Saving Scotty (8 page)

Ryan nodded his head but said nothing. “Perhaps. At any rate, we can really make a difference to those puppies by working together, can’t we?”

Elle tried to hide her disappointment at the obvious rejection. “Yes, we sure can,” she said weakly. Then she blushed, ran her hands through her hair, and got into her car. “I hope you get in touch with me soon.”

“I will,” Ryan assured her.

Then Ryan and I turned around and called our limousine.

While we waited for Robert, our limousine driver, to come and pick us up, we chatted a bit.

“That was horrible,” Ryan said. “I really feel like shit. Dirty, almost.”

“Why?”

“I don’t like toying with people’s emotions. I hate it, in fact. No offense, but I’m not like you.”

I sighed. “No offense taken. But I’m not like that anymore. At all. Scotty has tamed me in a way that nobody ever has. Nobody has ever come close.”

“Well, that’s good. Let’s hope that you stay tamed.”

“I will. I have no doubt about it.”

Ryan shook his head. “I really hope that I’m not bringing the bad juju, lying about my mother like that. I’ve always been superstitious about that type of thing. You know, if you lie about something like that, it might really happen.”

“I know, me too. But, thanks for doing that. And, thanks for everything. You really are a fantastic friend. I can’t think of anybody else who would do what you just did to help me out.”

“Of course. But, I’m not finished helping you out yet. I’m going to go to St. Croix to help you look for her. The good news is, we have it narrowed down to the Cane Bay area. It’s still going to be difficult to pinpoint just where he is, but we will just have to ask around.” Then he paused. “I’m doing this for you, Nick, but, really, it is a long overdue repayment for how you saved me from Rochelle. If it weren’t for you, god knows what would have happened to me. I probably would literally be dead. So, I’m glad that I have finally been given the chance to help you out for a change.”

“I know, buddy. I’m glad that I was able to help you out when you needed me.”

Ryan smiled. “So, I guess we’re even, then?”

“I guess we are,” I smiled back.

Chapter 13

Scotty

I had spent the last day or so thinking about how I wanted to die. I had no way out. No hope. Everything was shattered for me. The crystal egg that I thought about when I got the call about Aaron was an apt description for how I was feeling right at that moment. And it didn’t just threaten to shatter, but it actually did. Along with my psyche.

I wondered how I could actually do some good for the people I loved, though, before I decided to go through with my plan. I wondered if I could actually get Mr. Lucas to marry me, if I stipulated that he had to put about a million or so dollars into trust for my mother, so that she could get treatment and better herself. She really deserved to have a better life than what she had. She was
wounded, too, just like me. I didn’t know if something happened to her like what had happened to me, but I always had a feeling that it did. I thought that I could die happy if I knew that she would be taken care of. And, by extension, Aaron.

I knew that I was being naïve to think that money would be the answer to her problems. But I thought that she might have a chance if she could get intensive inpatient treatment, just like Mr. Lucas suggested.
She might have a chance for a normal life if she could just kick the bottle. That would make me happy, even if I wouldn’t be alive to see her transformation.

Then, after the money for my mom was secured, I would meet with a mysterious accident. I didn’t quite know what that would be, but I would make sure that it looked like an accident. That way, Mr. Lucas wouldn’t be tempted to withdraw the trust for my mother. If I actually committed suicide, and there
wasn’t question about that, then Mr. Lucas would probably be so angry that I deceived him that he would cut off my mother.

And my death would be for naught.

So, first thing was first. I had to make my proposal to Mr. Lucas, and tell him that I would marry him on the condition that he put several million dollars into a trust fund for my mother, and see what happened from there.

Over dinner that night, I made my proposal. “So, uh, Paul,” I began. “I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday. About how you would take care of my mother if I married you.”

“Yes, Princess. And I meant every word of it.”

“Okay, then. If you open up a trust fund for my mother, and make it conditional upon her staying sober, then I will marry you.”

Mr. Lucas clapped his hands together excitedly. “I knew it. I knew it. I knew that there was a kind person under that impetuous bitch exterior. I knew that you loved me.”

I felt nauseated just thinking about how Mr. Lucas imagined, in his warped brain, that I somehow loved him. But I continued on.
Look at the big picture, Scotty. Your sacrifice can save your mother and brother.
I tried not to think about Nick. Just thinking about how I would never get a chance to see him again…I wanted to burst into tears just thinking about it.

It didn’t seem fair, that my time with Nick would be so short. It wasn’t right that something so magical and pure could be taken away from me so cruelly. But that was the way that fate worked. It was often cruel. In this case, I got a chance to see paradise for a fleeting moment, so that, when hell was visited upon me, as it was since I got into the clutches of Mr. Lucas, it would be that much more devastating.

I took a deep breath. It would have to be soon. I didn’t want to live much longer. I wanted to put myself out of my own suffering as quickly as I could. “Okay, then. Let’s do this tomorrow. Can you get a trust set up between now and then?”

“Of course. I’ll call my lawyer about it tomorrow.”

“Good. I’d have to have proof, of course, that you did it. But then we can be married.”

Mr. Lucas smiled, and got up to stroke my hair from behind. “That would be amazing. I knew that you would see my point of view. I knew it.”

I smiled back. I was looking forward to the next few days myself. But not for the reasons that Mr. Lucas was looking forward to them.

I was looking forward to finally being out of my misery.

Chapter 14

Nick

The plane ride to St. Croix was interminable. I couldn’t concentrate on anything but finding Scotty. I barely talked to Ryan on the plane, because I was just too lost in my own head. For his part, he used the early time on the plane to review proposals for outfits that were contracting with his animal rights foundation and making phone calls, including a kissy-kissy phone call to Iris.

“Hello there, beautiful,” he said. “I miss you and I love you. And I love our beautiful daughter, too.”

I tried not to resent him and his solid relationship with Iris. He earned it, and he deserved it. It was just that, with the love of my life missing, and my life with her possibly hanging in the balance, I just didn’t want to hear Ryan’s protestations of love right at that very moment. I knew that part of the reason why he was so effusive was because he felt guilty for flirting with Elle. He didn’t even really get into heavy flirting, but even the little bit of flirting he did was enough to make him feel guilty.

Sometimes Ryan was too nice, I thought. But maybe I just thought that because I was always so different. I wasn’t anymore, of course. I was a lot like Ryan now.
Love-struck, and would go to the ends of the earth to protect Scotty and ensure her safety.

So, I tried to get some sleep, although it was fitful at best. I kept waking up every twenty minutes or so, because I had nightmares of what was happening to Scotty. I didn’t want to think about her being raped, but I knew that was what was occurring. I didn’t want to think about her being tortured, but
I had a feeling that was happening as well. She never said that Mr. Lucas was physically abusive with her, but I was still so afraid for her physical well-being.

Most of all, though, I had nightmares about how she would be when I found her. She was so fragile anyhow. I had just begun to break through her walls and get to the point where she fully trusted me and could love me with an open heart. But I knew that there was going to be emotional fallout from her experiences now as Mr. Lucas’ captive, and it broke my heart into a million pieces.

Every time I tried to sleep, I had these nightmares. I heard her screaming, and I felt her terror and pain. I saw her tears. And I woke up with tears in my own eyes.

Ryan, for his part, looked at me sympathetically after the third time I awoke with a start. “It’s going to be okay, Nick,” Ryan said. “Whatever happens, everything is going to eventually be okay. It might take some work to get her to where she is recovered from this experience, but with enough patience and love, she’ll get through it with you. I speak from experience, remember?”

I nodded. After all that had happened in Ryan’s life, I knew that the guy had empathy, not just sympathy. Sympathy is where you feel bad for a person who is in distress. Empathy is where you can actually put yourself in that person’s shoes. And Ryan empathized with Scotty. That was what made him so good for this particular job – he not only could keep his cool, and he was the most intelligent man that I had ever known, but he really cared about Scotty and what she was going through. Because he went through something similar in his youth with Rochelle.

“
I know,” I said. “But it’s hard. I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know if we can find her before some real damage is done to her psyche. I don’t even know if we can find her at all. I mean, this is an excellent lead. But who’s to know that she’s here? Maybe that Mr. Lucas decided to take her to Italy or Greece after all. Just because he doesn’t head to Italy or Greece in January, typically, doesn’t mean that he didn’t decide to head there right now.”

“Of course. There’s always that risk. But people are creatures of habit. That’s what we have to go on right now. We have to believe that because Mr. Lucas usually goes to St. Croix during the winter months, but not at Christmas, that this is what he’s going to do now. It’s his pattern. Is it a slam dunk that he’s there right now? No, not necessarily. Is there a good chance? Yeah, there’s a better chance of him being there than anyplace else. So, I have a good feeling that we are on the right track here.”

“I do too, to be honest. But what if we’re wrong? What then? Do we head to Biella? I mean, that’s a province that has over 100,000 people. Still a needle in the haystack.”

Ryan sighed. “Yeah, this isn’t going to be easy. I never said that it would be. But we have to start somewhere.”

I nodded my head, and stretched out a little bit on the leather seat. The air hostess came around and I ordered a Blood Mary from her. Sometimes Bloody Marys helped me sleep. Sometimes not. I was afraid that nothing could help me sleep at that point, but I had to try. I had to have as clear of a head as possible for this mission.

Ryan looked at me and said “By the way. I didn’t get a chance to ask this of you. But did you first try to find out where he lived in New York City?
”

I shook my head. “I thought about that. But my gut told me that there was no way he would go back to his apartment with her. I figured that if he was devious enough to virtually abduct
her from the hospital, then he wouldn’t want to go to a place where he could just be found by anybody who would be looking. From what I understand, the guy is a social animal in New York, so he probably had visitors all the time. It would be difficult to keep Scotty secret. So, I didn’t even bother to find out where he lived in the city. I don’t know, it was just a strong feeling that I had that Mr. Lucas had taken her someplace away from the country.”

Ryan nodded. “Well, you should always listen to your gut. In this case, I hope to god that your gut is correct. It would be pretty bad if we go all the way out to St. Croix, only to find that he and Scotty are hiding in plain sight
in New York City.”

“I know. But, my instincts are leading me in this case. And I have a feeling that we’re going in the right direction. I just hope that my instincts are spot-on in this case. Otherwise…” And then I visibly shuddered.

“I know, I know. Just please, try not to think about that. Try not to dwell. I mean, I’m not going to lie. This predator is probably not keeping Scotty in a crystal palace and feeding her peeled grapes. Predators are predators, and they’re going to do what they’re going to do. I’m only saying this, because I know that you’re thinking it yourself. But you have to stay focused on what we’re going to do to help her. That needs to be what your main thoughts are right now. But, easier said than done, I know.”

“You’re telling me. Anyhow, we need to at least try to get a lit
tle bit of sleep. It’s already after 3 in the morning.”

So, both of us stretched out with our blankets, and tried to get some shut-eye. After about twenty minutes, I heard Ryan breathing heavily in sleep.

I, however, was still wide awake.

Chapter 15

Scotty

After I had my talk with Mr. Lucas, I felt better about my situation. I knew that I didn’t have to put up with it, and that I wasn’
t going to have to spend years being raped several times a night by him. I wasn’t exactly ready to die, but I knew no way out. Nobody was going to come for me, and Mr. Lucas already told me that he was going to literally chain me to the bed, once my leg healed, to keep me from running.

Of course, I did wonder what would happen when Mr. Lucas had to go back to work. But, he explained that he could do his work from the island. He didn’t necessarily have to meet clients face to face, as he Skyped them, and he was able to manage his hedge funds from any remote location.

“But you make a good point, Scotty. I can’t stay on this island forever. I’ll bring you back with me to New York, but, I’m sorry Princess, I’m going to have to chain you when we get back to the city. I can’t have you running away from me the way that you did before.”

Once he said that, I knew that my plan had to go through. I remember reading stories of women who were captives of depraved men, and they were captives for years and years. They bore children and had to put up with years of sexual and physical abuse. That would be my lot, because I really didn’t think that anybody would come and save me.

I had regressed, completely, to the child that I was all those years ago. The helpless child who only wanted love and stability, and thought that she had found it with Elle and Mr. Lucas. The child who, at first, thought that Mr. Lucas was showing his affection and love by his molesting, because that was what he had said. He told me that he was only showing his love for me, and that it was a normal thing for daddies to do that to their daughters. I knew better. I was thirteen, after all, so I, of course, had been through the whole “good touch bad touch” instructions at my schools. But yet, I was almost brainwashed into thinking that Paul really was just showing me his love.

At any rate, I was helpless then. I was tiny and he overpowered me completely. And there was a part of me that craved love so much that I almost believed that what he was doing to me wasn’t wrong. I don’t really know when it was that I
finally had had enough, which was when I ran away. I don’t really remember what the turning point was.

But, at that time, I was free to leave. I wasn’t
injured, like I was now, and Mr. Lucas didn’t chain me to the bed, like he was threatening to do now. I was older now, and definitely a bit wiser, but I was still very small, and my crippling injury made me more vulnerable than ever. So, in a way, I was even more helpless than when I was only 13.

I felt sad, though, thinking about my life. Thinking about how I thought that I had come through all my traumas and that I was actually going to make something of myself. About how accomplished I felt in getting into an Ivy League school for my Master’s work, after going through
City College for my Bachelor’s degree. I thought that nothing could stop me. I felt strong and invincible and like I had the whole world by the tail.

I was full of hubris, like a Greek warrior, and, like in those ancient Greek tales, it was only a matter of time before I
would get smacked down. Which was exactly what happened, of course. I was smacked down, hard.

The other sad thing was that I had genuinely loved life. I used to have long talks with Jack, where we contemplated what would happen after we died. I always told him that I hoped that I would be reincarnated, because I wanted to literally live forever.
That was how I felt – that life was good and life was fun, because I had a basis for comparison. I had lived life in hell, so every day that I was living away from Mr. Lucas was a gift. It was another day that I lived on earth, as opposed to hell.

And then, when Nick entered the picture…I felt like I was on the very pinnacle. That nothing at all could be better. That nobody had a better life than me. Nobody possibly could have a better life, because I not only had the most wonderful man in the world in love with me, but I had everything else as well. A good career ahead of me, filled with work that I loved, and, hopefully, a family with Nick one day.

And now, all I could think of was how it was that I was going to die. I finally figured out that I would “accidentally” drown in Mr. Lucas’ enormous bathtub. That would be easy to do, considering my injury. I only hoped that it would look convincingly enough like an accident, so that Mr. Lucas didn’t get suspicious about the true nature of my death.

So, when Mr. Lucas came in to show me the papers that he had drawn up, in which he constructed a trust for my mother
that would entitle her to $3 million dollars, and told me that I had to keep up my end of the bargain if I wanted the trust to be enacted, I said “sure. When are we going to do this?”

“It’s already been arranged.”

That night, however, he once again got into one of his darker moods that I had grown to know so well. He seemed to spiral into darkness more often than not, and his lighter side that he had been in for the past day or so was replaced by his sadistic and cruel side.

“So, Scotty,
are you excited to become my bride?”

I didn’t say anything at all for a few minutes. So, he became agitated. “Answer me, you stupid little cunt. I asked you a question.”

“Yes,” I said, “I’m very excited to become your bride.”

“Liar. You’re a goddamned liar.” And then he smacked me, hard, against my face. “You don’t love me like I love you. You never have. You’re just a worthless little cunt.” He was pacing the floor, back and forth, back and forth. “I’ve given all this money to your mother, and you just don’t appreciate it. Well, I’ll make you appreciate it. I’ll make you fucking appreciate it.”

At that, he punched me, hard, in my upper right arm, and he kicked me in my bad leg. The pain was white-hot, intense, and shooting throughout my body. I cried out, and he calmed down again. “There, that’s what I wanted to hear. I love the sounds of your pain.”

Then he carried me into the bed and laid me down. He hummed softly. “Tomorrow, you will be my wife. You will be my possession. And life will be complete.”

He stripped off my clothes and his and entered me savagely. My leg was still throbbing from him kicking me, so I tried to concentrate on that pain instead of the pain of him thrusting himself hard into me, over and over again.

I finally just relaxed with the thought that the torment would all be over soon.