She wrinkled her nose as she saw the man sitting in the corner of the coffee shop she’d often frequented. He knew she’d be here. She was tired of him following her around. He thought that he would have a chance with her. She had everything she had ever wanted; who did he think he was to force himself into her life.
She pushed her chair back with a little more force than necessary. Her friend, no companions, ceased their inane chatter and stared at her. She ignored them and marched to the man. “I remember I told you to leave me alone.”
He stared at her in slight shock and hurt. She watched him try to decide whether to lie or to tell the truth. He reached out suddenly and grabbed her arm. “Please Lucy, I beg you. I can do anything for you, everything. Please give me a chance.”
The sheer desperation in his voice disgusted her. To call this thing a man would be an insult to men everywhere. “I’ve told you once and a million times before. I have no interest in you and never want to see you again.”
“Lucy-”
“Leave me alone!” She stormed out of the coffee shop; her half-brained posse following close after her. Nessa muttered how irritating admirers where. She didn’t bother replying. She knew she had to find a new hangout spot; just seeing that face was enough to make her lose her lunch.
* * * * *
She let out a groan as droplets fell on her face. It had to be this day of all days that her chaffer fell ill. She had no problem walking, she wasn’t that spoiled, but she hated the rain probably only a little less than the Wicked Witch of the West did. Her mother always teased her about how she used to scream like a dying hyena whenever she wanted to give her bath. Her chest tightened; those were memories she didn’t want to think of.
A screeching sound made her jump. Her eyes widened as a van swerved to a stop next to her. She yelled at the van, screaming about how it could have hit her. Yes, she didn’t really think that the driver could hear her but it made her feel better. All of a sudden, the side door of the van slid open. She backed away on instinct when a force behind her shoved her into the van. Before she could let out a sound; a cloth was compressed onto her mouth and soon darkness surrounded her.
* * * * *
She opened her eyes to pure blackness. She took deep breaths, warning herself not to start hyperventilating. In some ways, she was grateful she couldn’t see her surroundings. She had claustrophobic tendencies and she really didn’t want to know the size of the place that held her. “Calm down,” she told herself and tried to analyze her situation. Her hands and legs were tied to the front of her so she wasn’t extremely uncomfortable and had some extent of movement. She was not gagged and she had no injuries, yet. She let out a sneeze and shivered. She was still in her wet clothes and this place did not have a heater. She sneezed again.
“Ah, you are awake.” She narrowed her eyes as bright light filled the room. It took all she could to not look around the room. She could not panic now.
“Yes and since we are done stating the obvious, what am I doing here?” Maybe trying to be a smart mouth wasn’t the best thing to do but it was in her nature.
He ignored her jibe, “Well since we have an impatient guest, I’ll just get skip right to the chase. Ransom; I wonder how much daddy would pay to get his sweet daughter back.” Just as she was about to respect him for not beating around the bush, he just had to get into that clichéd evil laugh.
“Father doesn’t like threats or being ordered around. He won’t pay.” He’d just hire every detective out there to find her, but he won’t pay.
He grinned, “I’m sure he would see differently after I send him a finger or two.” She flinched; big mistake. She was not supposed to show that she was intimidated. “I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt first but just in case, which finger do you think you’ll miss the least.” Again he laughed; cackled more like it, before leaving her in darkness again. She wasn’t scared; she wasn’t.
* * * * *
She didn’t know how long it has been since she was in that room. Days, weeks maybe even mere hours. She still had her fingers so that must have counted for something. Did Father really pay for her? She’d doubted it; it wasn’t in his nature. She let out a coughing fit and shivered again. The least they could have done was given her a change of clothing or food or water. She tried to wrap herself closer together to gather what heat she could. A moan escaped her throat. She was welcomed back into the darkness’ embrace; glad of it for once.
* * * * *
She woke up feeling warmth around her. Was she dead? Arms cradled her; she attempted to force her eyes open but they were so heavy. She tried to speak but only a groan escaped. “It’s alright now, I’m here.” She knew that voice; it was the man from the coffee shop. She tried to fight the arms around her but she barely did any damage.
“Told you…leave me…alone…” She was proud that something at least escaped her throat instead of those pathetic sounds she released. The person holding her said nothing; just placed her softly on the ground.
“I didn’t mean it you know. No matter what you heard. I wrote to you all the time but she wouldn’t give those letters to you.” She shook her head; she didn’t want to hear this. Not now; not ever.
“Watch your mouth. That’s my mother you’re talking about.”
He laughed; he actually had the guts to laugh. “She was always so beautiful and so gentle. I can only guess where you got that fire from.” He ran a hand through her hair and she growled. “I think about you every day until sometimes I wonder whether it was worth leaving.” He trembled, “There was just no other way to it. I made a choice and it was what I wanted.”
“What you wanted? What about what I wanted? What about what mom wanted? I knew mom never showed me the letters. I didn’t want to read them. I didn’t need you. If you really loved my mom, loved me, you would have tried coming back. I didn’t need much; birthdays and Christmas. It would have been more than enough. You should have been there holding my hand while I watched my mom die but you weren’t. The case in Venice or Siam or who cares where was more important. Someone did hold my hand. I have a Father, I don’t need you.”
He said nothing more and trembled beside her. Was he crying? Was he cold? She couldn’t bring herself to care. She shivered again. “I’ve called the cops; they will be here any second.” She ignored the pain in his voice. She taught herself to be cold and heartless. It was the only way she dragged herself through the years. She had no friends; she only had people desperately following her around. For fame, for money, who cares? She was never alone and they didn’t get a chance to leave; she left them. It was easy and it was painless. She watched the sky and let herself fall asleep, relieved as sirens filled the distance.
* * * * *
“Where is she? Where is my daughter? Alucia!?”
“Calm down sir, she’s alright. Just a bit of hypothermia has set in, that’s all.”
“Let me see her!”
“Father!”
He pushed passed the paramedics and enveloped her in a hug. “You gave me such a scare! I told them I’d send the money but I knew they wouldn’t let you go; loose ends and all that. You’re alive, that’s all that matters.”
She couldn’t help but smile. It warmed her to find her usually stoic father act so human. She always thought that he never thought her of his own. Now she knew. She furrowed her brow as something to the right of her caught her eye.
For reasons she cannot explain, her heart clenched as she saw the man who spawned her lying deathly pale beside her. The blood red that stained his chest stood out more than anything. She could only stare; her face giving away nothing.
“Is he going to be alright?” Her Father asked the paramedic. She tuned them out as she could only stare at her savior. She didn’t want to believe what was happening. She hated him, she reminded herself. She never wanted to see him again. “He’ll be fine.” Her father whispered to her. “He’ll make it.” She wondered whether her Father knew exactly who this man was. “He saved you; he’s the best detective in the world. He found you almost instantly.”
A case; that’s all she was. The man stared at her with those sad eyes. She stared back; no words to say. She numbly touched the bullet wounds on his chest. For her, those were all for her. She surprised herself when she wrapped her hand around his. His eyes widened and suddenly he looked many years younger. She smiled slightly and a single raindrop trailed down her face. She saw his true nature and decided that she might learn to love him after all.
