Between Grace spending the weekend with a friend and Rachel’s time with Charlie, Danny was looking at a long weekend with not much to do. Sure, there was Steve or Lou, but Danny hesitated to interrupt any plans they may have just because he didn’t want to lurk around an empty house. He was an adult, fully capable of entertaining himself. There were books on the bedside table that he could start, TV he could watch, take his board and head out to the North Shore. He had plenty of options, but it didn’t motivate him out of his chair any faster when quitting time came.
He glanced at the phone sitting near his elbow, wondering if he should text Grace and see if she arrived at Riley’s house all right. At the same time, he could hear her exasperated sigh, telling her friend about her overbearing father. Overnight, she became a teenager, looking for a little more independence, and he was struggling to find the balance between constantly worried father and letting her have his space. The phone stayed in the air for a moment before he set it back down on the surface and leaned back, pushing a hand through his hair.
Yeah, he had to get out of there, find a way to distract himself. Give Grace some room to be a teenager.
Danny ended up falling asleep on the couch with ESPN playing quietly in the background, the remote resting on his chest. The work week caught up with him finally and he slept on and off through the night, waking up to do his usual restless wandering until he felt he’d paced off the unease enough to sleep, kicking off his pants and crawling into bed. He at least made it into bed that time, sleeping until dawn.
Later morning, book open on his lap as he slung his legs over the chair’s arm out on the back patio, cup of coffee in hand, he’d just become engrossed in the plot when his phone rang. He arched an eyebrow at Rachel’s number and hit SEND, holding the phone to his ear. “Yeah?”
“Danny, have you heard anything from Grace?”
He sat up, the book falling to the ground unnoticed, his heart starting to beat a little harder in his chest. “No, why? Rachel, what’s going on - “
“Riley called to say Grace didn’t make it last night. I’ve called Will, I’ve called her other friends, I just - her phone goes straight to voicemail, Danny. No one has seen her - “
The fear in her voice mirrored the fear in him, remembering all too well the last time Grace had disappeared. “Keep calling people,” he said, trying to keep his voice calm. “Anyone and everyone you can think of.” He didn’t mean to just hang up on her, at least not that time, but he had calls of his own to make.
Steve, Lou, not even Tani, Kono and Adam, Junior, Chin or Abby. They promised to call if they did, asked if he wanted any help. He told them he’d let them know, already pulling on a pair of pants, grabbing his gun, badge, keys, rushing to the door.
Once at headquarters, he leaned over the table, tapping Grace’s number into the program to track her phone. “C’mon, c’mon,” he whispered, only for the screen to come up blank. “C’mon, Gracie. C’mon, Monkey, where are you?” he whispered, his voice shaking as he stared at the topographic map of O’ahu on the screen above his head, void of any kind of marker. “Give me a sign, sweetheart.”
Grace watched the man as he settled into a chair. He had offered to order her dinner or even watch television and if it had been any other time or place she may have accepted. “I want to go home!” was her only response to the man.
Of course he didn’t seem bothered by her answer. He simply shrugged and continued to work on the laptop that he kept on the top of the small table. If she could get to that computer, then maybe she could send Danno a message.....
She had no clue where her phone was, nor the rest of her belongings. All she had were the clothes on her back and no means of escape. The hours ticked by, Peterson making a few hushed phone calls on a small phone. It was old school by the looks of it. One of those flip phones that she knew were usually designated as burner phones. Untraceable.
Grace had remained on the floor, refusing to get on the bed or follow any of the man’s instructions. But after several hours the fatigue and whatever drugs were still floating around in her system, it all caught up with her and she felt her eyes drift shut.
When she awoke again, it was to the sound of her captor. He was angry, his tone low and dangerous, “I don’t care what it takes. I want it done!”
He slammed the phone onto the table, causing Grace to jump. Peterson turned to face her, “Well, look who decided to wake up.”
He stood up, “You know, I have to give D credit. I never would have expected him to allow his precious Monkey to go away for a weekend without so much as a phone call to check in. Your father has gotten soft in his old age.”
Rick moved closer, “But it’s not problem. I can take care of that.”
Grace pressed her back against the wall as he loomed above her. She watched his hand slip into his pocket as he produced her phone.
“Up,” he clicked his fingers, gesturing for her to get off the floor. Grace simply stared, causing the man to curse before pocketing the phone again and reaching down to grab her arm, “I said UP!”
Peterson jerked her off the floor, causing her to cry to out as he wrenched her arm, “Here me out, little girl. You do what I say, when I say it. Are we clear?”
Grace nodded as he continued to twist on her arm, giving another turn as she cried out, “Yes! I promise!”
He released her arm and Grace cradled her wrist, shaking it as she tried to get the feeling to return to her hand. The man was staring at her again, making her skin crawl as he seemed to be studying her.
She moved back when he began to reach out for her and he grabbed her arm again. He leaned in, studying the necklace that hung around her throat. With a quick tug he snapped the clasp, pulling it free and pushing her back.
Grace stumbled, barely managing to keep herself upright, “What do you want with that?” She rubbed her neck, already missing the locket. It had been a gift from her Uncle Steve. It was a sterling silver pendant with a Hawaiian flower and the word Ohana inscribed on it.
Rick studied it, turning it over in his hand, “This will do.” He made another phone call before a knock at the door.
Grace felt her heart race for a moment, wondering if it was someone there to help her. Peterson must have sensed her mood change because he came at her with a pair of handcuffs, slipping one end to her wrist and the other to the metal post of the bed that was beside her. He pulled out a gun, aiming at her for a moment, “Not a word, are we clear?”
She nodded, all hope suddenly disappearing as her captor moved to answer the door. He handed off a small package that she had seen him slip her necklace in and Grace never got a look at the person on the other side. No doubt the other person was going to deliver the necklace to her Danno.
Rick moved back to the table, pulling some equipment from a duffle bag. She watched as he set up a camera on a tripod. Adjusting the focus and aiming it towards the bed.
Grace felt the fear twist in her gut as he moved towards her again, unlocking the handcuff and jerking her off the floor again. He pushed her onto the edge of the bed, facing the camera before pulling her hands behind her back and cuffing them together.
He pulled out a handkerchief and Grace tried to move her head away as he placed it in her mouth, tying it behind her head in a knot. She tried to speak, but all that managed to come out were muffled noises. She began to thrash around, trying to see if she could get free before she saw the hand coming down to her face.
The initial burn of the slap caused her eyes to water, her skin tingling as he gripped her chin roughly, “Enough of that!” He laughed, “You really are D’s kid, aren’t you?”
Rick stood back up, pulling a ski mask over his face before he turned on the camera to begin recording. Once the red light began to blink, Grace tried to speak, tried to find some way to convey who had her but she couldn’t. And she knew that was the whole point.
Peterson crawled on the bed behind her, staring into the lens as he brushed her hair to the side. He kissed her neck, making Grace cry out and tug against the restraints. A second later she felt her head being jerked back and another rough slap to her face.
Over and over again he did this. One gentle touch, followed by a brutal blow. Grace did her best to anticipate each strike but he didn’t have a rhythm, never timed them the same. Each one startling her as though it was the first time. She closed her eyes as the tears began to stream down her face, praying that it would all be over soon.
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