Chapter Five

“Now that we’re all comfy…” Samantha shot William a look that embodied the old phrase ‘if looks could kill’, “Let’s talk a little ‘business’, before you dropped by Detective, Samantha and I had been discussing our plans for the week.” William enjoyed the look of puzzlement as it crossed Nick’s face. “Samantha had the same look and tried to dispel that notion, right before I taped her mouth shut. Allow to me explain, you know how I operate Detective Montgomery, after all you’ve been trying to find me for months and failing. Do you really think it’s that hard for me to make 2 people disappear for a week or longer?” Nick laughed, but William kept a straight face and actually waited for him to answer. “You honestly don’t think her father, or my sister wouldn’t notice the two of us missing for that long?” Slowly sitting forward and pressing his hands together William finally provided the answer Samantha had been waiting for. “Who said anything about them missing the 2 of you? Also, how quickly you forget that I said one of you will not survive. I digress, my point being that I’ve been planning this for months, I know how all of you operate and your day-to-day activities. I’ve studied you, just as you study your evidence and crime scenes.”

“I’ve planned for everything, and before you say everything stop and think a moment Detective, when you got here Samantha was on the floor and a chair right there. Who do you think that chair was for, I already had our darling girl right where I needed her?” Nick came to the realization that William had known one of them would be stopping by to see Samantha, he just didn’t know exactly who. That notion alone haunted Nick to his core, knowing that originally it would have been Laura who would have stopped by instead of him. “As for making your disappearances less noticeable, I’ve also accounted for that as well. And now that I have both of your phones contacting your loved ones will be that much easier.” It took a lot to make Nick feel as uneasy in that moment as he did, with as smart and calculating as William appeared to be any message, he sent from Nick’s phone would certainly be more than believable even to Laura or Matthew. Luck wasn’t on Samantha or Nick’s side; they both knew that the team had caught a new case tonight and no one would be suspicious if they didn’t hear anything from either of them until later tomorrow/afternoon. Unbeknownst to them the worst was yet to come as William continued to unveil his plan for them over the coming days.

“I’m sure you’re well aware by now that I’m actually worse than my brother? I’m smarter, more methodical and I take time to study my ‘prey’ and learn their weaknesses.” This notion bothered Samantha more than she wanted to or could admit. “Of course, I still enjoy the use of the knife, gives a sense of control, I also like to throw in some psychological torture for good measure… Samantha though… I have the best planned out for you.” The look William gave her at that moment sent shivers down Samantha’s spine, consequences be damned she attempted to yell through her gag again. She half expected William to grab her by the throat again or hit her, but instead he laughed and got up and moved in her direction. She tried to move away afraid of what he would do but couldn’t get far due to her restraints. Instead, William crouched down gently pulled Samantha’s face towards his and removed the tape.

“Don’t suppose we need this at the moment now that our guest has arrived.” He laughed while throwing the used tape aside, knowing there was little room for error, Samantha tried to take that moment to head-butt William. However, he was too fast for her and next thing she knew he had backhanded her across the face, leaving a sting she had never felt before. “You lay a hand on her again and I swear you’ll regret having touched her!” Nick’s eyes had a fury in them Samantha rarely saw, but when she saw it, even she had small shivers. William merely laughed and turned back to her, “I warned you Samantha, but apparently you don’t listen very well. You can only blame yourself for what happens when you don’t heed my warnings…” William got up and walked over to the kitchen island and grabbed a few things from his bag there and made his way back to Samantha. When he crouched back down to her level, she finally saw what he had grabbed, it was a pair of medical gloves a syringe filled with only lord knows what and another piece of tape for her mouth.

“You honestly brought this upon yourself love, but we still have a week to go and I can’t kill you just yet. That would take all the fun out of it, but I also can’t have you fighting me constantly…. I had hoped we could be civil to each other, but I guess we still need to reign you in a bit.” Throwing all caution to the wind at this point convinced hitting her was the worst he would do right now Samantha struggled to get away from William. “Don’t fucking touch me!” Before Samantha knew it, she was flat on her back having been backhanded hard by William. Her vision danced in and out of focus, and she could hear Nick shouting but he sounded far away. William took a quick moment to rip off a piece of duct tape and slapped it over Nick’s mouth silencing him so that he could focus on Samantha. He then returned his attention back to her; she now had a bruise forming across her right cheek where he had struck her twice now.

“Don’t… touch me…”, she was having a hard time forming words and keeping her focus. But before she could get out another word William placed another piece of that special tape over her mouth followed by a second for good measure. Proving he could be just as gentle as he was hard, he carefully grabbed her face and tilted her head to the side. Grabbing the gloves, he placed them on then grabbed a small alcohol wipe and cleaned an area on Samantha’s neck. Carefully holding her face again, William grabbed the uncapped syringe and gently stuck it into her neck and pushed the plunger down. Samantha let out the faintest of whimpers through her gag before slowly going limp and giving into the blackness that took over her vision.