“Abigail Pence, you must keep your strength up. Only for a little longer. If Malachi comes for you and you are too weak to walk, it will all have been in vain. Please drink.”
Abigail gave up the fight and took the bottle of water. “Thank you, Daniel. I will try to keep my spirits up.”
As Daniel left her and headed back down the passage and into his father’s office, an idea came to mind. The key that opened the front door to his house was the same key that opened the back door. Could he possibly be holding the same key that opened both doors to the room that held Abigail? It was a chance, but he would try it just to find out.
Daniel headed back out and around to the back. He came upon the door, pushed the panel to reveal the knob, and took a deep breath. He slid the key into the lock. It slipped right in. He turned the handle. The lock clicked, and the door opened. Daniel heaved a huge sigh. He had done it. He had found the key.
A small cry came from within.
“It’s just me,” Daniel said. “I found the key.”
“Oh.” Her voice sounded saddened.
“Don’t sound so disappointed.”
“I am not. Thank you, Daniel. For everything.”
Daniel smiled, though she probably could not see it. “There is still hope.”
Daniel closed the door, locked it, and headed back into the house. He finally had the key. His father must have more than one and had not thought to retrieve it from the money room. Daniel planned to keep it. If Malachi did not come soon, he would break Abigail out himself. As foolish as it was, he would try.
Chapter 39 ― Rachel
“Oh, look at him! He looks just like Jacob,” Luna said as she held Rachel’s baby gently in her arms. “He’s got that same pointy nose and crazy blue eyes.”
The baby wriggled in her arms as if offended.
Rachel laughed. “He is cute, isn’t he?”
“Adorable. Can I take him home?”
“No!” Rachel yelled a little too loudly. “Sorry. I just can’t imagine life without him.” Her face heated.
“Yeah, I get it.”
“How’s Jonathan?”
“He’s okay. Broken leg and a couple of bruises. He’s acting like he’s dying though.”
“Who was it?”
“I’m not sure.” Luna looked away. “It all happened so quickly.”
By the way Luna avoided eye contact with her, Rachel got the feeling she wasn’t telling the truth. At the very least, she was leaving out details she didn’t want Rachel to hear. But Rachel was too tired to argue with her. “Have you heard anything about Abigail? Is there some way to get her out? Is she okay?”
Baby Jacob began to fuss, and Luna handed him back to his mother. “I will meet back with Malachi tomorrow. I told him to give Abigail a message that you and the baby are healthy. I’m sure she’s grinning from ear to ear by now.”
“And she is well?” Rachel rocked the baby in her arms.
Luna looked back out the window again.
“It is just as you dreamed, isn’t it?” Baby Jacob fussed, and she moved him up on her shoulder.
Luna nodded. “I’m sorry, Rachel. But I’m going to try and get her out of there. It’s going to be a bit harder without Jonathan, but I’m going to try my best. I promise.”
Baby Jacob was fast asleep. Rachel gently placed him in the bassinet beside her bed and swaddled him with a blanket. “Can we not just go to the police? Shelly says they are good and helpful, and Hannah’s husband, Todd, he is big and strong.”
“It’s just not that easy. With Abigail in the situation she’s in, we could do her more damage than good if the police go barging in. Besides, there are laws out here. The police cannot enter without probable cause.”
“Probable what?” Rachel asked.
“They need a reason. They can’t just go onto someone’s private property and harass them for no reason.”
“But there is a reason1 My sister’s life is in danger! And Naaman is dead! And Jonathan has been run over by . . . someone. That is not enough probable . . . whatever you said?”
“If we could prove that The Chosen had Naaman killed and attempted to kill Jonathan then yes. If we could prove that Abigail is being held against her will, then yes, but what proof do we have?”
Rachel shook her head. “How do you know so much about it?”
Luna grinned. “Law and Order. It’s a television show. It’s all about crime.”
“You get your information from a television show?”
“Yeah. You should watch it. Very informative.”
“I think not.”
“Suit yourself, but if we can get them out of there, then they will be on the right side of the law. The police can protect them, then.”
“Like they are protecting you?”
“Yeah, well, you have a point there.”
Rachel remembered the note she’d gotten in the hospital. She got up slowly, sat on the side of the bed, and held her incision as she waited out the pain. Wincing, she slid out of the bed and went to her dresser. Getting out of bed had been a slow process for her since she refused to take the over-the-counter medication Shelly had bought for her. She didn’t need it. She would heal.
She hadn’t told Shelly about the note because she didn’t want to scare her. And now that she had someone else who counted on her to take care of him, she would do whatever she had to do to keep him safe. If Shelly knew, would she make her leave? She didn’t think so but was unwilling to take that chance. Selfish or not, she had to take care of her baby boy. And until she could get a job, Shelly was all she had. She pulled the note from her top drawer and handed it to Luna.
“What is this?” Luna asked, holding it awkwardly.
“Open it.” Rachel nodded.
Luna lifted the flap of the envelope slowly and cautiously as if it might hurt her. Then without notice, she whipped it open.
Rachel raised an eyebrow.
“Well, if it were a bomb or something, it would have gone off by now.”
Rachel had yet to get used to Luna’s gruff demeanor. The girl was very outspoken, and at times, used the strangest words. Still, Rachel liked her. In fact, she found herself a bit jealous of the way Luna was able to communicate with others. She was not quiet and shy like Rachel was. She wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself and those she cared for. Luna was a valuable person to have on your side. She was glad for that.
Luna unfolded the paper and read the message quietly and then aloud. “You are in danger? Tell us something we don’t know,” Luna said. “Where did you get that from?”
“It was in my Bible when I was reading it in the hospital,” she answered.
Rachel didn’t feel comfortable telling Luna about the stranger she’d thought she’d dreamed up in her room. After finding the note, she was pretty sure it had been real, but it just seemed too creepy to speak out loud. She had no proof someone had been there, and the nurses had assured her she’d had no visitors. Rather than argue, she left it out.
“Wait, let me see that again,” Luna said, picking back up the paper from where she’d set it on the end table. “Why does this look familiar?”
“Because you just read it?” Rachel raised an eyebrow at her and then giggled.
“That envelope Jonathan and I got. The one with the money in it. Our names were written on the outside in dark bold letters just like this. All caps.”
“You figured that out on your own?” Rachel was in awe of the girl’s skills.
“Right? If Jonathan were here, he’d say I was a regular Perry Mason.”
Who? Rachel crinkled her nose at Luna.
Luna laughed. “Jonathan has been on this Perry Mason kick ever since he discovered the television. It’s an old, black, and white TV show about a detective who has a clever way of solving mysteries. He’s probably laying on the couch, watching it as we speak.”
“Oh. More television.”
“Sorry,” Luna apologized. “But on a positive note, if this is f
rom the same person who delivered the package to us, I think he is just warning you to be careful.”
Rachel sighed with relief. She wasn’t ready to let down her guard completely, but at least she felt a bit better. “Thank you.”
Chapter 40 ― Malachi
Malachi had been reassigned to the cotton fields. Usually, only the younger boys were assigned to be out in the sun all day picking, but this was his punishment, he was sure. It was still early September, and the real picking would not be done for another month. Only a few were chosen to pick the scattered burst of opened pods in the hot desert heat.
As the sun beat down on him, his straw hat did nearly nothing to protect him from the scorching heat. He and a small group of boys picked the early cotton blooms. He thought again about Jonathan and Luna. He had planned to see Jonah, but that had been thwarted when he was called before the elders and been given his punishment.
They hadn’t said specifically it was a punishment, but a reassignment. That he was no longer needed at the market. Of course, he wasn’t needed, he’d been replaced.
Dust kicked up as the front gate opened, and the men drove back into the community from the market. It would be almost time for him to quit. He wiped his brow on his already wet sleeve and continued to pick cotton from each open pod and place it into the sack that hung around his shoulder.
Off in the distance, Jonah was coming his way. He stood up straight and felt the tension in his back. He’d been bent over for far too long. Picking cotton was painstaking work. He’d done it from the time he was fourteen to sixteen. Every boy in the community did for those two years of their lives. But he was not a boy anymore.
Malachi walked to the edge of the field and waited for Jonah to reach him. If it was even him that Jonah was coming to see. Either way, he planned to confront him. He looked back at the other workers. They were scattered off in the vast fields. He walked toward Jonah.
“What have you done? Abigail may die because of you,” Malachi accused.
“It was not me, brother. I had nothing to do with it. When I got to the building, Thomas was already there.”
“Then, why?”
“Elder Joseph did not speak of it. Not one word. Perhaps it was the long stay in the bathroom?”
“Perhaps.” Elder Joseph had mentioned his ailing stomach. “But now what? Abigail has been cut off. When I went to see her, the vent has been boarded up. She will not live long with no food or water, let alone the small bit of sunlight. I must act soon. With or without help.”
Jonah reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper, but he wasn’t sure exactly what he was looking at.
“It’s a map,” Jonah said.
“Where did you get this, and what good will a map of our own community do?”
“Here.” Jonah pointed to the part of the fence that ran behind the crude drawing of the High Prophet’s home. A yellow crown was drawn over the top of a rough resemblance of a house. “This is where you will meet them. Tonight. At midnight. They will come with shovels to dig right here.” He pointed to an “X” on the map.
“Why right behind the home of the High Prophet? Is it not dangerous to be so close?”
“I asked that. The girl said they would need to be as close as they can to the power box and where Abigail is being held. She said you will meet with them to be certain everything goes as planned and then you will cut the power. They are hoping you have a way to cut the power and get the girl out. If not, she has a . . . how did she say it? An alternate plan.”
“I think I have a way to do both. Thank you, brother. I will not forget you.”
“You are welcome. I would like to join you, but the risk is too great.”
“I understand. And thank you again.”
They shook hands, and Malachi headed back to the work building where he emptied his bag into the huge cotton bin and poured a drink of water. He would have to see Daniel as quickly as he could. But how he would get word to him, he did not know.
Chapter 41 ― Abigail
Without the small amount of light provided by the vent, Abigail had no idea whether it was night or day, and the smell in the room was becoming toxic. She had no idea how much time had passed. Abigail felt lethargic. She could not keep her eyes open even for a moment. She tried to have hope as Daniel had told her, but she would rather just quit pretending she was going to be rescued and go ahead and die. She didn’t blame Daniel and Malachi. They meant well trying to save her, but there was nothing they could do. She closed her eyes.
“Abigail,” came a muffled voice. “Abigail, can you hear me?”
She didn’t want to hear him. She closed her eyes and cried.
“Abigail!” he said. “Please. They are coming tonight. I need to get word to Daniel.”
Abigail sat up. Could it be true? “Malachi?” She moved closer to the door.
“Yes. It is me. I need you to get word to Daniel. The others will be here at midnight. He must have the key by then.”
“He does. He has the key,” Abigail responded. “But what about the chain?”
“We will break it away once they are here. Be ready, Abigail. I must go. I will be back.”
She didn’t want to hope that she would soon be released. Even so, energy built up inside her. They were coming. Luna and Jonathan were coming. If they could free her, she would see her sister. And her nephew.
Abigail stood and went to the bag of food Daniel had brought to her. The one she had decided she would not eat. She opened it and found a twinkie, a ham sandwich, and two bottles of water. She’d gone without food for so long that her appetite had waned considerably. But now, she had hope. And hope gave her strength. She opened the sandwich and ate it slowly, taking her time to savor each bite. When she was finished, she opened the Twinkies. If it were true, and she was really getting out of the place, she would eat Twinkies for the rest of her life.
THE DOOR OPENED FROM the outside. Abigail was up and ready. With her new desire to live, she allowed herself to hope just this one last time.
“Daniel?” she called out in a whisper, knowing it was dangerous to do so but not giving much care.
“It’s me,” he answered as he came inside and closed the door.
“I have news.”
“You do? What news? Has Malachi come?”
“Yes. He did. Luna and Jonathan will be here at midnight. Malachi said to—”
“Midnight? That is only an hour away.”
Excitement rushed through her. In just over an hour, she would be saved. Free.
Don’t get excited. It might fall through.
“We better get this shackle off you.” He looked around the room as if he could actually find something in it that he could use. “I’ll be back.”
Daniel left the room and locked the door behind him. The sound of it clicking was something she hoped she never had to hear again. But for now, it would have to do. It would not do for someone to come by and find the door sitting wide open.
Fresh air. She couldn’t wait to get a whiff of it. It had been so long.
The lock clicked again, and the door opened. Each time that happened, Abigail shrank in fear. Just as she did when she’d heard someone coming before the vent had been boarded up. Each time she wondered if it would be her last time on the earth.
Daniel came through the door with what looked like a giant pair of awkward-looking scissors. “Bolt cutters,” he explained.
Abigail nodded. She had no idea what that meant, but she didn’t care. As long as she would be free. Daniel bent down and placed the sharp blades onto the chain link that connected to the cuff around her ankle. He pulled the two handles together with both hands. They didn’t budge. He let out a grunting sound as he pulled tighter.
He let go and rubbed his hands together. “That is strong.” Determined, he picked back up the cutters.
As he tried again to close them down on the link, it was no use. They did not budge. Fear flooded her. It was no good to have a k
ey to the door if she was still chained to the pole.
“They will be here soon. I must try again.” Daniel put all his weight into it, but still, he’d done nothing more than create a small dent in the link.
“Need some help?” a voice called from the doorway.
“Malachi!” Abigail cried out. “Yes. He’s just not strong enough.”
“Sorry.” Daniel backed away. “That thing is very thick.”
“Let me give it a try.” Malachi stepped up and grabbed the cutters.
He placed them on the link and pulled at them. He managed to make a considerable dent but not enough to free her. Malachi tried again. This time, he heaved as hard as he could and almost fell on top of her when the link finally released. He dropped a hand to the ground before completely crushing her.
“You did it.” Daniel rushed to pull the link away. “Now how do we get this cuff off?”
“I must get out to the fence, where they said they would be. If we cannot get it off, it will have to wait. She is free.”
Abigail walked around the room. It felt so good to be free. Even if it was for only a short time.
“I will wait with her. You will come back soon?” Daniel asked.
“Yes. As soon as I can.” Malachi turned to leave.
“Malachi?” Daniel called out.
Malachi turned.
“I want to come with you.”
Chapter 42 ― Luna
With Jonathan at home in bed, his leg wrapped in a cast, and his body battered and bruised, Luna set out on her own. Jonathan had begged her not to go, but she refused to listen.
“They are counting on us to be there. At least one of us has to show or who knows what will happen to them? They will be killed if the High Prophet finds out what is going on.”
Reluctantly Jonathan had agreed, though he didn’t like it. She promised him she would be careful and headed out the door. She was now at the back of the community. She’d found the back road Malachi had told her the High Prophet used to leave through his private gate. She pulled up into the desert and out of sight just in case he had planned some kind of midnight rendezvous and walked the rest of the way to the fence carrying two shovels.
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