Someone who, perhaps, could have hurt her?
I trace Alexa’s writing, the letters curved and cut deeply into the page. A mark of permanence, of someone who was most definitelyhere, once upon a time. I fight a sigh, knowing that as much as I want to withdraw from this, I won’t.
I’m busy resigning myself to my fate when the front door to Coffee and Cake bursts open.
‘Margie, have you heard?’ calls Renee, the cashier from the village store, as she bustles inside. ‘The police are back at Otis Clarke’s. They’re searching the house and its surrounds.’
My body lurches with panic. As Gabby exits the bathroom, she takes one look at the scene and freezes. ‘What’s going on?’ she asks.
‘The police are finally searching the area for Alexa Clarke, that’s what,’ Margie says, reaching for her coat. ‘Renee, we should see if they want any help.’
‘Franny Henderson has already organised a team of volunteers. They’re on their way there now,’ Renee replies, but Gabby has heard enough. Springing into action, she dashes to my side and grabs the diary.
‘Think about it, okay?’ she says. Without saying goodbye, she rushes out of the café.
‘Anyone would think she was up to something, rushing off like that,’ Margie grumbles. She leaves the counter, pulling on her coat as she does. ‘I’m closing early, Janine. Sorry, neighbourly duty calls.’
It’s clear from the excited flush to Margie’s cheeks that there is more to her offer of assistance than simply being generous, but I don’t have time to concern myself with that. There are other, more important things I need to do with my time.
Things like finding out who the hell ‘S’ is.
CHAPTER 28Alexa
Five days gone
Alexa couldn’t tell which hurt more – the pain in her head from where she was hit, the pain in her abdomen from trying not to go to the bathroom again or the pain in her throat from all the screaming she had done when the door to her room opened the previous night.
Never in all her life had Alexa Clarke been more terrified.
Haloed by light and dressed in all black, a figure had stood in the doorway. Alexa had tried to make out their features, but it was impossible. They didn’t come close. Instead, they stood, soaking in her terror. At one point, Alexa swore she even heard them laugh. Her entire body had locked with tension, fearing that this was the end, but the blackened figure hadn’t stepped into the room.
They listened to her screams, then left.
Alexa supposed, really, it was a blessing. Who knew what they would do to her once they were in the room? All night, her mind had run wild with those visions. All night, fear had held her close.
Now, in the cold light of day, it was still holding on.
Another cramp tore through Alexa’s abdomen. She pressed her legs together as if doing so could save her from the inevitable, but she knew she was powerless to stop it.
She hadn’t cried when it happened the first time. Nor had she cried when the urine soaked into the mattress and started to smell. Alexa simply gritted her teeth and told herself she had done what was necessary because she’d been offered no bathroom.
But reassuring herself back then had been easier. She’d had more faith that things would be okay when she hadn’t yet listened to endless hours of silence or seen the white walls of the room repeatedly darken and then illuminate to show a day had passed.
A day in which she was still not saved.
Alexa’s chin wobbled as the pressure in her stomach peaked. Knowing she could hold it no more, Alexa let the warmth spread between her legs and began to sob.
Whoever was holding her prisoner was doing it in the cruellest way. Attacking her like she was the enemy. Binding her like a prisoner. Confining her like an animal. Ignoring her like she was invisible.
Breaking her spirit, bit by bit.
As the spasming in her stomach subsided, Alexa sniffed back her tears.No more crying, she commanded. She didn’t know if it was a command she could obey, but having something to follow other than fear felt good. Calming, despite everything.
When Alexa was calm, she could convince herself that this was all a terrible mistake. That she would be scooped out of this room and rushed to hospital. There, her injuries would be tended to. There, she would be reunited with her husband. There, the horrors of her time in captivity could start to be put behind her.
But ever since hearing her captor laugh, Alexa Clarke had started to suspect the most horrifying thought of all. That her captor might have left her alone that time, but they would be back.
The worst was still to come.