Background
This murder mystery crime story is deeply entrenched in a myriad of complicated characters. Best to read it all to understand.
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Pound, pound, pound, one foot after another. Her long blonde ponytail swishes back and forth while her arms sway side to side. The gravel path in the city park is intermittently splattered with other joggers who ignore each other with headphones on and destinations in mind. The path goes around a small city lake an hour's jog from beginning to end. There are tall trees in the park that offer needed shade on hot days. It's so unusual to see such raw nature in the middle of a city. And it's a beautiful piece of land. Quite frequently families with small children are fishing the stocked lake.
She jogs the same path every day, same time, same pace and same route, rain or shine. Today its overcast and slightly cool, the perfect day for jogging.
He has watched her now for a few days. He knows the path and the places where she will be alone. He has jogged the path a few times himself, and has waved as he has passed her. Most of the time she has ignored him. Except for yesterday, she finally gave a quick, short wave back as he passed by.
Today, again they are both jogging the same path in the park he from one direction and her from the other.
Just as she comes around a large maple tree, she sees him on the ground clutching his leg. Dirt scuff marks are all over his left side and down one shin. There is a skid mark in the dirt behind him, it looks as if he tripped over a tree root that is partially blocking the path.
"Hey, are you alright?" She asks him as she slows down and reaches his side while pulling one ear bud out of her ear. She is wearing a pink tank top and pink stretch pants. On her feet perfectly white Nike runners.
"Ahh damn it! I know that tree is there. I have stepped over that stupid root enough times! What an idiot to have tripped on it today!" he groans as he clutches his shin.
"Oh my God, do you think you broke it or do can you stand up?" She asks with concern on her face.
He looks up at her partially through his now unkempt light brown hair. A tinge of recognition flits through her brain. He looks a little familiar, but where? It's like when you are introduced to a person at a party and never talk to them again. Just a hint of a memory.
"Ah, I think I just need a second." He is now in a sitting position on the ground with his injured leg outstretched in front of him. He reaches to his right and grabs a low hanging limb of a tree and uses that to pull himself up without lowering his injured right leg. His dark shorts and dirt smudged white t-shirt are stretched across a fit torso.
He tries to put down his leg and put some weight on it but it starts to buckle underneath him.
"Ahhh, shit. Well, I guess I will be hopping back to my car." He winces and leans over to grab his aching shin.
"Where did you park?" She asks him while walking closer to him.
"I got a spot over by the water shed. Its back over there on the path. It isn't far. Do you think you can help me back to my car?" He asks her. "By the way, I'm Joe." He adds.
"Uhm, well, why don't I just call the park ranger or something. It looks like you may need an ambulance. You probably shouldn't walk on it like that."
"Nah, it's probably just a sprain. With a little help I can make it to my car and take myself to emerge." He said smiling at her pretty face.
At that moment another jogger came around the corner, a young man. He almost stopped but Joe turned his face and made it look like they were just 2 people having a conversation. He was standing straight with his hand on the tree.
Joe waited for the jogger to disappear around the corner and then he tried to weight bear again. He almost went down on the ground a second time, but she came to his side and propped him up.
"Are you sure you don't want me to go get some help? It looks like you need it." She looked at him with her pretty blue eyes.
"It's okay. I'll try to hop my way back to my car. You go on with your jog." He replied with a hint of irritation in his voice.
She turned to look up and down the path to where the trail curved around edges and out of sight.
"Uhm ok, if it's not too far, I guess I can help you." She said, her compassion for others overtaking her sensibility.
She came up to his side and took his arm around her shoulder. He was a few inches taller than her and she tucked under his arm almost perfectly.
"Ok, thanks it's back the way I came. About a hundred yards back there is a narrow path to the right. That will take us to my car. The path is hard to see but I'll show you where it is." He leaned into her just enough and hopped on his injured leg.
It was a struggle but after only 5 minutes they came to the clearing where is lone car was parked.
"Oh man, thank you so much. You're a lifesaver." He said to her.
"Alisande" She said, "its French."
They approached the driver's side of the car, where he opened the door. He leaned in and in the car's door pocket he grabbed a small pistol. He quickly turned towards her and scowled. He walked perfectly, nothing wrong with his leg.
"Not a good day for you Alisande. Get in the car." He ordered her, his heart pumping with adrenaline and excitement. The pistol in his hand was pointed at her face as he opened the back door of the car.
She instantly backed up, her hands in front of her. She was terrified and was looking around for an escape route. Many were there, but were any safe enough for her to get away without a bullet in her back? Not apparently.
"No, please No." She pleaded instant tears slipping from her eyes.
"Shut up. You had better stop moving or this bullet will destroy that pretty face of yours. Now, listen, I am only going to rape you and then let you go but you have to get in the car or I won't be able to keep that promise." His handsome face now looked like an ugly demon to her.
She suddenly turned and started running towards the brush. He didn't miss a beat and with two long strides he was quick to grab her by her flying ponytail. The abrupt stop yanking her head back and sent her towards the ground. He then twisted around and sat upon her torso, his hand on her mouth.
"I told you not to run. You don't listen very well, do you?" He kept his voice strained but low, his spittle dripping on her face.
His was face red, his veins were popping as he leaned so close to her face she felt his hot breath on her. His hand was pressing into her mouth so hard she could taste blood from her teeth biting into the inside of her lips. His knees were pinning her arms to the ground.
Terror, liquid cold running terror was gushing through her chest. Her heart pounding so hard it was pushing at her ribs. She doesn't even realize she has been flailing her legs and creating half a snow angel in the dirt.
He got up and dragged her by her ponytail. She managed to get to a crouched position and was half crawling and half dragged to the car. He roughly grabbed her and shoved her toward the back seat. On the rear dash was a rag, primed and ready to go. He threw the gun to the front seat and in his hand, he replaced it with the chloroform-soaked rag. He pushed this into her face and waited the few seconds for the drug to take effect. After only a few moments her flailing settled and she slumped over, half inside and half outside of the back of the car.
He walked to the trunk of the car, inside there were zip ties, duct tape and an old worn blanket.
He secured her, taped her mouth shut and laid her on her stomach across the backseat. The blanket was on top of her. He had a bit of a drive ahead of him and it was likely she would wake up on that drive. So, he put the seatbelt around her and through her tied arms. It would be very difficult to free herself from this position.
He closed the car door and looked around at the ground. He re-dispersed foliage to cover most of the evidence of struggles. He looked around for any objects he may have inadvertently left behind. He found one piece of zap strap that he tossed inside his car. Satisfied, he started the car and left.
What he didn't notice, was, back on the path, where they first encountered each other was one small white earbud and on it painted in bright pink nail polish were 2 initials. It was laying on the ground next to the tree.
