Her Only Son

by Shawna Platt

  Donna shook her head and Curtis walked up to steady her. “We haven’t heard from her.” She looked to Curtis. “I think I have to sit down.”

  One of the men looked at Sheila. “Who are you?”

  Sheila walked over and sat next to Donna. “I’m her best friend.”

  “Have you heard from her?”

  “No, I haven’t. I came over to see Curtis and Donna because they saw something on the news that upset them.” She looked to Donna and back to the man. “I don’t even know what’s going on.”

  He stood for a moment and studied them. “You have another daughter, correct? Brianna?”

  “Yes,” Curtis answered, “but she’s not home right now and she better not be harmed in anyway.”

  The man laughed. “Call her and tell her she needs to get home. We want all of you in one place until this ordeal is over.”

  Donna couldn’t hold the tears any longer. “Oh, Curtis!”

  He rubbed his hand across her back and dialed Brianna’s number.

  Keith found a hotel off the beaten path and pulled into the parking lot.

  “It’s not the best, but it’s what we have for now.” He sat for a moment, contemplating. “You wait in the car while I get a room. We can’t risk anyone recognizing you.”

  Kinsey nodded and continued nursing Ryker.

  A few moments later, he returned to the car with a room key. He pulled to the side of the building and parked in front of their room. He got out and looked around before opening the passenger door and leading Kinsey inside.

  Kinsey sat on the bed with Ryker and watched Keith peek out the window. She chuckled at him.

  “Yeah, cause that’s not suspicious looking.”

  “Can’t people look out a window anymore?”

  “Not when they’re peeking through a slit in the curtains.”

  “Look, Kinsey, I’ve decided to keep you safe and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. If Hakon knew I already had you in custody, with no plans to bring you in, I’d be the one needing protection.”

  She studied him for a moment. “Why the change of heart? You’re the one who continually stalked me, and in case you need a reminder, caused a serious accident for my sister.”

  “Yes, I know.” He sat on the bed across from her. “ Please, understand one thing. The people who work for Hakon are in a choke hold just like everyone else, but things are out of control and he needs to be stopped.”

  “And exactly how do you plan on doing that?”

  He stood and paced the room. “I honestly have no idea. The only way to stop a man like Hakon is to put a bullet in his brain.”

  He sat on the bed again. “He has a lot of powerful people in his pocket, Kinsey; mainly because he blackmails them.”

  “He’s a dangerous man.”

  Keith laughed out loud. “You have no idea.” He paused. “I’m going to go get some food.” He pointed to her bag from the diner. “Is that still any good? Want me to get you something else?”

  She opened the bag. “It’s just a sandwich. It should be fine.”

  “Okay. Do not leave this room, Kinsey. I’ll take you anywhere you need to go and will keep you as safe as I can in the process, but you have to trust me.”

  She bit into the sandwich and studied him. “I trust you, Keith. I don’t have a choice.”

  “No, you don’t. I’m just going right down the street. I won’t be gone long.”

  Kinsey turned on the television and flipped through the channels. Her heart stopped when her story appeared on the screen. Her face truly was being broadcast everywhere.

  Keith returned to find Kinsey sobbing on the bed; Ryker slept peacefully beside her. He set his food on the table and sat with her.

  “I’ll do everything I can to keep you safe. Please, believe that, Kinsey.”

  She pointed to the television. “My face is everywhere. Someone will recognize me eventually.”

  “We need to change your appearance.”

  She shot him a confused look. “How are we supposed to do that?”

  “It doesn’t have to be major.” He gave her face a quick look. “We could cut your hair and change the color.”

  She glanced at Ryker. She wasn’t happy about the idea, but she’d do it to keep him safe.

  Keith stood and started for the door. “I’m sure there’s a store still open that sells boxed hair color.” He turned to her. “Any preference on color?”

  She shook her head. “Something that will cover this.” She held up a piece of her brown hair.

  “I think you should go a dark shade of red. It should cover well and they’re not looking for a redhead.”

  “Whatever we have to do.”

  He headed for the door again and Kinsey stopped him.

  “What about your food?”

  “It can wait until I get back.” Before he closed the door, he added, “We’ll make this work, Kinsey, one way or another, and I’ll do everything I can to help you.”

  She simply nodded and he closed the door.

  The next morning, Kinsey stood in front of the bathroom room mirror trying to adjust to her new hair, now cut above her shoulders, and a dark, deep red. Keith came and stood in the doorway.

  “It actually looks pretty good on you.”

  She snorted. “It’s definitely different.”

  “Right now, different is good.”

  She took a deep breath and pushed past him. “Whatever it takes.”

  He watched her walk to the bed and pick up Ryker.

  “Do you have any place in mind that you can go? Someone you can trust?”

  She thought of her parents and Sheila, but he read her thoughts.

  “You can’t go to your parents, Kinsey. That will be the first place they’ll look. I wouldn’t be surprised if they haven’t already looked for you there.”

  The thought of it sent a panic through her. “You don’t think they’d do anything to them, do you?”

  He contemplated. “I don’t think so. They’re more interested in finding you, but they’ll definitely be watching them in case you decide to pay a visit.”

  “Should I try to call and warn them? They don’t even know what’s happening.”

  “I’m sure they’ve seen the news by now. They know, Kinsey.”

  “Oh, God! They must be worried sick.”

  “We have to get you somewhere safe. Someplace you can stay without having to be on the run until we can figure this out.”

  “Can you get me to Gallup, New Mexico?”

  “New Mexico?”

  “Yes, I have friends down there, Ted and Margaret, who may be able to help.”

  “Okay, New Mexico it is, but first I need to change out the rental car, just in case.”

  He grabbed the keys off the table. “Get your stuff packed and ready. As soon as I get back, we’ll hit the road.”

  Keith was pulling into a rental car parking lot when his cell phone rang. He looked down to see Hakon’s name. He took a deep breath and answered.

  “This is Keith.”

  Hakon’s voice filled his ear. “Well, do you have her?”

  “No, Sir, I don’t. She never got off the bus in Phoenix, but I talked to someone at the bus terminal and they said that bus made a stop in Flagstaff. I’m backtracking there now to see if anyone’s spotted her there.”

  “Son-of-a-bitch, Keith! We need her in custody! If you can’t do your job, I’ll send people who will do it for you!”

  “I can do my job just fine. I’m your top recruiter, remember?”

  “Prove it! Find her sorry ass and get my property back or you’ll pay the price. I’ve got men at her parent’s house. They’ll remain there until Kinsey is captured.”

  “There’s no reason to harm her parents.”

  “Going soft on me, Keith?”

  “No, Sir, but her parents are innocent.”

  “No one is innocent. They’ll be prisoners in their home until I get my hands around their daughter’s throat.
”

  “Yes, Sir.” He disconnected the call. He knew what Hakon was capable of and if he wanted to use Kinsey’s parents as pawns, he would find a way to get the message out to Kinsey. Come home or your parents will pay the price. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

  He stopped and bought a car seat on his way back to the hotel. They weren’t going to travel all the way to New Mexico with Ryker in Kinsey’s arms. The little guy was starting to grow on him and it wasn’t only Kinsey he wanted to keep safe.

  A half hour later, Keith and Kinsey were on their way to New Mexico, with Ryker safely tucked into his new seat in the back. Keith decided not to mention the phone call from Hakon. No sense in upsetting her more. Right now, his priority was getting her to Ted and Margaret’s, and he felt fortunate the trip would only take a few hours. The less time they spent on the road, the better.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Ted stood on his front porch looking out at the vast landscaped yard; the lines in his face deep with worry. He’d seen the newscast of Kinsey’s escape and how she was being charged with kidnapping. Margaret walked out and stood beside him. She placed a hand on his shoulder.

  “I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for all of this.”

  He shook his head. “This isn’t Kinsey. Something’s up, Margaret, and I don’t like the way it feels.”

  “Have you tried to call her?”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “Well, there’s nothing we can do now but wait.”

  Ted straightened his spine when he saw the unfamiliar car pulling into the driveway. As the car approached, he leaned forward and squinted; he saw who he thought was Kinsey in the passenger seat. He rushed past Margaret and made it to the car before Kinsey could open the door. She got out and gave him a hug. He brushed a hand over her hair and drew his eyebrows together.

  “Oh, Kinsey! What the hell is going on?”

  “It’s a long story and I hope you don’t believe what you’ve been hearing. Please, give me a chance to explain.”

  “Of course! Come inside.”

  Keith made his way around the front of the car and shook Ted’s hand.

  “I’m Keith Anderson.”

  Ted accepted the handshake and shot Kinsey a look.

  Kinsey nodded as she opened the back door to removed Ryker from his seat. “I wouldn’t have made it here without his help.”

  Ted relaxed and addressed Keith. “Then I guess a thank you is in order.”

  He watched Kinsey remove Ryker from the car and stepped forward. “Is this the baby they say you kidnapped?”

  Kinsey shook her head. “He’s mine. I kidnapped no one.”

  “Yours? You had a baby? Kinsey, what in the hell is going on?”

  “Let’s go inside and I’ll explain everything.”

  Margaret placed an arm around Kinsey and walked her inside while Keith and Ted grabbed the bags from the car.

  Margaret sat, holding Ryker while Kinsey finished explaining everything that happened since the time she left. Ted, who was sitting next to Margaret, rose and walked to Keith, who stood guard at the front door.

  “So you’re the one responsible for Brianna’s accident?”

  “Unfortunately, and I’m doing everything I can to remedy that.”

  “And you’re the one who bullied and threatened Kinsey into this program?”

  He sighed. “Yes, but I’m also the one here now, helping her escape.”

  Keith never saw the blow to his jaw coming and fell back a couple steps, steadying himself on the corner of an end table. He rubbed his jaw, then held his hands up.

  “Look, I’m sorry for the role I played in all of this. The head of this program is completely out of control and I want him brought down just as much as the rest of you.”

  Ted shook out his fist and took a step closer to Keith. “How do we know we can trust you?”

  Keith chuckled. “She’s here isn’t she? If I wanted to turn her in, I would have already done so. You have no idea how much my neck is on the line here.” He pointed to Kinsey. “You think she’s the only one in danger? Once Hakon figures out what I’ve done, he’ll want my head on a platter. I’ll be running for the rest of my life.”

  Ted took a step back and studied Keith. He nodded slightly and walked back to the couch where Margaret held Ryker.

  Kinsey tried to reassure them. “Keith truly has helped me. I know he’s responsible for a lot of what’s happened, but he is trying to make it right now.” She shot him a look and nodded. “I trust him. I trust Dr. Westcott and Dr. Rayner as well. They weren’t aware of what was happening to the participants.”

  Margaret rubbed Ryker’s head. “What are you going to do, Kinsey?”

  “I don’t know. For now, I was wondering if I could hide out in your cellar out back? You mentioned it at your retirement party?”

  Ted nodded. “Yes, fully finished. You’re welcome to it. Anyone comes here looking for you, they’ll have to get through me first.”

  Keith snorted. “Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. You have no idea who you’re dealing with.” He resumed his position by the front window and looked out.

  He turned back toward Kinsey. “There’s something you don’t know and I think it’s time you find out.”

  “What else could possibly go wrong?”

  “Hakon has men stationed at your parent’s house. They’re not allowed to leave until you’re captured and it’s important not to try and contact them. It could place them in more danger.”

  “Are they in danger now?”

  “Not physically, no. They will monitor all calls going in and out of the house, including texts from cell phones. If you try to contact them, they will know it.”

  “I haven’t.”

  “Good. Keep it that way for now.” He held his hand out. “Let me see the cell phone Conrad gave you. I have to take a chance on something.”

  She pulled out her phone and handed it to him. “What are you taking a chance on?”

  Ted spoke before Keith had a chance to respond. “You better not do anything that will endanger Kinsey and the baby.”

  Keith shook his head. “Don’t think I’m not aware of that, but I have a plan and I’m going to need some help to pull it off.” He took the phone from Kinsey and stepped out on the porch.

  Ted turned and addressed Kinsey. “There’s no need for you to stay in the cellar with the baby. You can stay right here in the house.”

  Kinsey protested. “No, I don’t want to put you guys in any danger. You mentioned the entrance to the cellar is well hidden and I’d feel more comfortable with that.”

  Margaret agreed. “I think it’s for the best, at least for now. They will be well hidden out there with no chance of anyone seeing her walking around in the house.”

  “All right.” He grabbed Kinsey’s bags that were brought in from the car. “Let’s get you set up. We’ll supply anything you need to be comfortable, for as long as you need it. The cellar also has an underground line for electricity, so you’ll at least have some decent light and should be fine down there until we can figure this out.”

  Margaret walked toward the back of the house, while Ted and Kinsey headed for the back door. “I’m going to grab some blankets and anything I think you might need. I’ll meet you out there in a minute.”

  Keith knew he was taking a chance when he called the clinic at the compound. He didn’t have Sorina’s cell phone, but felt that was just as risky. Anyway he looked at it, the situation was going to get worse before it got better. In order to make his plan work, he needed Sorina’s help. If Sorina and Conrad were willing to help Kinsey escape with Ryker, maybe they’d be willing to help bring Hakon down.

  The program itself was a solid idea, as long as the participants were truly voluntary and not forced into it with threats against their families. If they could take Hakon down and restructure the program, it could truly be a success.

  He left a message with the front desk to have Dr. Westcott call
him at her earliest convenience. It didn’t take long for him to receive a call back.

  “Hello?” Keith asked.

  “May I ask who this is?”

  “Is this Sorina Westcott?”

  There was a pause on the other end. “Yes, who is this? I have this number programmed in my phone, so don’t play games.”

  “We need to make this quick. In order to bring a resolution to this problem, I’m going to need some help.”

  “Is everyone safe?” Sorina was doing everything she could to keep the conversation generic and short. Even though she was using the non-traceable phone her dad gave her, she knew the number she called was from the phone he gave Kinsey.

  “For now.”

  “There’s nothing I can do at this time, but I think I know someone who can. I’ll have him get in touch with you shortly. It’ll be from this number.”

  The call disconnected and he paced the porch hoping the call back would be soon. He sprang on it the second it rang.

  “Yes?”

  “Are they safe?”

  “Who is this?”

  “Dr. Brice Rayner. If you’ve done anything to harm either of them…”

  Keith cut him off. “Shut up and listen. I have a plan, but I need help. Are you willing or not?”

  “If it involves keeping them safe, yes.”

  “Get to Gallup, New Mexico as soon as you can. Call me at this number when you arrive.”

  The call disconnected and Brice turned to Sorina. “Can I take this phone with me?”

  Sorina nodded. “Of course.”

  As Brice raced out of Sorina’s office, she let out a deep breath. The program was continuing as if nothing happened. Kinsey’s escape was talked about less and less as the days went by. All the participants seemed frightened and just wanted to forget about it. Everyone assumed she’d be caught eventually, but Sorina had a feeling things were about to blow sky high, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine