She tried to free herself, to no avail.

Grant laughed. “No use trying to run now. You’re stuck.”

Olivia lay there, her breathing heavy, as several minutes passed. She heard Grant walking through the house before returning and rummaging through a duffle bag. Almost immediately, she felt him by her side, pushing up her dress. Dread overwhelmed her when she heard a snipping sound, squirming at the feel of the cold metal on her skin cutting off her panties. Tears began falling even harder. She wanted to remain strong, but her entire body trembled in fear.

She felt him run a finger down the length of her torso and desperately tried to buck him off her, but he simply laughed and then brought the gun to her temple. “Stay still or I pull the fucking trigger. I don’t give a shit if you’re the only one who knows where the goddamn evidence is that these guys are looking for.”

Olivia swallowed, crying, feeling ashamed and humiliated, wanting Grant to pull the trigger instead.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

UNDERSTANDING

“WHAT DID YOU JUST say, Carol?!” Alexander roared into the phone. “You’re shitting me!”

“I know. Where are you?”

“They’ve got Olivia.”

“Shit, Alex. Where did they take her?”

“I think to the beach house. That’s where I’m heading now. Can you pull up his cell on the tracker?” he asked, typing frantically at his own laptop as Martin sped down the interstate.

“Hold on a second.” Carol typed the cell number into her tracking software. “Damn it, Alex! He’s in Chatham!”

“FUCK! I’m on it. Oh, and sis, I’m forwarding a bunch of documents to you. Make sure they’re sent to every news outlet you can think of.” Alexander hung up his cell phone. “Martin! Step on it!”

~~~~~~~~~~

OLIVIA LAY PERFECTLY STILL on the floor, blocking out everything that was happening around her. She refused to cry. She simply remained unmoving against the cold hard wood and waited for him to pull the trigger.

She heard the door open and close and immediately grew hopeful. Grant remained where he was, not moving from his position on top of her.

“What the fuck is going on here?!” a familiar voice shouted.

Grant looked up at the person who had just walked in. “Are you him?”

“Get the fuck off of her!” He swung and punched Grant out cold.

Olivia released the breath she had been holding and began to sob even harder. She felt a blanket wrap around her body. “Oh, Livvy. I’m so sorry that all this has happened to you.”

“Daddy?” Olivia asked.

Her father quickly removed her restraints and took off her blindfold, wrapping his arms around her body as he tried to stop her cries. “Ssshhh… It’s okay, peanut. I’m so sorry. This is all my fault. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. He wasn’t supposed to touch you like that.”

Olivia’s eyes grew wide. “I don’t understand.”

Her father took a deep breath. “Where is it, Livvy?”

“I’m not sure…”

“Goddammit!” he shouted, grabbing her by the shoulder, causing her to cry out in pain. He looked at her in horror, noticing the fresh blood from the apparent bullet wound that had been soaking her white sundress. “He shot you? He was told to not hurt you until…”

“Until what?” Olivia asked between sobs.

“Oh, Livvy,” he exhaled. “I’ve made a mess of everything. I’m sorry I have to do this.”

She looked at her father. “Do what?”

“This, sweetheart.” He raised his hand and Olivia’s world went dark.

~~~~~~~~~~

“OLIVIA, LOVE. PLEASE COME here,” her mother called out.

“What is it, Mama?”

“I need to ask you a very important question. I need you to think very, very hard.”

“Okay.”

Olivia’s mother took a deep breath. “I know you and Daddy are playing a game of Treasure Map.”

“Yes!” she answered excitedly. “We are! He’s letting me hide the treasure this time. I just drew him a map!”

“Olivia, dear. You can NOT give him that map.”

She scowled. “Why not?”

“Darling. I need you to tell me where you buried that chest.”

“But that’s cheating. I can’t do that.”

“Olivia, your father has done some very bad things, and we’ll all be in very real danger if I can’t turn this information over to the right people.”

“But I don’t have that, Mama.”

“Oh, sweetheart. That’s what you buried. That’s why I need you to tell me where it is. And I need to get it before your daddy gets home. He can’t know that we know. It has to be our little secret. Can you keep a secret and show me where you buried it?”

“Okay, Mama. I can do that. I’m real good at keeping secrets.”

~~~~~~~~~~

“MAMA, WHAT ARE YOU doing to Mr. Bear?” Olivia asked, holding up her mother’s heavy camera, snapping a picture.

“I’m stitching him up.”

“What was wrong with him? I didn’t know that he was broken.”

“He wasn’t, dear, but I have a bad feeling about today and if something happens to me, I need you to take this bear to your Uncle Thomas. Tell him that all the answers he needs, he can find in your bear. Do not let go of this bear, no matter what. Okay?”

“Okay, Mama…”

“All done. Now hurry, Olivia. I need you to hurry.”

“Why? Daddy’s not here yet.”

“That’s exactly why I need you to hurry. We need to get far away from Daddy.”

Olivia began to cry. “I don’t want to.”

“Sweetheart, I don’t have time to explain right now, but I will someday. I promise you.”

“And what do you plan on explaining?!” a loud, booming voice yelled.

Olivia cowered in fear. It was her daddy, but he was angry. She had never seen him like that before. She was scared.

“Nothing, dear. Just packing up for the summer.”

Olivia looked at her mother, who appeared very nervous.

“It doesn’t look like nothing, Mary. It looks like you’re running from me. Now I’m giving you one last fucking opportunity to tell me where those papers are or, I swear to God, I will kill you.”

Olivia screamed, clutching her bear.

“Olivia, dear. Please. Quiet down,” her mother begged nervously.