Second Chance Reunion

by Merrillee Whren

  “I don’t see that happening now.” Ian frowned. “Besides, maybe it’s for the best. What good would come from reuniting two recovering substance abusers?”

  “You’re different people now. You have God in your lives.”

  “Annie has made it pretty clear she’s not interested in getting back together.”

  Jordan paused to say a prayer after the waitress delivered their food. After the prayer, he looked up. “Aren’t you two visiting churches together?”

  “We were until Annie found out what I did. She felt betrayed and used the difficulty of finding a sitter as an excuse not to go.” Ian took a bite of his burger and chewed slowly. He hoped his dad would eat and not badger him further.

  Jordan took a gulp of his iced tea, then set the glass down. “I get the impression you don’t want to talk about Annie.”

  “You would be correct.” Ian laughed halfheartedly. Couldn’t his dad drop this conversation?

  “I wish I could fix this for you. I think you and Annie belong together.”

  “She doesn’t.”

  “Have you told her you still love her?”

  “She doesn’t want to talk to me.” Ian stared at his half-eaten burger. He’d been telling himself for weeks that he was falling in love again, but in truth he’d never stopped loving Annie. His love had been buried under a mountain of hurt, anger and unforgiveness. Little by little Annie and her changed life had chipped away at that mountain until those feelings were unearthed.

  Jordan wagged a finger at Ian. “If you love her, you have to find a way to tell her.”

  Was his dad right? Ian could hear Kara’s little voice echoing in his brain. I think she likes you a lot. Was that still true? If he wanted to know, he had to be willing to put his heart on the line. “I wish I knew how.”

  “Would you like your mother to invite Annie and the kids over to eat? Your mother is itching to have some time with Kara and Spencer.”

  Ian shook his head. “I’m not sure she would come. I need to handle this on my own.”

  “Don’t wait too long.”

  Before Ian could respond, his cell phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out. Annie’s name appeared on the display. Why was she calling? He looked at his dad. “It’s Annie.”

  “Answer it.” His dad grinned.

  Ian put the phone to his ear. “Hi, Annie.” There was no response. “Hello.” Garbled conversation came through the phone. He couldn’t make out anything. “Hello?”

  His dad leaned forward. “Bad connection?”

  Ian held the phone out and stared at it. When he was about to end the connection and call back, a scream sounded over the phone. He looked at his dad. “What’s going on?”

  Concern colored his dad’s expression. “Listen for a moment.”

  Ian turned up the volume and laid the phone on the table, not caring whether he was disturbing those around them. More garbled voices came over the phone. Then he heard Annie. “Jesse, if you kill my parents, you won’t get any money.”

  Ian’s heart jumped into his throat as he picked up the phone, put it on mute and scrambled out of the booth. “Annie’s in trouble. It sounds like her old boyfriend is holding her hostage. I’ve got to help her.”

  His dad put a hand on Ian’s arm. “Wait a minute, son. Calm down. We have to figure out where she is.”

  Ian took a deep breath, his heart still pounding as he listened to the muffled conversation coming over the phone’s speaker. His dad was right. “Call Melody and see if she knows anything.”

  After his dad talked to Melody and discovered Annie’s whereabouts, Ian still monitored his phone as he started for the door. If he could only tell what was happening. Was Annie still okay? Please, God, keep her safe. The prayer flitted through his mind as he looked at his dad. “Call 911. I’m heading over there.”

  Jordan raced after Ian as he made the call. “Let the police take care of this. You can’t do anything.”

  Still listening to his phone, Ian paced back and forth next to his car as his dad explained the situation to the 911 operator. He looked up at Ian. “Do you know the address?”

  Ian rattled off the address, thankful that he still remembered it. “I’m going over there.”

  Jordan ended the call. “The police are on their way. I don’t think you should go, but if you’re going, I’m going, too.”

  Ian opened the door to his car. “Get in, because you can’t stop me.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Her heart beating in overtime, Annie lay perfectly still on the floor while Jesse roamed around the room. He waved the gun in the air and hurled profanity-laced insults at her and her parents. Annie didn’t dare look at her father, who lay tied up beside her, for fear Jesse would think she was up to something and discover her phone. She forced herself not to cry as she closed her eyes and prayed for God to send someone to save them.

  Jesse continued to pace back and forth as he shouted about the unfairness of life. Annie remembered having that paranoid feeling when drugs had controlled her thoughts. Everything and everyone had been against her. Thank the Lord for saving her from that miserable life. Surely, God hadn’t brought her this far to wind up dead at the hands of her drunken ex-boyfriend. Kara and Spencer needed her.

  With the rug chafing her cheek, Annie thought about Ian and the way she had sent him away with angry words. He’d done the right thing when he had reported her to DFCS. She’d been an unfit mother, and he was only protecting her children. She’d let the shock of learning he was responsible for the loss of her children make her say things she shouldn’t have said. Would she live to tell him she’d been wrong—to ask for his forgiveness again?

  Shivers ran down Annie’s spine as Jesse pressed the gun to her cheek. She held her breath and prayed. What was he going to do?

  “Do what I say, and no one gets hurt.” Jesse yanked on Annie’s arm and pulled her to her feet.

  With the gun’s cold metal against her skin, Annie didn’t dare breathe. Jesse shoved her onto the couch next to her mother, who was sobbing.

  “Shut up. Quit crying, or I’ll shoot.” Jesse waved his gun under her mother’s nose. Then Jesse stood over her father. “I want you to get me one hundred thousand dollars and safe passage to Croatia.”

  Her father turned his head up to look at Jesse. “I can’t do anything while I’m tied up on the floor.”

  Jesse blinked as if he was trying to make a judgment about her father’s statement. Jesse wasn’t rational if he thought he could get those things. Afraid to look at her mother, Annie tried to remain calm. She glanced out the window to see whether anyone might have called the police. Nothing. No one knew they were trapped in this house with a madman. Annie closed her eyes and prayed.

  Jesse poked the gun against her temple. “Why are you closing your eyes?”

  Annie wondered what Jesse would say if she told him she was praying for him. Would he listen to her if she tried to persuade him to stop this madness?

  Before Annie could answer, sirens sounded in the distance. Jesse turned toward the window as the sirens’ wail grew louder. Annie looked outside. Flashing red-and-blue lights accompanied the screaming sirens. Jesse pointed the gun at Annie. Her heart jumped into her throat.

  Jesse’s face twisted with rage. “Who called the police?”

  Taking a deep breath, Annie hoped her expression didn’t give anything away. “One of the neighbors must have heard the gunshot.”

  Jesse narrowed his gaze as he glanced between her and the commotion outside. Then he sneered. “Maybe it’s a good thing the police showed up. Now I’ll get some action.”

  A voice boomed over a police megaphone. “This is Sergeant Brad McGarvey, Police Department Crisis Unit. I’m here to listen to you and to try to make sure everybody stays safe.”

 
Annie held her breath and waited to see what Jesse would do. Eventually, the officer established a phone connection with Jesse, and Annie had hopes the police could talk sense into him. But the conversation went on and on, and she couldn’t tell what was going on from listening to only one side of the conversation.

  Despite Jesse’s bravado about getting action out of the police, he disconnected the call and stood against the wall between two windows and waved his gun at Annie and her parents. “They’re just stalling. No action from anyone.”

  Annie stared at Jesse. That’s who she had been until a street preacher had taken the time to show her God’s mercy and point her in the right direction. She had to try to do that for Jesse now rather than dismiss him as a lost cause as some had done with her, including her parents and Ian. Lord, give me the right words to say.

  “Jesse—”

  “Shut up.” He waved the gun at her and her mother stifled a sob.

  “Please listen to me. I want to help you.”

  Jesse’s lips twisted in a snarl and he laughed. “What? Now you’re going to give me money.”

  “No. I told you before I don’t have any money, but I’ve got something better.”

  “Like what?”

  “God’s love.”

  “Don’t preach at me.”

  “I’m not going to preach. I’m just going to tell you what God did for me.” Annie nodded. “He forgave me and gave me a new life, and it’s wonderful. I’m not craving the next drink or the next hit. My mind is clear. You can have God’s love, too. He doesn’t care what you’ve done. He’s ready to give you a new and better life.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. You’ve turned into a do-gooder just like that ex-husband of yours. Tell me another good story.”

  “Jesse, whether you believe me or not, what good is it going to do you to harm us? The police have the place surrounded. You can’t escape no matter what you do to us.” Annie wondered whether any of her statements soaked into his fuzzy mind. “At least let my mother go. You still have me and my dad, who has the money.”

  Jesse eyed her as if he wasn’t sure whether he could believe her. “So if I let your mother go, I’ll get the money?”

  Annie was pretty sure she shouldn’t make any blanket promises. What answer would satisfy Jesse? “I think that would help. Please release her.”

  * * *

  During the drive, Ian listened to his phone. He could barely tell what anyone was saying unless someone shouted. Things had been very quiet, and Ian worried that Annie was hurt. When he arrived, a couple of squad cars and a SWAT team were there. He parked his car down the street and walked toward the officer setting up a barricade. Jordan followed close behind. Even from a distance, Ian could tell that an officer was in communication with someone in the house. Ian swallowed the lump in his throat as he drew near to the barricade.

  The officer looked up at Ian. “You can’t come any farther.”

  Ian held up his phone. “One of the hostages called me, and the call is still connected. I believe the gunman knows nothing about it.”

  After Ian explained his and his dad’s relationship to Annie, the officer indicated that they should come with him. They were fitted with vests before they related their story to the lead hostage negotiator, who thanked them for the new information and told them about Jesse’s demands.

  Would Jesse leave his hostages unharmed if he received those things? Annie’s parents were wealthy enough to give him what he wanted, but how would they react? Would they blame Annie for bringing this trouble on them? Ian couldn’t imagine what Annie must be going through. He wanted to rush into the house and save her. A foolish notion, for sure. He felt totally helpless.

  While Ian paced and continued to monitor his phone at the police officer’s request, Jordan stepped into Ian’s path. “Pacing isn’t going to help anything. Let’s take a moment to pray.”

  “Okay.” Ian stopped and bowed his head and listened to his dad’s prayer. Ian remembered how his dad’s prayers had brought him through the pain of his accident and withdrawal from the drugs and alcohol. How had he ever doubted that his dad cared about him? Annie’s reemergence in their lives had brought his dad and him closer. They understood each other better now than ever. Ian tried to reassure himself that they would get through this crisis with God’s help.

  As Jordan ended his prayer, a commotion broke out near the house. Ian jerked his head toward the sound. Annie’s mother stepped out the front door. She sobbed as an officer rushed to greet her. Ian couldn’t tell what she was saying. He had to find out if Annie was okay. He moved closer. Annie’s mother tried to talk in between sobs, but she was nearly hysterical.

  Jordan approached one of the officers. “Sir, I was Mrs. Payton’s pastor for a number of years. May I talk with her and see if I can calm her?”

  The officer nodded, leading them to a safe area away from the house. Ian followed his father as he went to talk to Marcia. When she saw Ian, she covered her face with her hands. Jordan put his arm around her shoulders. “It’s okay, Marcia. You’re safe. Let’s pray for Annie and Richard.”

  Nodding, Marcia let out another little sob as she bowed her head. After Jordan finished, Marcia appeared to have regained some of her composure, and she recounted what had happened. Ian thanked God that no one had been hurt when Jesse fired the gun, but the knowledge that the man had shot at Richard made Ian’s stomach sink. They had to get Annie and her dad out of there.

  Misery painted every inch of Marcia’s face. “I was reluctant to leave, but Annie and Richard insisted. If only I had talked to her when she came the first time, this wouldn’t have happened. Annie was so brave when she talked that horrible man into letting me go.”

  At least Marcia had said something positive about Annie. How would this affect Annie’s relationship with her parents?

  Ian pointed to his phone. “Annie called me. So we’ve been listening to what’s happening although we can’t make out most of it. The police said to let them know if we hear anything new.”

  “Did you hear the gunshot?” Marcia asked.

  Ian shook his head. “She must’ve called after that happened. When we realized what was going on, we called 911.”

  “Thank you.” Marcia put a hand over her heart. “I never saw Annie with a phone.”

  “She must have it hidden. That’s probably why we can’t hear very well.”

  Marcia leaned closer “So you can’t tell what’s happening?”

  “Not most of the time. The voices are muffled. We heard the shouting.”

  “It was awful. I was so frightened.” Marcia put a hand to her mouth.

  Jordan waved his hand in a circle. “It looks like the SWAT team has the house surrounded.”

  Marcia wrung her hands. “They’re supposed to know what they’re doing, but that guy is crazy—hopped up on some kind of drugs.”

  Ian wondered what Marcia thought about his presence there. Did she find it strange? She hadn’t indicated any surprise. He wasn’t sure what to say to his ex-mother-in-law. They’d never been close even when he’d been married to Annie. He was pretty sure they blamed him for Annie’s downfall.

  The time dragged as Ian waited for news. The phone connection became more and more garbled until Ian considered ending the call, but he feared losing that link to Annie. He wanted to be there if he could somehow help her. Why weren’t the police making more progress? How long could this go on? Soon it would be dark. Were the police waiting until darkness to make their move?

  As the last rays of sunlight slithered through the tall pines, the SWAT team made a single-file line. Ian prayed like he’d never prayed before. Before the SWAT team made their first move, the front door opened slightly and a white flag waved through the opening. The officers held their ground as the door opened completely and a man stepped out with his hands raised
in the air. The police immediately took him into custody. Moments later Annie and her father appeared on the front porch. Marcia ran to greet them. They hugged and cried and talked all at once. Ian wanted more than anything to be part of that reunion, but he didn’t belong.

  Ian turned to his dad. “Guess we ought to be going.”

  Jordan raised his eyebrows. “You’re not going to talk to Annie?”

  Ian motioned toward the Paytons, who were now talking with the police. “Does it look like I have any chance to talk to her?”

  “You should at least let her know you’re here.”

  Ian shook his head. “I can’t intrude. I know she’s safe. It looks like she’s had reconciliation with her parents. That’s good enough for right now.”

  Jordan shook his head. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  “I do.” Ian turned toward his car.

  “Ian, wait.” Annie’s voice sounded over the commotion.

  Ian turned as Annie ran toward him, her parents close behind.

  “Are you okay?” The question sounded lame, but he had no idea what else to say.

  Nodding, she stopped in front of him as she tried to catch her breath. “Thank you. Mom told me you’re the one who alerted the police.”

  “Melody told us where you were.”

  Annie shook her head. “I had no idea who would get the call. I just happened to press the number that speed dials your phone.”

  “I’m glad I was there to help, and we can thank God for cell phones and speed dialing.” Ian wished he could tell Annie everything he was thinking and feeling, but he couldn’t do that with an audience. So instead, he shook hands with the Paytons as they expressed their gratitude. “Is there anything we can do for you? You want me to check on Kara and Spencer? You might be here for a while talking to the police.”

  Annie shook her head. “Melody is already with the kids. I’ll talk to her.”

  “Okay. We’ll talk later.” Ian hoped so. Would today’s events give him an opportunity to plead his case?