Justice(28)

“The next night at the AIDS gala Alkaline showed up, as I’m sure Justin told you. It was…frightening. I’d never seen a supervillain in person before, at least not that I knew of. I feel like such an idiot now. I should have known. Seen the signs or something.”

“We didn’t know who he was then,” I offer.

“Still. Only a total ignoramus couldn’t have put two and two together.” She quickly grins. “Anyway, Alkaline zeroed in on me and Chad, attempted to kill poor Chad and to take me hostage, but thank God Justice showed up when he did.”

“But Alkaline got away,” I say.

“Even so, I was saved. At least that time.”

“What happened the night of the kidnapping?”

She hugs herself a little. “Do I really have to go through this again? Isn’t it all in a file somewhere?”

“Yes, but you might remember something new now. A forgotten detail that surfaces that could help. I wouldn’t ask otherwise.”

“I suppose.” She looks down at the floor and continues. “After the gala, Chad and I went to the Bahamas for a week to recover from the whole ordeal. We were back maybe two hours when three men broke in. They just kicked the door down and ran into Chad’s townhouse. We were in the living room, and they shot Chad on sight right through the head. The blood…” She closes her eyes. “It was all over me. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t even scream. That’s when another man pointed what looked like another gun at me. But it was a Taser. Next thing I knew, I woke up in a windowless room.”

Those men were found the next day with two holes in their heads. A five million dollar ransom was demanded, but the kidnapper wasn’t forthcoming with his identity. James Ryder’s name popped up a few times, but he had disappeared as well. On paper, he seemed like a legitimate businessman with a crush. It was Justice who suggested that the gala and kidnapping were connected. Within three days, it was confirmed. James Ryder was Alkaline, the supervillain who ran Diablo’s Ward. With this revelation, the biggest manhunt in the city’s history was underway. The psycho made his first mistake in all his years. Love makes even the most methodical sloppy.

“James showed up hours later with my still packed suitcase. I begged him to let me go, but he refused. I spent the first few days curled up in a ball in bed almost catatonic. James would just open the door and check on me like a nurse does a patient. He’d say, ‘Everything will be alright, Grace. I promise,’ and he’d leave. Hunger finally got the best of me, and I left the bed to eat. Mind you, I only had the finest. All my favorites from the top restaurants. The room had a TV, books, all I could want. He knew all my tastes.

“I think it was the fifth day that I was allowed out of my room. We were underground somewhere, so there were no windows and most doors were locked. There were guards on duty at all times, but I could walk around. I had access to the living room, dining room, office, and kitchen, though the forks and knives were locked up.”

“He took you home,” I say.

“Yes. And he treated me like a guest. As best as I can figure, with hindsight mind you, he brought me there so I would fall in love with him. For us to get to know each other better. He believed that if I was alone with him, and we spent enough time together, I’d forget about Chad and love him instead. At the time I just knew to play along with whatever he wanted. We’d play chess or watch movies, and we’d always have dinner together.”

“Did he talk to you about his crimes? His accomplices?”

“Some. He spoke about his childhood in the Ward, coming into his power. I gave the names he mentioned and crimes when I was rescued. I haven’t been able to recall any others since.”

“What about places?”

“None,” she says sadly, “and since last night I’ve been trying. I want him caught as much as you do. Probably more.”

“That’s okay,” I say with a sympathetic smile. This is a waste of time. I’m not doing anything but torturing her now. I start to stand up, but she grows tense.

“You’re leaving?” she asks.

“I can get the rest of this from the case files. You don’t have to—”

“I want to,” she says. “I need to. I need you to hear it. So you can understand who you’re dealing with. So when he’s in your sights, you don’t hesitate.”

A chill fills the room spurred on by her voice. I sit again. “Okay.”

Grace’s gaze moves to the outside of her window. “I did my best to be a good prisoner. I was attentive when he’d drone on for hours about Justice and his crimes. I’d help him make dinner. And yes, I even let him kiss me on a few occasions. He actually believed I loved him after a week or two. But at night when I was locked back in my room, I’d cry myself to sleep. Every night.”