Camille
It's been weeks since the incident and I don't have nightmares anymore. Tyler and I have been inseparable lately and I think he's going to ask me to finally be his girlfriend. Richard is still recovering in the hospital and everyday without him reminds me of those men. But I'm convinced it's over now and that I'm safe.
"So what are our plans for this weekend?" Tyler asks as we wrap up the workday. "What do you feel like doing?"
"I feel like taking you on a shopping spree." He smiles. I shake my head at him, "How many times do I have to say no before you get it Tyler?"
"I know I know, you don't want me spending too much money on you. But what if I already did and I can't take it back?" He asks. I turn around to face him and there's a velvet box in his hands. I gasp, "Tyler."
"Shh I know, we're not even girlfriend and boyfriend but I wanted to change that." He opens up the box and I gasp again, looking down at the silver charm bracelet. "Camille, will you be my girlfriend?"
I smile widely at him and nod, giving him a big hug. Believe it or not, we still haven't kissed, so when he looked down from my eyes to my lips, I knew that would change as well.
He lowers his head down to meet my lips as he kisses me in front of the building. We break away soon after and I smile widely, "How was that for a first kiss?" He asks.
I smile genuinely at him, he was so cute and corny. Life was going great and things couldn't get any better. But little did I know they could get worse.
-
I was walking away from the bank one evening after work when suddenly I was grabbed into a van. "No no no!" I exclaimed kicking and thrashing. The cloth went over my mouth and I was out cold.
I woke up soon after to water being splashed onto my face. "Welcome back sweet cheeks." I look around and notice I'm back to where I was taken last time. Same men and everything, "I didn't tell I swear!" I exclaim.
The man nods, "I know sweetie, that's not what you're here for."
"Then why am I here?" I ask. "The boss wants to see you." I gulp, I don't want to see him. He terrifies me, I just want to go home.
The men walk me over to a different room and open the door. The first smell I'm greeted with is the scent of marijuana and cologne. Josiah Wells is sitting in an office chair as if he's been waiting for me to wake up.
"Hello Camille."
I gulp, "Hi." I whisper out.
He pats the seat across from him, "Take a seat." The men place me in the chair and untie my hands. "Do you know why you're here?" He asks.
I shake my head, "Your boss, Richard Louie, owes me a lot of money."
I gulp, I hope Richard didn't sell me to them or something to pay his debts. "I just need information from you, do you know anything about it? Or is there anything you can tell me? Don't hold back."
"I-I'm sorry, I don't know anything." Josiah frowns, "Well it looks like I'm going to have to keep you here until you do."
My eyes widen, "But I really don't know anything! Please believe me, Richard doesn't even know my name half of the time!"
He frowns, "Then why is your name in his will?"
"What?"
"You're listed in his will, you get his money if he dies." Me? Is this some sick joke? Am I being punked?
"I don't like liars Camille."
"I swear I knew nothing about that!"
"You do know what happens if he dies and you're listed on his will correct?"
"Um, I get his money?"
Josiah gives out a small smirk before giving me a serious look, "You also get his debts. Which means if he dies, you owe me money."
Does Richard hate me that much? To set me up to clear up his debts for him when he dies? "Look, if you give me the information I need, I can get you out of his will and you can leave here. But I need that information, and until you can give it to me you're not going anywhere."
I nod quietly, tears welling up in my eyes. A man escorts me out and into another room, but this one looks much more like a bedroom. It has a twin-sized bed, mirror, and a closet. There's also a door leading to a bathroom.
"This is where you will be staying until you give big Jo his information. I advise you to give it up soon before he makes you give it up." The man says. "But I really don't know anything." I say desperately. The man gives me a small smile, "You'll be alright don't worry." And with that, he shuts the door.
Don't worry? How can I not worry? I'm locked in a place with blood-thirsty criminals that could decide to kill me at any time.
I take a seat on the bed and try to think of anything about Richard that could get me out of here.
Let's see I was his assistant, I should have noticed something. In Richards clients there was always a certain amount of money deducted from all of them each month. I just figured it was the government taking taxes or something. Maybe Richard has been stealing from his clients each month and Josiah was a client.
I knock on my door to let someone know to let me out. "What?" The man asked. "I think I might have something."
He lets me out and escorts me up back to Josiah's office. I tell him about my theory, "So you're saying I'm not the only one?" I nod.
"Good work little one. Now get back to your room and keep brewing up more information for me. And don't forget I don't like liars." He reminds me. I frown at him, "You said I could go after I gave you some information!"
He shakes his head, "I have to verify it of course. You think I trust that you will only tell me the truth?"
"I'm not a liar."
"I never said you were, now back to your room."
The man tries to take me away but I yank my arm back, "No we had a deal and I want to leave, now."
Josiah glares at me, "Charlie take her."
The man next to me lifts me up and throws me over his shoulder and back to my room. "Another word of advice, don't make big Jo mad." He says shutting the door.
My eyes well up into tears again and I take a seat on the floor in the middle of the room. "I just want to go home!" I exclaim.
I notice a camera in the corner of the room and sigh. I look up at it with a glare, "You lying bastard."
I sit there and try to think of anything else that can help me out here. I couldn't think of anything else strange and ended up falling asleep on the corner of the bed.
-
The next day when I woke up I felt gross. I was still in my work clothes and my stomach felt empty. I knock on the door and the man I've come to know as Charlie opens it up. "I'm hungry." I tell him.
"Big Jo is sending food up soon. Freshen up, there are clean clothes in the closet." I sigh and shut the door. I walk over to the closet and pick out one of the simple white t-shirts and a pair of shorts that were a little too big. I hop into the shower and take a quick one because I don't know where I'm behind watched.
After freshening up I notice a plate of breakfast sitting on the table. What if it's poisoned? Why would they poison you if they want information from you?
My stomach growls and I decide to just eat a little. I ate one pancake and drank some juice but left the rest.
I sat on the bed and began thinking again, let's see what was funny about Richard. There was a certain account that he was always very careful about. I think the name was under Erwin Stamos. I look up into the camera, "Look up Erwin Stamos."
Suddenly the door opens and I'm taken out of the room again and back to Josiah's office. "Erwin Stamos died 20 years ago."
"Maybe Richard was sending all your money to that account as a cover?" Josiah nods, "Maybe."
"Can I go now?" I ask. He shakes his head, "You won't be going anywhere for a while. Just keep spitting out information and you'll leave soon."
I glare at him, "I gave you information, so you let me go. That was the deal."
He raises an eyebrow, "Are you forgetting who you're talking to? Watch your tone."
"I will not watch my fucking tone, I want to leave Josiah you told me I could leave." It's like I really did forget who I was talking to and the situation I was in, I currently didn't care, I just wanted out.
His eyes darkened as he strolled up to me, grabbing my chin to meet his face. "Watch yourself, Camille, you're in my territory right now, one wrong move and I could snap your neck like a twig. Got it?"
I nod cautiously. "Good, now out."
I'm sent back to my temporary room and decide to just sit around and cry again.