The Player (Broken Wishes Series Book 3)

by Joanne Sexton

  Disregarding the repulsion she felt over his words, she continued to search inside the car. “Where’s Jesse?”

  The rear door was opened by Anton and a frightened looking Jesse locked eyes on his mother before leaping from the car into her arms. Her relief caused her to squeeze him so tight she thought she would crush him. She never wanted to let him go.

  “Get in the car,” Anton said.

  Out the corner of her eye she saw a flash and realized he had the gun. Naively, she had thought there would be a way to save them both. The idea he may have a weapon again hadn’t even occurred to her. All her thoughts had been about getting Jesse back safely and not on what the next step would be. Perhaps reasoning would work.

  “If I go with you then there’ll be no-one here for Jesse. I can’t just leave him here.”

  “I anticipated you wouldn’t and that’s why you’re both coming with me.”

  As he reached forward to grab her arm, she heard the voice of the man she loved, and hope replaced fear.

  “Not if I have anything to do with it, Anton,” Mitch said.

  A relieved breath whooshed out of her. Not only was Mitch here, but he’d brought back up in the form of Nathan and Jared.

  Her fear returned when she remembered the gun and the thought of someone getting hurt overrode everything.

  “Do you think you’re going to be the hero, Montgomery? Well, I have news for you. Come any closer and I’ll shoot them both.”

  In an instant Isabelle was pulled hard against Anton’s body and something cold and hard pressed against her temple. She begged her knees not to give out.

  “Now get in the car,” he said, shoving her forward. At least the gun wasn’t aimed at her head anymore. His shaking hand on the trigger could have meant her life.

  “Please, let Jesse go. There’s someone here to take him now. I’ll go with you. Just don’t hurt anyone, please.” Her voice sounded high-pitched and desperate. She could see the effect her words were having on Mitch and she hoped he wouldn’t do anything to put himself in the line of fire. Her fear and loathing of Anton burned her throat.

  “He’ll only get in the way anyway,” Anton said. Isabelle met his eyes and saw his mania. The quicker she got her loved ones away from him the better.

  “Go with Mitch, Jesse,” she said, urging him forward. “Go with Mitch. It’s okay, honey.”

  “Mommy?” He lifted confused eyes to hers and her heart almost gave out. At that moment she wondered if she would ever see him again. She took in first Jesse, then Mitch, so she could carry them with her.

  “Just go, Jesse,” she cried.

  Without another word Jesse ran towards Mitch, who took him in his arms before moving to shield him behind his body.

  Mitch watched in horror as Anton dragged Isabelle to the car and shoved her into the back.

  The sound of a car pulling in caused him to turn.

  Lucas had arrived in his unmarked police vehicle. Anton backed the car out, almost running them all down as he headed towards the exit Lucas and Maggie had blocked with their car. To his amazement, Anton didn’t stop, but ploughed straight into the car, pushing it aside. He sped from the exit towards the bridge.

  Jared went to check on Lucas and Maggie, while Mitch stood stupefied to the spot, clutching a sobbing Jesse. They both watched as the woman they loved was driven away by a mad man. In the distance Mitch heard Maggie on the radio calling for assistance and realized that backup might not arrive in time.

  Without further thought, he deposited Jesse with Nathan, leapt in his car and sped off after Anton and Isabelle. If the police didn’t stop the maniac on the other side of the bridge, they would disappear.

  The moment Mitch drove onto the bridge he heard the distinguishing sound of metal against metal and watched in disbelief as Anton’s car veered over to the opposite side of the road. The sedan missed the oncoming traffic before mounting the curb and crashing through the safety rail. It disappeared over the side into the water below.

  Without consideration for his safety he jammed both feet on the brakes, left the car in the middle of the bridge and sprinted across to the other side. He searched left and right but could see no sign of them in the water beneath.

  “Isabelle!” he shouted into the wind.

  Shock surged through her as they drove across the bridge. She couldn’t believe this was happening. They were actually driving away, away from Jesse and Mitch. How was she going to escape this maniac?

  He’d already smashed into Lucas’ car and she realized that nothing would stop him. Without thinking she leant forward and covered Anton’s eyes with the hope that it would entice him to stop the car. With dismay she realized her plan backfired as they sped straight towards the guard rail.

  Her head and body slammed against the front seat as they hit. The surreal sensation of falling in what felt like slow motion towards the blackness of the water caused her to scream. When they hit, terror seized her chest as they began to sink.

  Trying not to panic, she frantically began to wind down the window, but water rushed in at her and she gasped for air. With one final breath she pulled herself through the window and kicked towards the surface.

  A strong current took hold and dragged her away from the bridge and it looked small in the distance. With all she had, Isabelle kicked and fought to stay above the surface. Swimming with the current, she headed for land and by the time she touched solid ground she was exhausted. As she staggered through the shallows, a sharp pain down one side of her body took what little breath she had left.

  Nausea and dizziness assaulted her before everything went black.

  Chapter Twenty Two

  Without a trace

  Boats circled the water waiting for divers to emerge.

  Further down, in the direction of the current flow, another boat searched the opposite side for signs of life. Rescuers were still searching the north side without success. On the bank, Mitch paced anxiously, feeling useless and helpless all at once. Jared paced with him offering support, whilst Nathan had taken Jesse home so Carrie could look after him. He would then go to the hospital to update Carol.

  Mitch inhaled a sharp breath when a diver appeared holding a limp body. His breath hissed out when he saw it was Anton.

  “She must have gotten out,” Jared said.

  “Then where is she?” Mitch bit out and regretted it. Jared ignored it and rested a hand on Mitch’s shoulder. A diver indicated something to the boat and Mitch turned to Jared with a questioning look.

  “There was only one body in the car. This is good, Mitch. It means she got out.”

  “How is that good? She could be somewhere else out there. Where is she?” His frustration came out in a growl and his frayed nerves stirred at his temper. The fear of the unknown felt like torture.

  “Mitch, look.”

  Following the line of Jared’s arm, Mitch looked towards the boat on the other side of the river. The rescue helicopter set down on the bank, and Mitch froze. The boat moved away from the bank and Mitch spotted her lifeless form on the sand near the rocky edge.

  “I have to get over there, Jared, but they’ve closed the bridge.”

  “Let me see what I can do.”

  Jared ran down the bank, stopped to speak briefly with one of the rescuers and then jogged back towards Mitch.

  “There’s a boat about to dock over there.” He pointed to a vessel crossing the river in their direction. “Hop on and they will take you across and then you can ride with her in the chopper.”

  “Thanks, Jared,” Mitch pulled his brother in for a hug before running over to the boat and climbing aboard.

  The journey across the water felt like an eternity, and after jumping from the boat and skimming through the shallow water, he stood watching, feeling helpless again, as they readied Isabelle for the chopper.

  An oxygen mask covered her deathly pale face. One of the paramedics gestured for him to follow and he leaped in once they’d loaded her.


  “Is she okay?” he shouted over the rotors.

  “She isn’t responding, but her pulse is strong.”

  Taking her hand to find it cold, Mitch let out a shaky breath. She was alive, that was all that mattered for now.

  Nathan found Mitch pacing the waiting room, awaiting the diagnosis on Isabelle, while Jared sat nearby trying to keep Mitch calm. Walking over, Nathan stood in front of his younger brother to halt his pacing.

  “Sit down, Mitch, wearing a hole in the floor isn’t going to speed things up.”

  “I can’t, I…” They were interrupted by the arrival of Isabelle’s doctor.

  “Mr. Montgomery, I’m Dr Greene; you’re here for Isabelle?”

  “Yes, doctor. Is she okay?”

  “Hard to say at this stage. She sustained a substantial blow to the head and has a deep laceration. She hasn’t regained consciousness and until she does, we won’t know the extent of her head injury. We’ve done a scan and she currently doesn’t appear to have any bleeding or bruising. We have to wait and see. I’m sorry I can’t tell you more at this stage, but she is stable, which is a good sign.”

  “That’s it? Wait and see?” He asked a little more sharply than he intended. The idea of waiting and seeing and not being able to do anything chilled him to the bone.

  “That’s all I can you tell you right now. You can see her if you like, second door on your right.”

  “I’ll go and update Carol,” Nathan offered.

  “Thanks, Nath. I have to talk to her, see if I can get her to wake up.”

  “It worked with Charlotte,” Jared said.

  When he walked into Isabelle’s room, his heart sank. He’d forgotten how fragile and pale she’d looked on the ride over. The difference now was the tube in her throat helping her breathe. His heart ached at the sight of her vulnerability. Sitting next to her, he took her hand and was surprised by how cold it still felt in his.

  “Izzy, please wake up. Come back to me, I love you. Jesse is okay and will be anxious to see you. Honey, please wake up.”

  There was no sign of a response and, with tears in his eyes, he realized it was probably worse than the doctor had indicated. He laid his head on the bed and watched the rise and fall of her chest with her hand wrapped securely within his.

  Later that evening Carol pestered the nurses until they relented and took her to see Isabelle. They wheeled her in, and when she saw her daughter looking fragile and lifeless, hot tears stung her eyes.

  Lying with his head on the bed next to her was Mitch, who appeared to be sleeping. Knowing Isabelle was in good hands and not alone, Carol allowed the nurses to wheel her back to her room.

  When Mitch woke, he forgot for a moment where he was. Blinking, he sat upright and groaned as he stretched his stiff body.

  With sudden realization he remembered why he was there, and his heart leapt. But there appeared to be no change. She may be lost to him. It was almost his undoing.

  His concern for Carol, who would be wondering about her daughter, caused him to leave Isabelle’s side with reluctance and seek out her mother. Perhaps they could give each other a bit of solace. Carol sat up in bed eating breakfast when he entered her room and her look of concern matched his.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “I’m fine. Is there any change? No-one is telling me anything.” His response was a sad shake of his head. “She’s strong and determined. She’ll get through this, Mitch. We have to believe that.”

  “I hope you’re right. I love her so much.”

  “I know you do, Mitch. Hopefully that will help her to get through.”

  After a few minutes of sitting in silence, Carol all of a sudden gasped.

  “What is it?” Mitch asked.

  “Anthony!”

  “Izzy’s brother?”

  “Yes. Isabelle told me he was at our apartment in case anyone phoned about Jesse. I must call home immediately.”

  Mitch listened to the one-sided conversation before Carol jotted down a phone number and then ended the call. “All done. I’ll ring him with updates when I have them.”

  They sat in silence until Carol drifted off to sleep. Mitch knew she would have had as little sleep as he had, so he left her to rest and returned to Isabelle’s room. He sat talking with her quietly, trying to elicit some type of response. Anything would be better than the pale Isabelle lying beside him.

  “Have you been here all night?” Dr Greene’s voice startled him, and Mitch leapt from the chair.

  “Yes, I don’t want to leave her alone. I want to be here when she wakes up.”

  “She still isn’t responding to stimuli at present, Mr. Montgomery, so…”

  “Mitch.”

  “Mitch. Her head injury is a concern. The scans indicate she shouldn’t have permanent damage, but she hasn’t regained consciousness, and I’m worried. Isabelle may also experience some post traumatic amnesia. You need to be prepared for that.”

  “She’ll lose her memory?”

  “She may do, yes. It may just be the accident and some events leading up to it. It could be years of lost memories. We won’t know anything until she wakes up. All we can do for now is hope she comes out of her coma.”

  “Coma?” The real possibility that she wouldn’t wake up was like a slap in the face.

  “It’s been nearly twenty-four hours; thus, she is considered comatose at this stage, but that doesn’t mean she won’t come out of it. Talk to her, you never know, it might work. I’ll leave you to it.”

  Dr Greene left, and Mitch slumped back into the chair. The devastating thought of Isabelle no longer being in his world was too much to consider.

  “Izzy, wherever you are, come back, we’re waiting for you. I love you so much. We have so much to look forward to.”

  Not a flicker of movement could be found. Nothing. No response.

  A few hours later, after enquiring after Isabelle at the nurse’s station, Carrie located Mitch sitting in vigil by Isabelle’s bedside. Her heart broke for him. The change in her brother-in-law over the previous months had lightened her heart, but now a cruel twist of fate could take from him the only woman he had ever loved.

  With silent steps she approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Mitch, how are you holding up?” With a brief look over his shoulder he offered a small, weak smile before turning back to Isabelle without responding. “Maybe you should go home and get some rest. Freshen up. I’ll stay with her for you.”

  “Where’s Jesse?”

  “With Nathan and the kids. He took the rest of the week off to help out. We have it covered, but you need to look after yourself too.”

  “I’m not leaving her. I want to be here when she wakes up.”

  “Please, Mitch. Go home and freshen up.”

  “I have no home without her.”

  “Oh, Mitch.” She sighed, pulling up a chair beside him.

  Carrie placed a comforting arm across his shoulders and studied him for a moment. Black circles lined his eyes and his pallor was almost as pale as Isabelle’s. Her heart ached for him. His heavy lids closed and then flicked open again as though he didn’t want to sleep in case something happened. Eventually his body took control and his eyes stayed closed. He drifted off with his head resting on his clenched fist. With the same quiet steps, she went out into the corridor and called her husband.

  “Nathan, he won’t leave.”

  “Let him go, Carrie. He’s stubborn and no amount of coaxing will get him to change his mind. I’ve never seen him like this. He’s hurting and needs to be here. We just have to let him.”

  “Okay. I’ll be home soon, and we can change places. How’s Jesse?”

  “Worried about his mom. Do you want to call in and see Carol and ask whether we should bring Jesse in to see Isabelle?”

  “Good idea. I’ll go and see her now.”

  She ended the call and went to enquire about Carol.

  Chapter Twenty Three

  Misery

 
Carol gave her blessing to bring Jesse in to see his mother.

  Although it could be traumatizing for him, he also needed to be reassured she was still around. They also thought it may be good for Isabelle and perhaps for Mitch as well.

  Nathan returned to the hospital with Jesse that evening and found Mitch in the same spot Carrie had left him.

  “Mitch, how are you?”

  “I’m fine. I suppose you’re going to tell me to go home too, but I’m not leaving.”

  “I’m not here to convince you to leave, because I know you won’t. She has a visitor.”

  Mitch turned to find a scared looking Jesse clutching Nathan’s leg.

  “Hey, buddy. Your mom is sleeping, but if you talk to her, she’ll know you’re here.”

  With a tentative step forward, Jesse joined Mitch beside the bed. His gaze followed the tube from her mouth to the machines helping her breathe and his eyes grew wide. The fear for his mother and the machines surrounding her was evident in his expression. Despite his feelings, he reached forward and took his mother’s hand. A swell of pride surged through Mitch at the bravery Jesse summoned.

  “Hi, Mommy,” he said quietly. “I hope you feel better soon. I miss you.”

  Jesse’s visit broke the last of Mitch’s resistance. With a swift indication to Nathan that he needed a minute, he rushed from the room. A kaleidoscope of emotions consumed him, and he leant against the wall behind him as the toll of the last twenty-four hours caught up with him.

  He thought about the content of the letters and he couldn’t help but feel partly responsible. If she hadn’t been involved with him, ‘the player’, maybe she would be okay now. Anger surged through him. At himself for the trouble he had brought her. At Anton for what he did and finally at Isabelle for not telling him about the letters. Why had she kept this from him? She could be awake and safe right now if she had confided in him.