Tease Me (Private Listing #4)

As I read each line, hot rage pours through me. He wanted her to get ready for him. I crumple up the note and toss it in the box. I want to destroy everything in this room because she’s not here.

I was too late again. This time I might lose her forever.

“Her phone, sir.” Tim points out the cell phone I tracked here.

I pick it up and enter the code. Her conversation with me is on the screen.

My apartment for now. I’m saving Hope.

Leaving phone and following instructions in kitchen. I don’t know where I’m going, but I will make it back to you.

My heart squeezes. “He has Hope. Tim, can you call McAvoy’s and find Jason Williams? I’ll call Bill Carr.”

Nodding, Tim heads into the other room with his phone in his hand.

I press Bill’s contact and it rings.

“This is Carr.”

“Bill, it’s Blake. He’s got her.” Something inside me breaks and my words crack. My breath shudders in and out. Fuck, I need to hold it together.

“What do we know?” Bill’s tone is clear and authoritative.

I fill him in while examining the box. When I enter the bathroom, I find Madison’s clothes from today. The shower is still wet and her soft floral scent fills the room. The only major difference is the screen on the wall.

Curious, I press buttons but nothing happens. I turn on the shower and the screen flares to life. A song streams out. The same one that was with the message the other day. Images flash on the screen. A younger Madison with other guys. Guys that didn’t matter to her then and don’t matter to her now.

“There’s got to be fingerprints somewhere in here, Bill.”

“Maybe. He’s been careful. I don’t see him slipping up now when he almost has her.” Bill’s walking somewhere. “How long did you say Hope Williams has been missing?”

“Last we saw her was Sunday. Two days ago.” I run my hand through my hair and turn off the shower. The music continues. It must be on a timer.

“I’ll get that phone number to tracking.”

When I walk into the living room, Robert steps forward.

“I took pictures of the car that drove her too.”

Something concrete. Thank fuck Robert is a nosey guy. I stride over to him and tell Bill, “I’m sending you some pictures of the car that drove her. It’s likely a service, but maybe we can find out where it dropped her off.”

This might give us the most information. I clap Robert on the shoulder and give him a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

“Anything to help Madison.” He steps away, and I give him my number to forward the pictures to me.

I rattle off the plate number to Bill before sending the pictures to him. She’s wearing that floral sundress and her makeup isn’t what she normally does. What sick fantasy is this guy playing out?

Bill says he’ll get back to me as soon as he knows something. He’s sending a car to the apartment to process everything.

I need to tell the others and find out what they know. We’ll have to wait for Bill to work his magic. With two potential victims currently and an active crime in progress, they’ll be moved to the front of the line.

The stalker could have them anywhere. He has a thirty-minute lead on us and we have no direction yet. Even though we have clues to where he’s taking her, we still don’t know who he is.

Madison

I finish untying the knot holding the gag in Hope’s mouth. What happened to Anna? Those weren’t her footsteps. Did she get away? What if the stalker got her too? She has children at home waiting for her.

What if Anna was a distraction to get me down here? She seemed sincere in her confusion, but can I trust her? Should I trust anyone? But if she’s a victim like me…