Chapter 9
Dawn
Truthfully,I never wanted to leave Elijah’s lap. I felt like I belonged there. My head fit perfectly against his neck, where I could breathe in his scent. I wasn’t sure about his friend, but he seemed as if he wouldn’t harm me. Obviously, he cared for Elijah, and he’d yet to touch me or make any comment towards wanting me in anyway.
I listened intently as the two talked, while I tried to stay invisible. I knew Elijah was happy with where I chose to wait. I wasn’t sure what to feel about me knowing him from before, but that could easily explain why I felt so comfortable withhim.
I tensed up when Kaleb asked if he could ask me a few questions. I nodded anyway, hoping Elijah would either stop any questions, or answer forme.
“Since Elijah isn’t going to ask, I feel like we can’t wait any longer to question you, Dawn. You hold some very important details that are vital for our investigation. Under normal conditions, I’d have you come into our office, but we can’t. So instead, I’m going to use this little recorder here,” Kaleb spoke, shaking a small silver device in front of him in my line of sight. “Elijah, you have to be quiet; no ruderemarks.”
“Yes, Sir,” Elijah muttered, making Kaleb laugh and mutter something I was unable tocatch.
“I’ll try to make this as painless as possible,” he began in a sympathetic tone. “I want the complete truth from you, Dawn. Let’s start with your fullname.”
“Dawn Elizabeth Ellis,” I answered, just loud enough for the device to be able to pickup.
“Currentage?”
“Nineteen, I think. My birthday was in August. It’s November now, from what I’mtold.”
“Who are yourparents?”
“Joan and QuentinEllis.”
“When were you taken, and from where?” Kaleb shot off easily withoutpause.
“On my fourteenth birthday. He brought me dinner that night so I didn’t have to cook, saying it was a birthday gift. I was hungry.” I answered, trying to keep calm and collected so the memories wouldn’t takeover.
“Who ishe?” Kaleb asked, leaning forward. “Who is the man who took you from your home while your mom was atwork?”
“Morgan,” I stated, trying my hardest to not let my hatred for the man come through. Elijah squeezed my hand as he remained quiet. “He tried to drag me out, but I fought until he druggedme.”
“Where did Morgan take you?” Kaleb asked, sensing I wasn’t going to continue on myown.
“I don’t know. I woke up with my hands tied behind my back in a jail cell. There were no windows…no sounds,” I answered, near tears. I leaned more into Elijah. I couldn’t stop the words. I explained how Morgan and Galvin began my training almost immediately, even before the drugs were out of my system. How I was trained to do whatever was commanded of me with hardly any words said. I hated that feeling—of being used and abused. I could still feel their hands on my body as I unwillingly let them mold me to what theywanted.
I detailed how I was forced to do things no fourteen-year-old should even know about. I went on with how I was punished by being kicked, hit, and abused in every way possible. I had refused to cooperate with my captors, not giving into them at first. But week by week, the weaker I got from the lack of food, I couldn’t hold on to thefighting.
“Why was I taken?” I asked. “Do you know? Whyme?”
“I’m assuming you were seen as an easy target,” Elijah answered. “Many young girls are drawn away from their family by an unfilled promise of a man. What Morgan did was wrong. You know that,right?”
“I guess so,” I knew it wasn’t right, but no one had come and saved me. No one had been able to findme.
“People were looking for you,” Elijah said, as though he could read my mind. “I tried to help find you. I went on every fucking search group there was to track you down. You are the reason I joined the FBI. I wanted to bring justice to the people who deserved it. Morgan is one of those people I’m going to bringdown.”
“So, you were forced to have sex?” Kaleb said, eyeing me sadly, and getting back ontrack.
“Yes.” I was surprised the tears hadn’t fallen from my eyes. I wanted to be done, to forget all about what I had beenthrough.
“Good girl,” Elijah whispered in my ear. I could feel him stiffen under me as he fought and lost the battle againstspeaking.
“Thank you,” Kaleb said, shutting off the recorder. “You did a great job with answering me. I’ll give you two a few minutes to relax while I make sandwiches for us to eat.” He then got up and left us there in the comforting silence of Elijah’soffice.
“You did wonderfully,” Elijah said, hugging me closely. “I’m so proud of you. I want to fuck up those men for hurting you,” he addedhoarsely.
My tears finally fell. I tried to get as close to him as I possibly could. I felt better having my story out there; I knew Morgan was going to get what he deserved, and felt good that I would have a part inthat.
