Page 74 of Mason

Jo sat on the bed. It had been three days since her captor had been back, but at least he’d left the heat on, if only enough to keep her from freezing to death. She was still cold. He’d drugged her twice more since that first night. She’d woken up with fresh clothes, water, and her piss bucket emptied.

But now she was starting to worry he’d forgotten about her. Her water was running low. And she was sick. Her face felt hot, so a fever was a definite possibility. The runny nose and sneezing started yesterday, and now she was coughing.

The one thing she was grateful for was that he hadn’t come in and tried to rape her. He never so much as spoke to her. He left her notes occasionally, but that was all. But she knew that was coming. It had to be. Those texts he sent her flashed into her mind. He’d been obsessed.

The longer she stayed here, the more likely she was to get raped or killed when he grew tired of her. Maybe he’d already done so and just left her here to starve to death.

Or die of pneumonia.

Ten days. That was how long she’d been here. Ten days of not knowing anything, of having no one to talk to but herself. Ten days of being terrified. Ten days of being watched.

She’d talk to the cameras some days, demand he talk to her or let her go. Ask him what he wanted.

But all she ever got in return was silence.

She had to get out of here, but how?

The door was off limits. She’d almost dislocated her shoulder yesterday trying to break it down. She wouldn’t try that again. It was too sturdy. Probably built when the house had been, and it looked to be an old house.

She went back to the window. Jumping would result in her breaking her neck or multiple broken bones. Three stories up was too high. This had to be an attic room.

So, where did that leave her?

Nowhere.

She stared at the clouds. They looked thick and heavy. Probably more snow. The ground was covered in snow. And it was cold. She’d opened the window earlier to see.

That was why the snow on the ground wasn’t melting. It was still too cold for that.

And where was Mason? He should have found her by now.

She sank down on the floor and cried. It was the first time she’d cried since she’d been trapped here. She hurt. Her heart ached, and she was so scared.

The quiet was doing a number on her head. It broke her down in ways she didn’t even know were possible. But she was finally starting to feel close to giving up.

So she cried and prayed and cried some more.

Nikoli sat in a chair with his laptop in his lap, Jo’s phone connected to it. He was working quietly, while the rest of them sat and waited. It had taken Nik all day yesterday to find the program on her phone. It was hidden so well he’d almost given up, but between his tricks and Mason’s, they’d found it.

Now Nik was working on back hacking the hacker from her phone. It was the only shot they had of finding her.

Conner was reading through the file Dylan had put together. They came to find out asshat Ray had been arrested for stalking another girl when he was fourteen. It had gone to juvenile court, and he hadn’t served a day in jail for it. His parents had moved to California as soon as his community service hours were completed. Community service for fucking stalking a girl two years younger than he was.

Fucker.

The only thing keeping him sane was the physical therapy that started yesterday. It exhausted him, but he knew it was necessary. His whole body ached from the effort, but he’d managed to raise his hand four inches and hold it. While he’d only been able to do it for less than a minute, it was the most progress he’d made in days. Who the fuck knew a brain injury caused so many fucking problems?

Kade came in, looking defeated.

“What is it?” Fear clenched his insides.Please don’t tell me she’s dead, please.

“Max found Ray. He’s in Texas with his uncle. He’s been there for months. He didn’t take her.”

“Then who the fuck did?” Mason shouted, his frustration welling up. “Who fucking has her?”

The only sound was Nikoli clacking away on the keyboard.

“Mason, did anyone but Jo touch the note in the original box she received?”

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