I?

She took three deep breaths and stayed where she was.

“Well, what do we have here?”

Devon jumped but it wasn’t Jared she was faced with. A taller figure in a hood moved in front of her, the flame red tip of his cigarette burned like a beacon.

“Please. I’m just trying to get away-” She raked her hand through her hair. “I don’t want any trouble.”

“Sounds like you’re running away from a whole lot.”

“I am. I need a phone. Do you know where I can find one?”

He stood back and popped his knuckles. “Young white girls shouldn’t be here alone. You’ll get yourself killed.”

She chuckled at the irony. “Well I was running away from that so I don’t know if it’s any better.”

“You need to use the payphone back down the street. You better hope girl it’s working. It’s usually smashed in for quarters.”

“I just have to call someone-”

“Hey man - can I help you?” The guys stepped away and back into the darkness.

“Have you seen a girl? My girlfriend is in here? I seem to have lost her.”

“I did see a girl a while ago-what did she look like?”

Devon took her cue and quietly ran back the way she came while he talked to Jared. Her face was burning and each stride she took crunched twigs under her feet. They were likely to be bleeding but she wasn’t thinking about that, she wasn’t thinking about anything except for getting to that phone.

She kept looking over her shoulder and hoping Jared wasn’t following her. She found the street and thankfully it was deserted. And she found the payphone. The rain had started to fall and the wind whipped around her legs.

She inched into the booth and said a silent hallelujah when she picked it up and there was dial tone. She dialled the operator quickly and asked to dial collect to Jon’s cell phone, reciting the number. Thank god she could remember it.

It rang painfully. She held the earpiece and kept looking over her shoulder. Scared that Jared was going to appear out of nowhere and it would be game over.

“Hello?” Jon croaked.

Her chest collapsed in relief and tears sprung to her eyes. “Jon?! I’ve escaped...I don’t know where I am. I’m at a phone booth.”

“Wh-Devon, fuck! Do you know anything about where you are? What do the streets look like?”

“Run down, the area is definitely run down and there is a nearby park.”

“Christ that could be anywhere? Where is Jared?”

“I don’t know - god. I’m scared I just want to be home.”

“I know you do baby, I know you do. I’m running down to your father. Just stay on the phone. We couldn’t get a trace on the call you made from Jared so whatever you do stay on the line.”

She heard muffled yelling. “Dev-Dev is there a number, like a serial on the payphone you’re at?”

Devon looked over the battered payphone and the number looked like it had been scratched off with a coin. “No, it’s been scratched off.” Her heart raced as she looked over her shoulder, the rain now falling harder.

“Ok Dev... Your father is going to get the trace we’ve been on the line long enough. Just hold on.”

She spied a figure rounding the block. “Someone’s coming. I should go.”

“Your Dad says go and find somewhere safe and stay there. We’ll come and find you. We’ll come to the phone booth so check in a couple of hours - god depending where you are. We’ll come for you ok?”

“Ok-Jon-” She glanced back again. “I love you.”

“I love you too baby, hold tight I’m coming for you.”

She hung up and quickly snuck out of the booth and down the alley. To her relief the person kept walking past. She sank down on a stoop that provided some shelter from the rain and shade from the road. No one would see her here, she just had to sit and wait. And hope like hell Jared wouldn’t find her.