About one hour had passed as the bound & gagged Janeen Martelli & her College Professor, Erica Weston struggled to free themselves inside Erica's house. Two masked thugs ransacked the place, looking for something important had caught them both. First Erica, then Janeen when the beautiful young brunette tried to drop off her tardy assignment. Janeen had left her cell phone on a small table in the same room. Somehow, the men didn't see it, but getting to it would be difficult Janeen thought as she tried to tip her chair she was tied to. The apartment phone number was on her speed dial if only she could get to it. She was almost backed up to it when one of the thugs entered the room & snatched the phone away.
"Calling someone, honey?"
"Mmmmpphhhh!!!!" Janeen could only say as she closed her eyes, momentarily defeated. She noticed the thug turning it off & putting it on a shelf out of her reach.
"Don't want any more disturbances, do we?" he sneered as he tugged on her ponytail. Janeen squealed as the man laughed & left the room again. The young co-ed was frustrated as she stared at Erica, the blonde teacher still struggling with her bonds. Janeen went back to struggling as well, but as young & athletic as she was, couldn't even budge the tight ropes, she only succeeded in cutting the ropes deeper into her wrists. Janeen could only look at the clock on the wall & hope that her friends had noticed how long she was gone.
Melissa Ferguson had been looking at the clock a well & wondered where her roommate was. The Twenty-year old brown haired girl phoned Janeen's cell number once again. Again there was no answer.
"Still no answer, Suzy."
"She probably went to meet that guy," her other roommate, Suzy Santos replied.
"No, I don't think so. She always let's us know if she was going to do something like that, besides there's no message on her voice mail."
"What about Miss Weston's number?"
"I tried that too…..no answer as well, but no voice mail or answering machine either."
"What do you think it means?" Suzy replied, putting her brunette hair in a ponytail.
"I don't know, but I think we should check it out. Something might be wrong."
"Oh okay, leave it to Janeen to ruin my sleep time" Suzy added as she slipped into a pair of flip-flop sandals. Melissa put on a pair as well as the girls left their apartment. They both got into Melissa's white Toyota Camry & drove off towards Erica's house, unaware of what was going on.
"Well Professor Weston, you're in luck." said one of the masked crooks as he held up a film container that was marked WAREHOUSE.
"Mmmmpphhh" was Erica's only reply shaking her head.
"And let this be warning detective, to stay out our business" added the second crook.
Did Janeen hear the man right? Detective? Erica was a detective? She obviously never told anyone Janeen thought as she watched the taller thug walk over towards her.
"And as for you honey, I wouldn't even think about calling the cops, if you know what's good for you." The man sneered at the young brunette who bit hard on her gag. Erica could tell that Janeen was scared out of her wits. Just then the two men left. The two ladies still sat bound & gagged to chairs & a ransacked house around them & maybe no help coming to free them.
"I'm trying again" Suzy said as she dialed Janeen's number, then Erica's "Still nothing"
"Something's wrong, I know it" Melissa replied as she turned her Camry around a corner & onto the street where Erica lived. A few moments later, the girls spotted a car leaving Erica's driveway. The car had a neon license plate on the front of it with a Cobra insignia. The car then sped off very fast.
"Who's that?" Suzy asked.
"Beats me, but There's Janeen's car."
"Miss Weston is home too" Suzy replied spotting Erica's SUV in the driveway. Melissa parked her car on the street behind Janeen's. The girls got out took a quick look in Janeens' car & hurried over to the small house. Melissa then knocked on the front door.
"Professor Weston?…..Janeen….."
Janeen & Erica heard the knocking & mmmppphed loudly into their gags
"Try again, Melissa."
"Professor Weston…..Janeen…."
A hard knock then made the door open.
"Hey it was open" Suzy replied as the girls eased the front door open. They immediately saw the ransacked front room & gasped.
"The person or persons driving that car must have done this" Suzy said looking around.
"Professor Weston!….. Janeen!…"
Melissa had barely called out their names when her & Suzy heard the muffled sounds of Erica & Janeen. The girls quickly made it to the other room & then saw their friend & teacher tied up.
"Oh my God!" Melissa said making it over to Erica & freeing the gag from her mouth.
"Janeen" Suzy added "I knew you & Miss Weston wanted to spend some quality time together, but this is ridiculous!"
Soon the knot was loose & Suzy pulled the gag loose from Janeen's mouth. The young brunette gasped for a breath.
"Very funny, Santos," Janeen snapped "Just untie me."
"Just kidding" Suzy replied as she worked on the knots that bound her friend's wrists together behind the chair.
"What happened? Melissa asked, freeing the ropes around Erica's wrists & body.
"Two masked men came in here & grabbed me when I came in from the other room, then they started tearing up the place" Erica explained as she rubbed her wrists for circulation.
"Then Miss Martelli showed up & they caught her as well."
Soon Janeen was untied.
"What was on that film they took?" Janeen quizzed as she rubbed circulation back into her wrists "Did it have something to do with that detective statement they made?"
"What?" Melissa asked looking at Suzy "Detective? What's going on Professor?"
Erica just looked at the girls & frowned.
"Okay. I'll tell you. I used to be a private eye. I gave it up to teach, but I still do freelance work on the side."
"Like taking pictures of something?" Melissa asked.
"Yes. I think I have evidence of drug dealing going on involving a former client of mine."
"And those thugs stole it right?" Janeen added.
"Yes, but I have the negatives hidden away."
"Where?" Melissa asked, "We want to help you."
"No. it's too dangerous girls."
"What about calling the Police then?" Suzy said as Janeen nodded also.
"No," Erica said "Not yet anyway, all I have is circumstantial. Look, I'll explain everything tomorrow after class okay?"
"What about the mess?" Janeen asked as she got her cell phone off the shelf where the thugs put it.
"Leave it," Erica said. "I just need to get some sleep right now. But tomorrow after class we'll talk."
"I hope we can get to the bottom of this" Janeen said her & Suzy walked toward the building where the girl's had class with Erica.
"We will Janeen" the pretty Latino answered as something caught her eye. It was a note on the classroom door.
"Hey look at this!" Suzy said as she read the note. It said that Erica Weston was taking a leave of absence.
"Leave of absence?" Janeen replied "She sure didn't say that last night."
Suzy then got out her cell phone & dialed Melissa who hadn't left the apartment yet. Melissa looked at the number & answered.
"Hey Suzy what's up. I'm about to leave…. what?….leave of absence…..Something's up…let me call her…call you right back."
Melissa then dialed Erica's number. She rolled her eyes as she got no answer. Melissa then called Suzy back.
"Hey, I got no answer. I'm going over there….don't worry I'll be careful….see what you guys can find out….okay."
Melissa, wearing a white blouse & tight jeans, got her purse & books & left the apartment. After locking the door, she spotted a familiar sight. It was the car from last night. She was sure of it, even down to the cobra insignia plate on the front. Melissa looked around the complex. There was nobody around. Could those thugs live in here? She thought as she got out her phone, but before she could use it, a strong hand clamped over her mouth from behind! A thick cloth then was held over her nose & mouth. It had a sweet foul odor to it. Melissa mmmppphed loudly, but still nobody seemed to be around at that moment. The person was strong, as the cloth was jammed tightly against her face. Chloroform! She thought as she fought hard, but soon she started getting dizzy & then there was nothing but darkness.
"I think we should talk with Miss Prescott. I know she's here early" Suzy told Janeen, unaware of Melissa dilemma.
"Why her?" Janeen added.
"She might know where Miss Weston went."
"If only it wasn't her."
"Look," Suzy added, "I know you don't get along with her, but she'll help us, I know it."
Janeen then rolled her eyes.
"Come on."
The girls then walked toward the faculty building unaware of Melissa's Danger.
Melissa was coming to when she suddenly felt pain at her wrists & ankles. Trying to shake the cobwebs from her head, the young co-ed then discovered she was gagged as well as tied up. Then she realized she was in lying in the trunk of a car. Was it the car she saw? Shifting around, she then heard two male voices talking.
"Mmmmppphhh!!!! Gggrrmmpphhh!!!!" Melissa shouted into the gag, but nothing but grunts came out. Her mouth was packed with cloth & something was tied tight over it, keeping her silent. The she heard one of the voices directed towards her.
"I see the little snooper has awakened. Okay lets go."
Melissa then heard the car start-- she was being kidnapped & her friends had no idea!