An Unexpected Captivity

An Unexpected Captivity

By

Beverly D. Harris

Copyright 2018 by Beverly D. Harris

Smashwords Edition

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This is a work of fiction and the environs of Rosedale, California and Covenant Cove are fictional locales set somewhere in Northern California. References to other cities are real.

Heather Sullivan and her three best friends look forward to a fun weekend at the coast with their church orchestra. Robert Hiller surprises Heather with a beautiful engagement ring shortly before they and their friends are sickened by a dinner that was drugged by some infiltrators hoping to abduct more than a few people into their behavior study.

The faculty of a Christian boarding school and seminary didn’t expect that their corporate sponsor would break promises after the sponsor spent millions on renovations and buying the school new books, instruments and equipment. They didn’t know the price of upgrades would be a year of the faculty becoming unwilling caregivers to behavior study subjects. The faculty also didn’t expect their retired family members and children would also be exposed to the rigors of the poorly managed behavior study program.

Heather and her best friends eventually recognize two of their caregivers as beloved friends they know from happier circumstances. David and Beau Seagraves learn along with Heather and her friends that a TV studio terrorist attack; a school shooting; a writer’s convention food poisoning; another church conference’s food poisoning; a church orchestra’s bus jacking and their abductions are all related crimes of the behaviorists collecting subjects for their work study program.

The unethical corporate sponsor gives failed psychology professors free reign to do their studies in order to write thesis material in hopes of them winning tenure at universities. Their leader calls himself El Capitan and besides leading the unethical behavior study program at the boarding school, he is the director of a mental hospital for registered drug and sex offenders. El Capitan allows some of those former doctor and nurse offenders to participate in operations of the studies with the other behaviorists.

The behaviorists have a cadre of willing subjects who participate in the relationship studies. These university students didn’t expect to be subjected to the same emotional and physical abuses as the unwilling subjects, when they signed up for their work study program to gain their degrees and earn money.

A captive medical doctor and the Seagraves finally find an opportunity to act on a plan to expose the awful truths of the program when Heather has a medical crisis that can’t be handled in El Capitan’s private hospital. El Capitan reluctantly allows the doctor to take Heather to a proper hospital for treatment. El Capitan doesn’t realize his program is going to be terminated until one strange night when friends of the doctor and the Seagraves bring a posse of law enforcers to infiltrate the facility to arrest the behaviorists and begin the process of interviewing the unwilling subjects and sending them home.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1—Best Friends

Chapter 2—The Behaviorists

Chapter 3—Awakenings

Chapter 4—Phase One

Chapter 5—Chevy Meets Heather

Chapter 6—Chevy’s Generosity

Chapter 7—A Few Blessings

Chapter 8—Drunk Driving

Chapter 9—Recognition

Chapter 10—Tender Afternoon

Chapter 11—Disclosures

Chapter 12—Playing Rosalee

Chapter 13—Storm Watch

Chapter 14—Night Music

Chapter 15—To Phase Three

Chapter 16—Buddy Time

Chapter 17—More Buddy Time

Chapter 18—Pool Play

Chapter 19—Orchestra

Chapter 20—Winning Trust

Chapter 21—Faithful Friends

Chapter 22—Duty Reports

Chapter 23—Yellow Jackets

Chapter 24—September Sorrows

Chapter 25—October Sketches

Chapter 26—Ambush

Chapter 27—Blue Holidays

Chapter 28—Freezing Chases

Chapter 29—Better Nights

Chapter 30—David Terrorized

Chapter 31—Chevy’s Meltdown

Chapter 32—Easter Week

Chapter 33—Trunk Of Blood

Chapter 34—Brain Storm

Chapter 35—Medical History

Chapter 36—Mission Permission

Chapter 37—Andrew & Virginia

Chapter 38—Motives

Chapter 39—Fade Down

Chapter 40—A Long Night

Chapter 41—Freedom

Chapter 42—Packing Up

Chapter 43—Flying Home

Chapter 44—Really Home

Chapter 45—The Sweet Time

Author Note

Acknowledgments

Author Biography

Chapter 1—Best Friends

Robert Hiller exclaimed, You’re going to hit the bridge!

Heather Sullivan swerved to avoid hitting the bridge abutment then pulled over several seconds later and waited for her heart rate to come back to normal. She mumbled, It would be awful to mess up my new car on its first road trip. She took a deep breath and rubbed her forehead.

Janie reached over the seat and gently said, I almost scraped the abutment the last time I drove over here with your dad. Hon, is that headache still bugging you?

Heather huffed, I’ll be okay. I’ll feel a lot better when we get to the cooler Cove. It’s been so hot at home. I’m looking forward to playing with our orchestra friends. I can’t wait to see things Daddy has been able to do in the extreme makeover of the main lodge. I’m so glad the other churches who use the Cove finally agreed to award the contract to Daddy to make the place as beautiful inside as it is outside. The basement won’t be so dark and creepy.

Sabina mumbled, I never felt comfortable about the restrooms in there. I almost can’t wait to amaze the orchestra with the sound of my new sax. The only one who has an inkling that I have a new horn is Caroline, because I turned in the church sax day before yesterday. Heather and Robbie, while we’re parked, may I offer you sodas?

Sure. I like orange. I’m so glad I didn’t do a boo-boo on my new car. I did that with Daddy’s new truck a few years ago. He didn’t bawl me out about it. He was glad I was okay and I didn’t do worse than scraping the fender. Heather took a few sips then parked her soda in the cup holder. Thanks, Aunt Beanie. You have been holding back on your great new sound for three weeks.

Robert accepted a cherry soda and said, Heather, you held back for about a month when you got your new clarinet last year. It was such a nice surprise when you gave a coy smile then blew the sound guys out of the booth with your awesome new sound. I guess you’re excited about playing the new Allen organ that the churches bought for the Cove. Aunt Beanie, you aren’t the only one to pull a new instrument on the orchestra. Zany Janie, you have been grooving with that cool new trombone for a few weeks at Heather’s and hauling your old beater to church and the community band. He guzzled then belched. He blushed then begged everyones’ pardon.

Heather picked up her drink and made a wry face when a burp came out her nose. Mom Janie and Aunt Beanie, I understand why you have been keeping new instruments as a wonderful secret. You have wanted to make sure you are so used to them.

She changed the subject to the renovations that were happening for the retreat center. Daddy was very happy to get to work instead of talking forever with the Cove board about extreme makeover. Next week he will start the demolition of the basement restrooms and laundry. He finished the small meeting rooms just in time for our retreat. I think everyone will appreciate the larger windows and better lighting.

Sabina said, Every time I’ve been with groups in the basement I have made sure the doors to the laundry were locked before I used the ladies. I have even locked the door from the parking lot. You know I don’t like people sneaking up on me.

Janie told a story about sorting towels and sheets and hearing some teenagers coming into one of the restrooms from the parking lot. She concluded the story by saying, The adults weren’t able to see or hear them having their smoky beer party. Another time I heard kids stealing stuff from the laundry for some illicit activity on the beach. The next morning I found a heap of soaked and sandy blankets and towels in the restrooms and laundry area.

Heather said, There are going to be new restrooms that can only be entered from outside. The inside restrooms will only be accessed from the hall.

Robert said, Dad and Pastor Ensley had a meeting with the Cove staff about better rules for kids and teens. It was some dumb kids from Fruitvale who caused so much trouble when I was in high school. They were supposed to be working with our church group to get ready for a mission trip. It ended up Pastor Ensley told Fruitvale that their kids couldn’t come with us because they weren’t focused on the mission. I’m glad some really old stuff is going to be fixed up. He set his soda in the cup holder and pulled something out of his pants pocket.

Janie said, Did you hear that people will be able to drive to the main doors of the lodge to unload baggage? We won’t have to haul heavy things down those steep stairs from the upper parking area. This renovation is also going to make things so much better for the disabled. Heather dear, your dad was talking about helping me with some old things at my house and doing some things on your houseboat. He seems happy about something and he keeps giving me some mysterious smiles when I’m around to help you do housework, and when I’m doing laundry at your place.

Heather glanced at Robert and saw him holding a small velvet box that was very similar to one she had seen her dad slip into the kitchen desk drawer, earlier that morning. She hoped her widower dad was finally going to get around to asking Janie to marry him instead of her being their perpetual guest at dinner, for road trips and houseboat cruises. Ever since Janie’s washer and dryer had given up the ghost, her dad had been so generous about letting Janie use their laundry. It would be so sweet if her dad proposed and her beloved high school principal became her better than average stepmom. Even though she had just turned 24 a few months ago, she felt it would be great to have a forever mom in her life. Janie had been a good substitute for a mom since her oldest brother had been in middle school. She felt her insides do a funny roll then felt her face get hot when Robert stuffed the ring box in the bag at his feet then reached over to stroke Heather’s hand.

Heather in Spring, I will show you the little box later. Okay? You didn’t hit the bridge and we are okay. You won’t have to cry about making a boo-boo on your new car. I’m sorry I yelled at you. He stroked the side of Heather’s face and tucked some of her coppery red hair behind her ear. I love riding with you and our best lady friends. Oh shoot! My soda slopped. He grabbed some tissues to sop up the drink then made a wry face at the backseaters when they said they had napkins.

Heather waited for a couple other cars to speed past before she got back in the lane. She hummed along with the Orbison CD playing in her car stereo and gave a dreamy smile to Robert. She smiled when Janie commented on seeing the car counting hawk sitting on the Harborwood Lighthouse directional sign.

She was glad to turn into the long driveway to Covenant Cove several minutes later. The fast drivers who’d passed her over the double line had made her nervous for most of the ride to the coast. She drove to the Hawksworth’s cottage and gratefully parked next to her friends’ silver gray Impala in the carport. It’s nice we can share with the Hawksworths, instead of staying in the stuffy rooms. Those will get extreme makeover after the basement project is finished.

She gave Robert a sweet smile when he walked around to open the door for her. She made sure she had the key ring around one of her left fingers after she slid out of her seat. I wasn’t expecting so much fast traffic on Cove Road. That box truck that tailgated me from the hawk’s post until it turned in at the old farm next to the cemetery made me nervous. I thought he was going to drive into my trunk. She grabbed the handles of her clarinet bag and took her fluffy dolphin pal off the rear window shelf.

Janie helped haul baggage out of the trunk and said, Hon, you’re a better driver than most people your age. I get nervous when large trucks tailgate me. Your Impala is so beautiful and comfortable. Thanks for driving us.

The best friends hauled their things to the side door of the cottage and stashed their baggage in their rooms. Robert hurried to change to his jeans and rinse the soda out of his older jeans. They hurried to the lodge with their instrument cases to meet the rest of the choir and orchestra in the hall with the large windows that faced the beach.

At lunch break Heather thought she knew most of the regulars who helped George in the kitchen. The two guys with pale faces and darkish eyes stared at her and her friends in a creepy measuring way while they were filling their trays at the kitchen counter. They noticed the same strangers at dinner and Heather mumbled about those dark eyed guys making her skin crawl. She brightened when Robert patted the place next to him and he stroked her cheek.

Robert asked Heather to go for a walk after dinner. They toured the basement to look at the remodeling project. They talked about the test patches of paint on one wall and agreed with Heather that the ocean blues looked nicer than the dull old sandy colors. Heather picked up a few of her dad’s tools and put them in the toolbox. Then she called her dad to tell him she’d found his favorite screwdriver and put it in the top tray of the box.

She followed Robert outside to sit on the new balcony to watch the sunset and some of their orchestra friends play Frisbee on the beach. She cried with joy when Robert slipped a dainty ring with a reddish star sapphire flanked by two diamonds on her finger and asked her to marry him. She hadn’t expected to receive such an astonishingly beautiful engagement ring. Robbie, this is so beautiful! Yes, yes! I want to marry you. Oh Robbie, you’re a Rockin’ Robin for sure. I love you bunches.

The sweetness about the engagement ring was shattered when Heather felt like her stomach was going to turn inside out. She clapped a hand over her mouth and ran with Robert to the basement restrooms. They gave each other funny looks when he discovered the mens’ restroom door was locked. They raced into the other restroom and heard someone stumble into the stall between the ones they were using and realized Sabina was being just as sick as they were.

Heather groaned when she heard Janie push into the last stall and make sickening noises. She turned away from the commode and started to walk to the nearest sink. She felt very dizzy while she was getting some paper towels wet.

She wiped her face then froze when she saw two men dressed in black outfits and masks lock the door to the staff parking lot. She gulped when two more strangers locked the doors to the hall and laundry. She saw spots and the dizziness got worse. Then she he heard one of the strangers say she looked like one of the subjects on their target list before she collapsed on the floor and blacked out.

Chapter 2—The Behaviorists

Just about the time Heather and her friends got to the church conference center Rocky said, This is it. It’s time to get more subjects for El Capitan’s program to help us strengthen our tenure prospects. He drove into the entry to Covenant Cove and followed the signs to the main parking area and parked in the farthest corner of the lot. He led his guys to a yellow and white cottage to register. They endured the chatty chef for as long as it took for them to get instructions for their volunteer work.

They had learned about the church music retreat when River had visited the Orchard Park church with her husband during one of her infrequent visits to abuse her husband and kids. River had seen the announcement in the church bulletin about the music department’s retreat and knew this would be the perfect opportunity to get at her goody sister-in-law and maybe some of the young woman’s friends. River had told Rocky that the retreat would be a good place to try their quieter abduction technique for collecting subjects for their behavior study.

Their previous abductions in New York and Nebraska had resulted in too much publicity due to the violence and deaths of some of their commandos. River had reasoned with Rocky that putting sedatives in food would give them better results and less publicity about their activities to procure subjects for their study program.

Rocky and Sierra would help the chef prepare meals for the choir and orchestra from Orchard Park Church. The behaviorists talked as little as possible while they helped prepare lunch, and Everest and Hootch were assigned to sweep terraces and decks. They quickly finished the kitchen chores and got instructions for cleaning restrooms and setting up chairs in the largest conference room in the basement of the lodge. They met Everest and Hootch at the chair closet.

George showed us how the milkshake machine works. It will be so easy to slip the sedatives in, without the regular kitchen people getting suspicious. I’ve seen that we can open the laundry door to the staff lot. A door through the side of the laundry goes into the mens room another door from the laundry goes to the ladies. We can wait for the subjects to pass out in the ladies for River and Sorro to pack up. It will be dark by our vehicle because gullible George told us he hasn’t been able to get replacement bulbs for the security lights. It will be a piece of cake to haul our subjects from the restroom to our vehicle.

While the men were busy with their chores, River and Sorro observed a graveside service at the cemetery adjacent to an old farm near the conference center. They walked toward some shade trees when the elderly pastor finished his benediction and wished everyone a safe drive.

Sorro said, That younger man is the funeral director I worked for before Rocky offered me a more lucrative job. I’ll drug his milkshake and you drink an untainted one, so he won’t suspect anything. We are dressed like the mourners and he might believe we were at the service.

She fetched two milkshakes from one of their coolers and stirred some tranquilizer powder into the chocolate while they heard the younger man call out to the pastor that he would lock the gate on his way out. Sorro sauntered over to the fence and climbed over to indolently lean against the funeral vehicle. River followed her partner and cursed softly when the fence snagged her clothes.

Kyle Paterson walked up the slope to his vehicle and saw two women dressed in gray leaning against his fender. Is there anything I could help you with? Hi, Christina. Long time no see.

Sorro shrugged and mouthed to River that it was okay for Kyle to say her real name. It’s a very warm day and I thought you might like a cool drink.

Thank you very much. Where’s your car?

River airily answered, I’m parked in the shade on the other side of that barn. It’s too hot to be out here without something cool to drink.

Kyle took the proffered milkshake, guzzled then said, Christina, I wouldn’t mind some help with some flowers. He finished the milkshake then set the container in his vehicle’s litterbag. Too bad you were lured by more money to another job. You were really good in our office.

River helped Kyle deliver flower arrangements to several graves and watched him stumble when they placed the last vase. She worried about Kyle recognizing Sorro so easily. But then it also made it easy for him to trust the milkshake. Kyle fainted at the side of the funeral vehicle and the women grinned and fived each other.

Sorro hurried to help River put Kyle in the back of the funeral SUV, closed the tailgate and whispered, That went faster than we anticipated.

We need to get him and this vehicle in the shade. He was already overheated before I gave him the drink.

Sorro grinned when she found the keys were conveniently in the ignition. You may lock the gate.

River climbed into the passenger seat and grinned at her partner. Lucky us. We were here when Kyle was alone.

And so available.

They drove the Suburban over to the barn and parked it next to the box truck. They hauled Kyle to the truck, stripped him of his business suit, dressed him in gray scrubs then settled him on a cot. Sorro said, He won’t wake for several hours. We can deepen the sedation later. They jumped when they heard the bleep of the cell phone Rocky had left for them.

River answered and listened to Rocky tell them that things were going smoothly. Then she told him about getting a funeral director and his SUV. She signed off then said, Sorro, Rocky said we need to remove the magnetic signs so it will look like a regular black SUV. We also need to remove our fingerprints and wear gloves for the rest of this operation. He will call us back when he’s ready for us to bring the SUV.

They sorted their supplies and read paperbacks while they waited for Rocky to call them to meet at the basement level of the conference center. They got their call for their next move at dusk. They gave Kyle a longer lasting sedative before they left him asleep and alone in their truck. They hurried to the conference center in Kyle’s vehicle and chortled that they hadn’t had to find and steal another vehicle near the barn.

The behaviorists heard Heather and Robert come into the basement’s hallway and stumble into the ladies lounge. They waited until they heard the couple fall on the floor. Rocky was about to send River and Sorro into the bathroom to fetch the couple then held back when they heard voices calling Robert and Heather and people coming into the hallway. When it was very quiet for several minutes Rocky let his team go in the restroom and see how many people had stumbled in and passed out.

The team quickly moved their subjects into the adjacent mens room and tidied up the ladies in case any more people wandered in. They stripped their subjects and dressed them in gray scrubs. River whispered, I know these two. The one in red and white is Janie Carrington and the dark haired one in blue is Sabina Richardson. They were my high school teachers. I also know the other two. The red haired witch is my sister-in-law. I’m sick of my husband saying how good his little sister is.

Sorro sneered, This guy tattled about me molesting him when I was a nurse at the university hospital. I liked that job because it was so easy to steal things I could sell. I quit the funeral job because too many people were watching.

Rocky brusquely said, We don’t have time to chatter. These folks all look like they are the right ages for El Capitan’s program. He looked at the conference schedule and muttered, We need to split before anyone makes discoveries about our infiltration.

River and Sorro hurried to pack supplies while Sierra grumbled about having to ride with the women instead of getting to drive a vehicle. Sorro slid into the driver’s seat and drove away in a squeal of tires and no headlights.

Sierra growled, You’re going to blow it if you don’t turn on the headlights.

Sorro yanked on the lights and snarled, Why did you stab the chef?

He talked too much. He saw Everest put drugs in the milkshake machine. I had to shut him up. Look out! You’re going to hit someone!

Sorro swerved then giggled when the pedestrians dove into the bushes. Then she tromped on the gas and burned rubber toward the farm. She cursed when Sierra called out that there were red and blue lights flashing up behind them. She pulled over, several driveways past the farm. Sorro, River and Sierra were ordered out of the vehicle and they wrestled with the Harborwood patrolmen. Sierra got one of the guns and shot the cops.

Sorro growled, Well, now we have to figure out how to get rid of them and the patrol car.

Sierra put the gun in his pocket then helped the women put the cops in the patrol car’s backseat. Then he slid into the driver’s seat and revved the engine while he called out, I’ve always wanted to drive one of these! He gunned the vehicle into a u-turn toward the farm.

River and Sorro hurried to follow in Kyle’s SUV while Sorro said, Rocky worried about Sierra being impulsive.

River coldly said, We’re still wearing gloves, scrubs, booties and caps. We could make things look like Kyle shot the cops. Then we ditch them and the car in one of the lagoons.

Sorro drove into the barn and almost had a panic attack when headlights came in behind her. She panted when River coolly called out that the headlights were just Rocky with their collection of subjects. They hurried to tell Rocky about their encounter with the cops and River’s idea for getting rid of the evidence.

Rocky growled, We need to focus on getting our subjects ready for transport. Everest, Hootch and I heard people searching for our subjects, just as we were loading them in our vehicle. Then we heard someone ask if they should call 911. Since these cops are the only ones in the area, we might have to pretend we are them and put in a slight appearance.

No way!

Listen! We need to be calm. Everest and Hootch could impersonate the cops. You don’t have to show your faces. Just let people see the patrol car and if you get out to talk, stay in the shadows and pull the cop hats low over your eyes. Assure people that things will be okay then get out of there by saying you have to return to the scene of a car wreck. The blood on the uniforms and your blue gloves should convince anyone that you’ve been busy caring for accident victims.

Everest mumbled, I think we can do that.

Good. Now, we leave the funeral SUV with that guy’s stuff, the drink container and some of those pills to make him look like he was using before he shot the cops.

They heard the radio call about missing people and a possible case of mass food poisoning a little while later. Everest and Hootch changed into the cops’ uniforms and Rocky repeated instructions for their impersonations.

By the time Everest and Hootch returned with the patrol car, the rest of the behaviorists were ready to leave. Everest reported that he thought the people at the conference center were assured that a search for their missing friends would take place as soon as they finished with the road accident.

They put the uniforms back on the cops then Sierra drove the car to a lagoon River directed him to. He grumbled about getting soaked and having to ride with Everest in their SUV while Rocky drove the box truck, and Hootch, River and Sorro got to ride in the back with their deeply sedated subjects.

By ten thirty Rocky felt they had done fairly well in collecting five subjects for their program. He swerved and swore when he almost ran another driver off Harborwood Road. He jerked back in his lane and slowed down. He watched the other driver’s taillights in the rearview mirror and took several deep breaths. The other driver had continued on toward the coast.

An hour later the behaviorists arrived at the rest area Rocky had said they would stop at for checking their sedated subjects. Rocky slid down from the truck’s cab and met with his group at the rear of the vehicle. River, Sorro, Sierra, Everest and Hootch, you have time to eat food I saved out for you. The hardest work is over.

River complained, But, we only have five subjects to give to El Capitan. He was expecting us to get at least eight.

We have time to grab some more people. We can watch for carloads of college students to come in here. This is a Friday night when young people go cruising. We might have to leave in a hurry if we see patrol cars come in to check out the cars. Rocky handed out food and drinks then leaned against the truck to watch other travelers leave. Several minutes later he and his friends got more alert when they heard an old station wagon clatter in and park near them.

Three young men were in that vehicle and Rocky heard them lament about car trouble. He whispered for his friends to wait in the shadows. He sauntered over to the students and said, I couldn’t help but hear your problem. Maybe I could give you a lift. I’m a college professor. How far do you need to go?

Sir, we only have to get ourselves to Oakland. We could leave this dog of a Ford here and one of our dads could come later with a tow truck. We have expensive instruments in the back.

What are your names?

I’m Ty Gregorson and the other guys are my cousins, Steve and Cody Fredricks.

Boys, you’re in luck. We can give you and your gear a lift. You guys look like you could use something to eat. My sister and I have extras. Rocky hurried to his friends and softly said, River, give the boys the milkshakes and the rest of our sandwiches. They look like the right age for our project. The rest of you wait for the subjects to get drowsy. It won’t take long you know.

Sorro softly said, We can wait. Sierra’s gone to the toilets with Hootch and Everest.

River fetched the cooler and followed Rocky over to the disabled vehicle. The young men chatted with River and Rocky and they learned the guys were part of a church’s rock band. The young men started to get drowsy when they finished the drinks and food. Rocky led them to the truck and opened the back. They were too sleepy to protest when he and River gave them a boost into the back of the truck. They packed the young mens’ drum set, keyboards and guitars in the SUV.

Sorro fetched Sierra, Everest and Hootch from the restrooms as soon as Rocky got out the magnetic signs for the truck and put them on the cab doors and cargo sides. Anyone seeing the truck from then on would believe it was a medical supply truck and not suspect it had been involved in anything sinister. He huffed to himself that he’d gotten the signs on the truck just in time, when he saw several patrol cars and motorcycles come in and circle the parking area.

Rocky climbed into the cab just as an 18 wheeler came around the edge of the parking lot and parked on the far side of the restroom building. He slowly drove out of the lot and hoped Everest with Sierra in their SUV wouldn’t do anything dumb to attract attention. He only relaxed a little when he got on the interstate and he saw his friends’ headlights following him.

He was relieved to get to the air cargo facility and get the vehicles in