I walk back in the front room to see Max staring out the window drinking his coffee and I freeze. God, just like my grandpa. My eyes grow watery as my heart fills with love. No tears fall this time because I’m finally realizing everything is going to work out and I’m going to have my shot at happiness finally. Like my grandpa told me the morning after he mowed the field of blue bonnets, “We may have lost the beauty of yesterday but look what we have today.” I think of the beauty that was my grandpa, and the heartbreak that Rocky brought, but today, I’m staring at something even more beautiful and I start to feel hope build. I will get through this. Max hears me as I grab the motorcycle boots he bought me yesterday and start putting them on and buckling them up. I look up and find him staring at me the same way I was just staring at him. I get up and walk over to him in time for him to put down his coffee cup and bring me into his arms. I look up and for the first time I let myself smile a genuine smile and he notices and smiles back. I get on my tiptoes and give him a peck. “I’m going to be okay. We’re going to be okay,” I say, and I give him another peck and start to pull away but he stops me. “It’s nice to have you back. Back to the girl I remember from school. The McGinty boys’ little sister with the freckled face and green eyes,” he says, and he kisses my forehead. “We’re going to be great, Jayc,” and then he pulls me with him as he turns back to the window and points out the window. “What the hell are they doing?”
I squint to see Connor and Bradley in the wooded area and Connor has a flashlight and brown paper bag and he’s shining it down towards the ground and when Bradley points to something, Connor carefully squats down and lowers the bag to the ground and waits. I start cracking up. I mean, I’m about to pee my pants I’m laughing so hard. I have to walk over to the kitchen table and sit down. I keep thinking about the image I just saw and finally cross my arms on the table and lower my head into them and keep laughing. I finally gather myself, wipe the tears of laugher from my eyes and look up to see Max staring at me with a huge grin, dimples deeper than I’ve ever seen and he’s chuckling at me laughing so hard. He looks back out the window at them. “What does Bradley have Connor doing, Jaycee?” he asks with a huge grin. “Bradley is teaching Connor how to hunt for snipes,” I tell him, and I burst out laughing again. “What the hell is that?” he looks back out the window and then to me. “I’ll teach you later” and I start laughing again. “No thanks,” he says, laughing too.
After we set up some of the old coffee cans that I used to use as vases for the blue bonnets and some old bottles we found as targets, Bradley walks into the cabin and comes back out with the cases and bag. When he reaches us he drops to the ground on one knee and opens the cases. There are two guns; a .38 Special and a Luger 9mm semi-automatic, and boxes and boxes of ammo. “Your dad wants you to use this one,” Bradley says, and he hands me the .38 Special. “It’s easiest to use. Six in the chamber and its kick isn’t too bad. Do you know how to use it?” When I nod yes, they look a little surprised. “Jake used to take me to the range with him,” I say, and that’s the only explanation I give. I kneel next to Bradley and feel the ground is squishy from the rain but surprisingly not muddy, and I pull back the safety and release the chamber. I pull out six bullets and load them one by one and then snap and secure the chamber. I stand up and I look at them. When Max gestures for me to take aim, I do. I remember to check my stance and the position of my hands. I remember Jake telling me it’s easier to control this gun when between shots, and pull back the hammer and then shoot. I take aim at one of the cans and it takes all six shots for me to hit a can.
They encourage me to keep going and about the third time, I get the hang of it and start hitting my targets. I stop for a while as Bradley and Connor take turns shooting the 9mm and Max brings out his gun. It’s the same one from the night of the fire, and they start shooting at the targets. I excuse myself to get something to drink and walk into the cabin when I hear my phone ringing. I start looking around for it and start towards the ringing. It stops but then starts again right away. I finally see it halfway under the bed pillow and as I reach for it, I hear a car quickly pulling up and car doors opening and closing. I walk to the window to see Sergeant Taylor and Captain Walters walking towards Max, Connor, and Bradley. Sergeant Taylor says something and Max roars, “WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?” Bradley’s yelling too. “How???? That’s bullshit!”
The phone in my hand starts ringing again. I forgot I was holding it and when I look down I see it’s Abigail and her pretty face is flashing on the screen. “Crap,” I exclaim. I meant to call her, but now’s not a good time. I need to find out what’s going on. I answer with the intention of telling my baby sister I can’t talk and I’ll call her back soon, but that’s not what happens. When I answer the phone I almost throw up as I drop to my knees.
“Hey, baby. Miss me?” Rocky.
Chapter 28
NO!!!! I lay doubled over on the floor, trying to hold down my breakfast that’s threatening to come back up. I whisper into the phone, “Rocky, why do you have Abigail’s phone?” Please God, no. Don’t let him have her! But I send up my prayer too late. “Sissy?” she’s crying.
“Abigail? Oh my God, are you okay? Did he hurt you? Where are you?” What’s happening?
“Sissy, he’s crazy. Whatever you do, don’t come…” I hear a slap and she yelps and starts to cry. “Abigail, tsk tsk. We talked about that.” I hear him sigh, “Abigail, I think she’s more hard- headed than you, but I have her…” he pauses, “contained,” and he chuckles. He’s a crazy fucking bastard.
“Rocky, please. What do you want? Just tell me?” I plead.
“Well, I was worried when I heard about how severely you were injured in the fire so I needed to check on you. Glad to know you have such quick miraculous healing abilities and, well, I’m going to need you to come meet me at my cabin,” he says. I hear my sister try to yell something but he muffles her mouth and hushes her and I flash back to the night he raped me. “Okay, but I don’t remember how to get there, Rocky. I don’t have a car,” I say. I hear him walking across the floor. “Jaycee, I’m going to give you coordinates and you just program them into your phone’s GPS and it’ll bring you right to me,” he says. I hear a door open and the wind blowing in the phone. “How you get here, not my problem. Yours. Find a way. If you’re not here in an hour, I’m going to have to hurt you sister.”
“No Rocky, please,” I beg.
“Baby, I just spent weeks behind bars. I’m a little upset about that, but I still love you and I’m going to let you make it up to me, but you have an hour. Not a minute longer. If you’re not here, she pays, and if you bring anyone with you, she dies.” I can hear him walking down steps and then gravel and finally I hear his footsteps on the dock. “It would be a shame to have to kill her, but I will. Now, get loose of whoever you’re with and get here.”
“Okay Rocky. I’ll come.” I start digging through drawers until I find a pen and then I grab a napkin. “Give me the coordinates,” I say, and I write them down and shove them in my pocket.
“One hour. Now tell me you love and missed me, baby,” he says, and I squeeze my eyes closed and say through almost closed lips, “I love you and missed you, Rocky.” I hear the smile in his voice. “Love you and missed you, too, baby. Hurry up.” And he hangs up and I stick my phone in my back pocket.
I start searching the cabin for keys. I see Max’s keys on the counter but I can’t drive a bike so I run over and pick up the bags Connor and Bradley brought in and start dumping them out, looking for the keys to Bradley’s Crossfire but I can’t find them. I start to the back room but stop to look out the window and I see Connor trying to calm Bradley down. Max looks furious and starts towards the cabin with Sergeant Taylor and Captain Walters behind him.
“Shit,” I mutter, and I start looking around frantically. They’re getting closer and I’m about to grab the motorcycle keys out of desperation but as t
he door starts to open and I turn, I catch the silver of a key ring with a key remote on the kitchen counter near the used coffee mugs. I reach out and grab them right as the door opens and they walk in. I stick the keys into my back pocket and turn to them.
“Hey, Jayc. Come here. We need to talk,” Max says and walks over to me.
I gotta get out of here. I’m wasting time. Time I don’t have. How am I going to get away? I look at him and he looks worried. If he only knew.
“Last night, someone pulled strings and got Rocky a midnight bail hearing. There’s an argument going on about the DA not being notified of the hearing, therefore a new intern in the office showed up for the hearing. He didn’t know too much about the case and well, he fucked everything up.” He pulls me to sit next to him on the bed. “The dumb-fuck of a judge granted Rocky bail at fifty thousand and his dad posted it. He’s been out a few hours now and he’s vanished.” When I think of Rocky having my sister for that long, I gag and dry heave. Max stands and walks to the kitchen and grabs me some water and a napkin. “It’s going to be okay. Everyone is looking for him. You’re safe,” he says.
I close my eyes and lower my head. I’m safe but my sister isn’t. I have to do this even if it means losing Max because he thinks I don’t trust him. I tell them a lie. “I’m feeling sick. Will y’all excuse me for a minute?” I look to Captain Walters who gives me an understanding look and then I look at Sergeant Taylor who’s looking at me with question. He knows something is off about my behavior, but he just can’t figure it out. I look back at him and stare directly into his eyes trying to convey something but I don’t know what. He tilts his head when I do it. He knows something is up. A few minutes later I hear the door open and I see Connor and Bradley come in. It’s now or never. Tell them.
“Please, I’ll be back in a few minutes. I don’t feel well.” I turn to leave for the back room when Max offers to come with me. “No, Max, I need a few minutes. Thank you. I’ll be right back,” I say, and I glance at Sergeant Taylor, who’s still watching me closely. I walk into the back room and stand by the sink. The gun. It’s outside. I have to make a run for it while they’re all in the front room. I walk to the toilet and flush it and then go to the sink and turn the water on. I start for the back door but then stop and turn back and grab my eyeliner and work quickly. Hopefully what I do next will help Max forgive me. I quietly open and close the back door and make my way around the house. I see the gun case and the bag of ammo sitting against the house. I run as fast as I can and grab them both and then run back to the side of the house. I look around the other side of the house where the car is as I reach into the bag and grab one of the boxes of ammo. When I look down, I find it and tuck it under my arm. This is it. I have to do this for Abigail. I take a deep breath and then run for the Crossfire. I start the car and slam it into reverse and back down the incline and turn it towards the road. As I slip it into drive, I see Sergeant Taylor running out the back door I just came out of. Thank God, I think to myself, he’ll know. We catch each other’s eyes for a split second before everyone else comes running out of the front door. I gun it and take off down the road. I just need a few minutes’ head start.
When I hit the main road, I pull my phone and the paper with the coordinates from my back pocket. I swerve to the side of the road, pull up my phone’s GPS and enter the numbers. Once my phone locks in on it, I gun it and get back on the road. I now have only fifty minutes to get there and GPS says it’s fifty-eight minutes away. I push on the gas.
Chapter 29
It’s taken me forty-four minutes, but I see the dirt road turn off onto the private property drive that leads to Rocky’s cabin where he’s holding my sister Abigail. My phone has been ringing nonstop. I’ve had to ignore it and continue reading the GPS. I have to do this. I stop the car and grab the gun case, grab the box of ammo and dump it all out in the car seat. I open the chamber and load it, snap it back and put on the safety, and tuck it in my boot. I grab a handful of bullets and drop them in my pocket. Then I start looking around the car for anything else I can use. I reach under the driver’s seat, glove compartment, console, and shit, nothing. But this is Bradley’s car. He’s a McGinty. I know he’s carrying something for protection. I pull the trunk lever and jump out and start digging through everything, still finding nothing. Thinking of one final place, I run to the passenger’s door, open it and get down on my knees and stick my hand under the seat and again, nothing. I start to pull my hand out and run to recheck under the driver’s seat when I see a thin piece of rope hanging that doesn’t fit in with the rest of the seat. I pull it down and out falls a .22 mini-revolver and switchblade. Holy hell. I check the .22 and it’s loaded. Out of time, I put the .22 in my other boot and tuck the switchblade in the side waist of my pants, close the passenger door and the trunk and get back in the car and drive the rest of the half-mile up to the cabin.
As I pull up, I see Rocky dragging Abigail out of the cabin. He has her hands tied in front of her and her feet bound. He starts for the path, dragging her on her back across the gravel but when he hears me he turns and drops her. I jump out of the car and start running towards them. “Rocky, STOP! I’m here, I’m here.” He unclips the snap on the case holding his buck knife off the waist of his belt. I think he’s going to untie her but then he twists it in his hand and swings down, stabbing her in the leg. She pulls her knees up, screaming out in pain and I run over and bend down to her. “Abigail! Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” I say, and then I whisper, “Help is coming.” There’s blood everywhere and I’m trying to put pressure on her leg but she just keeps crying. I look up to him. “Why? I came. I’m here,” I whisper, but now I’m getting angry. “You were late baby, I told you if you were late I was going to hurt your sister.” I keep pressure on her wound but turn and face him. “I thought you were a monster but I was wrong, you’re the devil himself, aren’t you?”
He thinks about it and smiles like I just complimented him. “Yes, something like that,” he says, and he grabs me by my arm to start pulling me back towards the cabin, but I resist his pull and go back to Abigail. “I’m not leaving her, Rocky,” I say, and I turn to my side where he can’t see my arm. It looks like I’m trying to help Abigail up, and as I loop my arm through hers I manage to wiggle the knife up about halfway, but it’s stuck. I need to get it to her so she can cut her hands and feet loose and get out of here. Abigail must see it because she looks at me and then she fakes a scream, but I feel her grab the handle and slide it out. Then she curls herself up, crying on the ground. “Enough, she’ll be fine. Let’s go,” Rocky demands. I keep fighting him when he pulls a gun out and aims it at Abigail. “NOOO,” I scream, and I move to her, shielding her. “No more fighting me, Jaycee,” and he puts the gun away. “Let’s go.”
I look back to him and get up, still keeping myself between him and Abigail. I take one more look back at her as he pulls me up the steps and I see her looking at something in the brush. I don’t move my head but I look out the corner of my eye and I see two guys run up behind a tree and kneel down with rifles. On that, Rocky pulls me in and shuts the door and shoves me into the kitchen. He turns around and looks at me up and down and smiles.
“Jesus, baby, minus your sister’s blood, you look great. I missed you. Come here,” he says. When I don’t move he demands, “Jaycee, next time I ask, I won’t wait for an answer. I’ll walk back outside and put a bullet in your sister’s other leg. Each time you fight me, she gets another bullet. When she bleeds out, you’ll have no one to blame but yourself.” He smiles. “Now, come here.” This time, I don’t hesitate. I walk over to him and he pulls me into his chest and slams his mouth down on mine. I gag and almost vomit. He starts pulling me through the living room towards the hallway and bedrooms. I want to struggle and fight, but I fear for my sister. All I can do is silently cry and follow him but when he stops abruptly and turns us I stand shocked and hopeful. One of the men from the bushes, he’s standing at the en
d of the hallway with a rifle trained on us. I’m not sure if he’s after both of us or just Rocky yet, but it becomes clear it’s not me when he speaks. “Rocky, man, I don’t want to, but if you don’t let her go, you’re not leaving me a choice.”
Rocky pulls me in front of him, wrapping his arm around my neck and putting his gun to my temple. “Well, hello brother. Long time no see. What brings you to town, Linc?” Rocky asks, and he starts walking forward as Linc steps back, giving him a little room. “Rocky—Mom, she’s worried about you. I’m worried about you. We need to go somewhere and talk. You’ve hurt a few people and we need to figure out what to do.” Rocky doesn’t react, so Linc continues. “Daniel, you know this.” I hear Rocky scoff in my ear. “Daniel? Linc, Daniel is long gone. A little bit of him left each time Dad hurt Mom, when Dad hurt us, and the rest left when you left. No more Daniel.” Linc shakes his head and says, “Daniel, I tried so many times to get you to come with me.” Rocky jerks me and then I hear him roar at Linc, “And do what? Leave Mom? Who was going to stay with her? No Lincoln, you left both of us. You know what’s really fucking funny? Jaycee here thinks I’m a fucking monster. She thinks I’m the devil himself, Linc. But she should really get to know our dad, the great Dr. Jennings. Now there’s the real monster!”
Falling Into Blue Page 18