Innocence Taken (27 page)

Web set the papers down and steepled his fingertips together in front of his face. He thought about both reports. At the same time, he tried to remember something he had read recently, something dealing with the death of a girl. Suddenly, it came to him.

He started shifting through the papers. “Is there anything in these about a dead girl found in this state? I received a fax about it at my office while I was away."

"I remember that one,” Boone said. “I worked it and sent out the fax. We got a hit from Florida. It turns out her name was Mindy, Mindy Stax. Her parents reported her missing."

Web didn't hear what else Boone said. The words “Mindy” and “Florida” caused everything in the room to fade. He recalled the names given by Nature. One of them was Mindy.

"What's the matter?” Sandy touched him, bringing him back.

"How was she found?"

"A hunter found her."

"No ...
how
was she found."

"I'm not following you,” Franklin said. “What are you driving at?"

Web ignored the detective. He kept his focus on the deputy, waiting for an answer. His heart threatened to beat out of his chest and his palms felt like they were becoming lakes.

"Her arms were tied together and she was naked. It looked like she fell from the cliff above. Hard to tell anything else, animals helped themselves before the hunter found her, if you know what I mean.."

Sandy blanched. Boone gave her an apologetic look.

"Was she anywhere near the spot where the girl was found eight years ago?"

Franklin and Boone turned their faces toward at each other then at Web. It was Boone who spoke. “Now that you mention it ... yea, she was close to the same spot."

"Show me on the map."

Boone slid the map book around to face it toward Web. His pointer fell on a spot north of their present location. “Here.” The area he pointed to was free of any roads. It was inside the National Forest. It was close to several mountain ranges, the Allegheny and the Appalachian.

"That's it! That's where he's got her. It fits.” He jumped to his feet. “It fits the location where Nature said the other girls were buried". He glared at Boone, “Come on man, pick up the phone and start calling. We have to get a search team together.” Looking at Franklin, he said, “Get off your ass. Let's go find her."

Boone and Franklin looked at the excited man. They remained seated. Web stared at them, unable to believe they were not moving. His anger flared. “Goddammit! Get off your asses and move!"

"Web ... it's dark outside, we won't be able to see a thing. We might miss a clue, something that would lead us to her,” Boone stated.

"Besides, you don't know the area. In the dark, you might walk past her and not know it. But the killer would,” Franklin threw in.

"Web, you've only had a couple hours of sleep since you arrived back in Montana,” Sandy said. “You need sleep. We'll leave at first light."

"Shit!"

Franklin moved next to Web. “Come on, let's go sit down. We have a good idea of where to look, thanks to you, but we need to be fully rested when we start hiking in those woods."

"Go to hell. If you lazy shits want to sit on your thumbs and do nothing ... then go ahead. I'm looking for her now."

Web turned to leave. Suddenly, the floor met his face. He felt his arm forced up his back and heard the rasping sound of handcuffs as they closed on his wrist. He tried to push up with his free hand. A knee in the middle of his back ended that. Another knee pressed on the side of his face. The free arm was forced back. The rasping sounded again. He found himself in the same situation he was in at the killer's van, when he tried to stop Nature from pushing herself too far—handcuffed and helpless.

Sandy was screaming in the background. She yelled for the men to leave him alone, that he didn't deserve this kind of treatment, that he only wanted to help Nature. The knee on his back left. He heard several hits land on flesh as she fought to get to him. Just as quickly as the shouting began, it ended.

"What did you bastards do to her?” He shouted. He wasn't able to turn his head due to the knee pinning it to the floor.

"I stopped her from tearing me apart.” Franklin's words came from the other side of the room. Web heard more rasping and the sound of someone being dragged across the hardwood floors. He watched Sandy's limp form land next to him. Her arms were handcuffed behind her.

"You're such a big shit, beating up a woman. Does it boost your ego ... huh ... does it?'

The knee shifted off him. Franklin kicked him over and grabbed the front of his shirt, lifting him off the floor. “You dumb fuck. All you see is one person. All you see is your latest fuck toy. I see the whole picture. I see the faces of those girls before my eyes every day I go home to my daughters. I want this sick son of a bitch found before he can kill anyone else.” He flung Web back onto the floor. “And I don't need a dumb shit sheriff in my way."

"When I get loose, Franklin, I'm gonna to kill you."

"You have to wake up first. Say good night, Sheriff."

Franklin brought his leg up and kicked Web in the face. The man flipped over, partway onto his side. He didn't move. Standing nearby, Boone watched. He followed Franklin's movements to the coffee table, then the door. He followed him outside. He knew the area well. He knew where to look, because he had been there not too long ago, helping to investigate the discovery made by the hunter.

"He's going to be pissed off when he wakes up."

"So? I hope we'll have the killer in custody by the time he gets free.."

The engine for the police car roared to life. It backed out and rolled toward Thornwood. At the interchange, it turned north onto Route 28. About 11 miles from the turnoff, it passed a lone holly bush. Its berries shined bright red in the headlights. Neither man paid attention. Their thoughts were focused on what lay ahead, and how they were going to find the needle in the haystack disguised as a man.

The cabin came into sight. Nature did not remember much about the trip to it. She was cold, hungry, and thirsty. Plus, her body hurt in more ways than she thought possible. She did remember the man taking her one more time before he made her and the other woman hike up the mountain. The Man ... that's what she called him since she did not know his name. He barely spoke.

The collar around her neck chafed her skin raw. She couldn't move it because her hands were still cuffed behind her. The other captive wore one also. The difference was her extremities weren't tied. She moved freely. She followed the man like a puppy, always trying to get his attention, always trying to get him to hit her and use her badly. It made Nature sick to watch.

A shiver up her back causing her shoulders to shake. She wasn't sure if it was because of the cold or the dread emanating off the building where so much suffering happened, making the air around it heavy with grief.

The man saw the shiver and tugged on Nature's leash. He had to get The One inside before she came down sick. The sudden action made her stumble. His hands caught her, preventing her from falling. They lingered on her breasts. Nature closed her eyes. She didn't want him to see the revulsion in them. Another tug forced her eyes open..

Rage filled Miranda. She wanted the man for herself. He had no need for this interfering slut. She gave him everything he desired, and more. Why was he so infatuated with her? Her gaze landed on the woman in front of her. Thoughts of how she could get rid of her flowed through her mind.

The man brought both women into the cabin. He held onto Nature's leash while attaching Miranda's to the end of the bed. When he was finished, he guided Nature to the mattress. He laid her down and secured her legs in the swinging straps. Her arms remained under her. The man admired the way it forced her breasts upward. He wanted to hold them. An arm circled around him, distracting him.

Miranda wrapped her arm around the man's waist. She knew he would be mad, but at least it drew his attention away from the slut. He spun around; she ducked her head, waiting for the blows to begin. They didn't. She peeked upward to see why.

The man looked at her through slits. He appeared to be thinking. She waited. He turned back toward Nature, ignoring her. Miranda was shocked. She couldn't understand why he didn't hit her. He had before and it always caused him to get excited, thus causing him to take her. She had come to enjoy the beatings and the sex that followed.

The man cupped Natures breasts and squeezed them. Miranda saw his crotch grow. She wanted it. She didn't want him to give it to the slut. Determined to get it, she grew bolder.. She stepped up to him and ran her fingers over his chest. She tried to bring them to his pants so she could unbutton and unzip them, but he grabbed her wrists, preventing it. He threw her backwards, making her fall onto her ass. She stayed down, legs sprawled. This time she knew he would come to her, she knew he would take her like she so badly wanted.

Again, he turned back to Nature. Miranda saw him move his hand toward the swinging legs. She saw his hand disappear between them. She saw Nature stiffen. It was too much. She couldn't take it. This man was hers, she was not about to watch him share his cock with some interfering bitch. She jumped to her feet and forced her way against him. She ran her hand over his bulging crotch. She ripped at his pants, trying to get them out of the way.

The man grabbed her hair and jerked her away. He backhanded her several times. Miranda responded by jumping on him. He was not expecting it and fell. He felt her hands clawing at him. He felt his shirt rip open. He felt her nails rake his chest down to his abdomen. He felt his pants fly open and his penis jerk out. The tape covering her mouth fluttered into the air. Her lips closed around his erection. He felt her tongue moving over his skin. He became enraged. He was the one in control, not this bitch.

He hit her on the head with his fist. She latched onto his penis with her teeth. He bellowed with rage. Grabbing handfuls of her hair, he jerked upward. She sank her teeth in. The man lost control; he hit her with his fists again and again. He kept hitting her even after she released him.

Nature watched in horror as she saw Miranda attack the man, attempting to get him to have sex with her. Her horror over the situation grew when she saw the man retaliate. He wouldn't stop hitting her. Miranda started to cry, but the tears infuriated him more. His hands moved to her neck. He tightened them under the collar. Miranda's eyes widened. Her lips turned blue. She struggled to get them off. They were clamped on her like a vice grip. She sank her fingernails into his arms. Blood trickled from the wounds. The man did not appear to notice, or else he was too angry to care.

Her hands fell to the floor when Miranda became unconscious. The man continued to choke her, though not for long. He let go and hiked up her hips, spreading her legs for easy access. With unleashed furry, he shoved his penis deep inside her vagina, finally giving her what she wanted all along. He jerked her body against his, not caring if he dislocated a hip or hurt her in any way. Pulling free, he threw her to the floor and crawled onto her back. Grabbing her breasts, he twisted the nipples viciously. He bit one of her shoulders and shook it like a dog while he pumped her ass.

Nature watched the scene unfold, unable to tear her eyes away, her breath matching the speed of the man's hips. She saw him flip the woman over and shove himself into her ass. He was so furious. It showed in his actions. She saw him grab Miranda's arms and pull them back, using them as he would the reins on a horse. The woman's body tried to shift away. The man released the arms, letting the head hit the floor with a thud. Nature winched. He grabbed the legs, near the groin, and began to ride her again, pulling on her as hard as he could.

His face was hidden, something Nature was glad for. The pumping action resumed. Sympathy pains echoed throughout her body. Not that long ago, she had endured the same treatment, but not to this vicious level. A noise caught her attention, pulling her away from the awful memory..

The woman's hips felt like they were welded against his skin, he held her so tight. He leaned back, letting a roar of achievement escape from his throat when his cum shot out. He had conquered the bitch. He had conquered the one who tried to take what was not hers to take. His heart raced, his breath matched it. He remained in that position for what seemed like an eternity. The feeling was powerful. He didn't want to give it up yet. Finally, when all his energy drained from him, he fell onto the body, panting.

When his heart and breath slowed, he got up. He stared at the bruised and battered body. A sense of loss flowed through him. The experience was so full of pleasure that he regretted its end. The remembrance of her attack brought the anger back. He kicked the body in the ribs several times before bending over and lifting it to his shoulder. He walked out the door, pulling it closed behind him.

Nature saw the red stain on the throw carpet. She stared at it, hoping the same thing wasn't going to happen to her. She knew better than to think it wasn't. She saw the crazed look in his eyes, before he left. Unless Web found her soon, she was doomed to endure what many before her had endured.

After what felt like forever, the man returned. His manner was calm. He stiffened when he saw the stain. He strolled to a stack of old rags and picked one up. An hour of scrubbing with water and the stain was gone, like the woman who put it there. He threw the bloody rag into the fireplace and placed several logs on top of it. Lighting a match, he tossed it inside. The dry wood and the kindling under it lit quickly. Within minutes, a fire warmed the inside of the cabin, thus removing any sign of the outburst that had occurred earlier.

Nature saw him turn toward her. She held her breath as he moved toward her. The angry crazed look was gone; something far worse replaced it. A yearning hunger was there. She saw him remove his clothes and advance. She knew she was going to suffer horribly at his hands, far worse than previous. To her shock, he crawled onto the bed and lay beside her. He moved his mouth to her breast and latched onto it. One of his hands gently cupper her other breast as he started to suckle. He fell asleep.