as Elias had not returned yet, and we both drifted off to an early, though restless, sleep.
It was dark when I woke again.
“I’m sorry to wake you. I just need to check your vitals.” A nurse had roused me by taking my blood pressure. Through the faint light from the hallway, I could tell she was middle aged, her frizzy hair tied back into a loose ponytail. Her face, although slightly lined, was kind. It reminded me of the face of a mother who’s had years of experiences and contained a vault of wisdom. She spoke quietly in hushed tones as she asked to take my temperature and to check the dressing on my abdomen. DJ never stirred.
When she was finished and left the room, I drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
***
I spent the next week in the hospital being examined and prodded for both my physical health and my mental health. A psychiatrist came in several times to talk with me about my experience. I was resistant at first, but as I opened up, I felt a sense of relief settle over me. I don’t have to go through this alone; I have Elias, Carly, and DJ, and I’ve allowed the doctor to set me up with a therapist twice a week following my release.
When I was finally discharged, Elias talked me into recovering at his place. He argued that he has an elevator and no stairs, but none of that matters. I would have said yes even if he lived up six stories with no elevator, just to spend my time with him. Michelle gave me a temporary leave from work, up to six weeks if I needed, and Elias has all his free time to spend with me.
Shortly after my release from the hospital, Elias and I curled up in his bed while he ran his rough hands along my arms and my back, drawing light pictures against my sensitized skin. As I began to feel like my old self again, questions swirled in my mind about the things Travis had told me during my kidnapping. The urge to ask Elias the truth about him was overwhelming, and I got to the point I couldn’t take it anymore.
“I have something to ask you,” I begin tentatively, willing my body to stay relaxed. When I allowed myself to start this relationship, I made a promise to myself. Part of that promise was giving Elias the opportunity to be open with me as I was with him. As much as I want to scream and believe the proof from the pictures, he deserves the chance to explain.
“Anything. You can always ask me anything.”
My phone starts ringing from somewhere behind me, probably on the nightstand where I’ve left it mostly untouched since I came to stay. The only time I pick it up is to call DJ or Carly when Elias was busy getting groceries or making meals or showering. Other than those few things, he’s spent all his time keeping me from getting lonely, where I sometimes find myself lost in my memories.
“It’s an unassigned number,” Elias says as he hands me the phone. I hate answering when I don’t know who it is and the panic seizes me.
“Will you please answer it?”
Elias takes the phone back and swipes the screen. “Hello?”
“Ah, yes she is. One moment, please.” Elias glances at my face while he listens, and I lift myself onto my elbows as I wait anxiously. His eyebrows shoot up beneath his messy bangs, and he hands the phone over to me. The detective, he mouths.
“Hello?”
“Marlena, sorry to bother you. How are you feeling?” he asks politely.
“I’m doing okay,” I reply, the end of my sentence trailing off. I haven’t received a call from the police since I gave my statement at the hospital.
“I have a few questions to ask you. I’ll only take a minute of your time.”
Pressing my chest tighter against Elias’s back, I swallow hard. “Uh, okay. Go ahead, I’m listening.”
The detective’s voice changes, a sound of sympathy in his tone. “You told us in your statement that it was Travis Dawson holding you captive, is that correct?”
“Yes, absolutely,” I answer without pause.
“Are you certain?”
The question irritates me. “Yes. I’m positive, Detective.”
“And you said there was a man in the cabin when you escaped?”
“Yes.”
He clears his throat. “Is there any chance he had someone working with him? Was there anyone else there with you?”
My body stiffens at the implication. “I assure you he was working