small couch. He
wasn’t surprised when she fell into an exhausted sleep leaning against him. He
must have dozed off himself because when he opened his eyes, a pretty blonde
was crouched in front of Daphne, her hand on her knee, eyes sparkling with
tears she was fighting not to shed. “Daphne, oh sweet girl, please open your
eyes for me. It’s Janice.”
Daphne’s
eyes fluttered open and she rubbed them hard, as if Janice was an illusion.
“Janice…?”
“Yes,
baby, it’s me. I’m here, Daphne. I’m so…so happy to see you.” Daphne
burst into wracking sobs and propelled herself into Janice’s arms. Ryan
watched as they gripped one another tightly. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry for
everything you’ve gone through. It’s going to be okay now. Ssh, it’s okay.
You’re safe and we’re going to get you home, get you well.” She stroked her friend’s
dark hair, tears streaming down her face. Glancing at Ryan, she mouthed,
“Thank you,” and he nodded.
After
a long time, Ryan and Janice realized Daphne had fallen asleep on her friend,
had cried herself into complete exhaustion. He carefully lifted her back,
laying her on the small couch and covering her with the jacket he’d given her.
He went to the small desk and wrote down his contact information, giving it to
Janice to give her when she woke up.
Speaking
quietly at the door of the small room, he told the young woman, “I’m going to
go. She’s becoming attached to me because I helped her. If I don’t go now, it
will get harder and harder. For both of us.” He cleared his throat. “You’re
here now and I know you’re ready to be there for whatever she needs. If you
ever need medical advice, money, anything…I’ve written my number and email down
for you. Anything that isn’t covered, I’m happy to pay for. Send me an email
and I’ll wire whatever you need. I mean it.”
As he
turned to go she placed her hand on his arm, “Dr. Wallace…I looked you up on
the plane. I’m so sorry for everything that drove you into the Alaskan
wilderness…but I’m so grateful you were there to find her, to save her. If
there is ever anything you need, here is all my contact information.
Daphne is likely going to be hospitalized for a while. After that, she’ll be
staying with me and my family. I hope you’ll consider coming to visit in a few
months when she’s back on her feet. I know that would mean a lot to her.”
He
smiled, “Just take care of her. Please.” She nodded and he left her to watch
over her friend.
On his
way out of the station, he stopped to speak to Noel Quincy. Pulling the Ziploc
bag from his coat, he told her, “These are the clothes she was wearing when I
found her as well as the clippings I took from her nails. I’ve done some
calculations and mapped out a grid where I think she was being held, based on
how long she’d been walking when she escaped. I plan on scouting the area.”
He leaned closer to the older woman, “If I find the other two men, I will shoot
them on sight and let you know where to find their bodies. I hope you
understand.”
Ms.
Quincy’s eyes went cold, “Oh, I understand completely, Dr. Wallace. Happy
hunting. You can guarantee our people will be looking as well and I don’t have
the funding to deal with lodging them for an extended time as they await trial.
Nor would I want that poor woman having to face her attackers ever again. We’re
in the wilds of Alaska. She’ll get a different kind of justice.”
They
nodded at one another and Ryan spared one last look at the office before
heading for the helicopter waiting a block away. Every step cost him. Leaving
her without saying goodbye seemed cowardly but he wasn’t sure he could leave if
he had to look into her brown eyes.
Within
minutes he was buckled in his seat and the door to the chopper was closing
wasn’t surprised when she fell into an exhausted sleep leaning against him. He
must have dozed off himself because when he opened his eyes, a pretty blonde
was crouched in front of Daphne, her hand on her knee, eyes sparkling with
tears she was fighting not to shed. “Daphne, oh sweet girl, please open your
eyes for me. It’s Janice.”
Daphne’s
eyes fluttered open and she rubbed them hard, as if Janice was an illusion.
“Janice…?”
“Yes,
baby, it’s me. I’m here, Daphne. I’m so…so happy to see you.” Daphne
burst into wracking sobs and propelled herself into Janice’s arms. Ryan
watched as they gripped one another tightly. “Oh, honey, I’m so sorry for
everything you’ve gone through. It’s going to be okay now. Ssh, it’s okay.
You’re safe and we’re going to get you home, get you well.” She stroked her friend’s
dark hair, tears streaming down her face. Glancing at Ryan, she mouthed,
“Thank you,” and he nodded.
After
a long time, Ryan and Janice realized Daphne had fallen asleep on her friend,
had cried herself into complete exhaustion. He carefully lifted her back,
laying her on the small couch and covering her with the jacket he’d given her.
He went to the small desk and wrote down his contact information, giving it to
Janice to give her when she woke up.
Speaking
quietly at the door of the small room, he told the young woman, “I’m going to
go. She’s becoming attached to me because I helped her. If I don’t go now, it
will get harder and harder. For both of us.” He cleared his throat. “You’re
here now and I know you’re ready to be there for whatever she needs. If you
ever need medical advice, money, anything…I’ve written my number and email down
for you. Anything that isn’t covered, I’m happy to pay for. Send me an email
and I’ll wire whatever you need. I mean it.”
As he
turned to go she placed her hand on his arm, “Dr. Wallace…I looked you up on
the plane. I’m so sorry for everything that drove you into the Alaskan
wilderness…but I’m so grateful you were there to find her, to save her. If
there is ever anything you need, here is all my contact information.
Daphne is likely going to be hospitalized for a while. After that, she’ll be
staying with me and my family. I hope you’ll consider coming to visit in a few
months when she’s back on her feet. I know that would mean a lot to her.”
He
smiled, “Just take care of her. Please.” She nodded and he left her to watch
over her friend.
On his
way out of the station, he stopped to speak to Noel Quincy. Pulling the Ziploc
bag from his coat, he told her, “These are the clothes she was wearing when I
found her as well as the clippings I took from her nails. I’ve done some
calculations and mapped out a grid where I think she was being held, based on
how long she’d been walking when she escaped. I plan on scouting the area.”
He leaned closer to the older woman, “If I find the other two men, I will shoot
them on sight and let you know where to find their bodies. I hope you
understand.”
Ms.
Quincy’s eyes went cold, “Oh, I understand completely, Dr. Wallace. Happy
hunting. You can guarantee our people will be looking as well and I don’t have
the funding to deal with lodging them for an extended time as they await trial.
Nor would I want that poor woman having to face her attackers ever again. We’re
in the wilds of Alaska. She’ll get a different kind of justice.”
They
nodded at one another and Ryan spared one last look at the office before
heading for the helicopter waiting a block away. Every step cost him. Leaving
her without saying goodbye seemed cowardly but he wasn’t sure he could leave if
he had to look into her brown eyes.
Within
minutes he was buckled in his seat and the door to the chopper was closing
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