Strangers

by Crystal V. Rhodes

  Sin had withdrawn from the others downstairs to find a quiet place where he could be alone. After wandering their property for a while, he had drifted upstairs still trying to reconcile the mix of emotions consuming him. Fear gripped the very core of his being as he thought about what could happen to his daughter and his niece. Yet, it was the rage at the audacity of the act that he kept trying to keep at bay, but it was proving difficult.

  There was a knock on his closet door. He knew it was Nedra. Tucking his cell phone in his pocket, he called out.

  “Come in.”

  She entered and quickly closed the distance between them as she walked into his arms and laid her head on his chest. They tightened their arms around each other. They were each other’s anchor. Neither of them could imagine living without the other. Through the tears they had shed together, they had assured each other that they would survive this, and so would Gillian and Nia.

  It had been a little over two years since Sin had discovered that he had a sister and became an instant uncle. Prior to that Nedra and their children had been the only family that he had. His drug addicted mother had died when he was ten years old. At the time he had no idea who had fathered him. He had been alone in the world.

  Sin had been a child of the streets, hustling and breaking the law at a whim, going in and out of juvenile detention. He had respected no one. He had cared about no one. He had worn the label “bad boy” with pride.

  As an adult, he had turned his life completely around, but love had not been a part of his existence. Then he met Reverend Nedra Davis and she changed his whole world. She had crawled into places inside his heart that he wasn’t aware existed. She had made him believe in possibilities he had never considered. He worshipped his wife and adored their three children.

  Gillian was his baby, his precocious, pugnacious little girl. When it came down to it, nobody messed with Gillian or with her loved ones. If they did, they would suffer the consequences.

  Earlier, in an attempt to relieve some of the tension the family was feeling, Trevor Reasoner had quipped, “I almost feel sorry for the kidnappers.”

  Everyone in the family had laughed because they knew exactly what he meant. Gillian Reasoner was one determined child. She could prove to be quite a handful when she wanted to be. There was little doubt that she was giving her abductors hell.

  “I’m glad Nia is with her,” Darnell had told the family. “Maybe then my baby won’t be so scared.”

  Sin had hugged his sister to him, just as he was doing with his wife and had told her the same thing he was telling Nedra.

  “Everything is going to be all right.”

  It seemed as though the family had been saying those words to each other a lot since this ordeal began. Those words and prayer were the only things that sustained them. Even Sin had whispered a tentative word to a Higher Power that he still wasn’t sure existed—but, just in case.

  “Do you still think that James Starr might be involved in all of this?” Nedra asked. Still encircled in the comfort of her husband’s arms she felt him tense at the mention of Starr’s name.

  Sin hesitated. “I’m not sure. I guess it’s possible that he did stumble into this whole thing by accident.”

  Sin had told Nedra as well as the FBI about his familiarity with the man in L.A. with Dana. Although it came as no surprise to him that the authorities had already run James Starr’s name through their system, it had been a surprise when it was verified that Starr’s claim to being an ex-cop was true. Nevertheless, while that fact might have given James Starr a pass as far as the authorities were concerned, it didn’t impress Sin. The gulf between the two men was too great; the waters were too deep. He hated the man!

  A knock on their bedroom door drew their attention. It was followed by Trevor’s voice.

  “Mama? Dad? Are you in there?”

  It was time to return to the nightmare. Exiting the dressing room, the couple headed toward the door.

  “We’re coming,” Sin informed their son hoping that he had good news for them.

  The knob to the bedroom door turned and Trevor stuck his head into the room. He was clearly excited. “Grandma’s here. She just pulled up.”

  Closing the door behind him, they could hear his sneakered footsteps hurrying down the hall. Nedra perked up. In spite of the fact that her husband had called her mother against her wishes she knew the decision had been the right one. Her presence was sorely needed. Marva Davis was a powerful force in all of their lives.

  “I have to call Brandon and thank him for sending his plane for her,” Sin told his wife.

  Nedra could hear the regret in her husband’s voice. He had called his best friend and asked for the favor without an explanation. Brandon had complied without question, although Sin knew that the veteran reporter and media mogul had sensed that something was out of the ordinary.

  She knew that Sin had wanted to share what was happening with his friend. He needed his support and comfort, especially since Brandon and his wife, Sash, had been through the same nightmare with their son years ago.

  Nedra was equally as sorry that she couldn’t tell her best friend, Carla Ryan-Belle, what was happening. They were as close as sisters. Gillian was her godchild; but for security purposes, the FBI had forbidden the parents from sharing information about the abduction with anyone other than close family members. Reluctantly, everyone had abided by the request.

  Downstairs the household was abuzz with activity. The agents assigned to the Reasoner home were busy going about their business. Bev and Ray had arrived at the house in time to welcome Marva. Mrs. Sharon was there as well. The authorities had not allowed her to go home to her family until the situation was resolved. Since the Reasoner housekeeper had left before becoming aware of the abduction, the Stewart’s housekeeper had volunteered to cook breakfast for the assortment of guests in the Reasoner household, including the agents. As they dined, the family updated Marva on the latest developments.

  After listening, she suggested a group prayer. Holding hands, the family formed a circle and with heads bowed waited for Marva to speak. Sin’s cell phone rang and interrupted the gathering. Nedra gave him a disapproving look. Reaching into his pocket he turned the instrument off, allowing Marva to proceed.

  “Lord, you know why we’re here, and I’m going to make this short and simple. You are in charge of everything great and small. This is in your hands. Please bring our babies home.”

  There was a chorus of amen as everyone hugged, passing on the strength that they needed to get through this crisis. Sin stepped aside and checked the number of his last caller. The world might be in turmoil inside his home, but it continued to revolve outside of it.

  The area code was not in their area. He didn’t recognize the number, dismissed it as unimportant and was about to pocket the cell phone again when it vibrated and the same number appeared. This time, he answered it. The voice on the other end caused his knees to buckle.

  “Daddy! It’s me! I need you to come and get me and Nia. Now!”

  ****

  “Welcome to our establishment, Mr…” the desk clerk glanced down at the name on the registration card. “Mr. Hardman. We hope you enjoy our city.”

  The stranger acknowledged her welcome with a slight nod. She handed him the key card and told him how to get to his room.

  “I notice you don’t have a check out date written down here.”

  “I’m not sure yet. I’ll let you know.”

  The man, who had signed the register as Tom Hardman, stepped into an empty elevator nearly collapsing from fatigue. It had taken him an entire day to get here. The trip had been a long, grueling one from his island paradise to his final destination, but he had arrived. He was in Los Angeles.

  CHAPTER 8

  Dana’s first hint that something significant had happened was when there was a loud knock on the ladies room door down the hall from her office.

  “Mrs. Mansfield, come quick!” There was urgency in Age
nt Conway’s voice.

  With her heart pounding, she raced from the bathroom to find an empty hallway as she caught a glimpse of him disappearing into her office. As she hurried down the hall on shaky legs, she whispered a prayer.

  “Lord, please, please, please,” was all she could think of to say.

  The receptionist area was empty. Everyone was gathered around the computer screen in her office. She could hear someone on Skype talking. As soon as she stepped into the room James’ gray eyes were the first pair that she met. They were shining. He gave her a wide grin, but it was Agent Conway who told her the news.

  “They’re free.”

  For Dana, the rest of the day was a blur, but it was one of the best days in her life. As much as she wanted to be on the Peninsula with her family, she had to be satisfied with seeing everything that was happening in real time. One of the agents in Carmel had been on screen talking frantically to Agent Conway when Dana entered the office. He was having quite a bit of difficulty containing the Stewart and Reasoner families.

  As soon as Sin received the call from his daughter joy had permeated the household. He had put Gillian on speaker phone, and she had explained how she and Nia had made it to safety.

  After fleeing from their captives the girls had made their way to the home of a family of migrant farmers who were Hispanic and spoke limited English. Gillian’s skills in the language came in handy as she had explained their plight. The family had let her use their cell phone to call her father. With as much accuracy as possible, Gillian told Sin where they were located, and he assured her that they would be there ASAP. Sin had also instructed her to stay on the telephone with him.

  The two overwrought couples had been headed for a car to go get their daughters when the agents stopped them. They were informed that the authorities could not allow them to go alone. The situation had to be checked out. Rationale in the face of emotion proved fruitless as both set of parents demanded to be taken to their children. A war of words had ensued and a firestorm was brewing on the Peninsula when Dana walked in the door. She could hear the heated argument in the background as the agent on screen spoke to his supervisor in L.A.; she wasn’t surprised a few seconds later when Darnell pushed him aside to speak to her aunt.

  “Dana, you’re my attorney and you had better tell these people something!” She was so angry that her voice was shaking. “I will personally sue the FBI and every one of these agents if they don’t let us out of here.”

  Agent Conway addressed the emotional mother.

  “Like I said, Mrs. Stewart, we’ll be happy to take you and your family to the airport to board a helicopter, but we do have to think about your safety and that of the children. We must secure the area first.”

  Darnell leveled him with a cold stare. “Am I talking to you?”

  Dana recognized her niece’s need to get to her child, but she also understood the agent’s position. “Let the authorities do their job, Hon. You’ll be with Nia soon.”

  Dana had to swallow the emotions that her directive evoked. It was difficult switching to a professional persona after the roller coaster ride that they had all been on. Knowing her niece, she prepared herself for the onslaught of dissent that she knew was coming when she agreed with the agent, but Thad came to the rescue.

  “Nia wants to speak to you again,” he told his wife, interrupting the conversation. He handed her Sin’s cell phone. Immediately, Darnell’s focus returned to their little girl.

  Agent Conway continued to direct the rescue mission and Dana slipped into an empty conference room. She was barely inside before she broke into tears. She didn’t hear the door open and close quietly behind her, but she did feel a presence behind her as James turned her around to face him and eased her into the comfort of his massive chest.

  “Let it go,” he whispered.

  She did. Heaving sobs shook her body as James became a silent witness to her personal pain. He knew that what he had stumbled into by accident might possibly be the news story of the year, but this very private moment would never be told.

  When he awakened yesterday morning, never in his wildest imagination would he have imagined this scenario. How could anyone?

  He had tried to be unobtrusive as he had quietly observed all of the characters involved in this drama. They had each proved to be very interesting.

  There was Agent Conway, the ambitious company man, who knew that if this case ended successfully there would be no obstacles on his way to the top. On the Peninsula, he had only caught a brief glimpse of Ray Wilson’s wife, Bev. He had never met her, but he knew her husband well enough to know that although he might be a hard-nosed, wheeler dealer on the Hollywood scene, he was also a kind and considerate man. Thad Stewart was not only his client, but his best friend and of course Darnell was Ray’s step-daughter. This entire scenario had to be tearing him apart.

  James had never met Thad or Darnell either, but from what he had been able to discern from afar, Thad’s personality appeared to be less intense than that of his wife’s. The super star actor was laid back. The same couldn’t be said for Darnell. It was clear that she was a warrior who would battle until the end.

  Like Ray’s wife, Nedra Reasoner had stayed in the background. James hadn’t seen her, but he was curious about what type of woman Sinclair Reasoner had married. In spite of his nemesis’ role as a worried father, seeing Sin continued to evoke bitter feelings in James that he thought had been buried long ago. He was wrong. He still hated the man and wanted him dead.

  The feel of Dana stirring in his arms brought James back to the moment. During all of this, she was the one whom he had come to know best. Despite their rocky start he liked her a lot. She not only had heart, she had a heart, as her tears demonstrated.

  Composing herself, Dana drew away from James, embarrassed by her emotional outburst.

  “I’m really sorry about this. It all came on me at once.”

  “No problem. You’ve been through a lot.”

  She gave him a smile in appreciation for his kindness. Who would have thought that this giant of a man would have such a gentle and caring spirit?

  They returned to her office in time to see the families leaving with the agents to go pick up the girls. It was like watching a movie—the ride to meet the helicopter waiting at the airport and the quartet of anxious parents hopping aboard the aircraft.

  It didn’t take long before the helicopter was landing in an open field close to a ramshackle house located in the middle of an onion field. Before the pilot turned off the engine, the parents leaped to the ground and sprinted across the field toward the house which the agents had secured. Suddenly, two small figures darted from behind a group of uniformed figures and raced toward the quartet. Reaching their parents, each girl leaped into open arms and was greeted with hugs and kisses. At that moment, no one in Carmel or L.A. tried to hide their emotions.

  Dana turned to Agent Conway, “I need to get to Carmel, today.”

  ****

  “I’ll say that you have about eight, maybe ten hours at best to get ahead of the media.”

  The warning was being given by Brandon Plaine to the gathering that filled the Reasoner’s spacious living room. Sin had called him as soon as they had returned home with Gillian and Nia. There was no doubt as to who would get the exclusive on the story of the kidnapping. The media mogul owned newspapers, radio and cable TV stations nationwide. Yet at this moment, his presence among those who trusted him was personal. He and his wife, Sash, knew the horror of what the families had gone through. They also knew what might help them recover from their ordeal.

  “The best advice that I can give you,” Brandon told them, “is to disappear. Public scrutiny isn’t what you need right now. Stay out of the spotlight. ”

  “I’ll call Uncle Gerald to fly his plane here and pick us up,” Bev informed the others. That meant that within the next 24 hours every family member present would be beyond the media’s reach.

  “Our house in Hawaii
is up for grabs.” Sash winked at her husband. They had agreed in advance to the offer of their vacation home on a private island as a sanctuary.

  “Thank you,” Nedra gave the couple a grateful smile. She knew where her fellow family members would gather, so her eyes slid to the Stewart’s housekeeper, who was also in the room. Darnell picked up on her cousin’s nonverbal cue.

  “What about you Mrs. Sharon? How would you like a vacation with pay?”

  Mrs. Sharon’s hands flew to her mouth in surprise. “What?”

  “You can even take a family member or a friend,” Thad added. “All expenses paid.”

  “You’ve been to Pineapple Hill with us before, Mrs. Sharon, and you said that you liked it.” Darnell added, wiggling her eyebrows with delight. She and Thad had been giddy with happiness since Nia’s return.

  Mrs. Sharon appeared speechless. “But it was my…”

  “Pleasure to help us all that you could,” Thad completed her sentence.

  Mrs. Sharon was moved to tears as everyone in the room clapped in agreement. Despite all efforts to make her feel differently she still felt responsible for what had happened to the girls and she had been despondent. She appeared thrilled by the show of love and support.

  “It’ll be fun,” Marva prodded.

  “Sin and I are calling Mrs. Lucia and sending her to the island if she wants to go,” Nedra informed her.

  Mrs. Sharon looked excited by the possibility, but still seemed hesitant. “Suppose Agent Conway says that I can’t go?” She knew that she was still suspect in the eyes of the authorities.

  Darnell snorted. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of him.” She winked at the woman who had been working for her long before Thad and Nia had come into her life. With that reassurance, Mrs. Sharon accepted the invitation.