The Haret (The Haret Series)

by Denise Daisy

  “It’s against the rules of the oracle Savas. You can’t force yourself on me, sex must be consensual.”

  Ian laughed softly and kissed her again.

  “Oh it will be. You will consent to save Esther’s life. Why else would I have brought her along? I’d just as soon watch her burn in the corn field.”

  He laughed and kissed her again.

  “There’s always a loop hole Taz.”

  Her heart failed her and for the first time in her life she feared all hope was gone.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Sharon waited outside in her car and kept her eyes peeled on the door of the building. She asked Lisette to move into the back seat with Hayley leaving the passenger side available. Lisette obeyed without questioning because she’d never seen her mother so determined about anything in her life.

  It took about forty five minutes before they arrived at their destination and Sharon noticed the surprise on her daughters faces when she pulled into the parking lot of the Nashville correctional facility. Again she told them to wait in the car with the doors locked and marched inside with her shoulders squared back and her head held high.

  The girls waited in silence except for the occasional ring of their cell phones all calls from friends asking why Felicitas didn‘t show for court. About thirty minutes later Sharon emerged from the building started the car and pulled around to the back and waited. She strummed her acrylics against the steering wheel in anticipation. Her cell rang; she glanced at it and groaned. It was the third time Esther’s mother had called. She knew she should answer but at this time she had nothing to say, she would let Melvin deal with it, he was good at bullshit. Besides she had a more pressing matter to attend to first.

  The back door swung open and Grant immerged escorted by a guard. Hayley looked at Lisette and panicked.

  “That’s him….the man who kidnapped Taz, the one on the news! “

  Sharon quieted her daughter.

  “Hayley he didn’t kidnap Taz; trust me, he is a friend of mine.”

  Hayley gave her sister a perplexed look and mouthed the question, a friend?

  Sharon opened her door and stood near the car and when Grant saw her he headed over. Hayley pulled her phone out of her purse and began punching in her dad’s number. Lisette looked over and grabbed the phone from her hand.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Calling dad. I’m scared. What if this man drugs us and rapes us or something. I don’t think momma knows what she’s doing.”

  Lisette looked out of the window surveying their situation.

  “It is kind of weird, though, you know momma coming here right now with Taz missing and all. I’ve never seen her act like this before. Don’t call dad just yet. Let’s wait it out and see what happens.”

  Hayley frowned. “But I am so scared I might cry. Do you think momma is having an affair with him or something?”

  “Or something is right. You have to admit he‘s pretty hot.” Lisette said still keeping an eye out.

  “Lisette!” Hayley reprimanded her sister.

  “Well it’s true. Plus you know she and daddy aren’t sleeping in the same room anymore.”

  Hayley’s eyes went wide.

  “They’re not?”

  “Nope.”

  “And you’re sure we shouldn’t call daddy?”

  “I’m sure. I think we ought to wait and see what’s going on, listen to their conversation. They will talk to each other and then we will be able to figure things out.”

  Hayley nodded in agreement. “But I’m still scared of him. The whole thing creeps me out and I’ve had a lot of bad dreams lately because of it.”

  Lisette patted her sister on the arm.

  “I won’t let anything happen to you Hayley.”

  Sharon got back into the car and hit the power lock so Grant could open the passenger door. He didn’t get in but glanced into the back seat at the girls; his face was grim. He looked at Sharon.

  “Let me drive.”

  Sharon tossed him the keys and Hayley whispered to Lisette that their mother must be crazy letting that man drive their car and she just might jump out right now and call a cab. Lisette grabbed her hand and reassured her again that she wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

  Grant slid into the driver seat and pulled the car onto the main highway. He glanced in the rearview mirror at the girls in the back seat. Hayley squeezed Lisette’s hand even tighter. Grant pushed hard on the accelerator defying the law going at least 40 miles over the posted limit.

  “How long has she been missing?”

  Grant suspected the worst and Sharon knew it. Why else would she had come at this late of an hour and bail him out.

  “I don’t know for sure. She was home alone with Esther they were getting ready for homecoming. A limo was supposed to pick them up and bring them to the game. They never showed. When I drove home to check on her, the house was dark, the power had been cut and the corn field across the street was on fire.”

  Grant hit the window with his fist. “Damn it! Why was she home alone?”

  “It’s been pretty calm for two weeks, I let my guard down. I thought she was safe.”

  “She’s never safe Sharon…never.”

  Sharon wanted to cry, she knew he was right and she was angry at herself for allowing Melvin to bully her into the whole returning back to normal scheme. She did it to buy time and now flying frantically down the highway she realized it was a mistake.

  “So where do you think they are taking her?”

  Grant sighed blowing the air out of his mouth slowly.

  “The well.”

  Sharon looked over at him.

  “The well? You know where it is?”

  He nodded and Sharon glanced at the speedometer.

  “Should you be driving so fast? I just bailed you out of jail, if you get caught going this fast they will haul you right back.”

  Grant looked in his rearview again.

  “I can’t risk slowing down. Once they get her to the well, we will never see her again.”

  Sharon’s heart fell.

  “Do you think it’s too late? How far away is the well?”

  “Not sure if it’s too late since we don’t know how long they’ve had her. The well is on the outskirts of Murfreesboro, but once they get there they must wait for the water to stir, once it begins to swirl it’s just a matter of time. Let’s hope it takes a while. I assume she told you about Ian?”

  Lisette leaned forward straining to hear.

  “Yes she did. She broke up with him.”

  “Seen him lately?”

  “No, he kind of disappeared.”

  ‘He’s got her.” Grant said. “I’m sure of it.”

  Lisette exchanged glances with Hayley before she spoke up.

  “What’s going on momma? I think we have a right to know.”

  Grant eyed Sharon.

  “They don’t know about the book do they? You never passed it down to them?”

  Sharon sighed. She didn’t need a guilt trip right now. She had done her best over the years to be a submissive wife and to make a normal life for her children. Melvin had never believed in the book. He said it was against God and a curse on her life and if she refuted it the curse would go away. He said she could not believe in God and believe the story in the book and since the children were his too he forbid her to indoctrinate them about it. He was a scholar and had gone to seminary and intimidated her with his knowledge so, she decided to put the book away and move on, and live a conventional life like everyone else and for a while she thought she had escaped their prophesied destiny.

  “I did what I thought was right…I made a mistake, and now I am trying to rectify that, okay?”

  Grant wasn’t one to hold a grudge or to cast unnecessary blame. He gave her a sympathetic smile, ran his hands through his hair then gave her a list of instructions telling her that once they arrived she was to take the girls and go someplace far away and wait
for him to contact her. As usual she protested.

  “No I’m coming with you.”

  He laughed.

  “No you’re not. You’re going to do just what I tell you.”

  Sharon’s eyes flashed at his words. She finally had the courage to pull out from under one man’s rule, she wasn’t about to enslave herself to another.

  “Sharon, it’s very dangerous. You have two other daughters to worry about. Let me help Felicitas.”

  “Lisette and Hayley will be fine…”

  “Like you thought Felicitas would be fine?”

  His words stung so she retaliated.

  “I’m a great shot and you know it, or have you forgotten I saved your ass two weeks ago?”

  Lisette snickered and Hayley gasped, appalled at their mother’s language and declaration. Sharon ignored their reactions and continued her argument.

  “You will be outnumbered and you know it. Besides, she is my daughter and this is my fight as much as it is yours. I am going with you and that’s final. Now…” she said opening the glove box. “I have two guns. Once we get to wherever it is we are going, I am staying with you. Lisette can drive herself and Hayley home.”

  Sharon took out the weapons and checked each gun loaded them and then poured some extra bullets in Grant’s shirt pocket. She glanced over the back seat at the girls whose faces were in complete disbelief. Hayley bit her lower lip and brushed away a tear that rolled down her cheek. Sharon’s face softened. She reassured her everything was going to be okay and that she and Grant would bring Felicitas home safe. Then she told them to go to their grandparent’s house and stay there until they heard from her. She felt they would be safe there. Grant interrupted her warning the girls not to have any contact with Ian. Lisette glared at him and in staying true to her defiant spirit said she didn’t think she should do anything he said since they still hadn’t answered her question about what was going on. She continued to say that as far as she knew Grant was a criminal, a sexual predator and a drug dealer and had her sister and her mother under his spell and unless they coughed up some answers to her questions she would do anything she damn well pleased. For starters she would call 911 this very minute and report a reckless driver who by chance was just released from prison because someone posted bail.

  There wasn’t time for explanations so Sharon spent the last few minutes of the ride promising the girls she would explain everything as soon as they found Felicitas but for right now she needed them to trust her.

  Grant pulled the car onto a dark dirt road then drove several more miles at top speed bumping along over pot holes and stirring up dirt and rocks in his wake. He slowed down when the road came to an end at a grove of ghostly looking trees. The headlights revealed a sleek black limo hidden in the foliage. Sharon gasped when she saw the dark car. Grant did a quick U-turn stopped the car and turned off the head lights. He took his gun from Sharon and then looked over the back seat. Hayley sat rigid, fear manifesting in her eyes.

  “Lisette, take this road as far as it will go, it will empty back onto the old highway in about five miles. Keep your doors locked, and if you see anyone in the road do not stop. If they don’t move then run over them. You hear?”

  Lisette stared at him but said nothing. Hayley softly offered her opinion on the matter.

  “She only has a permit; she’s not supposed to drive without an adult in the car.”

  “This is an emergency hon,” Sharon said. “Tonight Lisette can break the rules.”

  Grant left the car and made his way over to the limo keeping caution; his gun aimed high. He swung open the door; the dome light brightened the interior. He climbed inside and noticed the abandoned duffel bag, oxygen mask, and half-drunk bottle of water. He rubbed his fingers over the upholstery mopping up fresh blood. He swore under his breath, climbed out and yelled at Sharon who was still trying to convince her daughters that everything was going to be okay.

  “Let’s go Sharon.” He said putting the gun in his belt. “There’s no time to waste.”

  She left the girls promising she would see them soon.

  Lisette took the driver’s seat and Hayley rode shotgun. They watched Grant and their mother disappear in the trees. Lisette shook her head and started the car. Hayley shivered and hit the power locks.

  “This is so creepy, hurry and get us out of here.”

  Lisette waited a minute before putting the car in drive.

  “Should we follow them?”

  Hayley almost screamed.

  “Are you kidding? Go in there? He’s got a gun and might shoot us, plus he is probably heading to his drug dealing hideout.”

  “So you’re okay with momma getting killed?”

  “He’s not going to kill her if they are having an affair. Please just let’s get going. We need to tell dad what’s going on.”

  “So what is going on Hayley? Huh? Do you know?”

  “No, other than the fact that I think everyone has lost their minds. What‘s happened to our family?”

  Lisette remained silent and continued staring toward the woods.

  “I think I know someone who could tell us.”

  Hayley looked at her sister and paled.

  “You’ wouldn‘t.”

  Lisette continued to stare out the windshield.

  “Don’t you want to know what’s going on?

  Hayley shivered and looked around nervously.

  “But momma said to go to grandmas.

  Lisette put the car in drive and grinned. “We are.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  Ian cursed the third time Felicitas tripped over the hem of her dress and swore if it happened again he would remove it completely and make her go the rest of the way in her lingerie. He would do it too and Esther hated him because of it. It was difficult at best to maneuver the narrow path let alone being blindfolded and wearing a floor length formal not to mention their bare feet had grown numb from the frigid ground making it almost impossible to walk. Several times she heard Felicitas cry out in pain but did not know the reason why.

  Within minutes of being yanked from the limo and forced into the dense woods Esther realized they were not heading to the airport. They were being taken deep into the forest and possibly being held in some run down shack or cave. She was relieved and a tiny bit of hope continued to surface thinking there might be a chance to escape after all. But on the other hand Ian was smart and had everything methodically planned out and she doubted there wasn’t anything he hadn’t accounted for. Still she hung on to her hope because that’s who she was.

  With her sight restricted her ears were more alert than ever and she paid careful attention listening to everything around her. She picked up on the sound of a running stream, about half an hour into their walk and once she thought she heard a waterfall in the distance. Every now and then Ian would speak to the men that were with them; they spoke in a language that she had never heard before and couldn’t place the dialect.

  She was angry with herself too. She had stopped believing Felicitas story two weeks ago when Ian had convinced her that Grant was a dealer and had been drugging Felicitas. His point of view on the whole scenario made perfect sense and Esther found herself believing the deceivers logic rather than the heartfelt confessions of her dearest friend and even though she was more terrified than she had ever been in her life she was glad she was with Felicitas at this moment. She would hate to think of her enduring this alone.

  As little girls they played make believe dreaming up daring adventures fighting off evil villains and dragons and being rescued by the gallant prince. Back then she never suspected they would ever be in such dire circumstances and even though the odds seemed stacked against them she would not give up. She would wait for the perfect chance and then take it.

  She heard Felicitas stumbled again. Ian swore and said that was it; that he was removing the dress, but before he could carry out his warning the sound of heavy footsteps stopped him cold.

  The man holding
her pulled her close and placed his hand over her mouth then whispered if she so much made a sound he’d break her arm right there. She heard Ian give the same warning to Felicitas.

  The men dragged them a few feet off the main path and forced them down onto the frozen ground. She sensed the tulle of Felicitas gown brushing up against her bare leg when she fell and knew they were sitting near each other.

  “You okay?” she whispered.

  A forceful kick to her lower back took her breath away nearly causing her to lose consciousness. She fell over into the dried leaves and pine needles and cried quietly. In her entire life she had never felt such pain and wondered if her kidneys had survived the blow.

  Ian squatted down beside them.

  “I hear a noise from either one of you and Esther’s dead. You hear?”

  He wasn’t kidding.

  Esther lay motionless paralyzed by the blow. So much for her plan to escape, even if a small window of opportunity arose she was in too much pain to move.

  Unfamiliar voices joined their group speaking in the same tongue as before. Esther heard at least three distinct voices. Their party just increased which set the odds even more against them.

  The men’s words were panic-stricken and whatever they were saying enraged Ian. His voice seethed with anger and Esther could tell he was doing everything in his power to keep from raising it. He barked out orders and the sound of everyone scurrying about gave Esther a tad of hope. Whatever infuriated Ian must be something to their favor because there had been a sudden change of plans.

  She was yanked back onto her feet and forced several yards deeper into the woods. She heard the ripping and tearing of Felicitas dress against the overgrowth of sticks and branches. She was being hauled to the same location. She was forced back down to the ground and again she felt Felicitas fall up against her but this time she said nothing, the pain still radiating through her back served as an unpleasant reminder.

  Ian squatted down beside them again.

  “I don’t have anything to gag you with or I would so you are just going to have to keep quiet no matter what you hear. Try and restrain yourself from reactive screaming. My warning still stands…so much as a whimper from either one of you and Esther dies tonight. I wish I could stay and keep you company but I must go for a little while but no worries my love. I will be back very soon.” He leaned over and kissed Felicitas. Esther’s gut reaction was to kick him the same way as he had kicked her but knew if she did he might carry out his threat right then and there.