Just a Click Away

Chapter 32

"Where is your suitcase? We need to pack some of your things." Jack sat in a chair next to her. "I can't wait to get you to my cabin; we will have no one to bother us in the mountains."

That was exactly what Leslie was afraid of, but she knew better than to fight him. The fact that he knew where Alice and Greg lived kept her from trying to be a hero and stand up to him. "It's in my closet on the top shelf." Thankfully she had gained enough of his trust that he had kept her ankles free of the zip ties. She was sitting on the couch with him close by.

"I'll go get it, but I warn you...if you try anything, I'll go straight over to the old lady's house and slit her throat." Slowly he stood up; not breaking eye contact with her.

"Don't worry, I won't try anything." In her mind, Leslie was racking her brain to devise a plan; she needed to alert someone of the danger she was in. Involuntarily her mind went to Greg. The hurt she had seen in his eyes was burned into her mind, and her heart cried to think that she had been the cause of his anguish. If she was able to think of a way to alert him, would he even care enough to call the police or try and get to her? After last night, would he even hazard a glance in the direction of her apartment?

Snapping out of her reverie, she saw Jack looming over her, his eyes filled with wicked intent. She felt him grab her by the shoulders and lift her to her feet. "You know I love you, Leslie." His face was mere centimeters from hers. "Do you love me?"

Her only hope was to keep him happy; she couldn't fight him, or the consequences would be devastating, but she didn't want to lie to him either. "I don't know you very well yet, Jack, but I feel differently about you than I have felt about any man before." That was the truth alright. She had never been more terrified of any man in her life. Of course he would misconstrue her words, but at least she hadn't lied.

A smile parted his lips showcasing his straight, white teeth. "I'm glad to hear that, my darling. I knew that if you gave me a chance, you would learn to love me as I have loved you." As he lowered his mouth and twined his arms around her waist, Leslie quickly tried to think of a way to distract him from his next move.

"Did you want me to grab my suitcase, or were you going to get it? We have a lot of work to do before we leave."

Finally, Jack pulled away and loosened his grip around her waist. "You're right. We have a long drive ahead of us in the morning, so we should get some sleep too."

He stepped over Waldo's lifeless body and entered the bedroom closet; leaving the door open, so he still had her in sight.

Suddenly an idea struck her right between the eyes, and it was inspired. While he was sleeping, she would go to the window and take off the smiley face window cling. She and Greg had talked about it, and he knew that she would never take it down. Maybe if he noticed it was absent from it's place in the window he would call the police. All she had to do was wait for her opportunity. Praying with all her might, she begged God for the chance to carry out her plan. "Please, Lord, let Greg notice that it isn't in the window. Help him to see that I am in trouble."

After the packing had been completed, Jack decided that they should both get some sleep. "I'll just sleep here on the couch if you don't mind." Leslie forced a smile and looked at him as sweetly as possible. Of course, her ulterior motive was to be close to the window with the sticker.

"If that's what you want. I will take the loveseat." Reaching into his pocket, Jack pulled out a black zip tie from his coat pocket and walked slowly toward her. "I hate to tie your ankles again, but I can't have you leaving me while I sleep."

"You really don't need to do that, Jack. I promise you I will stay." It felt like hope was moving out of her reach as he knelt down and tied her ankles together. Maybe she would still be able to execute her plan, but with her hands tied behind her and her feet secured together it would not be a simple task.

When he stood up, he brushed his fingers lightly against her cheek. "I love you, Leslie. Tomorrow will be the first day of the rest of our lives." Bending at the waist, he kissed her on the forehead. After turning out the lights, she heard him settle onto the loveseat.

Her heart was beating so loud that she felt almost certain he could hear it. Concentrating on her breathing, she did her best to calm it's pounding. All of her senses were heightened as her eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness as she fixed her eyes on the loveseat where Jack lay. She listened closely to the steady sound of his breathing. Was he asleep yet? When she cleared her throat, Jack made no movement or sound.

"He must be asleep." Slowly, she moved her legs up toward her body and tried to inch up onto the arm of the couch. A sharp pain shot up her right leg, and she bit down on her bottom lip to keep from crying out in pain. After what seemed like ages, the aching subsided, and she continued pushing herself up until she was seated on the arm of the couch.

Since her arms were secured behind her, her coordination was greatly compromised. As quietly as possible, she moved the blinds out of the way and felt the cold glass of the window against her fingertips. Her hands could not seem to find the edges of the sticker. Adjusting her body, he moved the blinds a little farther. Suddenly the room was bathed in a soft blue light as the light of a street lamp shone through the window. Her eyes shot to the spot where Jack slept, and she saw his face illuminated by the light streaming through the window. To her horror, his eyelids began to flutter.

Moving her hands, she let the blinds fall back into place, and the room returned to it's former state of darkness. Afraid to move or even breathe, Leslie sat as still as a statue. After what felt like an hour, she heard Jack shift to his other side. When the sound of quiet snoring filled her ears, she finally released the air that had been trapped in her lungs.

As silently as she could she placed her hands behind the blinds again and offered a prayer to her heavenly Father that she could find that smiley face without being able to see it. Just as the last word of her hair was breathed, her fingers ran along the edge of the sticker. Her heart quickened it's pace as she worked her fingernail under the edge and awkwardly worked her bound hands to peel it away from the window. Tears of hope filled her swollen eyes as she felt the last edge let go of the window. Letting the window cling fall between the couch and the wall, she prayed again that Greg would notice and find a way to get her out of this nightmare that was now her reality.

Quietly she slid back down onto the couch. Leslie did not sleep a wink that night; instead she spent that time praying that God would work a miracle. She begged that somehow Greg would know she was in trouble. After she had hurt him so badly, she knew it would take a miracle for him to even cast a glance up to her apartment; he probably wanted to forget her completely.

"Please, God, don't let him give up on me."