Free True Control by Willow Madison Page B

“But I can’t arrest him for this.”
    “Why not?!” She glares at me, “Look at him. All smug! He just confessed to you!”
    He shakes his head. “Mr. Tesson didn’t file charges. And neither did your daughter. I have nothing to go on, Ma’am.”
    I speak up, ignoring Liz, “You spoke to Lucy’s doctors, too. They had nothing to report, did they?” Killaney shakes his head. He’s not convinced. But he’s stuck. “So where are you on the investigation, Detective? What are you doing right now to find my wife?”
    He shakes his head again and looks at Liz as he answers. “We’re doing everything we can. Right now the hotlines are our best chance of finding something that will lead us in the right direction.”
    She shakes more and collapses into herself. Paul leads her to sit on the sofa while she covers her face and cries.
    Killaney moves towards the front door, but stops close to me. “I’m not through with this line of questioning…” When I don’t move, he finally walks out.
    I turn to head into my bedroom, but Liz jumps up to confront me. “You hurt Lucy?! You spanked her?!”
    Paul has ahold of her shoulders. I look at him. He’s not shocked by what he’s heard tonight. Lucy didn’t tell him everything, but just before the wedding he talked to her. She admitted to how things are between us and said she was happy. I look back at Liz. “Yes.”
    She shakes and almost spits in an hysterical angry laugh, “I can’t believe this. I cannot believe you are standing here…saying this!”
    “Liz.” I take a deep breath. The frustration of the last week. Of having everyone here. Living in a fishbowl of questions with no answers. At being powerless to help my Lucy. I have to take a moment to get my anger in check. “My marriage to your daughter is not yours to question.”
    “The Hell it isn’t!”
    “Paul.” I ignore Liz. “I’ll see you both in the morning.” I turn back to my bedroom door, but Liz isn’t shutting up.
    “No. You’ll answer me! What did you to Lucy? Have you done something to her…do you know where she is?!”
    I don’t turn all the way around, just enough so I can look directly at her again. “Lucy is mine. My wife. My property. What I’ve done to her is none of your business.” She only blinks at me, in a state of shock. I don’t soften my voice or look, “But I can assure you that this…” I shake my head. “…I want Lucy here. Now. Where she belongs. I had nothing to do with her disappearance.”
    I don’t wait for her response. I quietly close my bedroom door and head to the bathroom. I’m shaking. My anger and pain too close to the surface. I ignore the yelling in the living room.
    Dad and Mom, Liz and Paul. The quieter voices of PJ and Jake. I head into the shower to drown them out.

Chapter 19 HER
    I’m on TV again. Well, my picture is anyway. Ben likes to watch the evening news before bed. He likes to snore through it. The copious amounts of whatever he’s been drinking finally taking its toll. My few moments of peace.
    He keeps me on the floor, forcing my head against his knee. Bitch gets to be on the sofa with him. Better you than me, Bitch.
    The news has been running Max’s pleas. Mom and Dad have appeared a few times. Ron and Alex. Jake. PJ and Cathy. I’ve even seen a few interviews with friends. A crying Laura. An angry Tracy. Former co-workers. Neighbors. I never knew how many people thought they were close to me. People I barely know showing their faces with tears for the cameras.
    Mom and Alex looked terrible. Crazed in the eyes. Too many tears, not enough sleep. I’ve avoided looking at myself in the mirror. Too many bruises and cuts, not enough food or sleep. I’m wearing down. I can feel it. I can feel my mind chasing down a hole, light getting less and less. I can still hear Max, but it’s painful now. Too distant to be real. I can only pretend to be strong for so long.
    Max promised to find me. To get me home. Where I belong.
    He