Love's Arithmetic

XII: Affliction

The tension in the room could have been cut with a knife, a very sharp knife.


Caer could feel every muscle in her body quivering with the need to cower. Her body, her instinct was screaming at her to run, to get away from this man, the man who had initiated her kidnapping. If he hadn't done it, she never would have been in this position. This horrible, terrifying, painful position.


Her mind, and her heart, however, were remembering the tender way he had held her when she had been panic-struck by the lighting storm. He had had no intentions of harming her then, when she was at a vulnerable point. If he had wanted to hurt her or order her harm, the most logical solution would have been to do it then, not when she was raving mad. She would fight more, be more resilient, physically and emotionally, if she was angry.


Maybe he didn't want me harmed. After all, he hasn't touched me except to offer comfort since he brought me into this house. The thought ran through her mind, but still left her with little peace. This man had kidnapped her, tied her up and gagged her, and thrown her in the trunk of a car. He had shown no mercy when her contacts had fallen out.


From the moment he had entered the room, she had known it was him. Caer wasn't certain how, but she knew. He was formidable, dangerous, and unpredictable. And for those reasons alone, she couldn't trust him.


She knew he was dangerous, knew he had brought all of this upon her, but why, why oh why! was she so attracted to him?





Detective Crandall rubbed his eyes of he grit they had collected in the long forty-eight hours he had been awake. He was exhausted and he only hoped that she would still be alive. He looked at the picture of Caer Ash on his desk. She was a beautiful woman, long blonde hair, green eyes, and a smile that shone happily and brightly. He wanted to see her alive, not dead. The picture showed such utter life in her, and he couldn't stand it if they found her dead.


He recalled a beautiful woman they had found on the side of the express way outside of Albany, brutally beaten, cuts on her body, and evidence of a sexual assault. She had gone missing in New York three days before, her boyfriend worried when she hadn't returned to their apartment when she was supposed to. The woman had had similar features as Caer Ash, he only hoped it was simply a coincidence.





Wes and Urma Calhoun were anxiously awaiting the return of their seventeen year old daughter. She had been invited to a movie with friends and said that she would be out late. They knew that she would be home as soon as possible, but the knowledge didn't help the worry. New York was a crazy city, full of crazy people, crazy accidents, crazy problems, and anything could go wrong. It was at twelve thirty that they received the call.


"Hello." Urma said into the phone wondering who other than their daughter would be calling them at this hour.


"Mrs. Calhoun?" A man said on the line.


"Yes?"


"This is Detective Crandall with the police department." Urma sat down in one of the bar stools near the phone. She had always been terrified of something like this happening. Receiving a call from the police while their daughter was out late. "I'm calling in regards to Caer Ash, I believe she's your niece."


A wave of relief that her daughter wasn't involved quickly gave way to guilt that she wasn't worried for Caer. Why were the police calling? "Yes, that's right. Is she okay?"


"Ma'am Caer Ash was taken from a neighbors apartment sometime this weekend. It was a case of mistaken identity, but we need to tell you." The man who had identified himself as Detective Crandall said.


"Kidnapped? Caer was kidnapped?" She cried, horrified and disbelieving. Wes heard her exclamation and quickly came to her side. "Is she okay? Do you have any information?"


"A notice that they would be asking for ransom was left in the apartment. I'm calling you because we weren't able to get a hold of her parents. If you wouldn't mind answering some questions...." The man trailed off.


"We'll be there in a while. At her apartment?"


"At her neighbor's. We have come to the conclusion that while she was taking care of the neighbor's dog, they entered into the apartment and mistook her for someone else. I'll tell them to be expecting you."


Urma hung up the phone and buried her face in her husband's chest. She was terrified for her niece, and her parents were on a cruise in Alaska where they had no cell phone service. They wouldn't find out about the incident until they called to check in with the family. "Wes, what are we going to do?" Wes held his wife close, wanting to wash away all of the fear, he couldn't though, there was nothing he could do, but hold her.


As they stood in each others arms they were both surprised when the door opened and their daughter Alice walked in. Uma's eyes filled with tears as she saw her daughter safe and sound.


"Mom? What's wrong?"