Chapter Eighteen

Kimberly rolled her eyes and smiled. Taking a break sounded like a good idea. "Fine... I will stay for a while and rest, But I don't think hanging out in my own house counts as a vacation" she said.

"You have been here with Dad since it happened?" Kimberly asked Phoebe.

"Yes. I have been worried and scared at the same time. Didn't know what to do. Worried something horrible might happen to you... And scared the same thing would happen to me" Phoebe replied.

"I'm glad you came here, Pheebs" Kimberly said. "Dad needed someone to look after him... Even if he never admits it"

"Hey" Hillary said with feigned annoyance. "I'm a strong man. I don't need anyone to baby sit me. I'm definitely not that old."

"Yeah right" Kimberly said.

Kimberly and Phoebe laughed. They ate together, talking about work. Not that they had been working a lot. Phoebe and Hillary had kinda stopped working since her kidnap. But she was back now, and she couldn't wait to forget about everything... The kidnap —even Asher Adams.

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Kimberly had been back home for two weeks now. She had stayed indoors, because Hillary was so worried about her going out and she didn't want to bother him... He had enough reason to be over protective.

She had spoken to the police about her kidnap. And she had tried to give them enough information so they could find her kidnappers. But she couldn't tell them much, she had been unconscious when she was taken, she had been kept inside throughout, and when Asher and his team had come to rescue her, she had been too focused on escaping her captors —and also her handsome rescuer that she hadn't really looked around. Though she didn't tell the police that last part.... It was embarrassing.. Even to admit it to herself..

She described her kidnappers as best as she could. She told them their names and that the one called Alex was the leader of the gang. She also mentioned that Alex and Johnny didn't seem to like each other much as they quarreled and argued almost all the time.

The police eventually found the place she had been kept, but the place had been wiped clean of everything including prints and do they couldn't find any strong evidence. The gang members were good at covering their tracks. They had known the police would come looking for them.

So the investigation was still on, and Kimberly was sick of staying indoors. She wanted to get back to her life. The investigation be damned. She wanted to get back to her apartment. To her job. She hated being idle all the time.

Phoebe went back to her apartment a week after Kimberly returned. She had to go back to work. Though she usually came around to visit.

When Kimberly told her father about her plans to return to work and to go back to her apartment, Hillary looked at her like she was speaking in tongues.

"What the.... Hell no!" he yelled.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't get what you just said but it sounded like you just said hell no" Kimberly said sarcastically.

"You are right. That's what I said. Hell no" Hillary repeated.

"Dad, I didn't come to ask for your permission. I'm telling you. You know that I can't stay here forever, don't you?" Kimberly asked.

"Yes I do" her father replied. "But you can't go now. It's too dangerous"

"It's been two weeks Dad, and nothing has happened" Kimberly said.

"But investigations are still going on. It doesn't mean that nothing can happen again. The people who did this to you are still out there. Who knows what they are planning to do next? I'm not taking any chances.. Not with your life. I couldn't protect you before... And I'm sure as hell not going to make the same mistake again" Hillary said.

"I understand your concerns Dad, and I appreciate it" Kimberly said. "But I can't keep hiding in here. Have you ever asked yourself, What If those people are never found? What if the police don't make any progress? Am I just going to keep living my life in fear? Looking over my shoulder all the time? That's not me Dad. You know that"

"They will be found" Hillary said, trying to sound confident.

Kimberly shook her head. "I hope so too Dad. But I have to go back to my life. What's the point of being rescued if I'm just going to stay locked up again"

"You are not leaving" Hillary insisted.

"You can't make me stay" Kimberly said.

"Actually I can. Now that I know exactly what you intend to do, I'm going to give my bodyguards instructions not to let you leave"

"You are not serious" Kimberly said.

"Yes I am... You have no idea just how serious I am" Hillary said.

Kimberly rose up from her chair and left her father's office in anger.

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She was still fuming when Phoebe arrived the next day for a visit.

"Can you believe he actually told those guys to watch me?" Kimberly said as she painted her nails. She had just finished venting her anger about the whole thing out. She was on her chair while Phoebe sat on her bed, a bowl of ice cream on her lap.

"Hmmmm" Phoebe said as she slowly withdrew the spoon out of her mouth. "When you really think about it, your Dad has a strong point"

Kimberly lifted her eyes from fingernails and glared at her. "You did not just say that" she said. "The whole point of telling you this is so you can get mad and vent with me. I didn't tell you so you can side with him. You are supposed to be on my side, dummy"

Phoebe laughed and scooped another ice cream into her mouth. "I don't care about sides right now.... Not when it comes to this. I don't think you realize just how much your Dad was worried when you were missing. He's an old man for God's sake. I don't think he can stand any more bad news. Even I was scared shitless"

"I know. I know" Kimberly said. "But I can't just remain in here. I have to continue with my life and move on somehow. I guess I will just have to be extra careful next time. You have to understand me, Pheebs"

Phoebe nodded. "I do" she said. "But please go easy on your Dad. He's just worried about his daughter. I would be thrilled if my parents were still here to worry like that about me" she said.