Unknown
Now I’m EXTREMELY angry, Beth. Look what you made me do!
Unknown
Though I must admit, the bloody symmetry in both his hands does look nice.
Beth
Please, please wrap them up.
Beth
I’ll do whatever you want.
Unknown
But you’ve already said that, Beth…
Unknown
And I just don’t think I can believe you.
Beth starts typing a response, but stops abruptly when Roy shouts, pointing at her screen.
Roy
Wait! Open that picture again.
Beth
Seriously? It wasn’t gross enough the first time?
Roy
It was, but I think I saw something.
Beth scrolls back in her conversation and clicks on the image the kidnapper sent her.
Roy
In the corner of the screen?
Roy’s voice wavers as he points to the picture, and sure enough,
Beth makes out the limb of a cat in the bottom left-hand corner.
She’d know that cat anywhere --
Because one of her best friends is obsessed with it.
In her shock, her voice comes out squeaky.
Beth
That’s Rhodes’s cat!
Roy
I know! We gotta get to his house.
Roy
He lives on the other side of town, but I have two bikes in my garage.
Beth
Thank God -- we can ride them there.
Beth and Roy race to the garage and hop on the bikes.
Once they’re pedaling as fast as they can down the street,
Roy calls out to Beth over his shoulder.
Roy
How did I not see this coming?
Roy
The other day, he asked me if I wanted to help him play a prank on you.
Roy
He said he was mad at you for telling Katie Zimiguccci that he liked her.
Roy
And he thought I might be annoyed at you for telling some of my secrets too.
Beth
Whoa! Why didn’t you say anything?
Roy
Because I really didn’t think anything of it.
Roy
We usually play harmless tricks on each other.
Beth
Well, this definitely isn’t a harmless trick.
Roy
I know. I still can’t believe he sliced up Carter’s hands!
Roy
Carter could be hurt. It’s dangerous to bleed like that.
Beth
You know what? This is really serious.
Beth
I’m doing what I should have done in the first place --
Beth
I’m calling the police.
She dials 911 and reports the crimes,
Giving the station Rhodes’s name and address.
When she disconnects the call, she tells Roy what the police said.
Beth
They’re sending four squad cars to his house, but I still want to hurry.
Beth
I need to make sure my sister is safe.
Roy
I get it. Thank God we’re almost there.
They arrive at Rhodes’s house just as four police cars pull in
With their flashing lights blazing and sirens blaring.
Beth and Roy watch the police race out of the cars,
And fan out around every entry to the house.
Once every exit is secure, a policewoman pounds on the front door.
Policewoman
Police! Open up!
Beth can hear her own breath, huffing in tandem with Roy’s,
As time seems to stand still for a moment.
Finally, the door creaks open, and Rhodes stands in the doorway.
His face drains when he sees everyone.
Policewoman
Rhodes Adams, we have reason to believe that you are holding two hostages captive in your home.
Policewoman
Son, we can do this the easy way or the hard way.
Policewoman
The easy way is, you let us inside and we save those innocent people.
Policewoman
You take the hard way, and you’re looking at an obstruction of justice charge…
Policewoman
On top of every other charge we’re gonna serve you.
Policewoman
So son, what’ll it be?
Still in a daze, Rhodes says nothing.
He just steps back, and then to the side.
The policewoman gives him a curt nod, and her squad races in behind her.
Beth lunges forward too, but a nearby cop holds her back, cautioning her in a deep voice.
Policeman
Trust me, you don’t want to see this, young lady.
Beth
My sister’s in there!
Policeman
Then you REALLY don’t want to see this.
The police hurry down into the basement.
They find the two hostages, tied to metal chairs.
Carter’s hands are dripping blood onto the wooden floors,
And Cindy’s eyes are swollen from crying.
The police untie them, and Carter raises on shaky legs.
When Cindy doesn’t move, the policewoman speaks to her in a soothing voice.
Policewoman
Miss, can you walk?
Cindy
I… I’ve been down here for hours.
Cindy
I can’t move my legs.
Policewoman
Did he hurt you?
Cindy
H-he didn’t touch me. Not after he tied me to that chair.
Cindy
But Carter…Oh God! Carter, your hands!
Carter
It’s okay, Cindy. They hurt like hell, but they’ll heal.
Carter
We’ll heal. We’ll get through this.
Policewoman
Miss, would it be all right if I lifted you?
Policewoman
Your sister is outside, and I think it’d make her very happy to see you alive.
Cindy
Beth…? Beth is here?
Cindy
If Beth is here, I want her to see me walk out of this house.
Cindy
I can do it. For her.
And with a sudden surge of motivation, Cindy rises to her feet.
Carter cheers, and the group walks up the basement stairs and then out the front door.
This time, when Beth races forward at the sight of her little sister,
They throw themselves into each other’s arms and don’t let go.
Roy claps Carter on the shoulder, but before he can tell him how glad he is to see him,
Medic
I know you’re happy to see your friends and family,
Medic
But we need to take them to the hospital for evaluation.
Beth pulls back from her sister, turning to the medic to ask her a question.
Beth
Can I ride in the ambulance with my sister -- and my friend?
Medic
Of course. And there’s room for you too, sir.
Roy
Thank God. I really don’t want to leave my friends right now.
The medic does a quick evaluation of the two patients
And announces that there don’t seem to be any life-threatening injuries.
Beth sighs, making a suggestion as she crawls into the ambulance after Cindy and Carter.
Beth
Let’s never tell anyone from school about this.
