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  “I do,” she said firmly. “I know that everyone thinks you’re acting this way because you’re scared of Jasper, but I can see that isn’t it.” Her gaze met mine. “You really care about him, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, I do.” I nodded. “He’s not who people think he is.”

  “Tell me about him.”

  Hope swelled inside of me, and I sat up excitedly. “He’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met.”

  “He told the officers that he held you prisoner in his home for months. He said he had you locked in a bedroom,” Mom said. “That doesn’t sound very kind to me.”

  My stomach dropped. “So, that’s why you came in here and pretended you were going to listen to me. What you’re really doing is their dirty work, huh? Trying to turn me against him.”

  Mom shook her head. “No one sent me in here. I’m honestly trying to understand, Layla.” Moisture filled her eyes. “You were gone for months and we never heard from you. I’ve never been so scared or worried in my entire life. Then you show up here out of nowhere, bruised and…” she paused as if trying to come up with the right words. “And different. Not like the girl we last saw. And I just want to know what happened while you were gone. I want to understand where you were and why you didn’t call or reach out.” She blew out a frustrated breath. “But all I’m getting is conflicting stories, and it’s confusing to me.”

  My heart went out to Mom. I knew my time away had been hard on her, but I’d never stopped to consider just how difficult it was. I’d been so focused on myself and on Jasper that I hadn’t taken the time to see her side.

  “I’m sorry, Mom,” I said. “It’s sort of confusing to me too. Jasper isn’t lying.” I scratched my head as I gathered my thoughts. Mom deserved the truth. “After the accident, I woke up at Jasper’s. He and a woman he lives with named Nina took care of me. I was in really bad shape. I’m certain I wouldn’t have made it if Jasper hadn’t come along when he did.” Mom visibly shuddered at my statement, and she gripped my hand tighter. “Apparently, my car wasn’t in working condition either, so Jasper spent some time doing maintenance on it. Once I was well enough and my car was working again, Jasper told me I could leave.” This was the part I struggled with. Confessing to Mom that Jasper truly had held me captive didn’t seem smart. But something deep down told me I could trust her. I knew that I’d made a mistake in telling Kevin, but I prayed that this time I was making the right choice. It’s not like anything could get worse. Not after Jasper had confessed to the police. I could only imagine how his story went. With how self-depreciating he was, I was certain he’d painted himself in the worst light possible. “Jasper always wore a mask. I didn’t know who he was, and I never even suspected it.”

  “Well, you never did believe the rumors,” Mom interjected. “You’ve always been so practical.”

  I bobbed my head up and down in agreement. “But I was curious as to what he was hiding. I couldn’t figure out why he wore a mask. I kind of thought maybe he was someone I knew or a criminal or something. So, on the morning I was supposed to leave I took his mask off, and that’s when I knew who he was. He freaked out and told me that I couldn’t leave.” A tiny gasp escaped from Mom’s lips, and I worried that I’d gone too far with the story. Perhaps I should’ve stuck with what I’d been saying at the station about choosing to stay at Jasper’s. But I knew I had to push on. If I had any hope of Mom assisting me, I had to come clean. Kevin was right about one thing, there were too many holes in my story. And Mom knew me too well to believe that I would stay with a stranger in the forest for months and never call home. “He did lock me in a room at first. But then he felt bad, and he let me out. We spent a lot of time together. He had this room with a piano and books and games. We’d hang out in there and I’d play music or we’d play cards or read. And he had this amazing garden. Sometimes we’d go out there and pick vegetables or just lie in the sun and talk. He never wanted to hold me prisoner. He was just scared.”

  “Of what?”

  “Of this. Of what’s happening now. Of the town finding him and prosecuting him just for looking the way he does.”

  “That’s not enough of a reason to hold you captive.”

  I bit my lip. “I feel like there’s more to the story. Like there’s something else he’s scared of.” Knowing I hadn’t convinced her yet, I pressed on. “I know it’s hard to understand, Mom. But you have to believe me. He’s a good guy. Eventually, he insisted that I come home. He apologized for making me stay with him. I think he just acted on instinct, you know? He’d spent a lifetime in hiding, and he was scared. But once he realized what he’d done he felt terrible, and he risked everything to bring me back. You saw what they did to him. And we both know it’s only going to get worse.” The tears started back up. “He knew this would happen. He knew it the minute he pulled me from my car after the accident. But he couldn’t let me die there. He saved my life, Mom. And then he risked his own life to bring me back to you. Back to safety. And then he confessed to everything so that I wouldn’t have to deal with it anymore. Does that sound like a monster to you?”

  A conflict raged in Mom’s eyes. “It sounds like a guy who knew he’d done something wrong.”

  “Name one guy who hasn’t done something wrong,” I joked.

  “But this is more serious than that, Layla. This was a crime.”

  “I know,” I said softly, fearing Mom would never come around either. “I get that, and he gets that. But he never hurt me. He was so good to me. He fed me and clothed me and healed me. I wasn’t scared of him. I know that it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but I really care about him.”

  “I can see that.”

  “And I know he really cares about me.”

  Mom studied me a moment. “There’s a condition where women fall in love with their kidnappers. I saw it on one of those news programs.”

  I exhaled loudly. “That’s not what this is. I didn’t fall for Jasper when he was holding me captive. My feelings for him grew once he’d left the door unlocked.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Before he brought me back home, he’d stopped locking me in the room.”

  “And you stayed?”

  I clamped my mouth shut. My escape in the middle of the night was the part of the story I would keep to myself. Besides, it wasn’t important. Even though I attempted to leave, by that point a part of me wanted to stay with Jasper. If there had been a way to be with him and my family at the same time, I would’ve taken it.

  “I liked being with him. He made me feel special. And our conversations were so much different than any I’ve ever had with any other guy,” I said. “He’s lived his life in isolation with a woman who has good intentions, but has filled his head with fear. That’s why he imprisoned me. But once he realized it was wrong, he let me go. He helped me get free, and now I want to do the same for him. He’s been punished enough already.” With my eyes, I pleaded with Mom. “You know they’ll destroy him. And I don’t think I could live with that.”

  Mom was quiet a minute. She wore a pensive expression as she stared off into nothing. It would worry me if I didn’t know my mom so well. This was what she did when she was thinking. Dad called it the calm before the storm. When Mom became silent and appeared as if she was zoning off, something explosive was about to happen. Usually it was in the form of an event she wanted to plan or a fun family day. I was praying that this time it would be deeper than that.

  “I once had my own Jasper,” she finally said, shocking me. In my mind, my parents had been together forever. I’d never pictured them with anyone else, and attempting to do so now was difficult. “I was about your age, but he was a little older. Not much, but enough that my family didn’t approve. Plus, he had made some questionable choices in the years before the two of us started dating.” A wistful smile painted Mom’s face. “I was madly in love with him, and I think he was with me too. But my family forbade me to see him.”

  I couldn’t believe I’d
never heard this story before. “What did you do?”

  “As your mother, I’d like to tell you I obeyed my parents like a good girl. It’s the story I’ve always promised your dad I’d tell you if it ever came up.” She flashed me a smug look. “But that’s not what happened.” Pausing, she fingered the gold necklace around her neck. It was one she wore often, but it was the first time I’d really looked at the broken heart that hung from it. I wondered if it had to do with the boy in the story. “I ran away with him. But it was a mistake, because when my parents found us, they had him arrested.”

  “What? Why?”

  “I wasn’t eighteen yet. He was.”

  “Ah,” I said, understanding.

  The pain in Mom’s eyes made my heart ache. For the first time, I saw her as a person who was once a young woman like me. She had hopes and dreams, lovers I knew nothing of. Up until this point I’d only seen her as a wife and mother, a woman whose sole purpose was to take care of all of us.

  “I fought for him the same way you’re doing for Jasper. I pled with my parents and the cops, told them he’d done nothing wrong. And he hadn’t. But I was a minor, and I had no rights. My parents were determined to press charges.”

  I sucked in a breath. “He went to jail?”

  Sadly, she shook her head. “He would have, but my parents had a plan. They offered him his freedom in exchange for never seeing me again.”

  “And he took it?” I asked, incredulous.

  Mom pressed her lips together, darkness passing over her eyes. “Yes.”

  “And you never saw him again?”

  “Oh, I saw him,” she said. “He came to me once after that and begged me to leave with him. He said we could go somewhere that our parents could never find us and wait it out until I was eighteen. But I said no.” Lowering her head, she stared into her lap. “I was worried he’d be arrested again, and I couldn’t take that. I guess deep down I hoped he’d wait for me. But by the time I turned eighteen, he was with someone new.”

  I touched her arm lightly. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

  She waved away my words. “It’s fine. Everything worked out like it should.” The words fell flat, and I wondered if she really believed it. My mom had always had a strained relationship with her parents. Now I knew why. If she was happy with how things turned out, would she still be angry with them? It was a can of worms I didn’t want to open, so I didn’t ask. “I finally know how my parents felt. I’m not sure I like this young man, Layla.” My stomach dropped. “Not because of who he is, but because he kept you from us for two months. But I’m grateful to him that he saved your life. I believe you when you say you wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for him, and after what I saw today, I know what he risked for you.” She looked into my eyes. “And that’s why I’m going to help him.”

  “You are?” It seemed too good to be true.

  “On one condition.”

  And there it was. My heart dive bombed. I knew what she was going to say. “You’re going to make me promise not to see him again, aren’t you?” They say history always repeats itself.

  “No,” Mom responded vehemently, but it was too soon to get my hopes up again. She still hadn’t told me the condition. “I promised myself years ago that I would never do what my parents did. But I’m also not going to be stupid. If I help you get Jasper released, you have to promise not to run away with him.”

  I cocked an eyebrow. “Of course.”

  “I mean it, Layla. If you leave with him and don’t contact us, next time I won’t be so forgiving.”

  “Okay,” I answered. No problem at all. I had no plans to run away with Jasper. The only thing I wanted was to get him out of that jail. Actually, I needed to get him out of town. Now that everyone knew where he lived, he’d have to find a new place to hide.

  Oh, I see.

  I understood my mom’s condition now.

  14

  THE MOB

  “WHAT’S GOING ON?” I asked Mom as we neared the police station. I’d never seen so many townspeople in one place. We couldn’t even park in the lot, it was so crowded. A chill snaked up my spine. “They’re all here for him, aren’t they?”

  She didn’t need to answer. We both knew it.

  Reaching out, I latched onto her arm. My entire body was trembling. “Mom, what are we going to do?”

  “Exactly what we came here to do.” She held her head high as she parked the car along the curb a block down from the station. Then she carefully grabbed her purse and stepped out of the vehicle. Mom’s ability to appear graceful and poised in any situation used to bug me. I always felt like it was fake, and I worried I’d never measure up. But today I was grateful.

  Catching up to her, I walked swiftly by her side. Chanting and hollering filled the air. I listened intently, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. Not until we got a little closer. Then it became clear.

  “Let out the beast!”

  Some were even holding signs.

  I was puzzled. “Are they wanting him released?”

  Mom’s mouth was tight. She swung her head back and forth.

  “Then what do they--”

  “Let us at ‘em!” A man growled. “We’ll show him what happens when you mess with our children!”

  My stomach lurched. I grabbed Mom’s hand, feeling like a frightened child. “Mom.”

  “It’s okay. I’ll take care of it. Everything will work out.” It was what she used to say to me when I was a little girl. Only this time I wasn’t afraid of shadows in my room or sleeping without a nightlight. This time the monsters weren’t hiding under my bed. They were standing in front of me in plain sight.

  And there were a lot of them.

  When we reached the parking lot, the adrenaline and excitement in the air was palpable. It made me feel queasy. My fingers were slick as I gripped my mom’s hand tighter.

  “That’s her!”

  “That’s Layla! The girl he took!”

  As news of my arrival spread throughout the mob of people, they moved closer to us. Panic seized me, and I neared Mom, my side pressing into hers.

  “Ignore them,” she muttered under her breath, keeping her head straight and her eyes pinned to the doors of the police station.

  I had a more difficult time staying so calm. The temptation to look around at the crowd gathering was so great, I struggled not to give in. Every once in awhile, my eyes would shift to the right or left, getting tiny glimpses of people. Not their faces, just a portion of a t-shirt, a splash of color, a strand of hair.

  A microphone appeared in front of me.

  “Layla, is it true that the beastly boy held you captive for two months?” A woman’s voice asked.

  My gaze shot toward the woman, and I recognized her from one of the local news stations.

  “Don’t answer, Layla,” Mom instructed, tugging on my hand.

  “Were you his first victim?” she continued. “Did he hurt you?”

  I turned away from her, hurrying up the stairs with Mom.

  “What was it like at his house?”

  “C’mon.” Mom opened the door to the station and ushered me inside. The minute the door closed behind us, I exhaled slowly and released Mom’s hand.

  “Did you hear them out there?” I asked, my voice wavering.

  Mom placed a steadying hand on my arm. “Calm down, Layla. One step at a time.”

  “Can I help you?” A woman sitting at a desk nearby asked. The phone next to her elbow went off. She glanced down at it, then back up at us as if conflicted. She held up a finger. “Hold on just a moment. I’m sorry, it’s been crazy around here today.”

  The familiar panic rose inside me once again at her statement. Officer Dante stepped out of a back office.

  Mom’s eyebrows raised. “Officer Dante.” She held up her hand.

  Confusion cloaked his features as he glanced at both of us. “What’s going on?”

  “We’re here about Jasper,” Mom said confidently, her head raised,
her body poised. I had no idea how all of this hadn’t rattled her, but I was impressed. “We’d like him released.”

  Officer Dante’s eyebrows knit together, and he sauntered in our direction. “Released?”

  “Yes.” Mom cleared her throat. “My family has decided not to press charges.”

  “I’m afraid it’s not that simple,” the officer responded in an irritated tone.

  “My daughter was with Jasper voluntarily. You arrested him for kidnapping, but if there was no kidnapping, then there’s no reason for him to be here.” Mom’s gaze flickered to me. “Layla is happy to give a statement if that’s what you need.”

  Officer Dante gave us both a placating smile. “That’s all well and good, but Jasper has admitted to kidnapping. We have enough to hold him.”

  “He mistakenly thought he was protecting Layla,” Mom said. “Surely you remember what it’s like to be young and in love.”

  Officer Dante threw me a puzzled look. “She’s in love with him?”

  The way he said the word “him” made my skin crawl. As if it was preposterous.

  “She ran off with him,” Mom snapped. “There’s no reason for an arrest. I’m demanding his release.”

  The officer chuckled. “You’re demanding it, huh? So, you’re my boss now?”

  “I don’t appreciate your tone, Officer,” Mom said. “You better be careful. I might start thinking this is about more than just this case.”

  His face reddened. “I’d love to help you, but you saw him earlier. He’s a loose cannon.”

  “If that’s all it took to be arrested, most of the men in this town would be in here,” Mom pointed out, causing a tiny laugh to bubble from my throat. The sharp look she gave me shut me up. “Layla, will you excuse us a moment?” She pinned the officer with the same look she gave me when I got in trouble. “Can we talk in private, please?”

  He swallowed hard and then nodded. As he guided my mom into one of the offices, I wondered what she wanted to say to him that she couldn’t say in front of me. While they were gone, my gaze swept the station. The woman who spoke to us earlier was shuffling papers and answering phones. In the back of the room a couple of other officers sat at their desks doing the same. Behind me, I could faintly hear the crowd. I wondered how long they’d been there.