by Lisa Orchard
Sarah and Jackie exchanged a nervous look.
“I went to my math teacher. He told me not to rock the boat. So, you see no one was going to help me.”
“My Uncle Walt would’ve helped you.”
Randy shook his head. “No way. After I went to my math teacher, Coach Stevens had a little chat with me.” Randy’s lips pressed into a tight angry line. “My math teacher told him about our conversation. Coach Stevens didn’t trust me after that.”
“What happened?” Sarah glanced at Jackie and caught a glimpse of her shocked expression.
“He beat me up, then had players stalk me to make sure I didn’t talk.”
“Talk? Talk about what?”
“The steroid use.”
“Isn’t that against the rules?” Jackie asked.
“Yeah!” Randy raised his eyebrows and made a face at Jackie. “He could’ve lost his job and gone to jail if anyone found out.”
“You should’ve gone to my uncle.” Sarah frowned and shook her head.
“All the teachers were against me. You should’ve seen my grades after that little confrontation. I wasn’t getting any help from no teacher.”
Randy grew silent, stopped his pacing, and stared out the window.
Sarah could tell he was still angry by the way that he kept clenching and unclenching his hands.
“Why now?” Sarah asked with a shrug. “I mean, you graduated seven years ago.”
Randy sighed again. “Yeah, but my little brother Chris is a freshman this year. He’s not as tough as Mike or me.”
“So, Mike plays football, too?” Jackie asked.
“Yep.” Randy scowled. “I tried to tell him not to, but he didn’t listen to me.”
Sarah chewed on her thumbnail. “So Mike hates the coach as much as you do?”
“Yep.” Randy started pacing again.
“Why didn’t you go to the police?” Sarah stood and leaned against the wall.
“The police? What were they going to do? How would I prove it?” Randy let out a wry chuckle and shook his head. “Everyone loved the coach…the school, the parents, the other teachers. No one was going to believe me and the rest of the players would never have said anything against him.”
“You could have told the police about the steroids,” Sarah said.
Randy shook his head. “You’re not listening. They weren’t going to do anything to mess up the winning streak.”
A flare of anger sparked in Sarah’s belly. She bit her lip to keep the spiteful words from leaving her mouth. Instead, she said, “Well, your brother could have decided to stay away from the football team, you know?” She clenched her hands behind her back.
“No.” Randy shook his head. “The coach has already started hounding him, just like he hounded Mike.”
The shrill ring of a phone interrupted the conversation. “I’ll be right back.” Randy strode out of the cabin.
Sarah’s heart leapt. Maybe he won’t come back! She looked at Jackie and crossed her fingers. Her spirits sank when she heard the key in the lock.
She ran to the window and gazed out, looking for Randy. “He must be right in front of the door.” Sarah turned toward her friend.
“What are we going to do?” Jackie asked.
“I don’t know.” Sarah looked around the cabin. “Look for anything that we can use as a weapon.”
They searched under the cot and under the cushions of the chairs.
“Nothing,” Jackie said.
The scraping sound of the key in the lock got Sarah’s attention. She motioned for Jackie, and they hurried back to their previous places.
Randy stepped into the room, carrying a rope. “I have to leave for a while. I need to tie you girls up.” He motioned for them to move toward the chairs.
Sarah’s stomach clenched and her heart raced. What are we going to do now? She gritted her teeth as she moved to one of the chairs.
As the bomber tied her hands behind her back, Sarah’s mind ran wild. She tried to come up with an escape plan. Biting her lip, she was forced to do as she was told. Sitting down in the chair, she brooded as the man tied her feet together.
The cushions on the chair were suede and overstuffed. It was a comfortable seat and any other day Sarah would have loved to sit in it and read her true crime stories. Today was a different story.
After tying up Jackie in the same manner, Randy opened the door. “I’ll be back,” he said before closing the door and locking it.
Sarah struggled with her bindings, but was unable to free herself. They cut into her skin and she winced. Sighing, she looked around the room. Now that the bomber was gone, her anxiety had dialed down a couple of notches.
“Jackie?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve got your nail file in my back pocket. Let’s try and stand up. Maybe you can get it out.”
“Okay.”
The girls stood, wobbled, and then hopped into position. With their backs to each other, they wiggled closer until Sarah touched Jackie’s back pocket.
“Okay, now reach into my right pocket and see if you can get the file out.”
Jackie pressed against Sarah as she struggled with her bindings and reached for the file.
“Hunch down a little bit,” Jackie instructed.
Sarah bent at her knees and felt the file slide from her pocket.
“Now what do you want me to do?” Jackie asked.
“See if you can untie us with it.”
Jackie snorted. “It’s not a saw, you know?”
“I know, but maybe you can pick at the knot and get it untied.”
Jackie didn’t answer, but after a few minutes the cold metal made contact with Sarah’s skin. Seconds later, she heard it hit the wood floor.
“Major bummer,” Jackie cried.
“I’ll turn around and direct you to it.” Sarah hopped and turned around until she faced the nail file.
After several agonizing minutes, Jackie had the nail file in her hands.
Sarah hopped back around. “Okay, let’s try again. Try to wedge it into the knot, then wiggle it and loosen the knot.”
“Okay.” Jackie grunted with effort. “Try wiggling your wrists at the same time.”
Sarah did as she was told. “Okay, I think it’s getting looser. Keep wiggling the file.”
The two Super Spies worked together for several more minutes. Sarah’s bindings loosened around her wrists. Seconds later, her hands were free and she bent down and went to work on her feet. Once her feet were free, Sarah untied Jackie.
“You know…if it wasn’t for my fashion sense, we’d still be tied up, girlfriend.”
Sarah smirked. “True, your fashion sense saved us again.”
“I love hearing those words. Can you say that again?”
“Shut up.”
Jackie’s hands were free and she bent to untie her ankles.
“Hey, hand me the cell phone,” Sarah said.
After giving the phone to Sarah, Jackie finished untying her feet.
Sarah walked to the window and started dialing 9-1-1. “Crap, no service.”
“How come the bomber had service but we don’t?” Jackie asked.
“He probably has a different service plan.”
She sighed and gazed around the room. Spying the door, she said, “Hand me that nail file.”
Jackie picked it up off the floor and handed it to her friend. “What are you going to do now?”
“I’m going to try and pick that lock.” Sarah strode to the door and examined the keyhole.
“Do you really think we’ll get lucky twice?”
“I don’t know,” Sarah shrugged. “But what have we got to lose?”
“True.”
Sarah focused her attention on the lock. After examining it for several minutes, she faced her friend. “By chance do you have a bobby pin in your purse?”
“Let me look.” Jackie pulled the strap from over her shoulder and rummaged around inside her purse. Afte
r a few seconds, she pulled a bobby pin out and held it up for her friend.
“Awesome!” Sarah crowed. She pulled a small piece of purse fuzz off and went to work on the lock with the nail file and bobby pin.
She worked for several minutes, manipulating her tools. She sighed when her first few attempts failed. Her hands trembled and she willed them to stop shaking. She took a deep breath, and tried again.
The sound of the lock sliding free sent relief surging through Sarah’s body. It rushed so fast that she stumbled back and almost fell down.
Jackie steadied her, and then Sarah reached out with a trembling hand and turned the knob.
When the door opened, Sarah stared at Jackie in disbelief. “We’re free!”
After both girls did their happy dance, they peered out into the woods. Sarah’s stomach fluttered as she stared at the fading light.
Sarah shivered. “We’ve got to get moving.”
“I have no clue where to go,” Jackie said, as she hesitated.
“We’re safer out in the woods than we are here, waiting for the bomber to come back.”
“I guess…”
“Jack, what do you think is going to happen if we wait here?” Sarah gave her friend the eagle eye. “Think about it. He told us everything. Do you actually believe he’s going to let us go?”
Jackie’s eyes widened as she gulped. “I don’t know.”
“Besides,” Sarah continued. “If we keep moving, we’ll stay warm.”
Jackie pulled on a curl. “What happens if we meet up with Randy?”
Sarah glanced down at her feet. “We’ll stay off the trail…and just walk alongside it.”
“All right, let’s go.”
After the girls walked a few feet down the path, Sarah stopped and tried to call 9-1-1 again. “Still no service.”
Sarah kept her phone on and held it in her hand as they hustled off the path. They followed the trail, but stayed hidden from view by traveling a few yards off it.
The Super Spies walked for twenty minutes. Night had fallen and both of them were desperately trying to keep warm. Sarah stopped and tried to call 9-1-1 again, but still no service.
The sound of voices stopped the girls. Sarah exchanged a look of alarm with Jackie. “Quick, let’s hide behind that tree.” She pointed deeper into the woods to a large evergreen.
They huddled behind the tree as the voices grew louder. Flashes of light pierced the darkness and it dawned on Sarah that whoever was walking toward them had flashlights.
“Who do you think it is?” Jackie whispered through chattering teeth.
“I don’t know.”
They became silent and the voices grew louder. Sarah strained to hear what they were saying, but they were still too far away.
“Is it the bomber?” Jackie whispered.
“Can’t tell.”
Sarah froze as the voices drew closer. The hair on the back of her neck prickled and her heart beat frantically against her ribcage.
Jackie grabbed her friend’s arm and squeezed. Sarah held her breath. She stared at her friend for a moment and then faced the trail.
Sarah spied the flashlight beams and the voices were clearer. She stared as a group of men walked into her line of vision.
“I don’t believe it. It’s the FBI!” Sarah exclaimed. She leapt from behind the tree. “Help! Help!”
All eyes turned toward her.
Agent Gray sprinted to the girls. “Are you all right?”
Sarah nodded as she gasped for breath. “Yeah.”
Jackie had followed her friend. She pulled on her curls as the other FBI agents trailed behind Agent Gray.
“The bombers are Randy and Mike Ferguson,” Sarah said.
The FBI agent frowned. “Where are they?”
“We don’t know. Randy Ferguson brought us here and said he’d be back. We haven’t seen Mike.”
“Where’s here?”
Sarah pointed down the trail. “There’s a cabin about twenty minutes away.” Her teeth chattered as she spoke and she was shivering uncontrollably.
The FBI man took off his jacket and put it around Sarah’s shoulders. “Bill, give that young lady your coat.” He pointed to Jackie.
After Sarah and Jackie were wrapped up in the FBI agents’ jackets, Sarah asked, “How did you find us?”
“We pinged your cell phone.” Agent Gray smiled and tousled Sarah’s hair.
She laughed and smacked her forehead with the heel of her hand. “You pinged my cell phone. I should have known.”
“That pinging thing is pretty awesome,” Jackie said.
“You got that right.”
“Show us where that cabin is.” Agent Gray put his arm around Sarah.
“This way.” Sarah motioned for the agents to follow her.
With the help of the flashlights, the group made it back to the cabin in record time. Swarming the dwelling like bees coming home to the hive, the agents searched the tiny structure in a matter of minutes.
“You’re sure he was planning on coming back?” Agent Gray asked.
Sarah pursed her lips. “Yes, but he didn’t say when.”
The agent nodded before stepping away and speaking into his mouthpiece.
While he spoke to the other agents, Sarah surveyed the forest. It was a cool, clear evening and the stars twinkled in the sky. She could see her breath when she exhaled. Winter will be here in a few months. Sighing, she realized there was no breeze and if they weren’t here, making all this noise, it would be silent in the woods.
Agent Gray stepped forward and tapped Sarah on the shoulder. “We need to get statements from you girls.”
“Yeah,” Sarah said, as she took one last look around. “I should call my aunt.”
“I’ve already spoken with her. She knows you’re all right. She’ll meet you at the station.”
“Thanks.”
“Let’s head down there now.”
Just as the agent turned to lead the way, the sharp crack of a stick tore through the atmosphere. Everyone froze.
“Everyone out of sight!” Agent Gray whispered into his mouthpiece and then grabbed Sarah and Jackie by their arms and hustled them behind the building.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sarah’s heart thundered in her chest as she listened to the night. The sound of snapping twigs broke the silence. Then a beam of light bounced off the trees growing on either side of the cabin. He’s back.
A clear voice boomed into the night. “FBI! Freeze!”
“Hands in the air!”
Sarah peeked around the corner and saw a startled Randy Ferguson standing with his hands held above his head. Agent Gray dashed toward him and handcuffed his hands behind his back.
The next thing Sarah picked up was Agent Gray reading the bomber his Miranda rights. Her legs suddenly lost their strength and she leaned against the cabin. She took a couple of deep breaths. It’s really over.
There was a flurry of activity as the agents gathered around the bomber and escorted him through the woods.
Agent Gray lagged behind, waiting for the two Super Spies to catch up. When they reached him, he gave them a smile. “Good work, girls.”
Sarah beamed. “Thanks.”
“Yeah, thanks,” Jackie echoed.
The FBI agent and the girls walked through the woods. Their footsteps rustled the leaves beneath their feet. The sound seemed amplified to Sarah as if the whole forest had grown silent to watch them pass.
She glanced at Agent Gray and asked, “You can give us a ride home, right?”
“Absolutely, but we still need to take you to the station and get your statements.”
“Okay.”
The group wandered the rest of the way in silence. When they reached the cruisers, Randy was placed in one car and the girls in another.
Bouncing down the two-track, Sarah felt like a wet noodle. One of the bombers had been caught. It was only a matter of time before the FBI located his brother, and Uncle Walt was goin
g to be okay. She sighed and leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
Sarah woke just as the cruiser pulled into the police station. She glanced at Jackie and gave her a guilty smile. “I didn’t realize how tired I was.”
Her friend snickered. “You were snoring.”
“No way.”
“Way.”
Shrugging, Sarah turned and gazed out the window. She was too tired to argue with her.
The girls were escorted to separate interrogation rooms. Sarah sat in interrogation room two. She looked at her image in a two way mirror; a girl with a pale face and shock-filled eyes stared back. Studying her reflection, Sarah looked for differences in her face. She felt changed by this whole experience, but nothing in her reflection spoke of any transformation. The metamorphosis must only be internal.
Agent Gray walked in. “Okay, Sarah. We need to get your statement and then you can go home.”
Sarah sighed and nodded. She told Agent Gray the whole story about her abduction in front of the school.
When she finished, she asked, “Do you have enough to put Randy and Mike in jail?”
“We’re still gathering evidence against them. The problem we have is Randy’s saying he did this by himself, and Mike isn’t talking.”
Sarah shook her head. “Randy must have had help. Otherwise, how did he get both Jackie and I in the truck?”
“I know what you’re saying, but neither one of you girls saw him do it.”
“What about someone at the school? Some of the other kids?”
Agent Gray sighed. “That’s going to take some time.”
Sarah gazed down at the floor and blew air through her lips. She looked at the agent and sat up straight in her chair. “I know how you can get him…for the bombing anyway.”
Agent Gray leaned forward and looked Sarah in the eye. “How?”
“When Jackie and I were in the woods the night of the bombing, we were looking for their hideout.”
“Go on.”
“Well, he came to the hideout when we were there. We hid in the grass behind the shack and saw him.”
“Okay…but you see the problem with that is a defense attorney is going to argue that it was dark and you can’t be certain it was Mike.”