Never Look Back by Geraldine Solon Read Free Book Online Page A

conversation.” Tilting his head, he said, “Her mother didn’t like her chatting with the customers as she had to work.” Wanting to provide full disclosure, Rob added. “She passed by my place to apologize then wanted to have her pictures taken.”
    “Pictures?”
    “I’m a photographer.”
    “Right.”
    “One thing led to another, then the next thing you know, we had sex.”
    "After you had sex, where did you go?"
    "I stayed home and went to sleep after Stacy left."
    "Can somebody confirm that?"
    "This is bull shit! I told you, Stacy came to my house." Rob tightened his jaw.
    Shaking his head, the detective said, “You expect me to believe your story that this woman came to your house to have sex.” Detective Schultz coughed. “And now she vanished, just like your girlfriend." He leaned back. "You don't have an alibi to prove your whereabouts Mr. Hanson."
    “I know what you're trying to imply, Detective, that I have something to do with this, but you're wasting your time, thinking that way instead of looking for Dana. You guys are slackers.”
    ***
    Marcy Simmons banged the wall from her room. How could they leave her confined in a room with no windows and just a mirror? If only she hadn't gone to her husband's memorial service. None of this would have happened. But she just had to get a glimpse of her daughter Dana once again to see what a fine, beautiful woman she became. As a result, here she was, back where she started.
    The door flung open, and a short man with a pot belly and greasy face popped in with a tray of lunch.
    She immediately shut her eyes and pretended to sleep.
    He slapped her face. "Wake up, sleepyhead."
    Massaging her cheek, Marcy sat up. "You seem to be amused by hurting people. Did your parents abuse you as a child?"
    He slapped her again.
    Swaying her head side to side, she added, "That confirms it."
    "Look, lady." He pointed his finger too close to her eye. "If it were up to me, I would have killed you right away."
    "Oh, you poor thing, can't make your own decisions."
    Eyes open wide, he planted his hands on her neck and began to choke her.
    Gasping for air, Marcy poked her nails into his eyeballs.
    He released her and covered his eyes. "You bitch! I swear, I will kill you next time." He slammed the door and turned the lock.
    Marcy examined her neck in the mirror. Red marks marred her skin. I will be the one to kill them.
    ***
    Stacy Kestav awoke, her head throbbing. Where am I? Darkness enveloped her, but still she could spot steel bars. "Help, somebody help me."
    "They can't hear you," a young female voice laced with an accent hushed.
    Blinking her eyes, she caught a glimpse of a teenage girl with a square jaw and prominent features who seemed younger than Stacy outside her cell. "Where are we?"
    "We're underground. There are a lot of us down here," the girl said. "We were brought here from Russia."
    Stacy's heart sank like a flat tire. How can I escape? "What's your name and how long have you been here?"
    "Weeks. I'm Valentina. They took my twin sister and I away from my family," she said. "They promised my parents they would give us a better life in America, but instead we are told to do dirty things with men, lots of men, in front of a camera.”
    A sound of voices echo.
     Sh, they're coming."
    Stacy closed her eyes in dread.

Chapter 9
    Dana felt she had been running for eternity. There was no sight of civilization as the end of the pavement only led to a dirt road. A glance at her watch revealed it had been almost two hours, and she wasn’t sure she if she’d been going the right direction.
    She gazed at the sky above. “Please help me, Lord.”
    Shortly, a ray of light appeared in front of her. She waved her arms in the air as hope rejuvenated her.
    A black BMW slowed down and stopped in front of her. Dana smiled and approached the passenger door.
    The door flung open, and a man stepped out. “Are you lost?”
    Dana’s smile vanished. Skully. This time, he was not alone. A