Dark Passions

Chapter Thirty

Garrison looked over his shoulder and saw the cop cars and he smiled. He had waited for this day for a long time. He pulled out his phone and read the text Mrs. Hamilton had forwarded to him. He had to make the search last a long time. He wanted to enjoy seeing the look on Black's face when he got the better of him. With the cops pulling up, Garrison walked on up to the door and rapped on it. A few minutes passed before Black answered the door.

"Not the person I expected this morning," said Black evenly. "What brings you to my home, Garrison?"

"A certain girl has gone missing," replied Garrison as he pulled the search warrant out of his pocket. "And I believe that girl is somewhere in here." Black had no choice but to move to the side. Garrison strutted in as the police filed in, and they began searching the rooms. Garrison walked into the living room and noticed Black's right hand man, Drake, lounging on the couch. The man was watching Garrison with his bright blue eyes, and it began to make Garrison uneasy.

"You better have a good reason for interrupting my business meeting," growled Black as he walked up to stand beside Garrison. Garrison turned to him and narrowed his eyes.

"I know you've been keeping Jessica Hollands here."

"You have no proof of that. Besides, that is a ridiculous accusation. Why would I keep a little girl around here?"

"That, Black, is the question I would like to know the answer too." Black didn't answer and Garrison walked into the kitchen. There were no signs Jessica had even been here. Garrison began to have second thoughts. What if he was wrong? Panic began to set in, and Black saw it on his face as he walked into the kitchen.

"You seem uneasy, Garrison," said Black quietly, his voice filled with sarcasm.

"I am not the one who should be feeling uneasy, Black," Garrison shot back. The confidence Garrison had vanished, and he knew Black could see right through him. He left the kitchen in a hurry, glancing down at his phone. A secret door, Garrison read as he looked at the text message Mrs. Hamilton sent him. He walked into Black's office and studied the bookcases.

"Sir." Garrison turned around and saw an officer standing at the entrance, Black directly behind him. "We found these underneath the bed in one of the guest bedrooms. It was tied to the bedsprings." Hope fluttered back into Garrison's heart as he took the packet of papers from the officer. He glanced up and saw Black's eyes had widened with disbelief.

"I suppose we will hang on to these then, no?" said Garrison as he tucked them away into his jacket. The officer nodded and left, but Black remained.

"You're digging yourself a hole, Garrison," threatened Black as Garrison turned back to the bookshelf. He nudged it with his foot and when he saw it move, the smile on his face grew.

"I believe, Black, you dug your own hole." Garrison grabbed the edges of the bookshelf and heaved it over to the side. It followed easily over, and a door was revealed behind the bookshelf. Garrison looked over his shoulder and smiled at Black, who had gone pale in the face. Garrison opened the door as officers came into the office as well. It was dark, but Garrison saw the steps that led deep down into the basement. He used his phone as a flashlight as he went down. The stairs seemed to last forever, but at last Garrison came to the ground floor. He shined his light and his stomach nearly emptied its contents. Chained to the wall and covered in her own blood and filth was Jessica. Her eyes were closed, and from the looks of her, she hadn't eaten in a few days. Garrison ran over to her, shouting 'call an ambulance' over his shoulder to one of the officers. He rested his hand on her cheek, and began to panic as she didn't respond.

"Jessica," said Garrison. She didn't stir. No, no, no. "Jessica." He turned around to the officer behind him. "Get me something so we can get these chains off of her." After searching for a few minutes, an officer was able to produce a key. Garrison unlocked the chains and Jessica's arms fell lifeless to her side. Garrison accepted the cup of water another officer supplied and put the liquid up to her lips. The water trailed down the side of her mouth, and Garrison was beginning to fear she was dead. Suddenly, Jessica coughed and Garrison released his breath he didn't know he was holding. Jessica looked at him with glazed over eyes, and when she finally recovered and recognized it was him, tears began to form at the base of her eyes.