Two hours later, they were parking the RVs into lots next to each other at a park just outside of Albany. They had set it up so the RVs created a shared space between them by renting three lots. The larger RV had bunk beds and a master bedroom for the four men. Greg and Joe were setting it up as the base, with all the listening equipment and computers. Les and Eric arranged the middle lot for cooking, eating, and sitting around the campfire. Asher and Mina were setting up their RV to best suit Mina.
"Here, make a list of anything you think you'll need, food, snacks, whatever, be specific as to brand names, Joe and I will pick it up tomorrow morning."
Mina jotted down a couple of things and handed it back to him. "I'm going to lie down."
Les knocked and poked his head in. "Hey, Joe and I are going to get burgers and fries; do you guys want anything?"
"My usual." Asher grinned. Burgers and fries were one of his few guilty pleasures. "Mina?"
"Nothing thanks." She said over her shoulder and closed the door to the bedroom.
"Has she eaten since this morning?" Les looked at the closed door, concern evident on his face.
"No, but one of the side effects of one of her medications is loss of appetite, and she took it at midday instead of first thing this morning when she normally would. If she doesn't eat tomorrow, I'll address it with her." He turned to the glove box and unlocked it. "Speaking of, if I'm not here, she gets two of these at nine in the morning and one at nine at night." He showed him each bottle and locked them back up. "She doesn't get access to them besides what you hand her."
"Okay... is that something we have to watch out for?" Les kept his voice low as they left the RV.
"Yes. Oddly enough, her last attempt at fifteen saved her life."
"Last attempt? How many?"
"Three."
"Three before the age of fifteen?"
"I'll explain after we eat. Go get food."
After they ate and reviewed the plan for the next few days, Asher and Les went for a walk around the park to scope it out. It was only March, and the park was mostly empty besides a few year-round campers. Asher had locked up the RV and told Greg to keep Joe occupied. As they walked, Asher filled him in on what Lexi had told him about Mina's childhood.
"You were right, I'm coming with you, and I'll do it for free. Got a plan for that?"
"I think I'm gonna handcuff them to the radiator and beat them every time they piss or shit themselves. Then, if they survive, I'll make them scrub it with a toothbrush."
"Is that a poetic or an ironic punishment?" Les chuckled.
"Both?"
"Aren't you getting a little attached here Ash?"
Asher shrugged. "I don't know if I'm capable of that. You should have seen her Les. She sank to the floor, couldn't catch her breath, and was sobbing and begging her "daddy" to "please take them off" and promising over and over that "she'd be good." I had to snap at her to get her attention and look at me, all because of a single bracelet on her wrist. She makes me feel intense rage, but it's not directed at her. It's directed at the people who hurt her. Her father, mother, husband, doctors, and CPS workers who failed her... It shouldn't have taken three suicide attempts for someone to step in and remove her. Why didn't her teachers report the bruises and absences from school to the authorities?
He sighed as his frustration peaked and ran his fingers through his hair. "When I told her I wanted information about her husband and why her counter-proposal was for every orgasm I gave her, she would give up a location, but I had to make her scream my name, and she said she'd be happy to make me scream hers, but if she did she couldn't be handed over and I have no doubt that she's going too, I'm hoping we don't find him right away because I want more."
Les snorted with laughter. "Way more fun than torturing it out of her."
"That's just it; we wouldn't have had to. She would have given it up anyway; she wants us to find him and wants to help. But she said she wants to have some fun before "It's all over". I don't think she has any intention of being handed over."
"Right. So we keep her pills locked up and sharp things away from her."
"I don't think we need to worry until we're close to catching him, but yeah, essentially."
"If we do have to hand her over, wouldn't it be kinder to, you know, let her succeed?" They were standing in front of the RV, and he looked up into Asher and Mina's dark one.
Asher followed his gaze. "If Draco turns you down, see what it would cost to buy her freedom."
"Ash, you know he'll jack the price ridiculously high when he realizes you want her, right?"
"Then maybe he will become my next job. Make it clear I'm trying to preserve our working relationship, but I'm not above trashing it."
"And you don't think you're capable of being attached?" Les chuckled.
"I just think she's been through enough. I'm not a sociopath, Les. I'm capable of having empathy, it just takes a lot, and everything about her is a lot."
"Speaking of sociopaths, are you sure having Joe with us is a good idea?"
"Is he taking his medication?"
"Yes, and he got his shot last week."
"He should be fine, he knows I'll end him if he goes near her and she's not his usual type anyway, plus I made it very clear to her that she is not to be left alone with him, under any circumstances. We'll just keep a quiet eye on him."