However, after an hour of waiting, I grew concerned.
I tried his phone again, this time leaving a message to call me as soon as he could.
Another hour ticked by with no word from Hank. Thankfully, guards were on their way. But where was Hank?
“I’m worried,” I said to the ladies.
“What could’ve waylaid Hank?” Mrs. Janowski asked. “We need that necklace.”
“From the way he spoke earlier, nothing could’ve postponed him,” I said.
“What about Jack?” Edna asked. “Could he have asked Hank to do something for him, not knowing?”
“It’s possible,” I said. “But unlikely. Hank sounded determined to get here. But maybe we should call Jack to see.”
Mrs. Janowski nodded. “Make the call.”
I wanted to speak with Ida first. If Hank was in the dark in all of this, Jack would be too. I didn’t want to overstep, yet we were far past worrying about that with Wade on the loose.
So, I called and waited for Jack to answer. After two attempts, I left a brief message to call me back.
“He’s not answering either,” I said.
“Try again in ten minutes,” Mrs. Janowski said. “This is worrisome.”
“Maybe Hank’s car broke down,” Sylvia said.
“He’d call,” I said.
“He could’ve missed a curve and drove into a ditch,” Mrs. Janowski said.
“Oh, dear,” Edna said. “Some of those ditches are really steep. What if he lost control and had an accident?”
I was sure none of those scenarios happened, but where else could he be?
“I say we send a search party out,” Mrs. Janowski said.
“No need for a search party,” I said, standing. “I’ll go alone. The rest of you can stay here.”
Edna gave me her keys. “Be careful.”
Following the curved road, I tried to remember the route to get back to Madison. I couldn’t find any signs that led me back to the freeway. Ida was the one who navigated us here, and she didn’t need signs. So, without GPS or a phone that had a mapping app, I stopped at the only gas station in the tiny town.
There was another truck in the rinky-dink lot. It looked a lot like Jack’s truck. More curious about the truck than the directions, I parked and discreetly peeked in the window. Jack’s leather jacket was on the seat.
I looked around the exterior of the small station. I couldn’t see inside, but Jack must be in there. Thank goodness he’d come. He and Hank must have driven up together.
Opening the station door, I peeked inside. “Hello?”
Everything a motorist could possibly need was in the square station hut. Items were stuffed on rack, shelves, and hung from the ceiling. Just in case a patron needed a stuffed moose head, it was there too, right above the snack cakes. Bait. Beer. Mexican jumping beans. Dust. Everything was here except for people.
I took another step inside and let the door close behind me. “Hello? Jack? Hank?”
The attached service garage door was locked. Perhaps they were in the bathroom out back. I walked outside and around to where the bathroom sign had pointed.
“Jack?” I called when I found the men’s room door.
Brown streaks covered the door, repelling me from knocking.
“Jack?” I called again outside the door. “Hank?”
No answer.
Trying not to cringe, I walked over and kicked the door with my shoe. “Anyone in there?”
If they weren’t in the bathroom, nor in the station, where would they be?
Just as I was about to walk back to the front to scan the area, a hand clamped around my mouth and another snaked around my waist, yanking me firmly against a body.
Breath gusted against my neck as I heard a man growl, “Looking for your friends?”
I thrashed against him, hoping he’d let go. It was Wade. I was sure of it. He dragged me backwards, his grip firm. “Hank used to be my friend too. Be careful who you trust.”
I stomped on his foot, gaining a second of freedom before he wrenched down on me again. His arm around my waist squeezed hard, making breathing difficult.
“I know what they’re trying to do,” Wade said. “It won’t work. They can’t keep us apart.”
I was lightheaded from the shallow breaths I was limited to. No amount of wiggling gained even a fraction of space.
“Nothing will keep me from her.” His lips pressed against my neck. “Nothing!”
There was one thing I remembered from self-defense class. It was something I didn’t think I’d ever do, just because it’d hurt me as much as it’d hurt the attacker. I didn’t like pain. I also didn’t like Wade’s hands on me nor his lips on my neck. And, I was frightened.
Panicked, I smashed my head back against his. He immediately let go. I stumbled away, unaware of any direction. The back of my head pounded as tiny bursts of light flashed, obstructing my vision.
“You broke my nose!” Wade yelled.
Holding my head, I ran to the car. He caught up to me just as I opened the door. With one strike, he took my head and rammed it into the car window.
The only thing I remember after that was seeing blood on Edna’s window. And a crack where my forehead had connected.
Chapter 22
“Mars!”
I heard the voice. It had to be Jack’s. Something pushed against me, swinging me. My wrists hurt. So did my shoulders.
“Mars!”
I cracked open my eyes to darkness. “Where am I?”
“In the gas station garage,” Jack said. “Wade took Hank. We have to get out of here.”
By this time, I realized why my arms hurt. I was strung up by my wrists, hanging in the air. Muscles and joints strained, threatening to pop and break from my weight.
In full panic, I grappled to find anything that I could rest against. Anything that’d relieve the pull of my cheesecake-loving poundage.
“Get me down!” I yelled.
“I’m stuck up here with you,” he said.
“How do we get down? My arms are killing me.”
He extended his leg to touch mine. “Can you swing over? Wrap your legs around me. It’ll relieve some of the tension.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll be fine. I have a good grip.”
While I felt terrible about having to use Jack, I did what he suggested. It helped a little, enough to allow me to think about things other than pain.
“Can you feel the bar above you?” he asked, his voice strained.
“No.”
“Push up against me and grab onto the bar. I think we can slide off on your end. You’ll need a firm grip.” He sounded as if a gorilla had sat on him. It didn’t give me very much confidence to push against him. When he shouted, “Now!” I knew I didn’t have much time left. I had to make it count. Pushing against him with my legs, I was able to lift myself up and grab onto the flat bar.
He groaned.
“Sorry,” I said.
“Scoot your way over.”
I did as Jack directed and was able to move slowly. The binding rope prevented me from going any faster. “How did he get us up here?”
“He pressed a button.”
“A button? What are we on?”
“The car lift.”
My sore fingers were losing grip. I didn’t want to think of the consequences if I didn’t make it off.
“Keep going,” Jack said. He had already caught up to me.
“I can’t hold on for much longer.”
“Yes, you can.”
“My fingers are slipping. I can’t get a good grip.”
“Keep going. You can do it. Wrap your legs around me if you need to.”
“But that’ll hurt you.”
“It’ll hurt me more if we don’t get off. Just do what you have to.”
“I’m sorry if I—”
“Just do it!”
With instant regret, I wrapped my legs around him and leverag
ed my weight so I could slide the rest of the way off.
He groaned painfully.
Feeling the edge of the bar, I slipped off the rope and jumped to the ground, hoping it was just a foot and not more. I landed awkwardly but was able to save myself before toppling over.
“I’m down,” I said.
“Turn on the lights and find the switch to lower the lift.”
“Are you stuck?”
“Hurry!”
Because it was dark, it was hard to hurry. “Do you know where the light switch is?”
“From the lift, walk to the left. There’s a workbench there. It’s to the right side.”
I shuffled to where I thought he had directed, but I didn’t find a workbench and I certainly didn’t find a light switch.
“Hurry!”
I shuffled over, thinking I had to be close but was hesitant to touch anything. Service garages weren’t the safest places in the light, let alone pitch black.
Jack cursed loudly, and I knew he was suffering.
Feeling along the wall, I came across something that felt different. It was still flat and rigid, but it didn’t feel like the wall. Was it the garage door? Could I open it manually or was it attached to an opener?
Judging from the old building and the general unkempt condition, I thought there was a good chance it wasn’t equipped with an opener.
I felt for a handle.
“Mars!” Jack yelled.
Found it.
I twisted the handle and yanked up the door, flooding the space with afternoon light. Squinting, I turned around to find Jack still bound and swinging from the car rack. His one shoulder looked oddly deformed.
“Your shoulder is dislocated,” I said.
“I know that!”
I rambled an apology as I raced to get him down. Promises to never eat again tumbled from my mouth.
When he was finally on the ground, he took a moment to breathe and then assess his arm.
“Mars, can you find a cloth or rag? Something to help secure my arm.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said again as I foraged through the garage.
“Stop apologizing,” he said. “This wasn’t your fault.”
“It is my fault.”
“How?”
“I love cheesecake,” I cried.
“Mars, this has nothing to do with cheesecake.”
“It has everything to do with cheesecake. I ripped your arm from your body with my fat hips.”
He stared at me. “You’re kidding, right?”
I shook my head. It was the only thing I was capable of now that the hiccupping and sobbing had begun.
“You didn’t do this. Wade did,” Jack said. “Sit down for a couple of minutes. You’re in shock and not thinking straight.”
“I have to find you something for your arm.”
“You can do that in a couple of minutes. I’m fine right now.”
Jack held his arm against him. He wasn’t okay, yet he didn’t seem as though he’d pass out from the pain either.
I sat down on an old chair in the corner and waited for my breathing to slow and the tears to subside.
“Why is Wade doing this?” I asked, using my sleeve to mop up tears.
“I don’t know. I’ve only heard stories about him from Hank.”
“Where do you think Wade took Hank?”
“I don’t know. Wade kept rambling about a necklace. I knew Hank had my mom’s necklace in his pocket. I don’t understand why Wade would want it.”
“Did Hank give it to him?”
“No, Hank said he didn’t have it. Wade freaked out. He took Hank and tied me up here.”
“Hank should’ve given the necklace to Wade. He’s obsessed with it. He might do something rash.”
“I think we’re past that.”
“What do you know about his relationship with your mom?”
“Nothing. I just knew he was a friend of the family. Wade gave the necklace to my mom as a birthday present.”
I nodded. “Ida didn’t tell Hank a few things. She thought that since Wade was dead, there was no point in arguing with Hank and having your mom questioned by the authorities.”
“What happened?”
“I’ll let Ida tell you. But Wade must be stopped. He’s unstable and has already caused your mom enough pain.”
“Do you think he’d go to see her?”
“He already has.” I stood and renewed my search for something to hold Jack’s arm.
“When?”
“Today. Ida and the ladies are with her now.”
“Did Wade hurt her?”
“Yes,” I stopped. “Do you happen to know if there’s a place Wade and Hank liked to go? I know they were friends before you were born, but can you remember anything from Hank’s stories?”
Jack shook his head. “Nothing. But I think he owns this gas station.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, he kept saying he had to stay close. I could only assume he meant close to my mom, but I didn’t understand why. He wasn’t very coherent, so I thought it was just more rambling.”
Wade stayed near Sandy.
I found a stash of clean rags in a box off to the side of a counter. If I knotted them together, I could make a sling.
As I tied the rags, I pondered. If Wade thought the necklace was gone, where would he go? What would he do? He’d already taken Hank. Would he try to abduct Sandy next? And what was the significance of the necklace?
With an abduction and violence, we now had more information to give to the police. But would they know where to find Wade? Would they be able to help in time?
It was worth another call to them.
“This might hurt a bit,” I said as I wrapped the cloth around Jack’s arm, trying to be as gentle as possible. It was only when I slipped the cloth under his arm that he winced. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” He picked up another rag and pressed it to my forehead. “Your bleeding a little.” Once I took the rag from him, he said, “Let’s get out of here.”
“I hope he didn’t steal Edna’s car,” I said.
“No, I heard him take off. He used my truck.”
“Oh. Sorry.” My apologies were becoming very inadequate for the situation.
We found Edna’s car where I left it. Keys still in the ignition. My purse and phone on the passenger side. Well, besides Wade, the town was rather safe.
I hopped in on the driver’s side and swiped my belongings off the passenger seat for Jack to sit. He slowly sank down and then looked at the door.
“I don’t think I can close it.”
I raced around to close his door and then returned to my seat.
“Give me your phone,” Jack said. “I’ll call the police while you drive.”
“Where should I drive? Is there a hospital nearby?”
“Forget the hospital. Let’s go see my mom and the ladies. We should let them know what happened. Maybe Grandma would know where Wade took Hank.”
It was as good of a plan as any. I started the car and drove down the road while Jack gave the police as much information as he could.
By the time we arrived at Sandy’s home, Jack had just finished the call. Aly opened the door for us, smiling fondly at Jack until she noticed the makeshift sling.
“What happened?” she asked.
Jack ignored the question. “Is Grandma here?”
“Yes, she and the other ladies are in the sitting room.”
“Thank you,” he said as he hurried past her.
I mumbled my thanks as well and hurried after Jack.
“Jack, what happened?” Ida stood to rush over to him.
“Wade. He has Grandpa.”
Ida’s brows pinched together. “What do you mean?”
“Wade wanted the necklace and Grandpa said that he didn’t have it. Wade freaked out.”
“Oh God!” Ida pushed past everyone and tore out of the room. Jack ran after her. The ladies and I followed in purs
uit.
When we arrived at Sandy’s room, I couldn’t see. There were too many people in front of me. But I heard Ida cry, “She’s gone!”
Chapter 23
I hopped up on tiptoes to peer over shoulders into Sandy’s room. She wasn’t inside.
“Maybe she went to the bathroom,” Edna suggested, trying to alleviate Ida’s fears.
Ida shook her head. “She took those pills Aly gave her. They knock her out for hours.”
“Then where could she be?” Sylvia said.
“Wade has her,” Ida said.
“We’d have seen him,” Mrs. Janowski said. “I didn’t even hear any cars come or go except for when Mars and Jack arrived.”
“There’s a back door with a trail nearby,” Ida said. “I bet he used that.”
“Let’s go look,” Mrs. Janowski said.
We all raced back downstairs and followed Ida to the back door. From upstairs you couldn’t see the trail. Too many trees blocked the view. But once we were outside, we could see the wide trail as it snaked down the hill.
“Where does this trail lead?” I asked.
“Town is on the left. Right would lead you up to the top of the hill.”
“We were just at his gas station,” I said. “I don’t think he was planning on going back. Do you?” I asked Jack.
“I don’t think so.”
“But he could use the trail to get to town and then leave,” Mrs. Janowski said.
“Is there anything at the top of the hill?” I asked.
“Aly lives up there,” Ida said. “She bought the place when she started about ten years ago.”
“Anything else?” I asked.
“Not that I know of.”
“Then he must have gone to town,” Mrs. Janowski said. “Let’s get to the car. We might be able to catch him if we hurry.”
“Hang on,” I said, looking at the path. “Wade would’ve had to carry Sandy.”
“We know that,” Sylvia said.
“And he had Hank with him too,” I said. “This trail might be wide and paved, but Hank would never make it up here. And I doubt that Wade would be able to carry Sandy and control Hank at the same time.”
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