Visions (Cainsville #2)(89)

“Hold still,” Ricky said. “I’m going to cut off—”

She went wild, thrashing and screaming behind her gag.

“Not the right thing to say?” he whispered to me.

I spoke louder, to be heard over her panicked struggles. “Macy? It’s me. It’s . . . Eden. You’re okay. This guy is with me. He’s going to take off your gag and blindfold. Just lie still.”

She stopped moving and lay there, tense, sounding as if she was panting behind the gag. Ricky cut off her blindfold first, and when it fell away, he leaned over her.

“You okay?” he asked.

She stared up at him. Gaping, in fact. Yes, Ricky’s face wasn’t a bad first sight after a near-death experience. He didn’t seem to notice, just cut off her gag. Then he went to work unfastening her hands and feet.

“I’m Rick,” he said when he finished. “She prefers Olivia.”

Macy took a moment to drag her gaze away from Ricky. When she saw me, she blinked.

“Olivia . . . ? Eden . . . ?” Her eyes rounded. “You’re . . .”

She scrambled out of the crib, tipping it over in her haste. I dove after her and she gasped, like I was wielding a hatchet. Ricky grabbed me back as if she was wielding one.

“What the hell are you doing?” Ricky said to her.

“That’s—She’s—I saw her in the paper. She’s—”

“Her name is Olivia,” Ricky snarled in a tone I’d never heard him use. “And she just saved your f*cking life, so you will show some respect.”

“I-I need to leave.”

“No, you need to answer some questions. If you don’t, I’ll lock you back in that damned box until you’re feeling chatty.”

One could argue this was not the kindest way to deal with a traumatized kidnap victim. But apparently Ricky wasn’t in the mood to be charming.

My cell phone blipped with an unread message.

“Looks like I missed Gabriel’s call,” I said as I took it out. “He pulled in five minutes ago. We’ll go down and meet him.”

“No,” Macy said, shrinking into the corner as she stared at Ricky, her gaze far less admiring now. “I’m not going anywhere with you two. I know who she is.”

“You know who my parents are,” I said. “You know nothing about me.”

“Except that she saved your f*cking life.” Ricky glanced my way. “Tell Gabriel how to find us, and he can convince her to talk. I’d really rather not have to stuff her back in that box.”

I called. Gabriel was trying to figure out which building to enter. I got him in the right one and on the path as I explained the situation. The basics, at least. I wasn’t giving more with Macy right there.

I also made sure to tell him I hadn’t sent that urgent message, either, which I suppose didn’t need to be done right away, but I hated him thinking I’d dragged him out of bed for what hadn’t turned out to be a dangerous situation. Apparently, though, our definitions of dangerous differed. In his books, being led through a condemned building by a crazy man still qualified.

One part of the story I left out? The part where I hadn’t come here alone. As Gabriel got closer, Ricky motioned for me to mute the phone.

“Want me to take off?” he whispered. “Explain it later?”

I shook my head. “I’ll go warn him.”

As I relayed instructions to get Gabriel to the ladder, I walked to the room with the ladder and crouched at the hatch. A moment later, the top of his head appeared below.

He looked up.

“Found it,” I said.

I grinned down at him. As calm as I’d tried to stay during this whole ordeal, there’d been a feeling that something was missing, something as essential as the gun nestled in my pocket. Seeing Gabriel, that knot untwisted.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“Better now that you’re here. Thanks.”

His head tilted to the side, and he frowned, as if unsure he’d heard right.

“I tried to leave you out of this,” I said. “That’s why I hung up the first time. I didn’t want to bother you when it wasn’t a legal issue. I’m sorry that guy got my phone and texted you. But I’m glad you’re here.”

Another frown and searching look, as if he’d moved from suspecting he’d misheard to suspecting I’d been dosed.

I shook my head. “Just come up.”

He gave the bottom rung a tug. “It’s not going to hold me. Is there another route?”

“There must be, but it’s a huge place. If you want to just stay down there, I can resolve this and—”

“No, I’ll try.” He gave the rung another test pull. “Please note, I’m not a gymnast.”

“In other words, you’d appreciate it if I averted my gaze while you awkwardly try to haul yourself up?”

He rolled his eyes, but I did turn away. God forbid Gabriel should be seen doing something that might require actual effort. I suspected that was more of a concern than whether the rungs would hold his weight.

A few not-quite-stifled grunts as he got himself onto the ladder.

“How did you manage it?” he said. “That bottom rung was almost over my head.”