by Melissa Keir
****
Returning to work after the photos was challenging. Even knowing that Marcus was right outside wasn’t enough of a reassurance to make her feel safe. She was second-guessing who might have been watching her, who might have been threatening her, and who might want her dead. Was it someone from the secretarial pool or was it Mr. Anderson? She’d never seen anyone watching her, but now she thought everyone was.
Keeping her focus on the work in front of her, Betsie jumped when her phone rang.
“Hello, Miss Wolfe speaking. How can I help you?” she said in a professional tone.
“Hi there, darling. I just wanted to check on you. How are you feeling this morning? I didn’t get a chance to see you before leaving for work.”
Jonah’s voice was a lifeline on a chilling day. “I’m fine, just as nervous as a cat in a rocking chair factory. But I’ll be fine. Thanks for checking on me. I missed you this morning. I was hoping for some steamy sex before work.”
“We’ll do the steamy sex after dinner. Would it be possible for you to leave during lunch and come to my office to give your statement about what you heard? I can have Marcus drive you.”
“That should be fine. Everyone will think that my new boyfriend is taking me out to lunch. Miss Hildebrand told me yesterday that she thought Marcus was my boyfriend.”
A sharp pain upset Jonah’s stomach at the idea of someone else being her boyfriend. Is this what jealousy feels like? I’d trust Marcus with my life. He wouldn’t go after my girl but what will happen if we ever broke up? We’ve only talked about a relationship and love, not marriage. What are my feelings about marriage? Do I plan on her being my wife? Jonah thought warily. “Alright, I’ll see you around noon. Take care.”
Chapter Nine
Giving a statement was painless. Captain Monari sat in with Jonah and another detective while Betsie told them the details of what she overheard. The detectives also had her fill out statements on the attempt on her life and threatening photos. All that was left was signing the three statements and leaving the policemen to catch the bad guys.
“Thank you Miss Wolfe for coming in and filling out the statements. We’ll do everything in our power to keep you safe and capture the criminals involved,” the Captain said.
Jonah walked Marcus and Betsie back to the car. “I can’t leave now but I’ll see you later and remember what we planned after dinner,” he whispered as he kissed her cheek.
Grabbing a salad from the local drive-thru, Marcus dropped her back off at the office door. Carrying the salad back to her desk, she decided to eat it at her desk, when Miss Hildebrand stopped by.
“Eating at your desk? I thought you and your boyfriend were going to have lunch out somewhere. Don’t tell me you two got into a fight.” She said with a sarcastic tone.
“We decided to stop by a little jewelry store instead and missed lunch,” Betsie responded to her taunts. Wow. The lies just keep coming. My poor dad is going to make me say a million “Hail Mary’s” to make up for all the lies I’ve told.
“Well, you’d better plan on staying after a tonight to make up for the time you spent on your lunch and for now eating your lunch during your work time.”
Putting a plastic smile on her face, Betsie acknowledged her comment with a nod. Doesn’t this lady ever get laid? She is so uptight. I bet that she practices holding her nose up high enough to look down on everyone around her. I wonder since her nose is so high in the air, if she ever is in danger of drowning during a rainstorm. Sitting at her desk, Betsie tried to think of as many nose jokes until her temper calmed down. Imagining Miss Hildebrand as the brunt of the jokes, eased her stress-level.
The afternoon went by quickly. Paperwork could be monotonous but for Betsie, she really enjoyed it. At least with paperwork, she knew what to expect. Each file was similar in formatting and allowed her to feel a sense of accomplishment when she completed one or filled a customer’s shipping order.
Knowing that she was going to be forced to work late because of her lunch, Betsie decided to call Jonah and let him know. Goodness forbid that he gets worried. I remember what happened the last time. I almost became a road pancake.
Getting his answering machine, she left a message. “Hi Jonah, it’s me. Because of my long lunch, Miss Hildebrand is expecting me to work later tonight, and I wanted to give you a head’s up so you don’t worry. I know Marcus will make sure to bring me home. Could you let him know that I’ll be a little late? I’m looking forward to seeing you. Bye.” With her phone call done, she went right back to work entering the next set of data on the customer invoice.
****
Miss Hildebrand, the last employee to leave, stopped by Betsie’s desk at six o’clock to remind her about staying late. “Remember, your lunch went long, so you probably should stay for another half hour or so to make up the time. I’m going to turn off the lights in the front office and lock the door. You do still have the set of keys for the office, right? Just make sure you lock up again when you leave.”
Working on the remaining pile of invoices, Betsie didn’t even notice how much time had passed until she heard a footstep in the front area where Miss Hildebrand’s desk was. Frightened, she called out. “Hello. Is anyone there?” However, silence was her only response. Deciding to try calling Jonah again, Betsie picked up the phone; however, the dial tone was missing. The line was silent.
Terrified of what was going on, Betsie grabbed her purse to dig out her cell phone when she heard another noise from the darkened front office. Looking up, she spotted Miss Hildebrand standing in the doorway. Feeling foolish now for worrying about the phone and noises Betsie set her purse on her desk and stood up to meet Miss Hildebrand.
“Betsie, please come here. I need some help.”
Smiling as she walked toward Miss Hildebrand, she didn’t expect it when her hands were grabbed from behind and tied behind her back. “What’s going on? Who has me?” Turning she noticed that Mr. Anderson stood behind her. He pulled a pistol out of his waistband and pointed it at Betsie. Too afraid to make a sound, she remained quiet and watched as Miss Hildebrand pulled a handkerchief out of her sleeve and stuffed it into Betsie’s mouth.
“Thank you for your help Abigail. Miss Wolfe and I have to be leaving now. I hope you’ll excuse us.” Mr. Anderson was saying politely, “You’ve done a good job making things look like a robbery. I appreciate all your help.” Then to Betsie’s horror, he pointed the gun at Miss Hildebrand and shot her in the chest.
With eyes wide as saucers, Betsie watched the light leave Miss Hildebrand’s face. This can’t be happening. Where is Marcus? Mr. Anderson is going to kill me now too. Betsie closed her eyes and said a prayer for the woman who was lying dead on the office floor.
Shoving his pistol back in the waist of his trousers, Mr. Anderson gripped Betsie’s arm tight. Dragging her back through the secretarial pool area toward the garage, Mr. Anderson spoke about his nefarious plans. “You had to find out about the drugs. I know you were there when Johnny and I were arguing about the new cost of the drugs, but I hoped that once you saw what happened to Johnny and people who can’t keep their mouths shut, you would have been too frightened to keep working here and would go back to the corn field you came from.”
“You wouldn’t leave,” he continued as they approached the parking garage. “Then that police man saved you when I tried to run you over, only for you to move in with him. But I was cunning and bided my time. Abigail thought we should give you one more chance to leave. She left you that package with the photos but you were still too dumb to leave. I’ve no choice but to kill you, just as I did Abigail. I can’t leave any loose ends that might jeopardize my distribution business. So I’m planning on killing you and hiding your body in a shipping container so that everyone will think that you just ran away. No one will be the wiser.”
In the silence following his rant, Betsie thought her life was over. Tears swam in her eyes and began to fall down her cheeks. She didn’t realize that h
e wanted her to leave and head back to the shore of Ohio. But Mr. Anderson had certainly come clean about his involvement in everything. If only Jonah could know so that Mr. Anderson could be punished. If only Jonah knew how much I love him. I can’t stand that I won’t see him again.
Betsie hit that same piece of broken concrete and fell to her knees, pulling her arms out of Mr. Anderson’s hold, just as a shot rang out in the darkened garage. She heard Mr. Anderson scream in pain and fall to the ground as four police officers and all three Pigg brothers enter the garage with guns drawn.
“Stay on the ground Anderson. Now slowly remove your gun from the waistband of your pants and toss it over towards the street. Don’t make any silly moves or else we’ll kill you.” Captain Monari said with menace in his voice.
As soon as it was clear, the cops swarmed over to Mr. Anderson and put him in handcuffs and read him his rights. But the Pigg men ran towards Betsie to see if she was okay.
“Honey, are you okay? Let me get this rope off your arms.” Jonah said with compassion, as he ran his fingers over the tracks of the tears on her face. Marcus and Lucas stood over her like silent sentinels keeping her safe from prying eyes.
Spitting out the handkerchief, Betsie began to cry from relief. She was safe. Looking around at the brothers, she sniveled , “I’m so glad that you all are here and safe. I was worried that something had happened to you, Marcus, when you didn’t come into the office after Miss Hildebrand left. And Jonah, I left you a message about having to work late.” Confusion caused her brow to furrow.
“I got your message dear but by then we had already gotten some information from the lab about the envelope that those photos were in. We learned that it came from within your office and that it contained a partial fingerprint of Miss Hildebrand, so we got a warrant to search her home. Inside her bedroom she had journals detailing all her involvement with Mr. Anderson as well as his drug dealings and the murder of Johnny Bott,” he answered.
“But Miss Hildebrand’s journals wouldn’t have been enough to convict him, without our timely arrival here. Marcus called to alert us when he noticed Miss Hildebrand sneaking around the darkened office with Mr. Anderson. We’ve been listening to his rant about all of his evil dealings while we were waiting for the chance to rescue you. I’m sorry we couldn’t get to you quicker but we didn’t want to take a chance he would shoot you like he did her. It nearly stopped my heart to see you being led out of the building into the parking garage.”
Jonah draped his jacket around her shoulders and helped her stand. Just like that first night we met, she is wearing my jacket again but this time, she’s safe and mine, thought Jonah. The three Pigg brothers escorted Betsie to Marcus’ car for another trip to the station for a final statement on what just happened. While Betsie was still nervous from her close brush with death, she wanted this whole thing to be over so that she could finally get on with her life.
****
At the station, she was rushed into a meeting room with the same detective who took her previous statements, but this time the Captain and Jonah weren’t sitting in on the process. She was alone.
When she was finished, she asked Marcus and Luke to take her back to their place so she rest tonight and pack up in the morning to head back to her own place. Worries about money began to plague her. With Mr. Anderson’s involvement and Miss Hildebrand’s death, she didn’t see how Anderson Trucking would be able to stay in business, which meant she’d lose her job. Feeling miserable about her life, Betsie didn’t even say a word to the brothers but climbed up the stairs to Jonah’s room and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Tossing and turning throughout the night, she often woke with night terrors seeing Mr. Anderson waving that gun around and Miss Hildebrand’s blood splattering on the wall. Each time she awoke, Jonah was there to murmur reassurances and hold her until she fell back asleep. When dawn’s bright sunlight streamed through the bedroom window, Betsie slowly opened her eyes to find herself alone in bed.
Her heart was broken to think that Jonah no longer wanted her and that she wasn’t going to be a part of this amazing family anymore. Maybe I dreamed that Jonah was here. He must be done with me now that Mr. Anderson is caught. A guy as funny, sweet and sexy as him could have any woman he wanted. What he’d said that night about a relationship was just his way of making me feel better about our one night stand.
A knock sounded at her door but before she could utter a word, the door opened to show Jonah with a tray in hand. The tray had a variety of breakfast items including juice and flowers. Placing the tray across her lap, Jonah sat on the edge of the bed and broke the silence, “We need to talk. I was heartbroken to think that I was that close to losing you forever. When I saw Mr. Anderson holding you and the tears on your face, I wanted to rush in there and beat him to a pulp, but that isn’t the way to handle police business. I couldn’t be with you last evening when you went to the station because I was bringing him into the station for booking and making sure he was locked away so he wouldn’t hurt you again. I know that we talked about a relationship and love but I feel that would be wrong. This morning I made a call to your father. I’m a traditional guy.” Getting down on one knee, Jonah pulled a small box out of his pants pocket. “This ring was my mom’s and I know she would want us to have it. Miss Betsie Wolfe, will you do me the honor of being my wife? I can’t live a day without your smile, your compassionate nature, and non-stop love. Please make me the luckiest man on this planet.”
“Yes, Jonah Pigg. I’ll marry you and love you forever.” And they kissed among the whoops and hollering of his brothers.
Jonah jumped up and slammed the bedroom door before he pushed the tray off the bed onto the floor and ravished his fiancé giving her that steamy sex he’d promised her.
Epilogue
Six months later…
Being a part of the justice system was important to Betsie. She wanted to make sure that this horrible ordeal was finally over and it wouldn’t be until she heard the verdict against Mr. Anderson. Taking the oath “to tell the truth so help me God” very seriously, Betsie couldn’t help but think back to her childhood growing up in a house that lived the Ten Commandments. Living your life in a manner of personal responsibility was important to Betsie.
Sitting in the witness box at the trial of Mr. Anderson for murder, attempted murder, drug running and money laundering and answering the questions by the prosecutor and defense attorney was nerve wracking, but she felt that it was her duty. Only she could speak to what she overheard almost nine months ago. Hopefully. her testimony would help to bring closure to Miss Hildebrand’s family as well as Johnny Bott’s widow.
Seeing the malevolent smile on his face, she took a deep breath before turning to face the jury as she recounted the evening where she heard the argument between Johnny and Mr. Anderson over the drugs. Remaining calm and collected, she hardly looked like the frightened woman huddled in the wool blanket from the night of Johnny’s murder.
Looking out over the spectators behind the defense desk, she looked into the faces of the men who protected her and would soon be a part of her family. Touching the engagement ring that Jonah’s mother wore, a peace settled over her as she realized how love had turned her life around.
The End
About the Author
For my wedding in Vegas, my books and computer came with me but there wasn't enough room for my wedding shoes... It is all about priorities!! As an avid reader, I was probably born with a book in hand. Luckily my mom was also an avid reader, so it was easy to "borrow" her books when my books were finished.
So I was reading from an early age about dashing men on horseback riding to the rescue of strong willed capable women who didn't really need rescuing and came to expect that women in fairy tales should have fought their own battles. When I was older, I found Margaret Atwood and realized that women could re-tell history in their own way and I experimented with changing those basic fairy tales.
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p; Fortunately for me, my husband allows me the opportunity to be myself (spend my salary on books) and still take care of the really important things for me like killing spiders and opening jars. As an elementary teacher, teaching children about the many worlds inside of books is a gift that I am lucky enough to do for a living. Teaching the next generation to love reading is a lot of fun! You see, reading the right book can make that world come alive for you!
Currently living in the suburbs of Ann Arbor, Michigan with my darling husband, way-to-grown-up children and spoiled dogs, I enjoy getting away through a book to escape the harsh winters or summer road construction. Second Time’s the Charm is my first published book and one that I am excited to share with you! But I can guarantee it won’t be my last!
I’d love to hear from you!
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