He ran to the living room. The front door was ajar. He glanced out the window.
She was crawling across the road.
He couldn’t chance going after her, but that was okay. She was part of all this. If she said anything, he’d make sure the police knew. When he got in Georgia, he’d send her husband a nice message. Then they would make sure the cash flowed until his movies started making money.
But now, it was only a matter of time now until the cops arrived. Tommy turned and took off through the back door.
Chapter 91
Myrna shoved the wheelbarrow out of sight. “I’ll be back for you later.” She patted the black bag.
She tiptoed up to Jenny who was trying to get to her feet. “Jenny? Are you all right?” Was she hurt? “Jenny?”
“Help m…” Her body wobbled.
“Oh, my.” Blood covered the girl’s head.
“Please.” She reached her hand up to Myrna.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you.” She raised Jenny from the ground. “You lean on me, child. Help’s on the way.” Myrna struggled to the back door where she sat Jenny on the back porch. “I’ll be right back.”
Jenny grabbed her arm. “He’s got DJ.”
“What?” She stared at Jenny for a second then raced inside to the telephone. “Harold. Harold. I told you something was going on over at that place.”
It took the 9-1-1 operator one ring to answer.
Chapter 92
The wind cut through Tracy’s sweater and jeans. Her feet were numb. She forced herself to look away from Kimi’s body floating inches from her.
Achoo!
Tracy stared at the top. DJ? Had to be. She reached up to a bush and pulled herself up.
“Ugh.” Each movement caused more pain than the last. She fought the bile rising in her throat.
“Mom.” DJ’s voice sounded groggy.
“I’m coming,” she panted. “Don’t move.” Anger rushed through her. How dare these people drug him. Adults should have taken care of him, not cause harm.
She reached up, took a step up. Reached up, took a step up. It took forever, using one hand. Finally, inches from the top, she got on her tiptoes and looked over the edge.
DJ was trying to stand but his legs wobbled. He wiped his eyes.
“Move away from the edge, DJ.”
“Mom?” He glanced around as if hearing her but not knowing where her voice came from.
“Go to the right, DJ.”
He held up his hands, then shook his right hand. He crawled over.
Footsteps sounded down the path.
“Game time. Okay?” Please let him understand.
After a second, he nodded.
“Lay down and pretend to be asleep.”
DJ did what she said, even closing his eyes. She ducked, but her foot slipped from the rock she was standing and she slid down about fifteen feet.
She bit back a yell and waited.
Chapter 93
Tommy raced down the walkway. Within feet of the truck, he came to a dead stop. Where were the bags?
He shoved bushes and tree branches around for any sign of them before he got down on his hands and knees and looked under the truck.
“Where could they be?”
No animal would come by and drag them away. He marched into the woods a few feet then returned and looked around the truck again. No time to look. Jenny C. would be across the street by now, and the police could be on their way.
He’d come back once all the commotion died down.
Chapter 94
Tracy reached the top for the second time, DJ a few feet away. This time he was on his feet. Why didn’t he stay down? He stumbled trying to hold himself up. A truck roared to her right.
“DJ,” Tracy yelled.
She pulled herself over the ledge and shoved DJ out of the way. Tracy lay inches from going back over the cliff. The truck tore passed nearly hitting her.
“Mom.” A muffled sound came from the other side of the footpath.
DJ was on the ground, holding his ankle. His lip wobbled. He shook his head as if trying to get the cobwebs out.
With every ounce of energy, Tracy crawled over to him. “Are you all right?”
“You hurt my ankle.” He shook his head again.
She pulled him into her arms. “I’m so sorry, but everything’s going to be all right.” Tears streamed down her face. She looked up at the sky. “Thank you, God.”
“I’m hungry.” DJ rubbed his eyes.
She laughed and stood. Those were wonderful words. “Can you walk?”
He shrugged.
“I’ll help, but I can’t carry you,” she said.
He finally looked at her, the fog in his mind appeared to be clearing. “What happened to you?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be okay, but we have to get to the cabin.” She winced and folded her arm against her body.
As if struck by a lightning bolt, DJ bounced up. He wobbled on his ankle.
“I got ya,” he said as he wrapped his arm around her waist.
Together they stumbled to the cabin where she found someone’s cell phone and dialed Swenson.
Chapter 95
Tommy screeched to a halt at the end of the drive. An old woman was rushing across the street with a wheelbarrow. The blue duffle bag hung from her shoulder.
At her drive, she turned. Their eyes met. He pointed a finger and thumb at her and pretended to shoot.
She rushed out of sight.
He put the truck in park.
“I’ll get you, old lady.” He yelled across the street.
Sirens sounded. He returned to the truck and watched the patrol car pull up and the cops get out. Once they were away from their car, he spun out of the driveway. At the corner to the main, road, he took a left and headed to the interstate. Once he got to Georgia, the locals couldn’t touch him. A cop car with lights flashing passed him then screeched into a U-turn.
Tommy pressed his foot all the way down on the gas staying ahead of the cop. In another mile, he turned onto the entrance to the interstate, the cop behind him now joined by another.
Tommy sped down the emergency lane passing vehicles that tried to get out of the way of the sirens. A couple more miles to the Georgia line. His cell phone rang. He glanced at the screen. Filmore. Not a chance.
When he looked back up, a semi had pulled into the emergency lane, blocking his route. Tommy jerked the steering wheel to the right to avoid a direct hit. He rolled down an embankment and slammed into a tree.
With no seatbelt, he hit hard. White-hot pain hit his body. Tommy couldn’t breathe. Blood sputtered from his mouth. Cops screeched to a stop and surrounded him with guns. An officer pulled open the door, and Tommy fell to the ground.
Chapter 96
Myrna pushed Harold into the living room to the front window where the sun shined on his lap. The thick carpet made it hard to move the wheelchair. Once they closed on the Florida home, their next place would have wood floors so it would be easier to move him.
“Isn’t it beautiful,” she said.
The snow had dusted the ground the night before. It’ll surely be a white Christmas for the first time in years with Santa and small children. She couldn’t wait.
“Aunt, Myrna, how did you sleep?” Her nephew Cooper came up and kissed her on the cheek. “Finally able to rest?”
“Yes, I did. Being home with family helps, isn’t that right, Harold?” She patted his shoulder. Several reporters had asked for an interview, but she’d kept out of the public eye. No one needed to know where they ended up in case that guy in the truck had friends.
A baby wailed from the back room.
“Kevin’s up.” Cooper raced off to get his son.
Harold’s mouth turned downward. She patted him again on the shoulder. When Myrna asked him if he wanted to move back to New Hampshire. She took his silence as a yes. And Phyllis was more than happy to have her move in until they found a place of their own.
It didn’t take much to figure out where the money came from once the news announced the missing Allen boy had been held at Ross Ridge. She’d handed the ransom over, not expecting ever to hear from any of the Braddocks, but the next day Tracy Allen came by with her son.
What a handsome, courteous boy that DJ Allen was.
Tracy looked like she hadn’t slept in weeks. “Thanks for helping us,” she said. “I’d like you to have this as a reward.” She handed over almost forty thousand dollars and twenty-five shares of Microsoft stock.
Myrna couldn’t believe it. No Braddock had ever been so nice to her before.
She wrapped her arms around Harold’s neck. “Don’t you worry, we’ll find you a nice view just like before. Then I can visit my family without you so you won’t have to deal with the children.”
“Mrrr.” Ginger jumped up on Harold’s lap.
“You too.” She scooped Ginger into her arms. He rubbed against her chin and purred. “I know you don’t care for the baby crawling after you, but you’ll have freedom in a little bit. I’m gonna miss not being able to go visit Sonny’s grave, but he’ll always be in my heart.”
And the best part, no Braddocks to have to deal with ever again.
Chapter 97
Tracy rinsed the glass and placed it in the dishwasher. Her left arm in an orange cast. She pressed the button to start the machine
“Do I look okay, Mom?”
DJ stood before her, dressed in a black suit, too young to be going through this. A bright blue brace on his left leg for his sprained ankle. She allowed him to choose their colors. He’d chosen colors for the University of Florida, his favorite college team.
“Yeah you do,” she said.
“Is it okay if I’m going to miss Dad?”
“Of course.” She bent down and pulled her son against her. “I’ll miss him too. Maybe in time, we’ll only remember the good times. You know the trips to Disney and stuff like that.”
“That would be good.” He brushed a finger across his eye. “I’ll try not to cry.”
“You can if you want. Sometimes it helps.”
“No. I’m the man of the house now. I need to be strong.” He looked at his shiny new shoes. “Did Dad kidnap me?”
The question shocked her. “What makes you ask that?”
“I heard a guy on the news say it.”
“You listen to me.” Tracy took DJ by the shoulders, her heartbreaking at his pain. “Your father loved you more than anything. Deep in my heart, I believe he was trying to find you. I don’t for a minute think he had anything to do with this mess. Okay?”
DJ nodded and fell with his arms wrapped around her neck. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too. We’d better get going.” She looked into DJ’s blue eyes. “Are you going to be all right?”
“Yeah.” He nodded and forced a smile on his face.
“I need to get my keys and purse.”
They’d discussed the funeral and decided on a memorial with family and close friends. Lou made the arrangements. She planned to have something special at the office for anyone who wanted to come by.
Tracy was grateful. She didn’t want to appear pretentious since most people knew she and Daniel were divorcing. DJ took her hand, as they walked out the front door. He climbed into the back of the vehicle and buckled up without having to be told.
“If it’s okay, Mom. I’ll hold your hand when we get there.”
“I’d like that. Thank you.” She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the forehead before she closed his door.
Vonnie returned the day DJ came home. Having Joshua around that night seemed to help DJ take his mind off his dad for a while. Tracy kept Jenny’s part secret, and would for the time being. That was family business unless the police discovered the truth.
Not that Tracy cared whether Jenny got in trouble. She’d made it clear to her sister that DJ would not be visiting alone again. They say trust is something earned. Tracy couldn’t be sure there was any way for Jenny to earn her trust back.
Dad had told Tracy he’d read Jenny’s letter. He was angry also but didn’t want to confront Jenny at the hospital.
DJ seemed to have grown up overnight hearing the story of being kidnapped, having to talk to the police, and finding out about his father. At least he didn’t recall any of it. All he remembered from the beginning was Kimi who picked him up and gave him an orange smoothie. Then he went to sleep. The first thing he recalled was Tracy’s voice over the cliff, and then the truck speeding past.
A pill bottle was found by the side of the bed in the cabin where Kimi had kept DJ. His doctor said there should be no side effects from the medicine, but how could there not be with his father being gone from his life?
A sedan pulled into the driveway before she put the SUV in gear. Swenson stepped from the driver’s side and Nicholson from the passenger side.
Tracy rolled her window down when the detective advanced. “I don’t have time for questions,” she said. “We’re headed to Daniel’s funeral.”
“I know.” The detective jerked her head to the side indicating she wanted Tracy to get out of the SUV.
“I’ll be right back.” Tracy glanced at DJ over her shoulder. He nodded. She followed Swenson back to her vehicle. “What is it?”
“I thought you’d like to know Tommy Milford died this morning. Too much internal damage for him to make it. He never woke up.”
With him gone, Jenny’s complicity would probably never be known. Especially since she was claiming amnesia though Tracy didn’t buy it.
“A knife was found in the truck Milford was driving,” Swenson continued. “CSI pulled a couple of drops of blood from beneath the handle. It matches Daniel’s. We’ll know for sure once the DNA comes back. We’ve found nothing to indicate Daniel was involved in DJ’s kidnapping.”
Tracy would never be one hundred percent sure, but she’d never tell her son that. Better he thought his dad had nothing to do with it.
“Thanks.” Tracy held her hand out to Swenson and nodded at the agent. “Now if you’ll excuse me.” She walked back and got into the SUV.
“What is it, Mom?”
She glanced over her shoulder. “Detective Swenson wanted to let us know that the man with Kimi can no longer hurt us. It’s all over.”
“Good.” He looked more at peace. The past couple of days had been one of concern over the guy coming after him. DJ had even suggested they move.
It was a thought. While her son might feel some comfort in the man being gone, Tracy wasn’t sure she’d ever forget the horror of the past week. Moving might be the only answer. But that was a decision for another day.
She put the vehicle in drive and pulled onto the quiet street.
The End
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Other Available Titles from
Kathryn J. Bain
To view all my titles, go to my Amazon Author page:
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THE KT MORGAN SHORT SUSPENSE SERIES
Run Away, Coming January 2020
A Touch of Suspense (Vol. 1-3 of the KT Morgan Short Suspense Series), pub. 2017, Amazon Digital Services
The Vistior, pub. 2014, Amazon Digital Services
Small Town Terror, pub. 2015, Amazon Digital Services
The Reunion, pub. 2016, Amazon Digital Services
The Lincoln
ville Mystery Series
Breathless, pub. 2012, Pelican Ventures Book Group.
Catch Your Breath, pub. 2012, Pelican Ventures Book Group.
One Last Breath, pub. 2014, Amazon Digital Services.
Take Her Breath Away, 2016, Amazon Digital Services
Other FICTION books available
The Chain You Forge, 2017, Amazon Digital Services
Beautiful Imperfection, 2013, Harborlight Books
Knight & Day, 2013, Write Words, Inc.
Game of Hearts, 2012, Astraea Press.
NONFICTION
30 in 30, 2018, Amazon Digital Services
Holding the Hand of a King: Forming a Deeper Relationship with God the Father, pub. 2017, Two Stone Lions Press
About the Author
Kathryn J. Bain’s first release Breathless came out January 13, 2012. She has garnered several awards for her writing including First Place in the Royal Palm Literary Awards, First place in the International Digital Awards, Second and Third Place in the Heart of Excellence Readers’ Choice Contest, and more.
She is the former President of Florida Sisters in Crime and Public Relations Director and Membership Director for Ancient City Romance Authors.
She has been a paralegal for over thirty years and works for an attorney who specializes in elder law.
Kathryn grew up in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. In 1981, she moved to Boise, but it apparently wasn't far enough south, because two years later she headed Jacksonville, Florida and has lived in the sunshine ever since.
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