Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
“So, he’s gone. He gets away with keeping me captive in his car?”
“There is no evidence that links you to the accident. The responding MPs mentioned that there was possibly a passenger, but that they had not found that person at the scene or during a cursory search of the surrounding area. They did have a bloody zip tie as evidence, but that it was handed to them by a medic who stopped to help. It’s dubious that it could be admitted into evidence in a legal proceeding.”
“What about the car? Can’t you see the grooves in the door handle? Most of those were there before I was in the car. He must have done this to more women,” Pippa pointed out.
“The car was towed from the scene and its whereabouts are unknown,” the female detective told them. “The Scroggins family is very powerful. We’ve investigated them in the past and they’ve skated free. You are very lucky to have escaped.”
“I should have come directly here,” Pippa said.
“That would have been better, but he would have skipped out even if you’d come in yesterday. By the time we’d been called in, chances are he’d have already left,” the male detective told her.
“So, what happens now?” Pippa asked.
“We’re going to gather every bit of information we can. I’m going to take pictures of your wounds and add them to your statement. We’re going to search for possible cameras along your route and see if they captured any images that can corroborate your report. The initial report mentions that the windows were tinted. That may obscure you, but if we’re lucky, we’ll find something. We will investigate this fully.”
“You know Pippa isn’t the only victim,” Zale stated bluntly.
“I cannot comment on any other active investigations or previous ones,” Detective Moore said.
Pippa knew she didn’t need to say more. Others had preceded her and would probably follow her. She shivered at the close call she’d had.
“I’m figuring you can protect Ms. Twinner,” the male detective stated. “We do not know if Scroggins has left the area or if he has any associates here.”
“Pippa could still be in danger,” Zale guessed. “Can you help her recover her ID? That would allow me to take her on base. She’d be safer there.”
“Yes. We can assist with that. We will also alert the local authorities as a routine professional courtesy,” Detective Wilcox said.
Reading between the lines was easy. The two detectives were going to do what they could to ensure no one else was taken, like Pippa. She crossed her fingers under the table, hoping that the criminals would be stopped.
When they walked out with a printed copy of her driver’s license, Pippa scanned the parking lot. The thought that the man who’d abducted her could still be lurking in the area was scary. Zale put his arm around her and hugged her to his side.
“We’re going to the base now that we have your ID.”
“I thought you took a personal day,” she asked, looking up at him.
“I did. I have an idea. Let’s talk about it on the way,” Zale suggested, helping her into the car.
When he slid behind the driver’s wheel and closed the door, Zale pushed his seat as far back as possible. Not understanding what he was doing, she leaned away as he wrapped his arms around her.
“I need to hold you, kitten. Do you need a few hugs?” he asked quietly, not forcing her to allow him to scoop her up.
Pippa crawled eagerly onto his lap. She rested her head on his chest and sighed with relief as his powerful arms wrapped around her. The sound of his steady heartbeat under her cheek helped her relax. As the tension ebbed from her shoulders and upper back, Pippa realized how tense her muscles were.
How does he make everything better?
She lifted her head and stared at his handsome face. As her emotions swirled around inside her, she wondered what the odds were that he would happen to drive by at that exact time of the accident. It had to be astronomically low. She could be in an entirely different situation now. Suddenly, the pancakes clumped like rocks in her stomach.
“You’re safe, kitten. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
“The detectives think they’re really bad guys,” she suggested.
“I got that impression as well.”
“What am I going to do? I guess I could get a one-way ticket somewhere.”
“You’re not going anywhere. Do you have things that need to be picked up?” he asked.
“No. Stupidly, I followed their instructions. I sold and gave everything away. Supposedly, I have a furnished place. They took my sizes and measurements. Appropriate clothing and shoes would be provided in my new job as a caretaker for a small rescue farm. I was only allowed the one suitcase I told the detectives about.”