Commander Andrew David Augustus Murphy, U.S. Navy (Retired) sat in his lounge chair and watched the Fox News Channel. He was not pleased with what he saw. He was disgusted with the way the war in Iraq was going. Having a fair amount of experience in the Mid-East he was of the opinion that bringing all the factions together in a common government was next to impossible. Every Iraqi was loyal to his tribal background and not to the country. It was going to be tough. They understand fear and backstabbing but not democracy.
Americans were too soft and ignorant to vote intelligently in any election. He wished there were an intelligence test required for eligibility for voting. God knows no business could survive if the CEO had to give the lowest manual laborers a vote in his running of that company. How can you let people who can't even read the ballot have the right to vote. He picked up the remote and clicked off the TV.
He heard a throat cleared behind him. "Yes, What is it?"
"Sir, there is a young lady here to see you."
"What? How did she get through security?
"Sir we think she followed the delivery truck through the gate. She insists you will want to see her. She is very attractive, Sir."
"Oh! All right. Show her in."
He heard high heels clicking down the hallway. The sound entered his den then went silent on the carpet. He turned and saw a small beautiful woman watching him. She was dressed in a black business suit. It did not conceal her statuesque figure. In spite of her tiny size she had a regal appearance. He was impressed. Her auburn hair was in a crown braid that enhanced that aura with the high heels. Only the small purse tightly gripped in the small hands showed her to other than the relaxed and cool mannered person she appeared.
He stood and smiled at her. "Please be seated Madam, how may I be of service to you."
"Mr. Murphy, my name is Mrs. Angela Petrelli. My father told me a hundred times growing up that if all seemed lost and I felt my very life was in danger I should come and see you." He passed away a month ago and I am desperate. I don't know where to turn."
"Did you say your name was Angela?"
"Yes I did."
"Mrs. Petrelli you have my sympathies over your great loss. May I ask who your father was?"
"His name was Nicholas Bartrum."
Andy rose from his chair. He walked to the window and stood with his hands clasped behind his back. He stood for several moments motionless. He bowed his head for a minute, the wiped his eyes with a handkerchief and turned and looked at her. He walked to the desk and reached and pulled a yellow Post-it square from where it was stuck above the phone. He handed the paper to her.
She looked down, it read, 'Check on Nick B.'
He said, "I put that there last night. I hadn't done anything about it yet. God! I am so sorry to hear that." He stared at the girl. "ANGELA, little Angie, the last time I saw you, you were about fifteen or sixteen years old. So now you are what, 28? How is your mom, Sue?'
"She passed away about four months ago, Dad just didn't see any point in going on with out her." She watched as the tears coursed down the tall man's cheeks. She felt tears on her own cheeks She closed her eyes and bowed her head. She felt a gentle finger raise her head. A soft touch with a handkerchief wiped away her tears. He led her to a couch and sat her there. He sat beside her and held her hand.
"How can I help you Angela."
"It is my daughter, Molly. My husband, Rem, kidnapped her and threatens to kill her if I don't return to him by her birthday, Valentines Day. I just don't know what to do. We ran from him because he was so abusive to both of us. He beat me very often, and then he slapped Molly because I didn't please him. He hit her so hard her eye swelled completely shut."
Andy saw tears start from the girl's eyes again. He reached in a drawer in the side table next to him and handed her a box of tissues.
"Rem?"
"It's short for Remington."
"Do you have any idea of where he is?"
"He says he is within a hundred miles of where we lived in Gainesville. I can only contact him by a cell phone. He lets me talk to Molly, my baby every other evening at six. It is one of those prepaid phones and I just press speed dial #1 and he answers. The face is destroyed so you can't read it."
"Tell me about this man you married."
"He is extremely wealthy, tall, blond hair, very well build, strong. He works out every day and has a karate black belt. He likes to hurt people and dominate them. He considers himself to be the Master and everyone else is his submissive. If you don't obey he hurts you. He rules or dominates through pain. He has both male and female sex slaves."
"How in the world did you end up marrying him?"
"He seemed like a nice loving guy until two months after we were married. I found out I was pregnant and he was furious. He told me I was supposed to be his beautiful slim sexy bride. He hates pregnant women. He never had sex with me again."
"We have less than a month in which to find he and your daughter. Do you have any clues?"
"He always calls the place 'the castle.' I have never been there."
"Hmmm. I'll get my people on it. I have a man I want you to talk to. He is one of the best at finding people. He does it without ever leaving his office."
He took her hand, "Does he have you watched or followed?"
"Yes, both. 24/7."
"Were you followed here?"
"No. I'm positive they didn't follow me. I took a cab to the bank and went in the front and right out the back and into another cab I had waiting. He dropped me at a Mall and I went through that to a car rental and rented a car. I took a round about route to a girlfriend's house. She lives in a development with only one gated entrance. After I entered I parked where I could watch the gate for ten minutes. No one at all entered. She had a car she was going to trade on a new one and I had arranged to buy it from her for cash. I paid all the cabs and everything with cash. The car I rented I rented for ten days. It is in my friends garage."
Andy grinned at her. "Honey, I think you did it. You are a pretty sneaky little girl."
"I learned it listening to you and Daddy talk about your exploits."
"Girl, I loved your Daddy. He was my 'Daddy" too. In the Seals, a rookie is assigned to an old timer who becomes his 'Daddy' and shows him the ropes. I was an Ensign, went from the Academy right in to Seal training. I was assigned to a Seal team when I graduated. I was a platoon commander. Your Daddy was my Chief Petty Officer. I knew nothing about the real world and was smart enough to know it. Your dad knew it too. We got along really well. Like I said, he was like a father to me. We served together for a lot of years off and on. He saved my bacon many times and my life several times. He was the best man with a knife I ever saw."
She smiled at him. For the first time he saw the beauty of her face when she smiled. He felt it clear to his toes. He was silent for a full minute. She pointed, "I think that is one of his knives over there on that plaque."
"You have a good eye. Not many girls would recognize a knife like that."
"I grew up playing with them. He made my first one for me when I was six."
Suddenly a knife appeared in his hand. "Like this?" He said and handed it to her.
She examined it carefully. She kissed it. "Yes, that is one of Daddy's. Here is his mark."
He grinned at her, "I don't imagine he taught you how to use it did he?"
