The gate makes a horrid screech as he slinks through it. He bypasses the grand French doors and instead goes to the back of the property. The crunch of snow beneath his feet and bite to the air keep his mind clear and ready. The window is unlocked just like he hoped it would be. After opening it, he easily jumps up and through the window. He lands with a small thud in the back mud room of the large estate.
There are several sets of expensive-looking shoes on a metal shoe rack. He sees the tiny black winter boots, and his stomach gives a jolt. After looking quickly around the corner, he continues down the hallway. The second door on the left is the target according to his source. Twisting the knob, he peeks his head in the pink room.
“Mommy, is that you?” a small voice says from beneath the puffy covers.
He freezes. He can’t move. He can’t go through with this, but he knows he has no choice in the matter. Taking that first step into the darkness is the hardest thing he has ever done in his twenty-nine years of existence. The plush carpet gives way beneath his thickly souled shoes.
“Who’s there?” the voice calls again, this time with more accusation.
He continues all of the way to the little bed and sits down on the edge. The small figure cringes away from him like he is a disease. Neither speaks for a full minute before the little girl lets out a bloodcurdling wail. He shoves his hand over her mouth, abruptly stopping the noise.
“I am not going to hurt you. I just need your help. Do you understand?” he begs.
The girl nods her head, but she still looks ready to bolt at a moment’s notice. Not trusting her completely, he takes his hand off her mouth slowly. He looks into her large, terrified eyes and tries to give her a reassuring look.
“Who are you? Why are you in my room?” Silent tears stream down her face.
“I promise not to hurt you, but you have to come with me. I am… a friend… of your father.” He tries for an authoritative tone but fails miserably.
“I don’t remember you. I don’t want to go. I wanna stay here with my mommy!” Her voice has taken on a shrill quality that requires his hand once again.
She is never going to agree to come with him which means he must take her. He knew this already; he just didn’t want to believe it. With one hand firmly planted over her mouth, he reaches into his pocket with the other to bring out the duct tape. Somehow, he manages to tape her mouth without her making a peep. He quickly wraps her wrists and ankles with the tape, being careful to put the tape over her pajamas so as not to irritate her sensitive skin.
With the girl over his shoulder, he makes his way back to the mud room. He carefully sets her on the floor next to the shoe rack and pulls on her winter boots. Looking around, he sees a thick blanket folded up in the corner. The little girl makes a whimpering noise as he wraps her in the blanket. He decides that it would be too difficult to try and maneuver her out the window, so he picks the girl up and goes to the back door. Once both of them are safe inside his car, he starts it and drives to the designated location.
He actually did it; he actually kidnaped a six year old girl. He never wanted it to end like this, but after what her parents did to him how could it end any other way? When the police said they wouldn’t help him, he had to take matters into his own hands. This is the only way to ensure he gets what he wants, what is rightfully his.
The car pulls into the chosen parking lot. Getting out, he opens the back door and pulls out the girl. Again, the bite in the air clears his head effectively squashing any doubts. Inside the building he sees the couch he had delivered earlier this week. He sets the girl on the couch and slowly removes the tape from her mouth and ankles.
She lets out a heartbreaking sob when the tape is removed. “Where are we? I don’t wanna be here.”
“It’s okay. You are safe here and I am not going to hurt you. It might not seem like that, but I promise, I won’t; I am a man of my word.” He is much more successful this time in calming her down. “I need you to stay right here; I have some business to attend to.”
She nods her head with a resigned sigh knowing that she couldn’t get away even if she tried. After making sure that she will stay on the couch, he walks to the other end of the small room. Once on the other side, he pulls out his cell phone and the small slip of paper with the phone number on it. Typing in the number, his hand trembles slightly. He brings the phone up to his ear.
Ring…
Ring…
Ring…
“Hello? Who is this and how did you get this number?” The angry man on the line answers.
“Jared, you know exactly who I am, and what I want,” he responds with an angry snarl. “In case you have forgotten, you have something that belongs to me.”
“Oh, you.” Jared says with an exasperated sigh, “I thought we already went over this. You are not going to be getting your art back. That is mine now. The other issue… well, you could get that cleared up in the near future, for the right price.”
“I don’t think you understand. I happen to have something that I think you’ll want back.”
“What? What do you have?” Jared says with little concern.
“I want to trade your daughter for my family.”