Alpha Farm, Facing Your Demons (Prepper Chicks Series Book 2)

by Annie Berdel

  He would stay here tonight, safely tucked away within the confines of his new found cabal. Ben was stopping by in a bit to discuss the plan for the next few days but he knew they needed to get on the road at the ass crack of dawn if they were going to make it to DC by nightfall. Tom was looking forward to the trip. He needed to get away from his wife. He would deal with his kids later, hell, if they knew he was leaving, they might want to tag along just to get away from their mother but he had no way to take care of them right now. They definitely would be safer and better taken care of with Emma. A flame of guilt hit him in the gut. He was walking away from his family. No, he was just walking away from his wife. His kids would understand, they had to. He would make it up to them in the future after he had time to get his life together. He had big plans. Get his own house and begin building his own life instead of having every inch of his vivacity imprisoned by one woman.

  Looking around, he wondered what was taking Ben so long. Deciding to kick back with a cup of coffee after his meal, Tom scooted the chair next to him out and rested his foot on it. He had to admit, he was still feeling a little off kilter from the previous months.

  A few weeks on the beach would do wonders for these old bones, he thought

  Right on cue, his little playmate appeared. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, the girl reminded him of one of his own kids.

  Jesus, he muttered, wiping the thought from his head.

  Her hand outstretched, Tom’s eyes followed hers too the booty she offered. Tom picked it up and placed it tenderly beneath his nostrils as he inhaled.

  “My favorite! How did you know?” he beamed

  The girl giggled as any young, enamored female would when she pleased her sweetheart.

  “I stole it from my papa.” she responded, quite proud of herself

  “I’ll remember to thank him later.” Tom said as he bit the end off of the cigar. “Come, sit.” he said as he pulled the adolescent onto his lap, wrapping his arm around her tiny waist.

  Tom was so engrossed with his pleasures in life that he didn’t see Ben walk up. Resting his hands on the back of the chair at the table Tom was sitting at, Ben looked at the sight before him. Here was the husband of one of the most honorable woman on the planet with a young twit on his lap acting like he was a teenager. He could kill Emma himself sometimes, but even this was a low for Ben. It’s why he stayed single.

  Kicking the chair, Ben watched as the two untangled themselves.

  “Bought time you get here!” Tom said to Ben as he scooted the young girl off his lap and sat up straighter.

  “Yes, well, this town doesn’t run itself.” Ben replied clearly agitated.

  “Looks like things are starting to really fall apart around here. You sure you are going to be able to leave to go to DC?” Tom asked

  “Don’t worry about what goes on in my town. You need to worry about who’s going to be on your ass shortly.” Ben replied

  “No worries there. No one knows where I am, I made sure of it.”

  “Oh really?” Ben asked turning his head to look around the room.

  “Ya, besides. We will be gone in the morning, right? Plan’ still the same?”

  “We will see.” the tone in Ben’s voice now barely above a whisper. “You sure no one from the farm followed you into town?”

  “Why?” Tom asked with concern. He had picked up on the tone in Ben’s reply. Ben didn’t hear Tom’s question as he stood up to get a better view. Motioning to a kid at the bar, Ben started to shift uncomfortably back and forth.

  Before the young man made it all the way to the table, Ben’s voice boomed across the room. “Where are our guests?” he asked, his arms flung out to encompass the room.

  The kid stopped in his tracks, looking around the room. Running back, he climbed onto the bar as he further scanned the room.

  “Joey! What the fuck!” Ben thundered across the distance.

  “Ben! What’s going on?” Tom asked, now on his feet.

  “You, my friend, might want to get our bundles of joy ready for a trip. We are leaving tonight.”

  “What? Why the change of plans?” Tom asked concerned but annoyed that Ben wasn’t giving him any real reason for the modification. “Ben! Fucking answer me!”

  “Your daughter is in town looking for you.”

  63

  Emma listed to Chloe as she told the two what had happened. She listened but couldn’t comprehend why anyone would do this to another human. She also was trying to figure out how this low life got onto the farm without sending off all kinds of alarms.

  “You said you were in the chicken coop when this happened?” Emma asked, perplexed.

  “Yes” Chloe said looking at Emma. Her heart was breaking but she knew she owed Emma the truth.

  “Mike, we need to go out there and have a look around. Honey, are you going to be okay for a bit? I can have Tom come back and sit with you but I really want to see if we can track who this was before he gets too far away.” Emma explained

  “Good idea, let’s stop over and see if Kevin is done at Jonathan’s. He can come with us.” Mike agreed

  “Emma.” Chloe whispered, her lashes lowered so she wouldn’t have to look at the woman as she shattered her world.

  “Honey, I’m right here. Everything is going to be just fine. I promise.”

  “Emma.” Chloe tried again to find the words but they evaded her conscience like rats after the sun comes up.

  “Chloe, what’s wrong? Is there more?” Emma asked.

  Emma could hear the words but they sounded like they were coming through a tunnel a million miles away.... Tomas... her Tommy. Did this?

  Mike looked at his sister. Judging from the pale pallor of her skin, he was afraid this was too much for her to comprehend. The anger within him had to be controlled until he wasn’t with Chloe or his sister, neither knowing his capabilities as a trained mercenary.

  “Emma, sit down.” he said as he tried coaxing her to the chair he had placed behind her.

  Emma looked around the room, frantically opening and closing her eyes to try and reset the moment.

  “Emma” Chloe breathed as she reached for the woman’s hand “I’m so sorry.”

  “I don’t know what to even say.” Emma muttered, her thoughts scrambled.

  She heard the jeep crank over as she looked at the disheveled girl in front of her. “Mike?” she asked looking around.

  “I’m right here.” he replied

  “Shit! Then who is outside taking the truck?”

  “What?” Mike asked

  “Someone is outside taking the Jeep! Can’t you hear that?” Emma now screaming as she jumped up to look out the window. “I can’t see anything from here!”

  “Where’s Tom?” Mike asked

  “No idea other than he was in the kitchen when we came in!” Emma said as she realized it was a real probability that Tom was taking the truck to get away from what he knew Chloe was about to tell them all.

  Mike pulled the curtain back from the window at the front of the house and peered outside. There he saw his brother-in-law backing the Jeep away from the garage.

  “It’s Tom.” he said as he watched his niece outside helping Tom load two children into the vehicle.

  Let him go! The words thundering in her head.

  “Just let him go for now.” Emma responded.

  “He has Matheo and Alicia.” Mike said as he turned towards Emma. “I’m going after him!”

  “No. You need to stay here with Chloe. He’s still my husband.” Emma said

  “He’s fucking crazy!” Mike screamed at him

  “I know he hasn’t been acting normal, the normal we remember. I’ve seen him bring pieces of him back when we are together. Let me deal with this!” Emma shouted as she turned to leave.

  Jessica walked into the kitchen as Emma tried to go after Tom.

  “Jess, why did Tom take the kids? Did he say where he was going?” Emma asked frantically as she tried to ge
t her coat on.

  “What’s going on?” Jessica asked quiet concerned at the confusion she walked into. “All he said was Mom needed the kids and took off towards town. Why?”

  “Chloe will explain. Can you sit with her for a bit?”

  “Sure, no problems.” Jessica replied as she started to walk into the other room.

  “Mike!” Emma yelled “Let’s go!”

  In the barn, Emma started to saddle her horse when she noticed two were missing. As Mike came in, she asked him if he knew where they were.

  “No, but I haven’t been out here all day.”

  “What is going on around here?” Emma asked no one in particular, her world shattering around her.

  Both riders now mounted, they took off down the drive.

  “Mike!” Emma shouted into the wind. “Let’s go this way” she said pointing off down the railroad tracks that ran through her farm. “It will get us there faster.” Mike reigned the stallion he was on around and followed his sister.

  If there was one way Emma liked to clear her head it was on a long drive with loud music blaring on the radio and the windows down so that the wind could blow through her long hair. It was the closest thing she had to describe what freedom felt like. Tonight, Emma rode with the horse’s cleats beating against the iron and stone beneath their hooves. Her hair a tangled mess behind her as her thoughts returned to her husband and the danger ahead.

  Emma held up her hand as she slowed her horse. They were a short distance from town and Emma felt comfortable enough to stop here and walk the rest of the way in. An overpass across a creek allowed them a natural marker to find when they would head back to the farm. Directing her horse, Emma guided him into a group of small trees a couple yards deep into the woods that ran alongside the tracks. Jumping down, she tied the reigns to a branch hanging low and waited as Michael did the same.

  “We can sneak into town from here and avoid the idiots manning the barricade.” Emma explained

  “They have a barricade now?” Mike asked

  “Ya, something Ben wanted to keep people out.”

  “Or in. More people he can control, less work he has to do.”

  “True, but I’m pretty sure we can get in behind the old ball field.”

  Mike reached over and grabbed his sister’s arm, using his other hand to motion her to get down. He quickly gave her a hand sign to listen and be quiet. Waiting in the dark, Emma could hear the horses breathing heavy but couldn’t make out much more, other than her own heartbeat but she waited, trusting her brother.

  The footsteps approaching slowed as whomever was reaching the overpass where Emma and Mike were hiding.

  “Lauren, slow down!” Megan said breathlessly

  “You okay?” Lauren asked her companion.

  “Yes, just need to catch my breath.” Megan wheezed.

  Emma looked at Mike as they both recognized the voices from above. Standing, Emma wasn’t quite sure how to address the two runaways above her without scaring them to death. Looking at Mike, she shrugged her shoulders and winced.

  “Lauren! Megan!” Emma yelled

  “OH MY GOD!” Lauren screamed.

  “No, it’s just your Uncle Mike.” her uncle’s booming voice echoing from behind the trees. “God will be arriving shortly after I tan your hide!”

  Emma and Mike hiked back up the short distance from the woods and gave both girls a hug.

  “What are you two doing out here?” Emma asked

  “We...um” Lauren stammered

  “We went into town because I wanted to see what it was like in there now.” Megan said hurriedly before Lauren could continue. Lauren looked at her companion.

  “No, Mom. We went because I wanted to go to my apartment. This isn’t Megan’s fault. I also wanted to see what information I could get for my newsletter.” Lauren explained

  “And did you do either?” Mike asked

  “No. Mom, dad’s in there” Lauren said trying to soften the blow.

  “Yes, we know. It’s why your uncle and I were heading in. Some things have happened at the farm that your dad is involved in and I’m afraid it’s not good.”

  “I’m going back with you then. I need to tell you some other things we saw that you need to know about.” Lauren said

  “I think you girls need to go back to the farm. Take the horses.” Mike said pointing down into the woods.

  “No, I really need to talk to mom.”

  “Megan? You want to come with us too?” Emma asked. “I really don’t want you to ride home alone since you haven’t been on a horse much. I also don’t want to just leave you here but I don’t want to force you into anything you don’t want to do.”

  “I’m coming with you all!” Megan squelched

  “Let’s get going then.” Emma said as she grabbed onto her daughter’s arm. Wiping Lauren’s bangs out of her eyes so she could look directly at her child, Emma smiled. “I love you but I am upset that you didn’t tell me you were coming in town. This isn’t the same world you remember, either of you.” Emma continued as she looked over at Megan. “We can talk about that later, but right now we need to get into town.”

  “Mom, I really need to tell you some things and I’m afraid that it’s going to hurt you.”

  “Honey, listen. Life sucks sometimes. Right now is one of those times but hiding from truth hurts no one but yourself and the relationship you have with the one’s you love. I’m tougher than you think, trust that. Talk. We need to quiet down soon the closer to town we get.” Turning her daughter towards town, Emma started walking. She needed to get to her husband and the two kids he had instead of out here debating how much whatever information Lauren had was going to hurt her feelings.

  Was that even possible? Emma thought. Her life had already been turned upside down. She might as well get all the bad out of the way in one big gulp.

  64

  She walked boldly into town, not caring who saw her. Her fury pushed her beyond reasonable thinking, blinding her sanity to the importance of safety. She had a burning desire to see the man she had just spent the last seventeen years of her life with and she knew exactly where to find him.

  Ben saw her first, walking with a purpose towards the bar. The woman had an aura about her that none could deny. She defiantly commanded attention, even more now with the savagery of her emotions clearly painted across her face.

  God, she’s beautiful. Ben thought. Shaking his head, he kicked out any emotions he had towards the woman who made his life a hot mess sometimes. Turning, Ben maneuvered himself and Tom so that the woman’s husband didn’t see her approaching behind him.

  “Tom” she said.

  Turning, the look on his face was pure, unfiltered repugnancy.

  The three adults stood there staring at each other, waiting for one or the other to make a move. Emma slowly pushed at the two children behind her and started to back up.

  “What the fuck do you think you are doing?” Tom asked her as he grabbed the little girl.

  “You are not taking these children. Neither one of you.” Emma stated with an uncanny boldness

  “Listen, I was just taking them back to their home in DC, or Miami. Wherever the hell they lived. I loved their mom and it’s my duty to get them home. There are people, their family waiting for them there.” Ben explained, his arms outstretched to his sides

  “That’s bullshit and you know it SHERRIFF” Tom yelled

  “Don’t get me started on what you seemed to be dealing in here Tom. Selling these kids? For what, a few measly dollars so you could take off and leave your miserable life? Really?” Ben spat out at Tom “From the look on your wife’s face, I’d say you haven’t communicated your plans to her yet!”

  “Shut the fuck up!” Tom screamed

  “Watch your tone with me, spic”

  Tom shook his head, trying to clear the fog

  “What did you say?” he asked Ben

  “I said, don’t use that tone with me”

&nbs
p; “No, you called me a spic” Tom said matter of fact. Tom shook his head again, the fog lifting quickly as memory after memory came flooding back

  “It was you!” he screamed at Ben

  Emma backed the children up further, trying to figure out from the exchange what exactly was going on. She knew Lauren was behind her somewhere and she needed her daughter to get these kids out of here, and fast.

  Ben didn’t flinch. He knew from the look on Tom’s face that he remembered what had happened the night in the cellar

  “It was you! You were behind all of this shit! You killed that girl because she wouldn’t shut up after you nearly fucked her to death.”

  “Tom, shut up” Ben said with an icy calm

  Emma looked back and forth between both these men she had known for a very long time, one having been married to for over 17 years. It was like staring at two complete strangers.

  “No! You might be the sheriff but you aren’t going to tell me what to do. Maybe it’s time for a new sheriff to take over all the sick twisted shit you and your boys do!”

  “You want to keep talking? I know what you were going to do with these bastard kids here Tom. You think I don’t know what you’ve been up to? You gonna sell these kids for a pretty penny, now weren’t you? You think those people operate here in my town without me knowing about it? Oh, please!” Ben chuckled “You can’t find all that damn gold your wife has hidden so you thought you would use the next best and easiest way out, well besides that whore you been sleeping with.