Over Her Dead Body Read online

  Maria couldn’t understand a word Amber was saying. Amber kept pushing her head against her shoulder and now was burrowing trying to get under her butt. As Amber pushed and burrowed, it occurred to Maria that she was trying to get her to turn on her side. Maria turned on her side toward the back of the car. She could feel Amber’s face brush up against her hands. She was surprised she could feel at all. The plastic ties were bound so tight she thought her fingers must be blue by now and probably ready to fall off. The car hit a bump and both girls mumbled a gasp as they went slightly airborne and then back down again. Maria began wiggling her fingers. The more she wiggled, the more she felt blood rush back into them which only caused even more pain.

  As Amber tried to push her face against Maria’s hands, Maria could tell Amber was trying to do something, but what? How could she do anything with her hands bound like this? Maria moved her fingers some more. She could feel the duct tape that was wound tightly around her sister’s mouth. As she poked at the tape with her fingers, she found she could just about push a finger into an opening above where the tape went across Amber’s mouth. What good would that do? Maria thought. Even if I get my finger in there, the tape is wrapped several times and way too tight to pull off. Maria stopped for a moment, but then Amber tried yelling something through her gag that came out like a muffle. Maria thought if she could get her fingers on that cloth, just maybe she could pull it out and hear her better.

  Maria pushed hard into the top of the tape with her middle and index fingers. She felt her fingers go in and began to wiggle them from side to side as she pushed. She felt like she was tearing at Amber’s lips and gums. Maria felt the cloth and pushed to get her fingers on it. When Maria pushed her fingers, she accidentally pushed the cloth further back into Amber’s throat. Amber began suffocating at once and began kicking her legs in a panic to get air. She didn’t dare roll away from Maria’s fingers lest she take away the only things that can now undo what had been done.

  Maria could tell something was wrong when her sister began to thrash around. Maria guessed that she had shoved the rag back further in her throat and that her sister was choking. Maria made another attempt to grab the rag but the binds on her wrist buckled down and wouldn’t let her grasp it.

  Amber was about to pass out. If she could see, she was sure her eyes would have gone out of focus but she could feel it in her head. She began convulsing as her body made a last effort for air. Oh my God! I can’t believe I’m going to die like this. She thought. She didn’t even have control now. Her body took over convulsing violently as it tried to take a breath.

  Maria felt the convulsions. Tears began pouring out of her eyes as she knew her sister was dying and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Maria tried and tried but she was just digging her fingers into the roof of her mouth and grasping at air. Just as she made a grab for the rag, Amber convulsed and thrust her head further onto Maria’s fingers, ramming the cloth further into her throat. Maria's fingers grasped hard through the stinging pain and found substance. She squeezed her fingers together as hard as she could, screaming pain into her own gag as she jerked hard and pulled the rag free of Amber’s mouth and free of the duct tape.

  Amber’s reaction was immediate. She gasped and sucked hard as if being held under water for too long and then surfacing just in time. Her cloudy head started to clear and she breathed in and out deeply several times. The car took a hard turn that sent both girls rolling. They both rolled back onto their backs and rested. Maria could hear Amber’s labored breathing as she struggled to catch her breath. Maria had pressed and stretched the tape enough that the hole that remained toward the top of the duct tape was just enough to allow the air to move freely in and out.

  “Thank you,” Amber managed through the duct tape. It wasn’t clear, but it was audible. Maria just stared straight up into the darkness, trying to regain her strength and energy.

  “Maria, if you can hear me, kick me with your foot.” There was a pause, then a kick. Good. Amber thought. She can hear. “I’m going to turn sideways toward you. You are going to turn away from me.” Amber sucked in another hard breath. “Reach into my pocket and grab my house keys. I’m going to turn the other way and I want you to saw at the plastic. Use the long sharp key.” Amber thought her motorcycle key would work the best. It was long and had lots of shallow teeth that might just cut the plastic…or fray it. The car hit a bump and the girls bounced again. “If you understand what I said, kick my leg again.” There was another kick. Thank God. Amber thought. “Okay, good luck.”

  Maria turned sideways again towards the trunk. Amber turned toward her and scooted up close into a spooning position. She felt Maria's hands reaching and feeling, trying to find her pocket. She hadn’t turned far enough so her hands were too low. “Higher,” Amber said.

  Maria turned downward a little more which brought her hands higher. This position made it significantly more difficult for her to breathe. She tried to relax, to slow her body’s need for oxygen. When she felt her breathing slow, she began to feel for her pocket. She found it right away and slid her hand in. Navigating Amber’s pocket seemed a little easier than trying to grasp the gag cloth but it was no less painful. Maria felt Amber scoot up a little which allowed her to go deeper. She felt the keys and quickly grasped them. She began to shout in triumph into her gag.

  “You got em?” Amber asked. There was a muffled “Mhmm” sound. “Alright. I’m going to slide down and turn the other way. Remember, use the long key.” There was another confirmation muffle and Amber slid downward effectively pulling Maria’s hand and keys out of her pocket. Amber turned the other way and scootched back into her sister. The car was still moving and making turns. Amber was beginning to feel claustrophobic. She took another breath and waited patiently for the keys to begin their work.

  Maria fumbled with the keys trying to feel each one until she was sure she had the long one. The pain in her hands was severe but she was growing accustomed to it. When she felt like she had secured the long one, she felt for the plastic zip tie around her sister’s hands and began moving the key back and forth across it. She couldn’t move very fast but she put as much pressure and speed into it as she could. Every push and pull sent agonizing burning sensations and stabbing pain into her hands. It only seemed like seconds and Maria stopped as the burning pain became too severe. She squeezed her eyes shut and took another deep breath. Come on Maria. You can do this. After she felt the blood return and the pain subside, she began sawing again.

  Amber felt her sister stop and wondered if she was ok. She could only imagine how her hands must be feeling. She was beginning to get the feeling that they didn’t have much time. She gritted her teeth at the thought of what horror might await them. Amber pressed her fingers together and pulled tighter at the wrists hoping the pressure would make the plastic easier to cut. She felt Maria stop two more times and then finally, a snapping sensation and her hands were free.

  Amber immediately reached up and tried to pry the duct tape all the way away from her mouth so she could speak. She knew she wasn’t going to be able to find the ends and unwind them in the dark so she just stretched it down below her chin. “Thank God!” she said as she moved closer to Maria. “Turn toward me,” She said. Maria dropped the keys and turned over quickly. Amber felt for her face and then wedged her fingers in the upper portion of the tape and pulled and twisted backwards, stretching the tape until it was below Maria’s chin. She reached in and grabbed the gag cloth and pulled it free. Maria also took a deep breath and coughed a few times.

  “Thank you. Oh dear God thank you.” Maria said still gasping.

  “Ok, now turn back over so I can get your hands free.” Amber commanded. Maria did as she was told. Amber felt around the floor for the keys and found them laying half under Maria. She pulled them out and felt through them for the long one. “Ok. I’m going to start. Pry outward against the ties as I cut them ok?”

  “Got it.” Maria said and began to pull outward w
ith her hands. Because Amber’s hands were free, she was able to move fast and steady and within a minute she felt a snap and Maria's wrists pulled free. “Oh my God. Oh my God,” she said quickly, “I’m free! Now what?”

  “Now we find our way out of here.” Amber chimed back.

  “Ya, but how are we going to do that?” She wondered.

  “I think these newer cars have safety latches on the inside. We should be able to pull it and jump out.” Amber said

  “Um, aren’t we going a little fast for jumping out of a car?” Both girls went silent as they tried to judge the speed. It was over fifty for sure. They must be on a highway or a country road.

  “Ya your right. We’re definitely going too fast,” Amber agreed, “but if we pop the trunk maybe someone will see us and come for help.”

  “Or he may jump out and kill us before we can even get out.”

  “Maybe,” Amber said, “but I have a feeling if we stay here much longer we’re going to die anyway.” Before Maria had time to respond, they felt the car slowing down and coming to a stop. The girls could hear their own breathing. “Maybe it’s just a stop sign.” Amber hoped. Then the motor was shut off and a car door opened. “Oh no. Oh God. We’re too late.”

  Amber began whispering hurriedly to Maria. “Quick, put your duct tape over your mouth and your hands behind your back.” Maria did as did Amber. She pulled it back down a little. “Let me in front. When he picks me up, I’ll stab him with my keys. You kick him hard and we will make a run for it. Got it?”

  “Got it.” Maria muffled through the duct tape and began to slide over Amber so she was toward the back. Her stomach filled up with butterflies and she felt like she would vomit. Don’t puke now girl. Not with this thing on your mouth. She wondered how her sister could be so brave and so calm. Maria felt like she wanted to scream.

  Amber had the keys in her hands with the long one between two fingers. She heard keys and then scratching against the car. The trunk popped open. Amber could see that it was dark out but a full moon lit the sky enough so she could make out the man and his face easily. The man sneered as he stared at the girls who looked all sweaty and ragged. “Don’t worry ladies. It’ll all be over soon,” he said as he reached in to pick up Amber. Amber moved fast. When the man’s head was close to her, she quickly pulled the keys around and stabbed him straight in the eye. His hand went to his eyes as he stumbled backwards cussing and groping at his face.

  “Now!” Amber said and both girls jumped out of the vehicle and attacked some more. Maria landed a hard kick to the man’s groin while Amber kicked hard at his left knee. “Let’s go!” Amber shouted at Maria and they darted towards the woods closest to them. A quick glance showed that they were surrounded by woods with nobody there to scream to. The girls were running through a short grassy patch and were only five feet from the woods when a loud bang echoed out. Amber looked back over her shoulder as she reached the woods. The man was still cupping one eye but had a gun out and pointed toward them. Maria had fallen down a few feet behind her.

  Amber ran back and kneeled down and grabbed Maria by the shoulders helping her up. “Are you ok?” she asked her.

  “Ya, I think so.” Maria said as she got up and moved with her sister into the woods. Three more shots were fired at them as they went, but two hit the ground next to them and one blew away a patch of tree to their left. The man began screaming at them. “You fucking bitch! I’m going to kill you!” But the girls kept on going into the woods.

  “Amber…” Maria said in a gasp as she began to slow down.

  “Come on hun, we gotta keep going. He’ll catch up with us.” Amber said.

  “Amber, I’m cold. My chest feels funny…can’t breathe.” Maria slowed down to a halt and fell to her knees. She braced her hand on the ground and then she lay down face up to look at her sister. Amber glanced toward the edge of the woods. They were only about twenty feet in. The man would be here shortly. She was sure of it.

  “Maria, we have to go. You have to keep moving.” Amber tried to pull her to her feet when she noticed in the moonlight that the front of Maria’s shirt was glistening and a dark color had spread across it. “Maria, what’s wrong? What is this? I don’t…” but then it dawned on her that the first gunshot didn’t hit the ground or a tree. There was a thup sound that Amber had never heard before. “Oh my God! You’ve been shot. No…no…no…this can’t be happening. You can’t be hurt!” Amber pulled Maria’s head up into her lap and began rocking her. “Please be ok, please. We can make it to a hospital. They can fix it…” Amber was sobbing now, hugging and rocking her sister. Crackling sounds came from the front of the woods and thud. The man was coming and had tripped. He began cussing again.

  “Amber…,” Maria said through a hoarse voice.

  “Ya babe. I’m here.” Amber said.

  “Go.” Maria coughed and blood sprayed out of her mouth. She ran her sleeve across her mouth to dry it off. “Go on without me. He’ll kill you.”

  “I’m not leaving you.” Amber declared through her tears. “He’ll have to kill us both.”

  “No,” Maria said. “You can get away. I can’t. There’s no need for you to die too.”

  “No. You’re not going to die!” Amber shouted through sobs.

  “Do you love me?”

  “Of course I do…but…”

  “Then don’t let me die in vain. Find the police. Find our parents and tell them about me.” There was a long pause. “Please…”

  “Ok. I will.” Amber said as she hugged her sister tight. “I love you so much!” A gunshot rung out and a piece of bark exploded nearby.

  “Go.”

  “But…” Another gunshot and a thud as dirt exploded near Amber’s foot.

  “Go now!” Amber hugged her sister one last time and laid her gently down. Bullets were coming faster now. “Bye sis…” Amber took one last look and darted off into the woods. Amber ran and ran until she was out of breath. She stopped and listened. The only sound she heard was the wind blowing through the trees. It was comforting somehow…until…bang! One shot rang out off in the distance from where she came. She felt her sister’s life fade away. Amber went down on the ground sobbing. She began hitting the ground again and again. “Why?” she cried. “Whyyyyyyyyy!” She yelled out into the woods. A gust of wind brushed by her and in it she could hear her sister’s voice. “Run!” it whispered as it blew on past. Amber got back up and bolted into the woods.

  Chapter 2

  Dr. Wimonowski was getting scrubbed up and preparing for surgery. He’d already done four tonsillectomies that morning and it was only ten o’clock. His last surgery of the day was at two so if everything went smoothly, he should be on his way home by three. John Derrington, the surgeon on E.R. duty right now had given him a recipe for steak rub and he was itching to go home and try it. “This is the best seasoning I’ve ever put on a steak,” he had said. “Rub it in, sear it on both sides and cook it to medium. It will melt in your mouth.” Dr. Wimonowski was salivating just thinking about it. A short nurse with curly blonde hair poked her head into the scrub room. She was new and Dr. Wimonowski had only spoken to her a couple of times. She looked to be about mid-twenties and had a very pleasant demeanor.

  “Dr. Wimonowski,” she said, “there are a couple of detectives at the nurses’ station that want to speak with you.”

  “What? What about?” Dr. Wimonowski looked perplexed.

  “I don’t know. They wouldn’t say.” The nurse responded matter of factly.

  “Well, I’m scrubbing for surgery. Tell them it will be about thirty to forty-five minutes.”

  “Ok. Will do.” And with that the nurse backed out of the room.

  Why the hell would detectives want to speak with me? He wondered. Dr. Wimonowski just shook his head and went back to scrubbing.

  After the surgery, Dr. Wimonowski came out to the nurses’ station. The petite blonde nurse was nowhere to be seen. Dr. Wimonowski looked around and spotted a brown haired
man with a mustache leaning up against the south wall. He wore an older looking grey suit and a trimmed brown mustache. The man shifted and when his jacket separated, he noticed a badge attached neatly to or over his belt. Dr. Wimonowski approached the man. “Can I help you?” He asked.

  “Are you…,” the man fumbled in his pocket for a notebook which he produced and scrolled over it. “Dr. uh Wimon….wimon…”

  “Wimonowski.” The doctor spared him the embarrassment. “Yes, that’s me. What can I do for you uh…Detective…?”

  “Detective James. And yes that’s my last name.”

  “Ok, Detective James, what can I do for you?”

  The detective looked at the doctor and then around the room. “Is there a place where we can speak in private?” The detective asked.

  “The uh…cafeteria will be about empty. I was heading there for some coffee. Will that suit you?”

  “Yes that would do nicely.” The detective said. “My partner had to step out and was supposed to meet me back here. I’m going to make a phone call real quick and I’ll meet you in the cafeteria.” The doctor nodded and headed for the cafeteria.

  The doctor had gotten his coffee, two creamers and some sugar and had sat down in a quiet spot toward the back. There were two other people nursing drinks as well. Both women and both had solemn downturned faces as if they had the weight of the world on their shoulders. Dr. Wimonowski had seen this all the time in the hospital. It usually meant they were waiting on the outcome of an important surgery. It was saddening to see. The detective approached the table with a cup of his own. He took note of the wrappers on the table. “So you’re a cream and sugar guy huh?” The detective said.

  “Huh?” a pause as the doctor followed his stare. “Oh…uh ya. I have to have my cream and sugar. You?”

  “Na, I like it black and strong. All that other gunk makes it too much like candy.” The detective took a seat opposite of the doctor. The detective’s brown hair was parted down the middle. His blue eyes pierced him like he was staring straight into his soul. “I’m sure you’re wondering what this is all about so I’ll just get to it.” The doctor nodded his head with a concerned expression. The detective reached into his jacket and produced a photograph which he smacked on the table in front of him. He watched the doctor’s expression for a moment which seemed to register fear or surprise. “Do you know this girl?” the detective asked. The doctor squirmed in his seat looking suddenly uncomfortable.