Hope was both confused and terrified. She sat in a chair in the center of the room whimpering and pulling at the blindfold wrapped tightly around her head.

That was it!! He could take this no longer. He firmly grabbed the little girl’s arm and gave her a threatening look "Listen, You keep pulling at that and I am going to have no choice but to lock you up in an attic. You and I both know, what’s in the attic. Now you seem like a smart girl, and you would now what’s best for you if you shut up.” the man said firmly.

Hope’s little eyes tried to hold back the tears. Whether it was from the pain caused by the man’s grip, or from the fear rushing through her quavering, small body. She blinked a few times trying make the water from her eyes go away. But the poor girl was too scared to take control over her tears. She gave her best bottom-lipped pout and whined her demand. "Pwease Mr. Man, let me go. I want my mommy."

The man stopped pacing and knelt down next to Hope. "Me too, kid," he hissed in her ear. He chuckled and continued with a cynical tone. "Don't worry. I don't expect it to be long before she gets here. But of course if you crying like that I’ll make sure you never see her, do I make myself clear?"

The petite girl nodded, her fear evident in her eyes. The man finally let go of her arm leaving red marks on the delicate hand of the girl. Hope ran to the little corner as far as possible from Mr. Man and cuddled herself there as her tears ,once again, ran freely from her eyes.

He stood and quietly walked through a heavy, steel door leaving Hope alone and crying. "What do you think?" he asked a woman in a white coat who stood watching Hope through a two-way mirror.

"I don't know, yet," the woman answered rubbing her chin. She turned to Hope's kidnapper and questioned, "Are you certain of this?"

The man defensively placed his hands on his hips. "I have no doubts. She will show us soon enough."

"I sincerely hope you're right," the woman warned turning her eyes back to the frightened child. "We are running a big risk based on your hunch."

"It's not a hunch," the man argued. "I've seen it with my own eyes."

"Okay," the woman snapped. She took a deep breath in an effort to control her aggravation with her high-strung rookie partner. She spoke slowly and calmly. "I just want you to realize that the longer we hold this child, the further away we get from being able to let her go. And if you're wrong about this, and we continue to wait, we can't let her leave here alive." the woman tried to reason.