Charlie made a whimpering sound as her eyes filled with tears. Liliana took her hand and held it.
Mama’s eyes filled with tears too, but she didn’t let them fall. Her strength like a magic balm over my wounded soul. “What else do you remember?” she asked through a thick voice.
“Water or pipes leaking.”
“I remember that too. I hear it all the time in my dreams.” Simone squeezed my hand. “There were big pipes and giant water tanks and a concrete floor.”
“What did you smell, chicklet?” Mama asked.
I frowned and thought back. Instantly the memory of the scent seared through my nostrils and I coughed. She rubbed my back as I took deep breaths reminding myself I was here in my safe place, with people who loved me.
“Like mold or a damp, dank, closed-off space. There was no fresh air at all,” I answered.
“Okay, that’s good. Now think about the man.”
I shook my head adamantly. “I don’t want to,” I whispered as panic rose through my system, and more tears filled my eyes and fell down my cheeks.
Jonah’s dark gaze was tortured as he assessed me. “Ry, I don’t think we should continue…”
These men were counting on me. The safety of my family was in my hands. Any detail might help them. “No, no, I’m okay. I have to face this and if it could help catch whoever hurt this woman and will keep my family safe, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“You sure?” Jonah rubbed my knee back and forth.
“Yeah, but I don’t know if there’s anything that can help you. The man that tortured me was definitely Wayne Gilbert Black. I’d know his hands anywhere. I watched repeatedly as he pressed the cigarette into my flesh over and over again. There was no second man. Not that I saw. But maybe there were cameras? He did film me with his phone.”
Jonah nodded. “Yeah, we’ve watched the footage. You were so brave.” He tightened his hold on my knee. “We’re gonna get this guy and I’m sorry to say all of you are going to have to hunker down again. We just can’t take any risks.”
“The press is going to have a field day with this.” Sonia groaned and pulled out her cell phone. “Quinn? Yeah, we need to talk. I’m thinking we’re going to need that apartment we used three months ago. There’s another madman on the loose,” she said and walked out of the room and toward the kitchen.
I slumped against Mama Kerri. “Why me?”
She shook her head and rubbed my back. “I don’t know, baby, but we’ll figure it out. Jonah and Ryan are excellent investigators. They will leave no stone unturned. Right, gentlemen?”
“Absolutely.” Jonah reached out a hand to Simone who took it and stood up. “We think it’s best if you all bunk up again until we know more.”
“Can we stay here?” I asked.
“I have an excellent alarm and have never had any problems. And you and Simone live just down the way. I imagine you could be here in a minute or two with a simple phone call, right? Plus, there’s always the press, avidly watching the house.” Mama’s voice was wise and controlled.
Ryan reached a hand to the back of his neck. “I don’t know. We could ensure patrol does drive-bys of the house every couple hours to ensure a police presence in the neighborhood. I think most of you will be okay here. Sonia has her own team guarding her and the building added twice as much security after the last guard was taken down. It would be better if you could stay somewhere more secure, but the most important people to watch right now are Addison and Simone since they were directly connected to the Backseat Stranger.”
Genesis stood up and slapped her hands down the sides of her legs. “Well, I’m going to get Rory from Aunt Delores at the flower shop, go back to my house, and once again pack up a weeks’ worth of clothing.”
“I’d prefer you not go alone,” Jonah stated. “If you guys need to leave for any reason, like work and such, it would be best if you do so in pairs and check in with one another regularly.”
“I’ll go with Gen, pack up some clothing,” Liliana said.
“Charlie and I can do the same as our places are close to one another and I’ve been here with Addy the past three months anyway,” Blessing announced. “No skin off my nose to stay longer. I’ll call the client and inform them that the shoot is off until further notice.”
That bit of news caught my attention, and I shook my head. “No way. I’m not quitting the job. It’s my first one back. And if I let these bastards control my life for another three months, I’ll never come back. As it is, I’m twenty-six going on twenty-seven. I don’t have many more years in my prime, and this is your big chance to get your plus-size lingerie into the major stores. I’m not going to hide under a rock any longer. I need to live my life.”
SimoneSimone nodded as she crossed her arms over her chest and rubbed her biceps. “I get it. I understand exactly where you’re coming from. If we quit, the bad guy wins. We just need to be safe about it.”
“Baby, I don’t know if she should put herself out there…” Jonah warned.
I stood up and put my thumbs in the back pockets of my jeans. My finger encountered the card I’d slipped inside earlier. I pulled it out and read the inscription.
Killian Fitzpatrick, Photographer and Photojournalist.
I held out the card. “That photographer from today said he wanted to complete the job. He also stated he was freelance and not only could go where I needed, but he has a studio of his own. Maybe we can work out a deal to take the photos we need privately?”
Blessing snapped her fingers and pointed at me. “That’s not a bad idea. And you felt comfortable with him.”
More than comfortable, actually, which was a strange surprise. Not to mention the little bit about him wanting to date me. My cheeks heated and Blessing’s lips twitched.
“You like him,” she accused.
I frowned and shrugged. “He was nice.”
“Nice,” she snorted.
“Yeah.”
“And hot in that white, artsy, probably wears a man bun with all that long-ass hair type of way.” She grinned a radiant, bright-white smile.
“Blessing… Mouth, darling,” Mama warned. She did not like her girls to curse. Thought it was common and unladylike.
“Sorry, Mama.” Blessing apologized immediately and then turned back to me. Her dark eyes assessing and filled with mischief. “Okay, okay. Let me work my magic with the client. Explain that we have an unexpected snag, and will need to take the shoot offsite, but that we’ll get them all the pictures they need of each item to make my designs practically walk themselves out of the store on their own.”
I smiled wide, the first real one I’d had in months. It felt a little achy and awkward but still good. Like putting on an old, comfy pair of shoes that might not always be in fashion but were still well-loved and fit perfectly.
“Do you want me to call the photographer or should I expect you to?” she asked with a smirk on her pretty face and full, glossy lips.
“I will.” I jumped on the request like I would have jumped on an offer of a plate full of street tacos. Because tacos. There was always room for a taco. I’d never be convinced otherwise. Besides, Killian asked me to call him. Practically begged. Well, begged might be pushing it, but he did say he’d be worried if he didn’t hear from me, and now I had an excellent reason to contact him.