Any Day Now

by Darrell Maloney

  “Maybe they’re afraid we’ll be called to testify against them at some time. You heard all those civil rights people debating our case all over the TV.

  “You know, they said our civil rights were violated and how somebody should go to jail for kidnapping Samson and for what they did to us.

  “Maybe Rebecca got wind they’re getting ready to file charges against her and her people. Maybe they want to get us out of the way so we can’t testify against them.

  “Maybe they figure if we weren’t around to testify the case against them would fall apart. That they’d have to drop the charges.”

  Tears formed in Hannah’s eyes and her mood plummeted.

  “So you don’t think we’re really going to pick up Samson? You think this is all a lie?”

  “I’m just saying we’ve been lied to a lot lately.

  “I’m just saying we shouldn’t take anything for granted.”

  “But we’ve got to go.”

  “Yes. We’ve got to go. Just in case it’s for real. We’ve got to get Samson back.

  “I’m just trying to prepare you for the possibility they’re lying again. And that Samson isn’t really there. And that once we meet Rebecca we’re going to be taken captive again.

  “Only this time they won’t release us. We’ll vanish without a trace, just like some of those scientists did after they collected Yellowstone data in previous surveys.”

  “So what can we do about it?”

  “That’s just it, Hannah. I don’t know. I guess there’s nothing we can do, except for show up and hope for the best.”

  “Why did you wait so long to tell me?”

  “I don’t know… I guess I thought it might upset you.”

  “Ya think?”

  “Sorry. You’re right. I should have told you sooner I guess.”

  “Tony, what you fail to realize is… well sometimes you can be a little bit paranoid.

  “And also, you sometimes don’t give me enough credit.”

  “Credit for what?”

  “Sometimes you leave me out of the loop and keep your thoughts to yourself because you don’t think I can help. You think you’re this big and bad man who can fix everything all by his big bad self and sometimes you should just come to me for help, you know?

  “I know stuff, Tony. I can fix things just as good as you. You just have to ask for my help sometimes, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  There was a pained silence between them which seemed to go on forever, although it lasted only a few seconds.

  “So…” he finally continued.

  “What ideas do you have, exactly?”

  “I don’t know, for sure. I’ll let you know when I think of something.”

  Now she seemed as depressed as he’d been.

  He took her hand in his and wished he’d just kept his big mouth shut.

  Chapter 43

  Another twenty miles of road disappeared beneath the wheels of Hannah’s car before she finally spoke again.

  And it wasn’t to Tony.

  She picked up Tony’s cell phone and called Bud Avery.

  The phone rang four times and Hannah was thinking of the words she was going to leave on his voice mail when a sleepy voice finally answered the phone.

  “This is Bud.”

  Hannah was now in a feisty, perhaps even a snarky mood.

  “You have a very annoying way of answering the phone, Bud.”

  “Hannah?”

  “Yeah. So how come you don’t say ‘hello’ when you answer the phone, like normal people?”

  “How long have you known me, Hannah?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe a month now. But it seems like forever.”

  “Well gee, I love you too. In all that time, all that month or so, have you ever known me to do something… how did you put it… normal?”

  “No, I suppose not.”

  “Now then, my dear Mrs. Carson. Did you call me just to bust my chops, or is there something I can help you with?”

  “Rebecca found Samson.”

  “Really? That’s great news! Do you have him back yet?”

  “No. We’re going to get him.”

  “You don’t sound very happy about it, if you ask me.”

  “Well, that’s just the thing, Bud.

  “Tony thinks it’s a trick. That we’re walking into a trap. That she’s lied to us before and she’s lying again. And that they’re going to kidnap us and do bad things to us again.”

  “Hannah, they’ve got no reason to do that now. They’ve already been exposed. If you and Tony disappear again the whole world will come down on them.”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “Tony’s just a little paranoid.”

  “I said that too.”

  “Tell him to take off his aluminum foil hat.”

  “No. I don’t want to hurt his feelings.

  “Other than that, do you have any ideas, Bud?”

  “Yes. Where is the baby, exactly?”

  “At the Child Protective Services office in Akron, Ohio.”

  “And when are you picking him up?”

  “Tomorrow morning.”

  “Damn.”

  “Damn what?”

  “I can’t be there until tomorrow evening. I have court at nine a.m. Do you think you can delay until the following day?”

  “I don’t want you to come, Bud. You’ve already put your life on the line for us once. Besides, if we’re taken you can’t help us if you’re taken too.

  “I was just hoping you’d have some ideas. You’ve been in the business of dealing with rogue government agencies a lot longer than we have.”

  “Okay. Here’s my best shot.

  “Try to make the appointment for as late in the morning as you can. They’ll need some time to coordinate.”

  “Who?”

  “Well, darn it Hannah. I can’t tell you if you keep interrupting me.”

  She liked Bud a lot. He was as feisty and snarky as she was.

  “Sorry.”

  “Try to make the appointment for late morning. Did they make hotel reservations for you for tonight?”

  “Yes.”

  “Don’t stay there. If they ask why tell them you got delayed. Say your car broke down. If they ask where tell them you don’t know. On an unmarked road somewhere. Tell them Tony’s working on the car and he’ll get it running soon. Just don’t tell them exactly where you are.”

  “Okay. What else?”

  “Find your own place to stay tonight. Make sure it’s well off the highway. If they go looking for you they’ll stop at every hotel and motel on all the major highways. Stay at someplace off the beaten track.

  “Register under an assumed name. Tell them you forgot your ID, and pay in advance in cash.”

  “Can you even do that?”

  “Yes. Just cry and tell them you’re having car trouble and you’re in a bind. Make them feel sorry for you. They’ll say it’s against their policy and all that, but if you have cash to pay for the room they’ll bend.”

  “Okay. What else?”

  “At nine a.m., call the Women’s Protective League. Explain the situation to them. Tell them there’s a chance that you and your husband will be kidnapped again and that they’ll abscond with your baby again.

  “Tell them you’d feel more comfortable if they had someone there to act as witnesses to whatever unfolds.”

  “Okay. What else?”

  “Call the Akron police and ask them to be there as well. Don’t call 9-11. You don’t want to tie up their emergency lines, and it might take you awhile to explain what’s going on.

  “Call on their non-emergency line. I’ll look it up and send it to you in a text. Explain to them who you are and ask to speak to their crime-prevention unit.

  “Tell them you hope everything’s on the up and up, but based on Rebecca’s past behavior you suspect it might not be. Tell them you’re requesting their presence.”

  “Will they do tha
t?”

  “Oh, yes. Local police departments typically despise federal agents for the way they come in and try to boss everybody around and take over everything.

  “They’ll likely jump at the chance to protect you from the goons.”

  “Thank you, Bud. I love you!”

  “I love you too, doll. But don’t tell your husband.”

  Bud knew he was on speaker phone and smiled when Tony piped in, “I heard that. Watch it, old guy, or I’ll steal your wheelchair.”

  “You guys be careful and keep me posted, okay?”

  “We will Bud, and thanks.”

  Chapter 44

  As they neared the city of Akron, Tony still behind the wheel, Hannah was busy using her cell phone to access the internet.

  They were approaching Akron from the south, and would stop for the night in the village of North Canton.

  But they wouldn’t tell Rebecca that.

  They’d tell Rebecca they were approaching from the west.

  She wouldn’t call Rebecca directly, as she was a lousy liar and she was afraid Rebecca would see right through her.

  After all, in Rebecca’s line of work she probably dealt with liars on a daily basis.

  She hated lying.

  It wasn’t something she did often, and there was usually a good reason for it when she did.

  But Tony was right. They had no reason to trust Rebecca, even though she seemed to be trying hard lately to make amends.

  She typed out a very long text message and sent it:

  Hey, car is acting up a bit. Nothing serious

  and Tony can fix it, but not until morning.

  Will stay the night near Barberton. Can be there

  at 11 a.m. Is that good time for you?

  When she pushed the “send” button Hannah had a queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

  “I hope we’re doing the right thing. If we upset her there’s nothing to keep her from grabbing Samson and running.”

  “If she does we’ll run her down again. This isn’t over until our son comes home.”

  He squeezed her hand as her phone beeped.

  It was Rebecca.

  11 a.m. is fine. Anything I can help with?

  “She doesn’t sound angry.”

  “Could be a ruse. She could be dispatching her thugs to Barberton even as we speak to look for us.”

  Hannah typed out her answer.

  No thanks, we’ve got it under control.

  Phone going dead, forgot charger. Will see you at

  11. Thanks for everything.

  She turned off her phone, then turned Tony’s off as well.

  They were now officially under the radar.

  Rebecca, of course, knew what was going on.

  Moreover, she didn’t blame Hannah for the ruse.

  She certainly had never done much of anything to earn Hannah’s trust.

  She didn’t dispatch any goons, as Tony suspected she would.

  She didn’t blame them for going dark.

  She would have too, had she been in their position.

  She merely picked up the phone and called down to the desk.

  “Hello. I had a second reservation for a Hannah and Tony Carson. I just found out they won’t be making it in tonight. Would you hold the room anyway? I think they may want to use it tomorrow night.

  “Yes. It’ll still be billed to the federal government on the same payment voucher.

  “Thank you.”

  She went to sleep hoping nothing went wrong the next day with the birth certificate.

  Rebecca was more human than people gave her credit for.

  Hannah and Tony, she felt, had suffered enough. Both by her hands and the hands of her superiors.

  It was about time they got their baby back and got on with their lives.

  Tony was never one to pass up the free breakfast buffet at a chain motel.

  He was up early, about six a.m., and caressed Hannah’s shoulder until she stirred.

  “Wanna go downstairs for breakfast?”

  “Ugh. What time is it?”

  “I can’t see the clock. It’s turned the wrong way. But I think it’s around six.”

  “And how far are we from Akron?”

  “About two hours.”

  Her head was too foggy to do any math.

  “What’s eleven minus two?”

  “Nine.”

  “So as long as we leave by nine a.m. we’ll make it?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Wake me up at nine a.m.”

  “Want me to bring you back something to eat?”

  “Do I have to wake up to eat it?”

  “It’s usually easier that way.”

  “But I don’t wanna wake up.”

  “I know you don’t, honey. I’m sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep and I’ll wake you up in a couple of hours.”

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “I’m getting up. But I hate your guts.”

  “You hate my guts? But why?”

  “For creating the whole morning and breakfast and wake up thingy.”

  “I didn’t create all that.”

  “I know. But I’m gonna blame you anyway.”

  He sighed.

  “Of course.”

  Hannah got up and crawled her way to the shower.

  She made the water as icy cold as she could stand it and stuck her head beneath it.

  It gave her goose bumps and made her shiver, but didn’t wake her up much.

  When she stumbled out of the bathroom ten minutes later Tony had a hot cup of coffee waiting for her.

  “The maid didn’t leave the French vanilla creamer you like, but I went down to the desk and got some for you.”

  “Thank you, Tony. You’re a saint.”

  “Does that mean you’re no longer gonna blame me for the whole morning wake up thingy?”

  “No. That’s still all your fault.”

  Chapter 45

  Hannah did the zombie shuffle all the way downstairs to the breakfast buffet.

  “How come you’re so tired?” Tony asked. “I slept like a baby.”

  “I couldn’t sleep at all,” Hannah responded. “Every time I closed my eyes I kept thinking about all the things that could go wrong today.”

  Tony said, “Well, please don’t share any of them with me. I’d prefer to stay positive and believe that everything is going to work out.

  “And that this time tomorrow we’ll be sharing our very first breakfast with our son.

  “How do you think he’ll like his eggs?”

  Tony smiled, but it didn’t last long.

  Hannah’s eyes became moist.

  She suddenly grew silent.

  He knew he’d said something stupid.

  He just didn’t know what.

  “Honey, what’s the matter?”

  “Nothing. I’ll be okay.”

  “Honey, tell me. It’ll feel better if you get it off your chest.”

  She stared at him as though he said something else even more stupid than the first comment.

  She half smiled.

  “It’s kind of ironic you said that… to get it off my chest.”

  “Why? Now you’ve really lost me. What’s wrong? Why were you starting to cry?”

  “I don’t think I ever told you I drank some of my own milk, did I?”

  “What? No. When?”

  “When I was in the wooden box. When I was held prisoner.

  “Right after Samson was born and they took him away.

  “I was depressed and terribly hungry. I wasn’t in my right mind.

  “And my breasts were swollen and sore.

  “I was leaking milk. I tasted it, more out of curiosity than anything else.

  “And because I was so hungry, I suppose.

  “I resisted for a long time. Then I broke down and tasted it. It was very sweet and warm, I remember.

  “Then I felt so guilty. I felt I was taking away his nourishment. That
if they brought him to me I wouldn’t have enough to sustain him.

  “I stopped, and felt even more depressed.

  “It didn’t get better until Rebecca told me he was alive and healthy.

  “Half of me didn’t believe her.

  “Half of me believed they’d murdered him.

  “God help me, Tony, part of me still does. Part of me believes this is all a cruel trick.

  “The other half of me believes her. Rebecca, I mean. That part of me has to believe her to keep me from going insane.

  “I swear, Tony, if this is all a trick, if Samson is dead, I don’t know what I’ll do. I don’t think I’ll want to live anymore.”

  He took both of her hands in his and said, “Honey, look at me.”

  She caught his glance, and then looked away.

  It was illogical; it made no sense at all. But she somehow felt guilty for her feelings.

  “Honey, do you remember when we first met? In school, remember? I finally got up the nerve to send you a note in class.”

  She half-smiled. It was one of her fondest memories.

  “Of course I remember. It said, ‘I think I love you. What’s your name?’

  “I still have that note in my treasure box. Your spelling was atrocious.”

  “Never mind that. Do you remember later, when I told you I was scared to death to send that note but did anyway because I was afraid if I didn’t you’d never be mine? Do you remember what you told me?”

  “Yes. I told you that you needed to be more positive. That I didn’t want to have a boyfriend that was a glass is half-empty kind of guy.”

  “Yes. But that’s not the way you said it.

  “What you actually said was that if I thought my glass was half-empty I needed to pour it into a smaller glass and quit my bitching.”

  She smiled.

  “Yes. Now I remember. I very seldom used that term but I wanted to send you a strong message that I was interested too. But that I didn’t want no negative boyfriend.”

  “I really did, you know.”

  “Really did what?”

  “I really did love you back then, when I wrote you that note. I didn’t even know your name but I knew I had to make you mine.”

  “I know. I could see it in your eyes.”

  “Anyway, honey, my point is that you wouldn’t tolerate any negativity from me, not even in the beginning.