Saving Rachel

whatever you want.”

Chapter 28

The voice says, “Sam, you may have noticed Rachel has been a bit distant the past six months. I can shed some light on that: she’s been having an affair of her own.”

I study my wife’s face. Could it be true?

She looks at me while taking a bite of her sandwich. A small, wry smile starts tugging at the corner of her mouth, a smile that says two can play this game.

How could she have sounded so sincere moments ago when pleading for her life?

“I probably haven’t been the most attentive wife in the world, but you know I’ve always been faithful to you …”

When had she learned to lie so convincingly?

Karen Vogel flashes me a look of sadness that says, Can you believe this? She says, “I’m sorry, Sam.” The voice interrupts its story about Rachel long enough to say, “Karen, you are truly one of a kind.” Rachel says, “Oh, go fuck yourself.” The voice continues, “Speaking of fucking …”

He proceeds to tell us that a businessman named Kevin Vaughn is in the cage under the green tarp. Kevin hired Rachel’s company to produce a marketing campaign for a new product. Rachel was on the ad committee. They met, fell in love, blah, blah, blah. The voice doesn’t say, “Blah, blah, blah,” but it may as well. My gut is churning. I am dying inside. I’d just chosen Rachel, and by doing so, I’d sentenced Karen to die.

And Karen feels bad for me!

Rachel says, “This is such bullshit. There’s no way Kevin is in that cage. That’s why you’re keeping it covered.”

The voice says, “Sam, be advised that Rachel and Kevin’s affair is not what you’d term casual. We’ve purposely made it impossible to tell time while in the cell, but I can tell you now that it’s nighttime, and your whole drama began two nights ago. You thought it began yesterday morning when you met Karen at the hotel. But think about how Rachel was acting the night before. How would you describe her state of mind, Sam?”

I don’t want to have this or any other conversation with my captor. But I can’t help myself. I remember having these same thoughts yesterday when I spoke to her on the phone. She’ d been pacing the floor from the time I’d gotten home to the time she went to bed. When I walked in the kitchen last night, she’ d been on her cell phone, agitated. I saw her try to make a call over and over, though she never left a message. At one point, she’ d been in her closet with the door closed. When I entered, I saw her sitting on the floor, eyes filled with tears, cell phone in her lap. I’d asked what was going on. She’ d told me to leave her alone. “Sam?” The voice is relentless. “She was highly agitated,” I say. “Would you like to know why?” “How about you humor me until I beg you to stop?” The voice says, “That’s the night she paid the hit man to kill her sister, Mary.”

Chapter 29

Rachel, stunned, lets her sandwich fall to the floor. Whatever she’d thought the voice was going to reveal about her, this wasn’t part of it. Rachel’s face is contorted with pain. She rolls on the floor and starts sobbing. She’s on her side, kicking the wall of her cubicle, convulsing and repeating her sister’s name over and over.

I need to speak, need to ask something, but I can’t seem to cough out the word. I try twice to get it out of my throat. Finally, it comes, as if everything will make sense if I can utter this one simple word: “Why?”

The voice answers, “Mary found out about Rachel and Kevin. She was going to tell you. Rachel didn’t want you to find out, so she hired a hit man to kill Mary.” Rachel is writhing on the floor in anguish. Karen looks at me, pity in her eyes. The voice says, “You remember seeing Mary at the park yesterday?” I nod.

“She was waiting there for you, felt safer meeting in a public place. She brought a co-worker with her, dressed as a policeman.”

The word comes easier this time. “Why?”

“Mary was afraid Kevin might follow you to the park and try something. She thought if Kevin saw her with a policeman, she’d be safe.”

“But … how did she know I was coming?” I say. “Wait a minute—” I look at Karen. “The guy dressed like a policeman. He was your friend.”

Karen smiles broadly and takes a theatrical bow. To the voice, she says, “Does this mean I’m done here?”

The voice says, “I suppose it does. Hang on a sec, we’ll drive you out. Sorry about the vacuum pump. We had to make it seem real.” Karen says, “No problem. I’ve been through worse.” Rachel and I are staring at each other, our mouths hanging open. “What the fuck is going on?” I say, finally. “Your worst nightmare,” the voice answers.

The room goes dark a moment and then light. Then Karen’s truck starts driving her away. As we watch her rolling toward the door, we hear her say, “Take care, Sam. You too, Rachel.” Then she says, “It’s been a wild ride, hasn’t it?”

When the garage door closes behind her, I say, “This whole thing was a setup. And Karen was in on it from the word go.” The voice says, “Ya think?” Rachel says, “This is bullshit! You’ve got your codes. Stop playing with us. Take your money and leave us alone!” The voice says, “We’ve got one more game for you.” Rachel says, “Fine. Just do it. Whatever it is, get on with it.” The voice says, “Rachel, I think you’re going to enjoy this game. Sam? Not so much.”

Chapter 30

“Rachel,” the voice says, “Kevin has just regained consciousness. Would you like to see him?” Rachel perks up. “You mean he’s really in there?” “He is.” “Then yes!” she says. “Please!” She glances at me, shows me a half frown, and shrugs.

They do that thing with the lights going off a minute and then back on. From my vantage point, I can’t see Kevin the businessman and wife fucker. But Rachel can, and she likes what she sees. Tears of joy are streaming down her cheeks. “Oh God,” she says, “Oh God! Oh God! I thought I’d lost you!”

I’ve heard a lot of ominous statements these last thirty hours, but none that hit me as hard.

The voice says, “Rachel, Sam chose to save your life, so you’re good to go. The only question is which of these men will be going with you?”

“Excuse me?” I say.