avery shaw 08 - misprints & mistakes

by lee, amanda m

  “I know,” I said, patting his knee. “That’s one of my gifts.”

  “Tell me your plan,” Jake instructed. “I’m not agreeing to anything until I hear what you have in mind. Even then the odds are against me going with anything that came from that twisted brain of yours.”

  “Never say never.”

  “LET ME do all the talking,” Eliot ordered ten minutes later, linking his fingers with mine as we trudged up the cabin driveway. “We’ll be in trouble if you go off on Stanley before we know what’s going on.”

  “You don’t know that,” I argued.

  “I know that you’re going to call him a kidnapper if I let you do the talking, and he won’t trust us if that happens,” Eliot said.

  “That’s not going to happen regardless,” I said. “We both know it. Our only job is making sure we separate Stanley at the front of the house so Jake’s men can go in through the back and find Sierra.”

  “I still want to do the talking,” Eliot said. “I’m the boss. Don’t forget that for one moment.”

  He squeezed my hand as we climbed the steps that led to the front door of the cabin and knocked. We remained still, holding our breath until we heard the distinctive sound of shuffling feet behind the door. We exchanged a brief look, and when the door finally opened about a foot I recognized Stanley instantly. He stared back at us with a blank face and black eyes.

  “What do you want?”

  As far as greetings go, it wasn’t the cheeriest. Sadly, I’d been privy to much worse, though. I was considering it a win because he was at the door and he appeared to be alone – and unarmed.

  “Hi,” Eliot said, pasting a bright and friendly smile on his face. I almost didn’t recognize him. “Our car broke down about a mile down the road and we’re not getting any cell service out here.” Eliot held up his phone for proof even though there was no way Stanley could see whether any bars were present from his spot behind the door. “We were hoping you had a phone we could use.”

  “I don’t like strangers,” Stanley barked, moving to shut the door.

  Eliot stepped forward quickly, releasing my hand and shoving his foot in the opening so Stanley couldn’t lock us out of the cabin. He wanted both hands free in case Stanley made a move. I wisely took a step back to give him room to move.

  “We need to use your phone.” Eliot’s tone left no room for debate.

  “I don’t have a phone,” Stanley snapped. “Get off my property.” He pushed against the door, but Eliot’s foot wasn’t going anywhere.

  “I don’t believe you,” Eliot said, shoving the door hard enough to dislodge Stanley and send him reeling backward. Eliot stepped into the cabin and glanced around, his eyes dark as they scanned the sparse room.

  I couldn’t see through him and it was too dark to see around him. “Do you see anything?”

  “No,” Eliot replied. “I … .”

  The deafening roar of a gun going off filled my ears and I instinctively ducked, hitting the hard wood of the front porch and groaning as I banged my knee against it. Eliot dropped to the floor inside of the cabin and fell still. I couldn’t see anything but his shoe, terror warring with potential grief as the reality of what might’ve happened set in.

  “E-Eliot?”

  He didn’t answer. I could hear feet moving on the floor inside the cabin and Stanley disappeared into the darkness.

  My heart pounded so hard I thought I might pass out. My breath came in ragged gasps as I tried to focus on Eliot … and most importantly, why he wasn’t moving.

  “Eliot, please.” Was that my voice? It didn’t sound familiar – or human. “Eliot … .”

  Love won out over fear and I crawled forward, grabbing Eliot’s shoulder as my heart pounded and tears threatened to obscure my vision.

  “Eliot?”

  I thought I saw movement.

  “Eliot, if you die on me I will never forgive you,” I sobbed, jerking his arm. “Get up!”

  Eliot rolled to his side, reaching out with his arm and pulling me to the floor so he could shield me with his body. “Are you trying to kill me?” he hissed in my ear. “What were you thinking coming in here after you heard a gun go off?”

  “I thought you were dead,” I said, my voice cracking. “I thought … .”

  “I’m okay,” Eliot said, kissing my forehead. “I’m fine. I saw the gun before the woman managed to level it and get off a clean shot. I’m pretty sure it was Sandy’s mother Claire. It was too dark to be positive, though.”

  “Are you hit?” Jake asked, peering inside the cabin. He crouched in the doorway, gun drawn, and his face grim. “Are either of you hit?”

  “I got grazed, but it’s nothing,” Eliot said, keeping his hand over my face as he glanced inside the cabin. It was small, but there were at least three rooms for people to hide in on the other side of the huge fireplace. “There are two people in here and at least one gun. It’s Stanley Newman for sure, and I think the other person is Claire Newman.”

  “What about Sierra?”

  “I haven’t seen anyone else,” Eliot said.

  That’s when I heard it; the faint sound of a child crying beneath us. “There’s a basement,” I whispered, pressing my ear to the wooden floor. “I can hear Sierra down there.”

  “As long as Stanley and Claire are up here, Sierra is safe down there,” Jake said. “I’ve got men at the back door. I want you two out of here.”

  “No way,” I protested. “You promised I could be here.”

  “You’re here, Avery,” Jake snapped. “You were even the first one through the door and you promised you didn’t want that. I’m in charge now. Your plan turned out as I worried. Although, if I’m being fair, I thought you would kick him in the nuts the second you saw him, so things didn’t go exactly how I envisioned.”

  “Ha, ha,” I intoned, focusing on Eliot. “Are you sure you’re all right? Can you move?”

  “I’m fine, Avery,” Eliot said. “I’m embarrassed about being caught off guard, but I’m fine.”

  “Don’t worry about that,” Jake said. “We had no way of knowing whether Claire was in here or if they had weapons.”

  Derrick moved in behind Jake and kept his voice low as he glanced at us. “Is everyone okay?”

  “We’re fine,” Eliot said.

  “Eliot says he’s been grazed but it’s not bad,” I sniffed. “I won’t believe him until I see it myself.”

  “You’re just … unbelievable,” Eliot grunted as he pushed himself to a sitting position, holding me low with one hand and making sure my head was covered. He gingerly tugged down the collar of his shirt and let me look at the wound on his shoulder. “See. It’s nothing.”

  “It’s bleeding.”

  “Ugh. Don’t turn into a worrier on me now,” Eliot ordered.

  “Take her outside,” Jake ordered. “Stay down. “We’ll get Stanley and Claire. Then we’ll get Sierra. Hold it together for a few minutes and this will all be over.”

  “Are you talking to Eliot or me when you say that?” I asked.

  “Both of you,” Jake said, offering me a wan smile. “Go outside, Avery. This is my fight now. You’ve done everything you can do. You found Sierra. Let me finish it.”

  I glanced at Eliot. “Okay,” I said, resigned. “Make sure you kick Stanley in the nuts and tell him it was from me.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  30

  Eliot forced me out of the cabin even though I came up with three legitimate reasons for why I needed to stay. He didn’t’ stop pushing me until we were behind one of Newman’s trucks in the driveway.

  Once settled and away from the action, the only thing I could focus on was Eliot’s shoulder. “Let me see it under better light,” I instructed, reaching for his arm.

  “I’m fine, Avery,” Eliot grumbled. “There’s no reason to get all worked up. It’s just a scratch.”

  “Let me see it,” I repeated.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Eliot shot
back.

  “Let me see it or I’ll cry,” I said, catching Eliot off guard.

  “You’re threatening me with tears if I don’t show you my shoulder?” Eliot asked, mystified. “You’ve never threatened me with tears before. Great bodily harm? Yeah. Mean thoughts and words? Double yeah. Tears, though?”

  “I’m not joking,” I said. “My emotions are all over the place. I saw you on the ground, and when you didn’t immediately answer me … .”

  “I didn’t answer because I wanted them to think I was dead,” Eliot said. “I didn’t want them to fire another shot.”

  “Well I thought you were dead,” I said. “It didn’t feel good.”

  Eliot let loose with a dramatic sigh and tugged his shirt down so I could see his shoulder. It didn’t look bad. For some reason the knowledge that it was merely a scratch didn’t make me feel better.

  “Are you happy?” Eliot asked.

  “We need to clean it out once this is done,” I said. “I don’t want you getting an infection.”

  “Uh-huh.” Eliot grabbed my elbow and tugged me so I was practically on his lap, and he gave me a hug. “I’m sorry I didn’t answer you. That wasn’t fair. I didn’t think you would be stupid enough to walk into a house when I had just been shot, though.”

  “You should realize I’m stupid enough to do anything.”

  Eliot chuckled as he smoothed my hair. “I guess that’s true,” he said. “I … .”

  “He’s moving! He’s in the back!”

  I snapped my head back to the cabin. Jake and Derrick were inside. I recognized Derrick’s voice when he yelled. He sounded excited.

  “How hard can it be to catch two people in a tiny cabin?” I asked.

  “They’re being careful, Avery,” Eliot said, absentmindedly rubbing his thumb over the back of my neck. “It only feels like we’ve been waiting for a long time because we’re not involved.”

  “Are you angry we’re not involved, too?”

  “I’m angry because I didn’t see the gun until it was almost too late,” Eliot clarified. “You could’ve been seriously hurt because I wasn’t paying attention.”

  “You could’ve been seriously hurt,” I corrected. “I was fine. I didn’t even get a chance to stick my foot in my mouth. It’s kind of depressing.”

  “I’m sure you’ll get a chance to say something mean before the day is out,” Eliot said.

  “That would be nice.”

  I settled on the ground next to Eliot, antsy as I listened to scuffling feet and a variety of excited utterances inside the cabin. It was tiny. I had no idea why it was taking Jake and Derrick so long to take the Newmans into custody. For lack of anything better to do I rested my hand on Eliot’s thigh, earning a sidelong glance from him.

  “Avery, I’m fine,” Eliot said. “You’re fine, too. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “I don’t need safety promises,” I said. “I just … wanted to touch you. Now I’m sorry I did.” I moved to pull my hand away but Eliot slammed his down on top of mine and refused to let me break contact.

  “I’m sorry,” Eliot said. “Sometimes you’re so strong I forget you have chick moments. It’s nice. Don’t move your hand.”

  “Now I don’t want to touch you. The moment has passed.”

  Eliot snorted. “The moment will never really pass,” he said. “It won’t be long now. I know patience isn’t one of your virtues, but if you can hold on for five minutes I’ll buy you an ice cream when we get back to town.”

  “Do you honestly thing I can be bribed with ice cream?”

  “I hear the Dairy Queen has a new Blizzard flavor,” Eliot offered.

  Apparently I could be bribed with ice cream. “I hope it involves butterscotch. There aren’t enough things that involve butterscotch. I … .” Movement caught my attention out of the corner of my eye and I shifted so I could study the cabin. Along the east side of the small structure there was a tiny window close to the ground. It obviously led to the basement. I studied the window for a moment, silent, and then the movement returned.

  Sierra Jackson’s frightened eyes popped into view. She was grappling with the window even though her hands were tied in front of her. She seemed desperate to escape.

  “Eliot.”

  “I see her,” Eliot said, glancing around and scowling. All of the sheriff’s deputies were either inside the cabin or watching the perimeter. No one was close enough to us to help Sierra. “She’ll be okay. We’ll get her out as soon as it’s safe.”

  “I … .”

  The sound of breaking glass drew my attention back to the window and I realized Sierra had smashed the glass – and she was trying to crawl through the small opening.

  “Sonovabitch!” Eliot cursed loudly and rolled to his knees. “She’s dumber than you are.”

  “I’ll take that as a compliment,” I said, moving to follow Eliot.

  “It wasn’t meant as one,” Eliot said, keeping low to the ground as he crept toward the window. “Keep your troublesome behind over there, Avery. I’m not joking. I can’t watch both of you. I’ll bring her to you.”

  “But … .”

  “Now, Avery,” Eliot ordered, grimacing as he grabbed Sierra’s shoulders and hoisted her through the window. When the frightened teenager landed on the ground her eyes searched Eliot’s face. She looked terrified.

  “W-who are you?”

  “He’s a good guy,” I called out, gesturing toward Sierra. “Run this way.”

  Sierra’s eyes washed over Eliot, fear evident. It was almost as if she was asking for permission.

  “It’s okay,” Eliot prodded. “Go to Avery. We won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Sierra didn’t need to be told twice. She pushed herself to a standing position and raced toward the vehicle, skidding to a stop and dropping her head as she hid next to me. Eliot was close behind.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  “I’m fine,” Eliot said. “Focus on Sierra.”

  “I was talking to Sierra,” I pointed out.

  Eliot’s cheeks colored. “Oh, well, then I’m definitely fine.”

  I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing.

  “Oh, shut up, Avery,” Eliot said. “Pay attention to Sierra.”

  I did as instructed and forced a smile for the frightened girl’s benefit. “They’re going after Stanley and Claire right now. Apparently the cabin is bigger than it looks.”

  “They have a lot of guns,” Sierra said, her eyes filling with tears. “I want to go home.”

  “You’re going home as soon as this is settled,” I promised. “Your brother is really excited to see you.”

  Sierra visibly brightened. “You’ve seen Danny?”

  I nodded. “I talked to him a few days ago,” I said. “He’s been staying with your grandparents while your parents … .” I wasn’t sure how to finish that sentence.

  “I know what losers my parents are,” Sierra said. “I saw them on the news fighting the other night.”

  “Have they been mistreating you?” Eliot asked, keeping his voice low. Sierra seemed jumpy – especially around him – and he was careful not to make any sudden movements.

  “They tied me up,” Sierra said, lifting her joined hands. “They threatened to smack me around if I didn’t shut up.”

  “Did they smack you around?” I asked as Eliot went to work untying the thin rope binding her wrists.

  Sierra shook her head. “They weren’t terrible,” she replied. “They locked me in the basement and let me watch television. I think something went wrong. Whatever they had planned didn’t work out and they were really upset.”

  I bit my lip, unsure how to proceed. Ultimately Eliot handled that part for me.

  “Did they tell you why they wanted you?” Eliot asked.

  “They just told me to shut up or they would kill me,” Sierra answered, running a now-freed hand through her bedraggled hair. “They mostly ignored me but … well … I think they were
going to kill me soon. Something happened to freak them out, and they were talking about running. I don’t think they were going to take me with them.”

  “Probably not,” I said, refusing to lie to the girl. “It’s okay, though. You’re going home.”

  “How did you find me?” Sierra asked.

  “I found this,” I said, reaching for my back pocket and retrieving the doll.

  Sierra took it, her eyes widening. “You found it? I was trying to hide it under a game when I saw Stanley coming. I knew something bad was going to happen.”

  “Is it a voodoo doll?” I asked.

  Sierra nodded. “We’ve been sticking pins in it trying to give Sandy a heart attack.”

  “Well, that sounds fun,” I said, grinning. “I take it the pins didn’t work.”

  “I think it was false advertising,” Sierra admitted.

  “Good grief,” Eliot mumbled.

  “Did you know Stanley before you saw him at the mall?” I asked, opting to change the subject.

  “Sandy brought us out here the day before it happened,” Sierra supplied. “She made us stay in the car, but I took a selfie because I figured something weird was going on. Where is my phone?” She looked frustrated as she tugged at the doll’s hidden compartment.

  “It’s at my house,” I replied. “I found the doll the day you were taken. Then I forgot about it. I didn’t find it again until I went through the jeans I wore that day. Your photo is what led us here.”

  “Have people been looking for me?” Sierra asked.

  “Everyone has been looking for you,” I answered.

  “Especially Avery,” Eliot interjected. “She’s been obsessed with finding you. You should thank her.”

  “Thank you,” Sierra said, her voice small.

  “You don’t have to thank me,” I said, ignoring Eliot’s scowl. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  “I … have my parents been looking for me?” Sierra asked. This time when she voiced the question she almost looked as if she was afraid to hear the answer.

  “Of course they’ve been looking for you,” I replied. “They’re worried about you.”

  “When I saw them on television they were fighting with each other,” Sierra said. “I think they got arrested.”