“You don’t need to stay with me. I’m just going to sleep it off.” He joins me on the bed.
“I want to stay with you. Just shut your eyes and rest. I’ll be right here.”
“Okay honey.” I take hold of Cade’s hand and close my eyes.
~~ Cade ~~
Just lying here beside Rona, holding her hand, I don’t think I’ve ever felt so content in my life. Rona has been asleep about three hours. I think I drifted off not long after she did.
I turn on my side to look at her; she’s turned during her sleep and is now facing me.
Pushing her hair away from her face, she starts to wake up.
“Hi honey, you stayed with me,” she states, rather sleepily.
“Always. How are you feeling?”
“The headache has gone. I just feel as though my head is full of cotton wool.”
“Do you think you could eat something?”
“Not right now, but a glass of cold water would be good.”
I climb off the bed, “Coming right up love, give me a couple of minutes.”
She turns over, shutting her eyes.
Downstairs, I find a note from Jake saying they’re out and will be back later. Just as I’m about to head back to Rona the phone starts to ring.
I pick up the phone, “Hello, Matthew residence.”
“Dad its Anna, can you or Jake call up to the house and help Justin pin down the tarpaulin that’s over the back porch? There’s a leak in the roof and its making a lot of mess. Justin was trying to sort it out on his own and nearly fell off the roof. I’m not strong enough to hold the ladder for him.”
“Hell! Jake’s out. Can it wait until he gets back? Tom’s still loose and he may come to the house. Rona’s in bed sick; she can’t exactly come with me.”
“Dad please, it won’t take long – maybe twenty minutes. Justin is going up there, otherwise.”
I realize I need to go and help, “Give me fifteen minutes then I’ll be there.”
Shit, what the hell am I going to do with Rona?
I don’t think she’s up to travelling and I feel very uncomfortable leaving her here alone.
Damn it!
I walk back in to the bedroom. Rona is just getting back into bed. “Rona. I have to go out. Hopefully only for thirty minutes. There’s a leak in the roof over at Anna’s. Justin is about to go on the roof on his own and I can’t let him do that.” I sit on the bed and hold her hands, not wanting to let go.
“Of course you have to go. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” She lifts my hand and places a kiss on my palm.
“Tom is still out there. I really don’t want to leave you alone.”
“Cade, I’ll be fine, and you said you won’t be gone long, plus there’s a key in the door. I’ll lock this when you leave and you lock up downstairs. I also have my phone, which is fully charged.”
“Hell.” I can’t seem to leave her.
“Cade go. The sooner you go, the sooner you’re back.”
“I better get changed first.”
After changing into old jeans, I take hold of Rona’s head and bring her in close to me. “I’m going now; you need to lock this behind me.” I place a gentle kiss to her lips.
Rona climbs out of bed and follows me to the door, “I love you.” She kisses me all too briefly, “Don’t worry.”
Shutting the door, I hear the lock engage.
Hell, I hope she’ll be okay.
Chapter 13
~~ Rona ~~
Climbing back into bed after Cade leaves, I feel a bit better. I decide to prop myself up and grab my phone just in case. I wasn’t too concerned about Tom coming after me, until Cade got all stressed out about it. His concern has kind of rubbed off on me.
Hearing a car outside, I wonder if its Jake and Elise. I decide to stay put in case it’s Cade, coming back to make sure I’m following orders.
Five minutes pass when I hear what sounds like breaking glass. Listening again, I can’t hear anything. My heart is pounding. I don’t know whether or not to ring Cade; it might just be my imagination.
Then I hear footsteps on the stairs, “Elise!”
Shit. I grab my phone and ring Cade.
“Elise, I know you’re here, you little bitch.”
Cade answers, “Rona is....” I don’t let him finish.
“Tom’s here. Upstairs.” I panic. I’m really frightened now.
“Fuck! I’m on my way. Stay on the phone.”
I can hear him in the background shouting for someone to call the Sheriff.... that Tom is in the house with me.
“Cade,” I whisper.
“I’m here, we’re on our way,” he says, in a strange voice.
“He’s trying the doors up here.... who’s with you?”
“Justin and Anna. She’s called the Sheriff, he’s on his way.”
Oh god, he’s outside the room. Please go past; please go past – no such luck.
“Cade, he’s trying to get into the room,” I whisper.
“I’m less than ten minutes away. Go in the bathroom and lock the door.”
“Okay.”
Diving out of bed, I try to get around the side of the bed, just as my door flies open and Tom stands there. I freeze for a split second. I run.
“CADE!” I scream. He grabs my hair and pulls.
“You little bitch. This is all your fault.”
~~ Cade ~~
“RONA.” I shout, but the phone has gone dead.
“He’s got her.” I can barely talk, I’m worried sick.
“Dad try and calm down. We’ll be there soon and Daniel isn’t too far out.”
“It’s not that easy.” I try not to crash the car.
~~ Rona ~~
After having my hair yanked and brought up close and personal to Tom, I try to kick him, but he’s so big and has me in a tight hold.
“Where’s Elise?” He asks dragging me out of the bedroom.
“I don’t know.” I try not to cry.
“You’re lying!” He shouts. “Well, it doesn’t matter, because we can have some fun while we wait.”
He’s pulling me towards the stairs and then down them. It’s difficult and painful, because Tom is still holding on to my hair.
Downstairs he throws me into the lounge. I land on my right side, after hitting the coffee table on my way down with my left hip and thigh. The pain brings tears to my eyes.
“Tom, what the hell are you doing?”
Nick, what the hell is he doing here?
“I want to know where Elise is,” Tom replies raising his hand to strike me.
Just as he brings his hand down, Nick stops him, “If she’s too banged up she won’t be able to transfer the money.”
I take a deep breath. Tom takes a few steps back.
Nick moves over to me and helps me up onto the sofa. “Now babe, you need to make the transfer and then we’ll leave you alone.”
“You expect me to believe he’ll walk away?” I nod in Tom’s direction, trying not to give in to my tears. My hands won’t stop shaking. I’m actually more terrified of Tom than Nick.
“Yes he will, because we’ll have the money which we need, and then we’ll go.”
“I thought you were in jail anyway?”
He laughs at me, “I have a good lawyer.”
Crying now, I really am terrified and my left hip and thigh are throbbing with pain. “I really don’t know where Elise is. I went to bed with a migraine and she left while I was asleep. As for money….” pausing, I try to wipe my face, “get my notebook from the bedroom Tom found me in and I’ll give you the money as long as you promise to leave me and everyone else alone. Then just go and promise to take him with you.”
After staring at me for a few moments, “As long as you don’t try anything.”
“How can I?” I cry.
Tom goes to get my notebook and leaves me alone with Nick.
“What are you into Nick?” I whisper.
Runni
ng his hands through his hair, “I was selling drugs with Tom and a couple of other guys, but we were skimming from the top and putting the cash in an account in the Caymans.”
Seeing my shocked expression, “Not everyone has an easy life babe.”
God, I really hate him.
“So what happened?”
Laughing at me, “Turns out the big boss knew what we were doing and was waiting for us to bury ourselves. Now he wants his money back before he buries us.” On a sigh, “So now you know why I have to disappear.”
Then he looks at me, “I’m sorry Rona, I really am. I promise after you’ve completed the transfer to leave you and everyone else alone for good.”
He thinks I’m an idiot and will believe him!
Tom comes back down the stairs, “I think we have a problem. I found her phone on the floor. She made a call just before I found her.”
Tom comes over to me and shouts, “Who did you call?” at the same time he throws my notebook at me.
Shouting back at him, “Cade, and he called the Sheriff!”
Tom hits me straight across the face knocking me over on to my side. Breathing heavy he goes to hit me again, but Nick stops him.
“Calm down, damn it. We have to get out of here and she’ll have to come with us until we have the money.” Nick throws my boots at me.
“Get them on now!” Nick shouts.
Oh god, no, Cade where are you?
“Tom you stay here and bring her out when you hear the car. Make sure she brings her notebook with her.” Nick leaves.
The whole time we’re waiting for the car, Tom just stands in front of me glaring, even as I put my boots on.
He’s one creepy guy.
Hearing a car, I just pray it’s Cade or Daniel.
Tom grabs hold of my arm and drags me to the front door.
Opening the door he drags me through and gets me half way down the steps, while I try to walk on a bum leg in freezing snow and ice.
“Tom. Let her go.” Daniel orders, with his hand resting on his weapon.
As I try to concentrate on what’s going on, all of a sudden, Tom lets go of me and I fall the rest of the way down the steps. Daniel shoots Tom, who had released me to shoot him. I didn’t even know Tom had a gun.
Daniel runs over to Tom and kicks his weapon out of reach, before checking for a pulse. He then comes over to help me up.
“Rona, we meet again. Are you okay?”
Ready to burst into tears, I just shake my head. My leg and hip are throbbing and the fall down the last few steps hasn’t helped and left me even shakier than I was a few minutes ago.
Trying to stand up, I discover I haven’t the strength and that I’m in too much pain.
“Let me help you Rona.” He takes my arm and tries to help me up, we don’t really get anywhere; he picks me up and carries me inside. Putting me down on the sofa, he grabs the blanket from the back, which he wraps around me. “Do you want to lie down?”
“No.” Tears roll down my face.
Passing me a tissue, “Rona, I need to take a statement, but that can wait until you get into dry clothes. I’ll help you upstairs once the coroner arrives to remove Tom. Okay?”
“Cade’s on his way, he can take me upstairs to change when he gets here.... Daniel, Nick is still out there.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“He was with Tom and when they realized I’d made a call he went to get the car and Tom was supposed to bring me out when he heard it.”
“Give me a minute.” He reaches for his radio to tell dispatch to look out for Nick.
“What did they want?” Daniel questions me.
“Nick still wanted money and Tom did as well, but he also wanted Elise.”
Taking a couple of deep breaths, “They said that they’d been selling drugs. Skimming off the top and that the big boss was after them so before he buries them he was going to disappear. But Nick never mentioned Tom when he talked about disappearing.”
“I need to make a phone call. After you get changed we’ll get you checked out by the paramedics, then myself and a colleague will take your statement.”
“Will you find out where Cade is please? I really need him.” I try not to cry, but I think a couple of tears escape.
“Will do. I’m just going back outside for a few minutes. Will you be okay here?”
“Yes.”
Chapter 14
~~ Cade ~~
Pulling up outside my home and seeing Daniel there with Tom motionless at the foot of the steps, has my heart nearly jumping out of my chest. No sooner have I stopped the vehicle, I run over to Daniel.
“Where’s Rona?”
“Cade, calm down. She’s okay. Listen, I think he hit her across the side of the face, a bruise is forming. She’s limping slightly, so I think maybe she’s banged up on one side. She’s agreed that the paramedics can check her out when they arrive.”
“Dad, are you okay? You look white,” Anna shouts, as she catches up to me, putting her hand on my arm.
Patting her hand, “No. Not now Anna, please.”
“Cade, Rona needs to get into some warm clothes and she’ll probably need help.”
“It’s okay Daniel, I’ll help her.” Anna replies.
“I’ll see to her. Where is she Daniel?” Anna looks shocked.
“Cade, you should know it wasn’t just Tom. Nick is involved. He went to get the car, and they were planning on taking Rona with them.”
I curse a blue streak, until I see the look on Anna’s face, which shuts me up.
“Go to her Cade, she’s in front of the fire trying to warm up a bit, but she keeps asking for you.”
“Thanks for everything.”
I head into the house with Anna and Justin trailing me, I can hear Anna in the background babbling on about me and Rona. Right now all I need is to see Rona and have her in my arms. And then there she is. I freeze momentarily. She turns her head in my direction, I can see her composure crumble and she starts to cry.
Moving quickly towards her, she stands up to move towards me. Before I can think, she’s wrapped in my arms crying her heart out. I feel tears rolling down my face, mingling with Rona’s. I bring her face up to mine and place a tender kiss on her lips. “Hell love. Are you hurt anywhere other than your face? Daniel mentioned you were limping.” I shake, as I caress her face.
“My left hip, leg and head, he kept dragging me by the hair.”
“God!” I take in some deep breaths to try and calm down.
“Cade, will you help me upstairs? I need to put some dry clothes on.”
“I will.”
I pick her up in my arms and just hold her for a minute as she hugs me tight. Lifting her hand to my face, I lean down and put my lips to hers in a lingering possessive kiss, not caring who sees us. Taking a deep breath, I rest my forehead against hers, “I love you. I’ve never felt as helpless in my life as I did knowing that bastard had got to you. I never should have left.”
“I’m glad you weren’t here, he had a gun.” Rona starts to cry again.
Arriving at the bedroom, I can see the broken door and hesitate, “It’s okay Cade, let’s just get some clothes.”
With Rona in my arms, I don’t want to let her go, “What do you want to wear?”
“My jazz pants, in that drawer, some thick socks and one of your long sleeve t-shirts.”
Loving the fact she wants to wear a t-shirt of mine, I help her undress and there is a huge bruise from above her left hip going half way down her thigh.
“Jesus Rona.... let me get you something for the pain.”
“Yes, please.”
After she takes the tablets, she takes hold of my hand, “Will you just hold me.”
“Oh love, always.”
Sitting next to Rona on the bed, I take her in to my arms and cuddle her close. She feels so good. “I love you, so much.”
“I love you too.” She pulls away slightly, “I think we better go back downstairs,
Daniel wants to talk to me.”
From This Moment (Jackson Hole) Page 12