Page 37 of More than a Memory
“That pretty much sums up what the rest of the honeymoon was like. I was confused and frightened and, truthfully, freaked out. I didn’t have anyone to turn to. When we returned to the states, he remained cold and aloof. It was like I was married to a completely different person than the one I had been seeing for the past six months.”
“He began traveling even more frequently than before our marriage. When he wanted me, he took me. I honestly had nothing to compare it to until Liam. After our marriage, Conrad was possessive and critical. Even if he didn’t seem to love me anymore, he was jealous of any attention I received from the opposite sex. Then, several months into our marriage, he insisted I quit work and focus on making a home for us, effectively isolating me,” Gina said, sounding tired.
“Very classic pattern of abusers. First isolate, then criticize and humiliate their victims until they begin to believe their lies,” Darcy commented angrily.
“What has become of Liam?” A silent sob wracked through Gina. “I couldn’t bear to go on without him. You must find him! Please! Oh my God, what if he’s dead?” she asked in a panic.
Darcy answered, “Listen, Gina, I know you’re worried, which is all the more reason you need to listen to what I’m about to say. I’m an ex-cop and I still have friends on the force that can help us. There are things they have access to that are harder for me to get my hands on. Let me get them on board.”
“NO! Please, can you just see what you can find out on your own before we bring in the police? Once we bring the police in, then my husband will be questioned and is sure to find out about my affair. That thought is terrifying!”
“What if he already has?” Darcy said quietly.
“Oh my God! Do you think he found out and decided to go after Liam?” she said, panicked.
“It is something we have to strongly consider,” Darcy replied.
“Can you please do a little exploration yourself before getting the cops involved?” Mitch asked.
“Yes, I guess I would agree to that,” Darcy said. “Just remember, when it comes to a missing person, time is of essence. I’d like to do a sweep of your house to check for bugs. I’ll be looking for hidden cameras and microphones and anything out of place. I’ll check for anything attached to your router. It’s seems very likely that there could be hidden surveillance devices in your home based on the way you just described your husband. It’s very easy to install eavesdropping devices, and they can sometimes be right under your nose.”
“Yes, of course. That gives me goosebumps. It’s so creepy,” Gina said, rubbing her bare arms and shivering. “How did I get to this place? I feel like I wanted to get on the train to happily-ever-after and instead I accidently boarded the train bound for hell.”
“Let’s go inside. I’ll do a visual and physical inspection then I’ll bring in the scanning tools I have out in my van. I’ll need to see everything connected to your router and all available Wi-Fi signals to see if there is anything suspicious looking,” Darcy explained.
* * *
Several hours later, it was clear that Gina had been under surveillance, and at a sophisticated level, to say the least. That’s what money can buy, thought Darcy.
“I can’t believe I’ve been so stupid!” Gina said.
“You’re not stupid. Your husband is paranoid!” Mitch said.
“Well, I guess he wasn’t too ‘paranoid’ since he more than likely caught me having an affair,” she replied.
“Well, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” Mitch replied. “It’s a case of do as I say and not as I do.”
“Frankly, I have suspected he has been with other women throughout our marriage, but I just didn’t give a damn! It only meant that I had to accommodate him less.”
“Well, at least you know that he was more than likely aware of your affair, privy to the fact that you were considering leaving the marriage. I’m sure that would not have gone over very well,” Darcy said. “Abusers go nuts when they think they are losing control.”
Darcy continued, “Mitch, might I suggest that you and Gina find accommodations, elsewhere preferably, while he is still out of town. It’s hard to know what he is capable of, but we know he has the ways and means to get things done and he is a control freak. He would not want to lose his beautiful wife to another man, that’s for sure. Especially a brave, young, and handsome soldier like Liam.”
“Okay, I’ll make sure Gina is safe. She can pack her essentials and we can leave right away. You have our contact numbers. I’ll text you when we get to wherever it is we’re going,” he promised.
“Might I suggest that you not take too much or make it obvious that Gina is leaving. I’ll sweep your cars for tracking devices now and, for Pete’s sake, make sure you aren’t being followed.”
“Understood, thanks Darcy,” Mitch said solemnly. “The most important thing is that you find Liam for us as soon as possible.”
“I’ll do my best,” she said.
* * *
Just as Darcy was preparing for bed, Sam called to say goodnight.
“Hi, how’s my beautiful green-eyed girl doing this evening?”
“It has been a very busy day. I picked up a new case that’s quite complicated. I don’t normally give in to dramatics, but this could actually be a life-or-death matter,” she said worriedly.