Disclaimer: In first chapter.

 

 

Chapter 40

 

 

“Excuse me, have you’ve seen this boy?” asked a frantic Josh as he showed a picture of Brandon to some stranger.  The man glanced quickly at the photo then shook his head no.  Quickly turning on his heels, Josh went back over to his parents.  “No one knows where he went.  Most pretty much say the same thing—one minute he was there and the next, he’s gone.”

 

“Jarod, I’ll stay and help you in whatever way I can,” offered Alex from beside him.

 

Glaring at the blonde headed man, Miss Parker couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that somehow Alex was behind this whole charade.  Sure, Jarod and he were friends in this world, but still, she just couldn’t trust him.  Alex being here seemed so out of place to her that she wondered if maybe he was working both sides for her father.  Playing the supportive friend while planning Jarod’s demise behind his back.

 

“Thanks, but no thanks,” she told him bitterly.  “I think you’ve already done enough damage as it is.”

 

A baffled look appeared on Alex’s face as he stared at her.  “I...I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Parker.  What damage could I’ve done?”

 

Taking a few steps closer to him, she held up her hand, pointing an angry finger at him.  “I’m not falling for your little act, Alex.  I know you’re somehow behind all this.  It’s just so convenient that you happen to show up, and then, the next second, Brandon is gone, without a trace.”  She paused for a moment an added, “So give up this little charade you’ve got going for everyone and tell us where Brandon is you bastard.”

 

Alex clenched his jaw, standing firmly in place.  “I’ll forget you just said those things for I know your concern over you son is making you a bit…overemotional.  But, if you want to start pointing fingers then may I suggest you start looking in your own backyard by starting with your father.”

 

Fire ignited in Miss Parker’s eyes as she roughly grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. “I know you have him!  Now where is he!” she shouted out furiously.

 

Seeing things quickly escalating, Jarod stepped in.  Standing in front of Parker, he placed his hands on her shoulders and backed her away a bit from Alex.  “Fighting with Alex isn’t helping the situation.  I know you’re worried and so am I, but blaming Alex for Brandon’s disappearance is getting us nowhere.”  Glancing behind him, Jarod said, “Alex, we appreciate all the help we can get.”

 

“Jarod, I don’t trust him,” Miss Parker whispered out.  “I know he’s hiding something,” she said, her eyes never leaving Alex as he sat down at a picnic table nearby.

 

“Parker,” Jarod sighed, brushing the back of his hand against her cheek, “I DO trust him.  I’ve known him since my law school days.  Believe me; I would know if he’s up to no good.”  He paused an added, “You have to trust him for Brandon’s sake.”

 

“Yeah right,” she scoffed, “The day I trust that son of a bitch is the day that hell freezes over.”

 

Shaking his head, Jarod grasped her hand and led her to the picnic area with the rest of their group.  “I think our best option right now is to split up in teams of four.  Sydney, you’ll take the north side, Alex will take the west side, Josh and I will take the east side, and Parker, you’ll take the south side.  I’m also going to call Sam, and tell him about Brandon, hopefully he can get the word out to his officers, so they can be on the lookout for someone fitting Brandon’s description.”  Pulling out his cell phone he added, “So, let’s get to it.”

 

As Alex and Sydney scurried away, Jarod glanced over at Parker.  Grabbing her hand, he squeezed it reassuringly and said, “We’ll find him.”  Placing a tender kiss on her lips he reluctantly let go and walked off with Josh.  Taking a deep breath, she turned around and started off towards the south side of the park.

 

XXXXXX

 

“Brad, what are you doing here?” asked a surprised Sarah.  She never expected he would show up out of the blue like this after everything that happened last night.

 

“Who was that guy you were talking to at that booth?” Brad demanded in a low, eerie voice.

 

Sarah felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.  Something wasn’t right with Brad.  She’d never seen him like this, so…possessive before.

 

“That was Eli I was talking too.  He…he’s just a friend,” she answered back shakily.  Seeing the strange look in Brad’s eyes, she rested her palm against his cheek and asked, “Brad, what’s wrong?”

 

It seemed all the anger within him quickly evaporated from him with the touch of her hand, but soon, it returned with a vengeance.  Grabbing her arms he pushed her against the side of the building, slamming her against the cold concrete slab.  “Here’s what’s wrong, I find my girlfriend flirting with some guy and she has the gall to deny that she’s cheating on me.”  Dropping his hands, he leaned down to her face and said, “So, do you take enjoyment in playing me for the fool?”

 

“Brad, I don’t understand why you’re acting like this.  I love you,” she replied back, tears welling up in her eyes.

 

“Stop lying to me!” he yelled at her.  “I gave you everything you could ask for, and now, you just throw it in my face.”  Glaring down at her he said, “So, how many times a week do you and Eli screw around with each other?  And here I thought you were this little virgin.”

 

Sarah was now starting to get angry.  How dare he accuse her of such things?  Standing toe to toe with him she said angrily.  “Let me get this through that thick skull of yours, me and Eli are just friends, nothing more.”  Pushing him aside, she tried to get past him, but Brad grabbed her by the arm, throwing her once again against the wall.  Sarah tried to push past him, but Brad wouldn’t let her go.

 

“Sarah, cut the innocent act.  I’m onto your game now.  I should just start calling you the whore of Blue Cove,” he smiled wickedly at her.

 

Brad’s smile didn’t last long as Sarah slapped him hard across the face.  “Go to hell, Brad,” she said angrily.  With all her might, she pushed him out of the way.  She tried to run off, but Brad was too quick.  Wrapping his arms around her waist, he picked her up and carried her back to the building.

 

Once he got back underneath the small alcove, Brad threw her down on the ground.  Smiling down at her defeated form, he crouched down on his haunches and said, “Not so tough now, are we?  Sarah, when will you understand that a woman’s duty in life is to please a man.  When a man tells a woman to jump, they should ask how high.”  Smile fading he added menacingly, “I control you.  Not your parents, not yourself, but me.”  Grabbing her elbow, he stood up, lifting her off the ground.  “Now, we are going to walk to my car and leave this godforsaken state once and for all.”

 

Wriggling her arm free, she pushed him away.  “I’m not going anywhere with you, you psycho.  I don’t know what’s wrong with you Brad, but you seriously need some help.”

 

“I’m not crazy!” he shouted at her, taking a step closer to her.  Grabbing her arm once again he said, “Now stop playing these childish games and let’s go before I really get angry.”

 

Struggling in his grasp she once again said, “I’m not going, Brad.  So, let me go.”  She was surprised when they abruptly stopped.

 

Looking down at her he said, “Well, since you’re not going to come willingly, I guess I’ll have to take drastic measures.”

 

“What do you mean drastic measures?” Sarah asked fearfully, watching as he reached into his coat pocket.  “What are you going to do?”

 

“This, of course,” he answered gleefully, pulling out a liquid filled syringe.  “I’m obviously going to have to sedate you since you won’t listen to reason.”

 

“No…” Sarah whimpered out, trying frantically to break free.  “So, you did do those things to Debbie and everyone else last night?”

 

“Sarah, I had to do those things to protect the love we share with one another.  Can’t you see they were trying to destroy us?”  Looking sadly at her he added, “Now it looks like they’ve contaminated your mind against me.”

 

“Brad, you really do need some help, someone to talk to you,” she pleaded, watching as he struggled with the cap covering the needle.

 

“I’m not going to talk to some quack just so he can tell me that my mother is the reason behind all my problems,” he answered back, pushing the plunger down a bit as he squeezed out the air bubbles.

 

Sarah could feel her time running out.  She had to do something and quick.  With Brad distracted with the syringe; she decided she had to act now.  Before he had a chance to stop her, she slapped the syringe out of his hand.  When it rolled to her feet, she quickly crashed her foot down on the glass syringe, shattering it into smaller pieces.  Glancing up, she found a very furious Brad glaring at her.

 

“You fucking bitch!” he roared.  “You’ll pay for that.”

 

Sarah quickly turned on her heels to try to make her escape, but Brad grabbed her from behind, latching onto her hair, and throwing her on the ground.  Jumping on top of her, he straddled her waist.  Using one hand, he gathered both her wrists and pinned her arms above her head.  “I should kill you right now, you fucking whore!” he spat out, wrapping his free hand around her neck, and squeezing it.

 

Tears poured down her face as she tried to break free, but Brad was to strong.  She struggled desperately for air, but her attempts were becoming futile.  Please, don’t let me die here, please don’t let me die here, she prayed to the heavens above, hoping her prayers wouldn’t go unanswered. 

 

Blackness started to creep in around her line of vision.  She began to panic and bucked up against Brad, hoping to throw him off, but it didn’t work.  Seeing her world darkening by the second, she gasped hungrily for oxygen, but Brad’s hold around her neck never decreased. 

 

Looking down at her with a sinister smile Brad commented manically, “You’re going to die, just like your grandmother,” taking delight in her suffering.

 

Then, just when she thought all hope was lost, someone came to her rescue.  Brad was soon pulled off of her and thrown to the side like yesterday’s garbage.  Sitting up, she rubbed her neck and coughed profusely as she looked up at her rescuer.  She was surprised to find that it was none other than Eli.

 

“Eli…”she choked out.  “How did you…”

 

She wasn’t able to finish her sentence when all of a sudden Brad lunged for Eli, toppling them both to the ground.  Either Brad was a horrible fighter or Eli was just that good, because within seconds Eli had Brad face down on the ground.  With his knee centered on Brad’s spine, Eli took Brad’s right arm and twisted it behind his back, making sure that it was truly painful.  Never taking his eyes off Brad, Eli yelled out, “Sarah, just give me the word and I’ll break his arm.”

 

Brad screamed out in agony as Eli continued to twist his arm.  Sarah looked at the two before her.  She was very tempted to tell Eli to break his arm, but seeing that sad, lost look in Brad’s eyes made her change her mind. 

 

Walking to them, she rested a hand on Eli’s shoulder and told him that it wasn’t worth it.  Eli didn’t let go at first, but soon, he finally jumped off of Brad and stood in front of Sarah, shielding her from the crazed man before them.  “Stay away from her, got it, or next time I won’t be so forgiving,” Eli warned.

 

Wiping the blood from his mouth, a sly smile appeared on Brad’s lips.  “Oh, how noble of you,” he taunted, hobbling over to them, “the knight in shining armor comes to save the damsel in distress from the clutches of the mean, vile man whose only crime in life was loving her.”

 

Eli laughed sardonically at Brad’s words.  “Boy, are you some piece of work.  You don’t even know the meaning of the word ‘love’.  Love doesn’t mean you get to control that person’s life.”

 

Stopping a few feet away from them, Brad glared at the two of them.  “You know what, you have her then.  I’m tired of babysitting a spoiled little brat who’s nothing but a whore,” he sneered.

 

Before Brad had a chance to defend himself, Eli punched him squarely in the face.  Brad cried out in pain as he fell to the ground once again, coving his nose and mouth.  Towering over him Eli spat out, “Don’t you ever call her that again, or so help me, I’ll rip out your tongue and stuff it down your throat!”  Turning on his heels, he went over to Sarah and quickly led her away.

 

Watching them walk off, Brad spat out some blood.  Swiping his hand over his mouth, he made a vow to himself that Sarah would pay, just like the rest of those girls who betrayed him in the past. 

 

Pushing himself off the ground, he was stunned to find Mr. X on the other side of the park, talking to some people.  Pulling his keys out from his pocket, he quickly scurried away to where his car was hidden among the trees and bushes.  Jumping inside, he started the ignition and quickly sped off.

 

XXXXXX

 

Brandon’s screams was muffled by the gag covering his mouth as he was once again pushed down into the cold, rushing water of the creek that sat nearby.  He continued to cry under the black hood that was covering his head as his tormentors continued to take delight at his misfortune.

 

They continued their reign of terror as they dipped his head continuously in the water.  He was truly scared that they were going to kill him, and leave him alone and by himself with no one knowing where he was.

 

When Randy pulled his head out of the creek once again, Brandon gasped for air, choking on the much needed oxygen.  “Please…let...me go.” Brandon coughed out through his hood.

 

He could hear the smile in Randy’s voice as he replied back, “Nah, I don’t think so.  I still don’t think you’ve learned your lesson.”  Hearing everyone laughing around him, Brandon felt himself once again being pushed into the creek.

 

XXXXXX

 

To Be Continued…