The short time we spent in Florida went by so fast, it almost made my head spin.  Before we knew it, it was time to start the tour.  In all this time, I hadn't heard from Jayme again, and I was starting to get worried....about her and Cam.  I didn't know what to do about it.  I'd tried calling Jayme a couple of times, but there was either no answer, or Nat picked up and informed me that she wasn't at home.  However, from now on, I had to keep my mind on my work.  Starting tomorrow, things were going to be very busy and very, very different.

    I was packing up my stuff (for the second time in less than 2 weeks), when I heard the doorbell ring.  Mr. & Mrs. Carter had taken BJ, Leslie, Aaron & Angel out for a ride on the boat, and Nick had gone to pick up some dry cleaning.  In other words, I was the only one in the house.  I sighed as I dropped my stuff and headed down the steps to answer the door.

    As I opened it, I let out a surprised gasp.  Standing in front of me was the last person on earth I'd expected to see: Cam.  He looked terrible.  His usually neat brown hair was greasy and messy, and he looked like he hadn't slept for days.  Plus, he had that look in his eyes.  The same look he'd had the night he hit me.  He was high.

    As I stared at him uneasily, he snickered at me and pushed his way inside the door.  Warning bells went off in my head, but what could I do?  I was all alone in the house, and I figured Nick wouldn't be back for another 20 minutes, at least.  Panic set in, but I tried not to let Cam see the fear in my eyes.

    It didn't work.

    "So, you thought you could just leave town and not say good-bye to your good buddy Cameron, eh Sami?  Well, you really hurt my feelings, babe.  I mean, one minute you're there, the next minute I find out you've moved in with your new boyfriend in Florida?  What's going on Sam?  Huh?"  He roughly grabbed my arm.  I tried to twist away, but it was no use.   He had always been strong, and always had the upper hand (so to speak) in situations.

    I tried to reason with him.  "Cam, you know I'd never try to hurt you!  I'm sorry I left without saying good-bye to you, but please, don't take it personally.  I had so much on my mind, I didn't say good-bye to a lot of people...like Brendan, Chris, Melissa, or even Landon.  I just didn't have time!"

    "Save it!" he snarled.  "This isn't about anyone else Sam.  It's about you and me.  I thought you loved me Sam!  I love you, so why did you leave me?  Are you ditching me for this singing punk?"

    "Cam, we broke up a long time ago, remember?  You didn't want to admit it at first, but eventually..."

    "SHUT UP!" he growled.  "You're still my girlfriend!  And I'm not going to have you running around with any other guy!"

    With that, he slapped me across the face as hard as he could, and grabbed both of my wrists and held them firmly behind my back.  He tied them together, and then pulled a gag over my mouth.  "Don't even try to scream baby, I know no one's home.  And we'll be far, far away before anyone even realizes you're missing."

    He shoved me out the door and led me toward his car.  He pushed me into the front seat and buckled me in, with my hands still tied.  Then he climbed into the driver's seat and started the car.  We peeled out of the driveway and, just my luck, I saw Nick's car pull in just as we left.  In the side mirror, I could see a confused looked on his face as he struggled to back into the street and follow us, but there was too much traffic, and I lost sight of him before he could follow us.  I sat back in my seat, dejected, tears welling up in my eyes.  Cam looked over at me and crooned mockingly, "Aw, Sami, baby, it's ok!  Daddy's gonna take good care of his little girl, don't you worry.  I'll make sure you get everything you deserve."

    ‘Nick, I need you!' I thought.  I knew I was in deep trouble.  I wished I'd been able to talk to Jayme, maybe she would have known that Cam was like this, and I could have had some warning...

    Cam seemed to be able to read my thoughts.  "Don't you worry about sweet little Jayms, either.  She's in the same safe place I'm taking you, and we're going to have lots of fun together."

    I gulped.  Now I knew there was no way for me to get out of this.  If Cam had Jayme, what had he done to her already?  I shifted uncomfortably, and suddenly felt something in the pocket of the jacket Cam had put on me before we'd left.  He'd grabbed Nick's jacket by mistake, and I realized with a jolt that Nick had his cell phone in there!  I quickly wiped the look of hope off my face as Cam turned to me again.  "We're here." he said gruffly.  I looked around.  All I could see for miles were trees.  Cam forced me out of the car and I stumbled toward a run-down shack.  I could hear quiet sobs coming from inside.

    I tried to call out Jayme's name, but it was no use.  The gag was still over my mouth, and Cam had tied it so tight that I couldn't move my jaw or tongue.  Cam pushed me into the shack, and the first thing I saw made me shudder.  There, in the corner, huddled Jayme.  She had dried blood on her cheek, a cut above her right eye, and her hands and feet were tied together.  She too had a gag in her mouth, and her eyes grew wide as she saw me in the doorway.  I rushed over to her and with my eyes asked if she was alright, and watched her shake her head no.  Just then, Cam came over to us and pulled me away from her.  I watched in horror as he kicked her swiftly in the hip, and he clucked his tongue.  "Tsk tsk Jayme, I told you before I left that there'd be no conspiring among you two...maybe next time you'll remember."  Jayme shrivelled in the corner, and I felt like screaming at him for making her hurt like that.  But I knew that I was the one he wanted to hurt most.

    "I'm going to get some supplies, I'll be back in a bit girls.  And don't bother trying anything funny while I'm gone!"  With that, he spun on his heel and headed out the door.  A couple seconds later I heard the car roar to life and ride away from us.  I slid over to Jayme and motioned for her to undo the rope binding my wrists together.  With great difficulty, she did it, and then I untied her.  We both slipped our gags off and embraced.

    "I had a stroke of luck Jayms; Nick's cell phone is in my pocket, but I think we should get out of here before I use it!"

    She nodded and I raced for the door, with her limping behind me.  Quickly, we both found a place where we would be well hidden.  I took out the phone and dialed Nick's home number.

    He picked up after one ring.  "It's me" I said softly.

    "Sam!  Where are you?  I'm worried sick!  What happened?"

    "It's Cameron," I replied, "he's on drugs again, and he's gone crazy!  He kidnapped Jayme and I, I have no idea what he's going to do to us!  We're so scared....Jayme has some cuts and bruises, but she's basically ok I think."

    "Good, but what about you?  Are you ok?"

    I remembered the slap Cam had delivered across my face earlier.  "I'm fine, just a little shaken up.  But I have no idea where we are!"

    Nick paused for a moment.  "Ok, here's what I want you to do.  Do you remember the route Cam drove to get you out there?"

    "Vaguely, I was too scared to really pay attention."

    "Alright, I want you to tell me everything you remember, and I'm going to try to find you.  Meanwhile, what I want you and Jayme to do is to try and make your way to the freeway if you can, but be careful to stay out of Cam's sight.  Damn, I wish my parents were home, they'd probably have a better idea..."

    Suddenly I heard Jayme hiss at me.  "Sam, cool it, he's coming back!"

    Frantically I whispered into the phone "We'll do our best to get to the freeway, but he's coming back so I gotta go.  Love you."

    With that, I carefully pressed the ‘End' button on the phone.  Big mistake.

    Cam had just stepped out of the car when he heard the phone beep.  He ran into the shack, and upon finding no one there, he growled and came back out.  Running as fast as he could, he headed toward us.  "I told you girls, no funny business...y'all are gonna pay dearly now."

 Chapter Thirteen
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