still needs medical and psychological help. Professional help,” Vanessa said. It was probably too late for any sort of assault kit to yield any results, but everything should still be documented.
“Yeah, those bruises on her wrists are pretty bad. And I hate to say this, but I’m sure she was assaulted, right?”
Vanessa rubbed a hand over her eyes. “She won’t talk about any specifics, but, yes, I would say most definitely.”
Liam reached out and pulled her down next to him on the seat at the table.
“She’s a survivor,” he said. “She’s strong.”
“I know. I just can’t bear to think about what she’s been through.”
“We’ll get her a counselor and a doctor. We just have to figure out who we can trust.”
She nodded. “Why haven’t you called in some sort of attack team yet?”
“Because if we send in a blitz attack on the sheriff’s office, not knowing who exactly is involved and to what degree, the first thing the kidnappers will do is kill the remaining girls. They’re liabilities.”
Nausea pooled in Vanessa’s stomach. “I hadn’t thought of that. But you’re right.”
She rested her face in her hands.
“That doesn’t mean we’re not going to stop them, Nessa. It just means we’re not going to roll in guns blazing.”
He’d called her Nessa. He was the only one who ever had, ever dared. She hadn’t heard that name in eight years.
“Not to mention,” he continued, “it’s the word of one small foreign girl, supposedly wanted by the law, against the word of people who may have lived in this area their whole lives.”
“But I know she’s telling the truth,” Vanessa said. She had no doubt about it at all.
Liam nodded. “I believe her, too, but it’s about what we can prove when it comes down to a court of law.”
“I just can’t stand the thought of more girls trapped and scared.” Karine had told them that the youngest of the girls was only eight years old. Fortunately she was being “kept” for someone special—some sick buyer, no doubt—so she hadn’t been assaulted. The older girls hadn’t been so lucky.
Liam reached over and grasped her hand. “I know. I feel the same. But it’s important that we keep whoever is behind this in the dark as long as possible. That is our best chance at saving those girls. By convincing law enforcement that you don’t really know anything about Karine and that you certainly don’t know where she is now.”
Vanessa nodded. He was right.
“Okay, then I need to call my office, let them know I won’t be coming in. If I just don’t show up, everyone there will be worried.”
Vanessa stood and called her supervisor at Bridgespan. It wasn’t a long conversation. Vanessa told her she was sick but that she would hopefully be in tomorrow. Her boss understood and told her to take care of herself.
“That seemed pretty painless,” Liam said after she finished. He was sitting back in his chair, long legs stretched out in front of him, arms crossed over his chest.
He looked relaxed, lazy even, in that way Liam could pull off so well. But Vanessa had no delusions. He intended to have answers from her about the changes in her lifestyle.
She didn’t want to fight with him. Didn’t want to go back to eight years ago in some epic battle of “who was right and who was wrong when we were young and stupid.” But she could at least give him the basics.
“You want answers.”
“I would just like to know what is going on. I find I do better in any tactical situation when I know all the information.”
Was that what she was? What they were? A tactical situation?
“There’s not a whole lot to the story. I grew up. Decided I couldn’t live on my parents’ money forever.”
“And became a social worker. Like with a degree and everything?”
She could tell he tried very hard to keep any trace of incredulity out of his voice, and almost succeeded.
It stung a little. But it was the most common sentiment among people who had known her then and knew her now. Why would Liam be different?
Vanessa ten years ago would never have been a social worker. An interior decorator? Maybe. Buyer for some fashion line or upscale boutique? Perhaps. Professional country club attendee and beach bunny? Absolutely.
Helping other people for barely over minimum wage? No.
But she wasn’t that person anymore. Thank God, she wasn’t that person anymore. Although the change had come at a high price.
“After you left...after...” She trailed off. She didn’t want to talk about that. About him leaving or what had happened afterward. “I decided to go to college. I didn’t want to just sit around here anymore. I really enjoyed my basic psychology and sociology classes, and so followed that route. Ended up with a degree in social services.” In less than three years, she might add.
“Wow.” He shook his head. “I just never would’ve figured—”
“That I would ever be anything but a selfish, spoiled brat who didn’t have it in her to care about another person?”
Silence fell between them. That was the quote, almost word for word, that he’d told his friends about her when he left. After he’d asked her to come away with him and get married and she’d said yes but then hadn’t.
For reasons he didn’t understand. And, once she’d found out what he’d really thought about her, for reasons she’d had no plans to ever tell him.
“You made a promise and then broke it.” Liam rubbed a hand over his face. “I was angry. Hurt. Plus, it was the truth.” He sat straighter in his chair. “How did you find out I said that?”
“I went looking for you. Your friends were happy to relay the message.” They’d never liked her. Had always thought she was a snob.
“When did you come looking for me?”
“Maybe a week after you left?”
“Why then?”
Because it was the first time she had been able to. But again, not telling him that. “I wanted to see if there was any chance you were still around.”
That mocking smile, so fake and handsome—the one that had always gotten under her skin—covered his face now. “Why? Didn’t think I’d actually leave? Even though you didn’t even have enough guts to explain to me yourself that you were no longer interested in marrying me? I had to find out by knocking on your door and your father telling me?” He stood from the table and walked over to the sink, farther from her. “Nope. I left and never looked back.”
This
