Authors: Val Tobin
Injury (18 page)
Makeup and wardrobe ready, Dani prepared herself mentally for
another day on the side of the mountain. The sun had barely cleared the
horizon, and it looked perfect for filming. At least at this elevation, the
heat and humidity weren’t a problem.
Here, she was unable to receive phone calls from Cope. The
cell service was sketchy, and they’d only be able to text. Calls went straight
to voice-mail. She’d noticed a message from Cope while she prepped, but
couldn’t retrieve it. Dani had texted him to let him know she’d call him when
she got home that night.
Though nervous at the prospect of talking to him, she ached
to put her arms around him and feel his lips on hers. Surely, they could figure
out a way to stay together. She left the trailer and waved to Ryan, who sat in
a director’s chair outside. Karen, an assistant, escorted Dani, and they walked
to the clearing where the crew had set up the cameras.
Ferguson signaled he was ready, so Dani kicked off her
ballerina flats and slipped on the high-heeled pumps her poor character was
forced to wear. Today, she’d have to run in the damn things, too. In this
scene, Felicity escapes from the cabin where she’s being held and is chased
through the forest to the edge of a cliff.
The stand-in would take over for the cliff scene, spending
most of her time dangling over the gorge. Dani looked forward to the break
she’d get during that time. She planned to nap in her trailer so she’d be able
to stay awake when Cope came over later that night. The assistant director
approached, holding out a roll of duct tape. Dani sighed and presented her
wrists. At least they were binding her hands in front.
The shoot went well, and when the stand-in took over, Dani
exchanged her heels with the ballerina flats for the return walk. “I’ll be in
my trailer, Jake.”
When Ferguson didn’t even glance up, Dani stepped toward
him. The woman who’d escorted her from the trailer approached, and Dani grabbed
her arm. “Karen, if Jake needs me, I’ll be in my trailer.”
“I’ll walk you down, Miss Grayson.”
Dani shook her head. “No, thanks. It’s not far and my
bodyguard is right there. Come and get me if Jake needs me again. I’m tired and
want to lie down for a bit.”
“Yes, Miss Grayson.”
One of the crew called to Karen, and she looked over, giving
Dani the opportunity to scurry away. Every moment wasted cut into her precious
naptime. She followed the dirt path back to the trailer.
No one was in sight. Why wasn’t Ryan sitting outside? He was
supposed to stay by her trailer during filming, since he wasn’t part of the
cast and crew. Everyone else was watching the shoot at the edge of the cliff.
“Ryan?” No response. Maybe he’d gone back to the car for
something. No doubt he’d be back soon.
Inside the trailer, Dani went for her water. The glass
bottle she used sat on the table, and she unscrewed the cap. Funny. She didn’t
remember leaving it sitting out. Dani liked her water cold and kept it in the
fridge. She shrugged it off and took a long swallow. Even at room temperature,
it was still refreshing.
Sweat streamed down her back and drenched her underarms.
She’d take a shower before lying down though that would mean doing the makeup
and wardrobe routine over again. Too bad. They’d just have to deal with it. The
dirt and dust coating her suit had worked its way inside, and she was itching
as well as sweating.
Dani peeled off her clothes and turned on the water in the
tiny stall at the back of the trailer. She’d have to be quick—the tank was
small. The water trickled over her, and she washed her hair and body,
frustrated at the low pressure. As she finished rinsing off, wooziness made her
brace against the shower walls.
She turned off the water, stepped from the stall, and
staggered toward the bed. Dani’s knees buckled before she reached it. Her
muscles weak, she fell onto her face. “Hel—” Couldn’t speak. Vision blurred.
Eyes closed. Darkness.
***
No service. Call you
when I get home tonight.
It was the last message Cope received from Dani. He heard
nothing from or about her until Katherine called him at work and told him to
turn on the news. Cope switched on the TV hanging on the wall in his office and
flipped to the news, icy fingers slow and clumsy.
The scene showed helicopters hovering around the mountain
where Dani’s film shoot was. A male voiceover spoke. “John Madden, Miss
Grayson’s manager, arrived on the scene and has joined the search. Again, our
top story, in progress, is the disappearance of Oscar-winning actress Daniella
Grayson from the location of her current movie shoot for
Injury 2: Band-Aid Solution
. We’ll have more for you as the story
develops.”
Cope muted the TV. “Jesus, Katherine. How did this happen?”
He had to get to the mountain. Where the fuck was the bodyguard? How could a
famous actress disappear while filming a fucking movie?
“I don’t know. Want me to go with you? We can volunteer to
help in the search.”
“Hell yes. Right now.”
“Okay, Cope. We’ll get there, but I don’t want you to kill
yourself doing it. I’ll change into hiking gear and pick you up. Should I meet
you at your place?”
“No, come here. Just hurry.”
Katherine promised to be there in thirty minutes and ended
the call.
An hour-and-a-half later, they talked their way through a
police checkpoint at the head of the trail leading up the mountain. Katherine
drove up to the group of trailers that comprised the base camp for the location
shoot. A staging area had been set up, and a woman and man stood beside a
folding table and two chairs.
Katherine found a spot amongst the other cars and pulled
over. She’d barely put the car into park when Cope flung open the door and
jumped out. Katherine’s door slammed as she got out on her side. Cope’s heart
skipped a beat at the police tape around Dani’s trailer. The couple near the
table waved and greeted the new arrivals.
“Can we help you? I’m Andrew Holt,” said the man, who looked
to be in his mid-fifties. He waved at his companion, who wore a Los Angeles
Police Department uniform. “This is PC Sophie Enders. You’re Robert Copeland. I
recognize you from the newspapers.”
“That’s right. Can you tell me what happened? Are you with
the LAPD also? Where’s Dani’s bodyguard?”
PC Enders stepped forward. “Can I see some IDs?”
Cope frowned, frustrated, but he and Katherine both took out
their wallets and handed over driver’s licenses. When Enders acknowledged the
identities, Cope said, “What happened?”
Holt held up a hand. “I’m not with the LAPD. I’m Danger Play
security. The police believe Miss Grayson didn’t leave of her own free will.
There are signs she was abducted.”
Cope’s heart thundered in his chest and his mouth went dry.
He turned to the police officer. “Who?”
“Greg Henderson might be involved. He hasn’t been seen since
last night. Miss Grayson arrived at this location early in the morning,
prepared for the shoot, and did four hours of filming. She returned to her
trailer at 11:00
am
and had a
shower. It appears she collapsed getting out of the shower, and someone, likely
Henderson, broke into her trailer and abducted her.”
“No one saw this? Where the fuck is Ryan Pearlman? What the
hell do I pay him for? He’s supposed to be protecting her.”
Holt and Enders exchanged glances, sending a shiver of fear
through Cope at their expressions. “What is it? Where’s Ryan?”
Enders replied. “He’s in the hospital. We found him behind
Miss Grayson’s trailer. He’s been shot, but he’ll survive.”
“Jesus Christ. What’s the son of a bitch doing?”
Another exchange of glances. Enders again broke the silence.
“Sit, Mr. Copeland.”
“No. What aren’t you telling me? More than half the day is
gone. Where the fuck did he take her?”
Enders reached out and touched Cope’s shoulder, stroked his
arm, a gesture meant to reassure, but instead it heightened the fear. Cope
stepped back, gritting his teeth, face grimacing in pain. “Where are you
looking? Is she out on the mountain somewhere?” It came out an airy whisper,
almost a wheeze.
Oh, God. Dani.
His
heart hurt. What if he lost her? His arms longed to hold her. If he could see
her again, he’d take her in his arms and cover her with kisses.
Please, God, just let me see her again.
“Tell me. I have a right to know. She’s my fiancée.” A lie,
but a temporary white lie. He’d rectify it as soon as they were together again.
“We’re doing everything we can to find her. He took her away
in his vehicle, but has since abandoned it. We don’t know what he’s driving
now. The car was ditched in Culver City.”
“Will he harm her?” Cope couldn’t bring himself to ask if
Henderson intended to kill her. If anything happened to Dani, he wouldn’t be
able to live with himself. He should have had two bodyguards watching her. He
should have—Katherine interrupted his desperate musings.
“Cope, pull yourself together. We’ll find her.”
“Sit, Mr. Copeland.” Enders used a grip on his arm to guide
him to a chair. “I’d like to ask you some questions.”
Cope let her press him into the seat and waited for her to
say something.
“When was the last time you communicated with Miss Grayson?”
“This morning.” Cope showed her the text Dani had sent him.
“We get no chance to talk on the phone when she’s up here, so we kept in touch
this way.”
“Has Miss Grayson said anything to you about Greg Henderson?
Had he tried to contact her since he was released on bail?”
“If he had, she wasn’t telling me. Have you checked her
phone records?”
“That’s in process. I was hoping you had additional
information.”
Cope shook his head. That snake probably kept to himself so
her guard would be down. How to find her? He had to think. If the cops let him
join the search, they’d steer him to the least likely place. They wouldn’t want
him to be the one to find Henderson. He’d have to slip off by himself if he had
any hope of finding Dani soon. “Answer the question. Do you think he’ll harm
her?”
“He might if anyone tries to take her from him. Henderson
has at least one gun with him.”
“Did he stay around here?”
“We’ve gone over this place with dogs, and there’s no reason
to believe he’s on the mountain. We’re using Culver City as the starting point
for the search though we don’t know what kind of car we’re looking for. There’s
been no report of a vehicle stolen in that area, so we’re speculating that he
had one waiting. Video surveillance might have picked that up, and if it did,
we’ll put out an APB.”
“Have you searched his house?”
“We have officers there right now. If they find anything,
they’ll alert us. There’s nothing to do now but wait.”
Restless and frustrated, Cope stood and made his way to the
trailer. “Can I go in?”
“Yes, if Danger Play permits it. The police have already
searched it and collected whatever was there.”
“Go ahead, Mr. Copeland,” Bennett said.
Cope strode to the trailer, yanked the tape off the door,
and stepped inside.
Groggy and nauseated, Dani regained consciousness dangling
from the shoulder of whoever had her in the fireman’s carry. A heavy-looking
backpack bumped against her head with every step. Dani groaned. The man—she
knew it was a man by the muscles and the sweaty male scent—stopped and set her
on her ass among the leaves.
Before she could see who was there, Dani rolled onto her
hands and knees and vomited. The odor of bile assaulted her, and she retched
again. And again. And again. Whatever was in her stomach wanted out so bad it
hurt. Sobs cheered on the vomiting, and Dani wished she could pass out again.
When the cramps and spasms eased, she crawled backward away
from the puddle of puke. A hand holding a bottle of water, cap off, appeared
under her nose, and she accepted it, grateful. “Thanks.” Manners first, then
relief. Dani chugged.
“Not so fast. You’ll be sick again.”
A chill shot up her spine, and the blood whooshed out of her
face.
Greg Henderson.
Dani’s head
snapped up to look at him, and oh, God, it was Henderson looming over her. The
bottle dropped from her fingers, and she backed away, scuttling crab-like on
hands and feet. Weak and dehydrated, Dani collapsed in the dirt.
Henderson caught up to her and slid his hands under her
armpits. Dani struggled, but it was no use, and she gave a frustrated sob.
“What have you done, Greg?” Grief and rage saturated her words, but they came
out clear enough.
“I came back for you, babe. No one can keep us apart.” He
dropped to the ground and pulled her into his lap, arms viselike around her
torso.
Memory fuzzy, Dani tried to recollect what had happened.
She’d been filming. The scene had ended, and the next one involved the stunt
double and two other actors. She must have returned to the trailer, but she
couldn’t remember doing it. Dani checked out her clothes. She wore a T-shirt,
jeans, and sneakers, but had no memory of putting them on. “Have you lost your
mind? You’re out on bail.”
“I can’t live without you, baby. We belong together. We’re perfect
together.”
“No, we’re not, Greg. Let me go before you get in more
trouble. When Jake finds out I’m gone, he’ll look for me. Please. Take me back.
This is crazy.”
Henderson’s arm snaked away from her body, he gripped her
hair, and yanked her head back. Dani cried out, more from shock than pain.
“Shut up. Dumb bitch. Keep that mouth shut. I’ll tell you
when you can speak, and then you keep your tone respectful. Got that?”
Dani nodded. Henderson was crazy. He had to be. She flashed
back to when he’d attacked her in her apartment and shuddered.
“That’s right. You’re my little doll. My girl.” The hand
released her hair and stroked her cheek. He was gentle now, but that could
change in an instant. She’d seen this Jekyll and Hyde routine when they’d
dated, though it hadn’t been frequent, and it hadn’t seemed so deadly. It had
scared her even then.
Afraid he’d hit her, but desperate to find out his
intentions, Dani leaned into Henderson as though resting against him the way
she used to when they were dating. When his breathing slowed, his chest rising
and falling against her back, she whispered his name. “Greg?”
Henderson stirred, one arm tightening around her body. His
mouth nuzzled her hair. “My love?” His breath blew on her, and she smelled a
trace of alcohol.
So he’d concocted this stupid stunt after a night of
drinking? Dani wondered when he’d had his last drink. Maybe when he sobered up,
he’d come to his senses and take her back.
Henderson’s hand continued to stroke her cheek, her hair. He
laid a gentle kiss on her temple.
Ask him, Dani. Ask him
now, or you’ll be too terrified to ever say anything.
“Where are we going?”
She’d excised the fear from her voice, making it low and gentle.
“Our place. No one will ever find us there,” he said
quietly, not edged with hysteria or anger. The tone was good, but Dani’s fear
skyrocketed at the words.
She looked around for the first time since she’d awoken and
saw they sat on a dirt trail covered in oak leaves, fir needles, and other
natural debris. Evergreen trees and big old oak trees stretched away from the
path on either side. The trail led up.
Were they still in the mountains near the shoot? Dani hoped
so. If she escaped, help might be easy to find, especially if the police were
already looking for her.
“Can you walk?” Again gentle. Courteous. A light kiss on the
cheek, two lovers nestled together, resting before resuming their journey.
“Yes.” A little too loud, too fearful. Tears welled up in
Dani’s eyes, and she squeezed them shut. The salty water ran down her face,
and, afraid he’d get upset if he knew she was crying, Dani pressed her hands to
her cheeks, obliterating the wet streaks. She took a deep breath and exhaled,
forcing herself to stay calm. She wasn’t tied up, which worked in her favor.
She’d cooperate, and when he let his guard down, she’d find a way out.
Henderson released her, stood, and held his hand out. Dani
grasped it and let him pull her up. When his arm slid around her waist, she
forced herself to reciprocate and lean on him, and he led her up the trail.
***
A picture of Dani and Cope lay in its frame on the floor
under shattered glass. Cope recalled the afternoon it was taken—that perfect
picnic on the beach when their future looked as bright as the white sand
reflecting the setting sun. A selfie, taken while they canoodled on a blanket
after a walk along the beach. The sight of it amped up the worry, the
heartache, the fear, and brought the threat of tears with it. Cope gritted his
teeth and snatched the picture off the floor.
How like her to have had it printed and framed. He picked
the glass out of the frame and set the picture on the table, the sight of the
happy couple in the photo tugging at his heart. A wet spot in front of the
shower stall caught his eye, and he crouched before it, running his hands over
the dampness.
Cope pictured her stepping out of the shower. Something made
her fall, but, thankfully, there were no blood stains. He scanned the room.
Nothing out of place aside from the wet carpet and the broken picture frame. If
there had been anything useful, the police would’ve taken it. Cope picked up
the framed photo and left the trailer.
When he stepped outside, he noticed how long the shadows
were. The air was getting cooler. He hoped to God Dani was okay, and they’d
find her soon. He turned to Holt and Enders. “What’s your next move? Seems
they’re gone and won’t come back here.”
“Agreed,” Enders replied. “I’m pulling out soon.” She eyed
Cope for a moment, then said, “Don’t do anything foolish, Mr. Copeland. We’ll
find her. If you think of something that might help with the search, call me.”
She gave him her card.
Katherine moved to Cope’s side and put her arm around him.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
Cope didn’t reply, but as soon as they pulled away from the
lot, he said, “Drive to Henderson’s apartment.”
He heard her sudden intake of breath. “Cope, no. We can’t do
that.”
“Then, take me home to get my car. If you don’t want to come
with me, I’ll go by myself.”
Reluctantly, she agreed to go along, but when they arrived
at the apartment, a crowd of reporters surrounded the place, and Cope told her
to keep driving. “I’ve got an idea. Drive to Ben’s.” He should have thought of
getting his brother’s help sooner. With Ben’s help, they could have Dani home
and Henderson behind bars by morning.
***
By the time Dani and Henderson reached the cabin that was
their destination, he was carrying her. As the sun dipped behind the trees, he
set her on a Muskoka chair and fished in his bag for a key.
The oaks were sparser here, the pine trees taking over.
Dani’s head throbbed, and she thought she might pass out again. A long hike
without food compounded whatever he’d drugged her with.
The door swung open. Henderson hauled her out of the seat.
When she collapsed against him, he swung her into his arms. “I’ll carry you
across the threshold, babe. Our new home.” He kissed her nose, and she didn’t
have the strength to protest. Dani’s eyelids slid closed.
When Dani opened her eyes again, she realized she’d slept.
The headache had disappeared, and she lay in a bed, a thick, fluffy comforter
covering her. Bound hand and foot with duct tape, she was naked.
Twilight filtered through a window in the opposite wall. How
long had she been out? Where was Henderson? Dani listened to the silence. Maybe
he’d gone out or had fallen asleep? If so, she should try to escape before he
returned.
Dani struggled the comforter off and sat, spinning her feet
onto the floor. After a deep breath in, she stood. Thankfully, Henderson was an
idiot and had forgotten she’d been trained to escape from duct tape when they’d
filmed their first movie together. Dani raised her arms above her head and
smashed them on her belly. The tape split apart, and she ripped it off her
wrists. Then she crouched and peeled it off her ankles.
She scanned the room for her clothes. Nothing. There was a
closet, but when she checked it, she found it locked. He wasn’t a complete
idiot then. Dani crept to the window and peered out. It was getting dark. If
she climbed out the window and escaped, she’d be naked and in danger of being
found by predators before anyone rescued her. Henderson probably counted on her
realizing that. What he didn’t understand was how desperately she wanted to get
away from him.
Dani unlocked the window and raised the lower sash. As she
gripped the screen to lift it out, she heard a sound behind her. A whimper
escaped her lips, and she turned to face Henderson.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“I was getting air. I needed air.” Dani’s voice shook, and
she folded her arms over her breasts, attempting to cover her nakedness.
“Do you think I’m a fucking idiot?”
Yes, but I won’t tell
you that.
“No. I didn’t know where I was. I wanted to look outside and get
some air.”
Face turning red, he pounced on her. The first blow knocked
Dani to the floor, and then he straddled her as she lay on her back. Henderson
grasped her wrists in one hand and held them above her head.
“Greg, no. Please. Don’t.” Her jaw ached where he’d hit her.
She’d have a fat lip from that.
“I’m afraid you need to learn discipline, babe. What did I
tell you about respect? Speak to me with respect.” He spit out the P sound when
he said “respect,” and in a moment of lunacy, she almost screamed, “say it;
don’t spray it.”
Henderson hit her on the side of the face, open palm. Again.
Again. She lost count by the time he stopped, and her ears rang. The only sound
was the smack of skin on skin and Dani’s hitched, ragged breathing. She refused
to scream or beg or cry.
“I don’t want to hit you, babe, but you’re making me do it.
You wanted to climb out the window. Don’t lie. Tell me that’s what you wanted
to do, and I’ll forgive you. Just tell me the truth.”
Oh, God.
Was this
a trick? She tested it. “I told you the truth. Where would I go? I’m naked.
There could be mountain lions out there.”
“Liar!” He stood, grabbed her by the hair, and dragged her
to the bed. This time she did scream, she did beg, and she most definitely
cried. “Greg, please. No. You’re right. I was scared. I wanted to climb out.
Please. I’m sorry.”
Henderson threw her on the bed, and Dani frantically
burrowed into the quilt, wanting to hide. He put a hand on her throat and
squeezed, then released. “Don’t fucking move. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
He stomped from the room, and Dani huddled on the bed, too
terrified to do anything else. Suddenly, she flashed back to when she was four
years old. Home alone with her mother, Dani had spilled a glass of milk on the
living room carpet. Lilli backhanded her, then grabbed her by the hair, shoved
her nose in the mess, and dragged her into the bedroom. She ordered Dani to
wait on the bed and left the room. Dani heard her cleaning the milk,
understanding that the real punishment would begin when Lilli returned.
Henderson burst back into the room, snapping Dani back to
the present, and she screamed, her screams echoing through the cabin. He
carried the duct tape, scissors, and a belt.
“Shut up, you stupid bitch, or I’ll fucking give you a
reason to scream.”
Dani cut off the screams. She’d learned long ago that it was
best to obey without hesitation.
“Lie on your stomach.”
“Greg, please. Please.” Dani didn’t know what else to say.
Surely, he understood what she begged for.
“Now, baby, I have to teach you a lesson.” He sounded
regretful.
This will hurt me more than
it’ll hurt you
hung in the air between them. “Lie down. Don’t make me ask
you again, or I’ll have to punish you for that, too.”
Dani lay on her stomach, body shaking with cold, fear, and
ceaseless sobs. The sound of the duct tape peeling off the roll brought her
close to screaming and begging again, but she stifled it. With gentle hands,
Henderson bound her wrists above her head and then taped her ankles.
“So sorry, baby. This’ll hurt, but you brought it on
yourself. You’ll get five lashes, and I want you to count them with me.
Understand?”
“Yes.” Choking. She needed air and gulped like a landed
fish.
Henderson raised the belt.