Page 25 of Raw Honey
"Yeah, he basically just threw me out. That's why I had to find my way back home."
"So that is how you know where he kept you. Can you take us there?" Hawk says.
Emma nods. "Sure, I can try. I walked for several blocks until I found a gas station and called a cab from there. The clerk at the gas station gave me the address for the cab company. Wait, I think I still have it." She rummages through her purse and pulls out a slip of paper. "Here it is! The lady at the gas station gave me money for a cab to get home. I saved the address so that I could go back and repay her."
I do not understand this girl. Who does that?
"Wattsburg? What in the hell was he doing there?" Hawk is surprised—me too, for that matter. Wattsburg is a ways away from here. Why would he go so far?
She shakes her head. "I don't know. I remember when I left I looked back at the place that held so much horror for me and couldn't believe that it was a quaint little house in a residential neighborhood. It was kinda eerie, knowing what lived behind that door."
"Emma, are you up to going back to Wattsburg?"
"Absolutely!"
Emma and I follow Hawk back to his house, where he leaves his bike. Emma lets him drive the car and within forty-five minutes we’re pulling into the parking lot of the gas station Emma spoke of. Hawk asks, "Do you remember how you got here?"
She gets out of the car and looks down all the possible streets we could go down and then she yells excitedly, "There! I came from that direction."
"Ok, let's go," Hawk says.
"Wait, let me do something first. I'll be real quick." She runs into the gas station.
"What in the hell is she doing?" Hawk asks.
I giggle in disbelief and say, "She's paying the clerk back."
"Damn woman," he replies shaking his head. Suddenly, I see Emma in a new light. After all the trauma that she has been through the last few days, Ice missing and having to go back and face the house that she was held captive in, she still makes a point to pay back the store clerk who helped her get home. I have to say, I'm impressed.
A few minutes later, she comes back out with the biggest smile on her face. Go figure. She gets in the car and proceeds to give Hawk directions. She's cautious and hesitant, making sure that she is leading us the right way. After we’ve travelled for several minutes, she says, "Drive slower, Hawk. We're almost there." Hawk slows down as instructed. Then Emma says, "That's the one. Right there, on the left. The one with the front porch and rocking chairs."
Hawk drives past it to the next block and parks the car. As he gets out of the car, he turns to us and says, "You both stay here for now until I check things out. I mean it, ladies! I don't need to be worrying about either of you right now. Stay put!" He reaches into his cut and pulls out a gun, turns the safety off, and cocks it. He turns and walks toward the house.
After Hawk leaves, Emma turns to me and says, "This is driving me crazy. How in the hell does he expect us to just wait here?"
"I know, I agree, but he's right, he doesn't need to be worrying about us too. Let's let him do what he needs to do and he'll come back for us."
I can tell she's not pleased, but she will have to get over it. Hawk is right, he doesn't need to worry about us. So we just sat there in an agonizing and awkward silence.
About fifteen minutes later, Hawk returns. He gets in and says, "I don't think anyone is there. I'm gonna call the boys for backup. We're going to go in." He calls Ryder to request backup and then turns to us and says, "You ladies coming?"
Neither of us hesitates and we jump out of the car. We walk back down the block to the house. When we get there, Hawk walks up on to the porch and rings the bell. He waits and when nobody answers he tries the door. It’s locked. He goes around to the side and tries the side door. Surprisingly, it swings open. He turns back toward us and says, "Wait here." Hesitantly, he walks into the house, gun cocked and ready. He's gone for about five minutes and then comes back and says, "Come on."
We walk up the side porch steps and walk in the house. As soon as we get inside I can see that Emma isn't doing so well. She's nervous and on edge, understandably so. We continue through the mudroom and enter the kitchen. There is nothing unusual about the kitchen. Leaving the kitchen, we get to a long hallway with several closed doors. I shudder to think what is beyond those doors and suddenly I'm fearful of what we might find. I really don't think my heart will be able to take it if we find Ice in one of those rooms, dead. The first door reveals a small bathroom. Hawk opens the second door and we find that is a bedroom. Clothes are still hanging in the closet, but there’s nothing out of the ordinary.
Hawk began to go through Mark's things on the dresser, opening dresser drawers and scoping out his closet.
On the other side of the hall, there are three closed doors. Hawk opens the first one and we see that it is an office, with several file cabinets and a desk. On the desk is a laptop. "I think we might find something here that will help us. When the boys get here, I will have Dbag check out the computer and the files," Hawk says as he leaves the room.
He then opens the next door and the stench is unbelievable. This has to be where he kept Emma. It is very dark and creepy. The walls are painted black, and with black curtains are drawn over the windows. There is a bed in the center of the room with ropes and chains attached all around it. Hanging on the wall are various whips, canes, and belts.
This fucker is crazy!I think to myself.How the hell Emma could get mixed up with a psycho like this is beyond me. I wonder if she knew about all this or if this is a surprise to her.By the horrified expression on her face, I'm guessing she had no clue.
I've never been one to have a filter and before I can stop myself I say, "Holy fuck, Emma! Is this the room that he held you in?"
Quietly, she replies, "Yes, I believe it is."
I can't help it. At that moment I feel so bad for her, I walk right over to her and hug her. "I'm so sorry."
